Breaking Down The Boxscore - RAZORSHARKS 115, RAINMEN 113 (OT)

RAZORSHARKS 115, RAINMEN 113 (OT)
Rainmen Record:  9W-5L
The Rainmen continued their slide Saturday as they dropped their third straight overtime game on the road.  A three from Rