Rainmen-Mill Rats Game Preview with Saint John President and GM, Ian McCarthy

by Romy Aquino

Saturday night will mark the beginning of a professional basketball rivalry here in the Maritimes.  The Mill Rats PBL franchise moved from Manchester, New Hampshire to Saint John, New Brunswick during this past offseason and by location alone, the team is an ideal rival for the Halifax Rainmen.

The start of this rivalry will begin on Saturday evening when the Halifax Rainmen (4-2) take on the Saint John Mill Rats (2-3) at the Halifax Metro Centre (7:00 PM AST) and will be the first regular season matchup between the two Maritime teams.  A few notable players on the Mill Rats roster include former Halifax Rainmen guard, Eric Gilchrese, and Canadian talents: UNB alumni, Mike Anderson and Toronto native, Jeff Ferguson.

Ian McCarthy is the President and General Manager of the Saint John Mill Rats and has been with the team since its inception in 2007.  I had the chance to preview Saturday night's Rainmen-Mill Rats matchup with Ian, discussed the new additions to the Mill Rats roster and got his thoughts on the now defunct PBL franchise, the Vermont Frost Heaves.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca): First off, how has the move of the Mill Rats from Manchester to Saint John been so far? 


Ian McCarthy: The move has been an incredible experience. Harbour Station is an amazing venue, so the presentation to the fans, and the experience for the players is first class.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  What has the response been like in the Saint John community?

Ian McCarthy:  The fan response and the community response has been great. We have over 2,000 season tickets and have averaged 4,000 fans per game thus far, compared with 500 or less last season in Manchester.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): The weekend will be the beginning of a new rivalry between the Halifax Rainmen and the Saint John Mill Rats, what is the scoop with this new “Rogers Fan Cup” and also the friendly wager between the mayors of the two cities?


Ian McCarthy: The Fan Cup Challenge is basically a competition that Andre (Levingston) and I discussed doing and it has grown into a friendly wager between the Mayors. It's a way to allow the fans of each team to compete directly with each other, in addition to the teams playing each other.

We're looking forward to the Mayor Kelly wearing a Mill Rats jersey to a Council Meeting this spring!


Romy (Haligonia.ca): In your opinion, what will be the biggest challenge for the Mill Rats when they face off against Halifax on Saturday?


Ian McCarthy: The biggest challenge we will have Saturday is playing together with our roster changes. (Tyrelle) Blair is a new addition and (Marc) Egerson is probably not going to play due to a lower leg strain. If we can play our brand of basketball and get contributions from our new guys, we should be fine.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let’s hear the scouting report on some on the newest guys on the Mill Rats roster: Rob Diggs, Ross Demasi and Tyrelle Blair. What do they bring to the Mill Rats?


Ian McCarthy: Diggs had a great first game (23 points, 9 rebounds). He's athletic, runs the court, and has good post moves. Blair is a shot blocker and inside presence. We acquired the rights to Demasi but we have not signed him yet and he will not be in uniform on Saturday.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): In other PBL news, the Mill Rats former arch rivals (when they were back in Manchester), the Vermont Frost Heaves, folded this week. What was your initial reaction when you heard the news? 


Ian McCarthy: We were all aware as a league that Vermont was in a fragile condition financially and we decided to give them a chance to play this year due to their history and their value as a rival and as a travel partner. So it wasn't a huge surprise. I think in hindsight we could have provided them with more guidance as to how to manage the budget they did have and the pitfalls of minor league sports. They were fans after all and really wanted to win badly as well.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  How does this affect your team going forward?


Ian McCarthy:  It really hasn't affected us other than rescheduling one home and one road game, and we get to play Quebec and Halifax in the additional games.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): Will there be a friendly wager between you and Andre Levingston in this new Maritime rivalry?


Ian McCarthy: Good question! Its not something we've discussed because we've both been tending to our team's business everyday, but perhaps we can think of something!

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Thanks goes out to Ian McCarthy for taking part in the Rainmen-Mill Rats game preview, catch the Maritime rivals, Halifax Rainmen and Saint John Mill Rats at the Halifax Metro Centre on Saturday night.  Catch it live online here on Haligonia.ca!

Photo courtesy of the Saint John Mill Rats

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - BLUEGRASS STALLIONS 99, RAINMEN 89

BLUEGRASS STALLIONS 99, RAINMEN 89
Rainmen Record:  4W-2L
After blowing out the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions 115-83 last Friday, the Rainmen were looking to repeat that performance when they made the road trip to Kentucky.  But on Sunday afternoon, that wasn't the case.  Going in shorthanded without head coach Les Berry, Eric Crookshank and an injured Desmond Ferguson, the Stallions proved that they were a better team than they were a week ago in Halifax.  Led by their leading scorer, Kenny Jones, the Stallions' forward scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.  The Stallions were active on the glass, outrebounding Halifax 58-51 which included 25 offensive boards.

For Halifax, Mike Mercer was moved out of the starting lineup in favour of Tommy Mitchell in Sunday's game.  Mercer, who was the Rainmen leading scorer going into Sunday's game struggled for Halifax, scoring just 4 points (2-10).  Halifax had problems handling the ball, turning the basketball over 26 times.

Kentucky had a 76-74 lead with seven minutes to play in the fourth but it was the second half play of Jason McLeish that was an integral part of the Stallions strong finish.  McLeish, scored all of his 18 points in the second half for the Stallions.  The game was still in reach for Halifax until 1:26 to play, when Jason McLeish stole a Rainmen pass that led to an Aubrey White basket and a foul, to put the Stallions up ten to seal the game.

Some Key Stats:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Rainmen could have really used Eric Crookshank on Sunday, Kentucky had 25 offensive boards and outrebounded Halifax 58-51
• Stallions Player of the Game (based on the boxscore):  Kenny Jones 20 points (8-14), 14 rebounds (8 offensive)
• Shoutouts to the Rainmen: Kavon Jones 20 points (9-11), 13 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals
• The New Guy:  Former NBA player, Kirk Snyder, made his Rainmen debut and scored 0 points (0-3) and grabbed 2 rebounds in 10 minutes of play
• The Standings: The Rainmen move to a 4-2 record while the Stallions move to 4-3 

Post Game Links:

Halifax Chronicle-Herald

""We made a push and took the lead in the third quarter but we had some bad foul calls against us and the guys let their heads down," said assistant Jeff Paris, who coached the team during its road trip."

Metro Halifax
"Ex-NBA guard/small forward Kirk Snyder played 10 minutes but didn’t score in his Rainmen debut after signing on Saturday. Snyder was convicted of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and assault in April 2009 and was sentenced to three years in prison in May 2010. He is now looking to return to the NBA."

BluegrassStallions.com
"Kenny Jones scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Bluegrass Stallions to a 99-89 victory against the Halifax Rainmen in a Premier Basketball League game at Georgetown College."

Next up, the Rainmen face off against their Maritime rivals, Saint John Mill Rats, on January 29th here in Halifax...

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Halifax Rainmen add NBA experience with guard-forward, Kirk Snyder

The Halifax Rainmen have made a huge addition to the roster, having signed former NBA player, Kirk Snyder.  Snyder, who attended the University of Nevada, has four seasons of NBA experience playing with the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.  The guard-forward declared for the NBA draft after his junior year at the University of Nevada and was a first-round pick in the 2004 NBA draft, drafted 16th overall by the Utah Jazz (after Al Jefferson and before Josh Smith).  This was also the year the Dwight Howard was drafted first overall.  He also appeared in the 2007 NBA playoffs with the Houston Rockets when the Rockets lost in a seven game series against the Utah Jazz.  The 6-6 guard has played in 211 NBA games and will be bringing a lot of talent and experience to the Rainmen roster.  He also has other pro experience, playing in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Zhejiang Horses in 2008.

Snyder has been more recently in the news due to unfortunate circumstances, having been charged with aggravated burglary in 2009.  According to KSL.com, after being convicted of "aggravated burglary, felonious assault and assault", he was sentenced to three years in prison.  He was diagnosed with a mental disorder as reported in Dayton Daily News but will look to begin his comeback with the Rainmen.

According to the latest Halifax Rainmen press release, Rainmen President and CEO, Andre Levingston, is looking to give Snyder a second chance: “I’m excited to give Kirk a second chance at having a professional basketball career and providing for his beautiful family,” said Levingston. “We’re happy that he has received the help he needed and look forward to having him join us in Halifax.” Snyder will be joining the team this Sunday as they face the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions in Kentucky.

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - RAINMEN 112, AIR STRIKERS 106

RAINMEN 112, AIR STRIKERS 106
Rainmen Record:  4W-1L

The Halifax Rainmen were in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday night, facing off against the expansion Dayton Air Strikers.  The last place Air Strikers were on a four-game losing streak heading into this matchup and were looking to secure their first home win of the season.  The Rainmen on other hand, were fresh off of a blowout win against the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions (winning three of their first four games) and were looking to continue their strong play on the road.  The Rainmen went into Dayton shorthanded, and were without the PBL's leading rebounder, Eric Crookshank, and head coach, Les Berry.  Assistant coach, Jeff Paris, took the coaching reigns on Wednesday night.

The Air Strikers got an early jump on the Rainmen in the first quarter of the game, putting together a 31-24 first quarter lead.  But the Rainmen wasted no time closing the gap.  Halifax narrowed down Dayton's lead to just one point at the half.  Taliek Brown and the recently-acquired centre, James "Boo" Jackson, both had 9 points at the mid point.

Dayton kept pace with the Rainmen in the second half, keeping the game close in the third and fourth quarters.  With just over a minute remaining in the final quarter, Dayton had got the game to within three points.  But with a few key free throws made by both Josh Dollard and James "Boo" Jackson in the closing seconds, the Rainmen were able to hold off the Air Strikers with a 112-106 Rainmen win.

Mike Mercer had a strong night, scoring 18 points in just 23 minutes for the Rainmen.    Mercer scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half.   Rainmen point guard, Taliek Brown, was perfect from the field, making 7 for 7 from the floor.  He finished with 17 points and 5 rebounds.  Tajuan Porter had a season-high 12 points, making four threes from behind the arc.

Some Key Stats:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Halifax had 20 turnovers in this game compared to Dayton's four turnovers.  How did Halifax win the game with all those turnovers?  Well, they also made 10 threes (out of 23 attempted.....23 attempted threes!)
• Rainmen Player of the Game (based on the boxscore):  It had to be James "Boo" Jackson with his 16 points (7-12)  and 17 boards
• Shoutouts to the Air Strikers: Quade Milum - 23 points (10-14), 5 rebounds
• The Rebound Battle:  Halifax won the battle on the boards 59-36
• Three Point Struggles:  Dayton's Nathaniel Miles was horrible from behind the three point line, making only 1 of 10 
• Rainmen DNP-CD: Kavon Jones was a DNP-CD for Wednesday night's matchup, he should be ready to play for Sunday's game
• The Standings: The Rainmen move to 4-1 and sit at the top of the PBL East Division

Next up, the Rainmen are still on the road and have a rematch against the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions on Sunday!

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen guard, Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson

When Desmond Ferguson dropped seven threes on the Vermont Frost Heaves in the Rainmen home opener, Rainmen fans understood why they call Desmond Ferguson - "Moneyball".   The dude has a knack for nailing down a three-ball from anywhere on the court....and when he gets hot, watch out.

The three-point specialist out of Lansing, Michigan is back with the Halifax Rainmen for another season to help Halifax's quest for a PBL Championship.  Ferguson is currently the leading scorer for the Halifax Rainmen at 19 points/game and is only one of two returning players to this season's Rainmen roster.  Aside from being a professional ball player, he also has a business on the side named "Moneyball Sportwear" that is the uniform provider to not only the Halifax Rainmen but also the Saint John Mill Rats.  I had the chance to talk with Desmond about this new PBL season, his best memories of John Strickland and his opinion on his favourite Steven Seagal movie of all-time.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca): You're back with the Rainmen for another season. How are you liking this year's team so far?


Desmond Ferguson: I really like our team this year. I think we have a good mix of veterans and young players, as well as some athletic guys that will help us towards our quest for a championship.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): A lot of the guys from last year's Rainmen roster have moved onto other playing opportunities with you and Crook as the only returnees. For the Rainmen fans who aren't familiar with some of the new guys on the team, who are the ones we should be most looking forward to watching this season?


Desmond Ferguson: All of them! Ha! Taliek Brown is a true pass first point guard and a proven winner, Tajuan Porter is fast and quick and he is also a good shooter, he changes the pace of the game. Tommy Mitchell is a guy that I previously played with in Manchester and he is a proven scorer with experience in this league. Mike Mercer is one of our rookies that brings great intensity on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, an athletic scorer that can defend. Marshall Brown is a strong, athletic wing player that will definitely help improve our team and help us be more versatile. Josh Dollard gives us a scoring presence at the power foward position that creates matchup problems for other teams. Kavon Jones is another one of our rookies that has a great upside and also creates mismatches when he is in at the 4 or 5 position....

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Rainmen fans were shocked to hear about the passing of streetball legend and Rainmen veteran, John Strickland over this past summer. Where were you when you heard the news?


Desmond Ferguson: I was sitting on my bed getting dressed so I could get ready to go work out when Andre called me with the devastating news about Strick. It's definitely still a hard pill to swallow.

Ferguson and Strick (just a few weeks before he passed away) at Jay-Z's 40/40
club, Ferguson said "they treated Strick like he was Jay-Z himself"

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What will you miss most about Strick?


Desmond Ferguson: What I will miss most about Strick was his passion for life and the game of basketball. You only have one opportunity in life to meet a person as unique and special as Strick. The way that he played the game and his undoubtedly love for basketball is what I will always remember him for.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let's hear your best Strick story during your time with the Rainmen.


Desmond Ferguson: I have so many stories about Strick, but the one that best sums him up on the basketball court is the one I wrote in my blog the day I heard about his passing.....

http://moneyball.Myshopify.Com/blogs/news/2079802-moneyball-blog-rip-john-strickland

Romy (Haligonia.ca): How's the Moneyball Sportswear business? What's the latest with the company?


Desmond Ferguson: Moneyball Sportswear is doing good. It's keeping me busy. We are currently preparing for a busy 2011. We are looking to expand into a couple other sports outside of just basketball such as football and soccer. We have a lot of different events that we will be a part of this spring and summer, so we are getting ready for that. So, in a nutshell, we are just trying to stay busy and grow as a company.

Website - www.moneyballsportswear.com
Facebook - moneyball sportswear
Twitter - @iammoneyball

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Aside from running the Moneyball Sportswear company, what does the offseason for Desmond Ferguson consist of?


Desmond Ferguson: I travel a lot during the offseason, both for business and pleasure. In the month of June, I do a free basketball clinic for all the kids in my city (Lansing,MI) and I also run a pro-am basketball league with college and pro players from June to August, the Moneyball Pro-am. So, I manage to stay busy one way or another. It keeps me out of trouble. Ha!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): I read that Steven Seagal is from Lansing, Michigan. What's your favourite Steven Seagal movie of all-time?...I know you have one!


Desmond Ferguson: I would have to go with Under Siege.
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A huge thanks goes out to Desmond Ferguson for taking part in our Q and A, be sure to check him out at the Metro Centre on Tuesday night when the undefeated Halifax Rainmen take on the undefeated LFS Cavs!  Also, be sure to check out his Moneyball Sportswear website.  

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - RAINMEN 106, KEBS 98

RAINMEN 106, KEBS 98
Rainmen Record:  2W-0L

Last night the Rainmen went on their first road trip of the regular season to face off against the Quebec Kebs.  The Kebs, who were fresh off an opening night win against the Saint John Mill Rats, were ready for the Halifax Rainmen to come to town.  But the Rainmen put out a well-balanced attack, having seven players in double figures to defeat the Quebec Kebs 106-98 in Quebec City last night. When you're a minor league basketball fan and your team goes on the road, you can't always watch your Halifax Rainmen online or on live television.  Sometimes, you just have to rely on boxscores to see how the team did.  Thankfully for the internet, we can at least break down the boxscore: 

Some Key Stats:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  The Rainmen shot the ball well, going 38-70 (54%)
• Free Throw Watch:  Now, the Rainmen were known last season for being one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the PBL, losing a few games due to poor free throw shooting.  Last night, the Rainmen were 24-38 (63%) from the charity stripe, which isn't bad, but definitely will be an area for improvement.  Marshall Brown made his regular season debut and got to the line 12 times, which is a good sign from the former Frost Heave.
• Third Quarter Goodness: They say good teams win basketball games in the third quarter, and the Rainmen did just that, outscoring the Kebs 34-22.
• Leading Scorer for the Rainmen: Kavon Jones with 19 points.
• Double-Double Master:  Eric Crookshank continued his dominance on the boards with his 13 points and 16 rebounds.
• Quebec's Leading Scorer: Quinell Brown followed up his 28-point performance against the Mill Rats with 16 points against Halifax last night.
• Former Rainmen Watch: Cordell Jeanty - 10 pts, 8 rebounds, Aaron Spears - 12 points, 6 boards.
• Under 100 points: Halifax kept their opponent under 100 points for the second straight game
• Big Man Alert:  The recently signed big man, Torraye Braggs, will make his Rainmen debut this Sunday against the LFS Cavs.

Post Game Links:
Kebs De Quebec Official Home Page
" “We did not take advantage of the rebounds we took around the opponent’s hoop, and we gave up too many around our own. We also had a low field goal percentage, not to mention our poor three-point percentage. Our 43% from the field and 36% from the three point line speak for themselves”, commented coach Robert Spon. “The Rainmen dominated us due to their 54% field-goal shooting, ultimately I take the blame for this loss”, mentioned Coach Spon."

Halifax Chronicle-Herald
"Kavon Jones topped the Rainmen with 19 points, going 7-for-9 from the field, all in the first half. The rookie power forward, who started at centre with Halifax still awaiting the arrival of the recently signed Torraye Braggs, was used sparingly in the second half after picking up his fifth foul early in the third quarter."

Metro Halifax
"The Rainmen improved to 2-0 early in the Premier Basketball League season with a 106-98 triumph over the Kebs, riding a balanced attack that featured seven players hitting double figures."


Next up, the Rainmen are at the Metro Centre on Sunday to face off against the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, watch it live here on Haligonia.ca!

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Halifax Rainmen-Quebec Kebs Game Preview with Quebec Head Coach, Rob Spon

Fresh off a solid home opener win against the Vermont Frost Heaves, the Halifax Rainmen (1-0) make their road debut in Quebec City as they face off against one of their Canadian counterparts, the Quebec Kebs (1-0).  The two teams have already met in the preseason where the Rainmen won both contests.  The Kebs will host the Rainmen tonight in Quebec city.

To help preview tonight's game, I had the opportunity to speak with Quebec head coach, Rob Spon.  This is Spon's first year with the team but he brings a lot of coaching experience, including stints with the Manchester Millrats and Maryland Green Hawks. I was able to ask Rob his thoughts on the upcoming matchup with the Rainmen, his thoughts on Quebec City and a little about his time as a scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca): First off, what have your thoughts been of Quebec City so far?


Coach Rob Spon: Quebec City is beautiful; you have old Quebec with the shops and then you have modern Quebec with everything to do. The French speaking I have to do a better job of.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): What sparked your move to take the Kebs coaching job?


Coach Rob Spon: Taking the Kebs job was easy after talking to Vincent two years ago. I liked their crowds and atmosphere, the people seemed to get into basketball but not as much as Halifax. You have the best fans. (They are) very knowledgeable and know when to cheer and how to heckle the opposing team and coach...I love playing there.

After Ian told Vincent I was availiable this June, Vincent and his dad, Conrad, came after me strong and put a nice short and sweet deal on the table. Ian was after me too, but the Kebs put the offer out there first and after getting to know Conrad, I knew I was in good hands.  They gave me free reign over the team.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): Your Kebs had a big win against the Saint John Mill Rats in your season opener, what has impressed you so far with your team?


Coach Rob Spon: The team chemistry and our defense and how they bought into my system.  You know, my teams gotta play D.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): The Kebs' home opener is against the Halifax Rainmen on Thursday night. From what you saw during the preseason, how do you prepare your team for this matchup?


Coach Rob Spon: Well, like I told Andre at the beginning, I picked the Rainmen to win our conference. He does a great job of bringing in top talent and Coach Berry does a great job coaching them. They obviously are bigger than us, so we have to do a great job of boxing out because they go to the offensive boards strong. We need to get to Desmond, so he doesn't get open looks or it's money.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): You have a couple of former Rainmen on your roster in Cordell Jeanty and Aaron Spears, what do these two players bring to the Kebs?


Coach Rob Spon: That's funny because everybody thinks Ian (McCarthy) brought our guys in with the  Millrats but they were mostly former players of mine like Spears, as he played for me at Gary. Des is my guy. So Des had Andre draft Spears knowing he is a great low post presence. He is very good scorer in the post and has a nice15 ft jump shot. Cordell I have always liked because he always battles hard.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): Lastly, I read that you were a scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers...will the city of Cleveland ever recover from Lebron's "Decision"?


Coach Rob Spon: I am no longer (a scout) since my contact, assistant GM, Lance Blanks, took the Suns' GM job. Jamario Moon is one of my former players.  The city, unfortunately, will never recover.
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Thanks again to Rob for taking part in our game preview.  The Rainmen and Kebs play tonight in Quebec City, be sure to check out more about the Quebec Kebs at their official website, www.kebsdequebec.com

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino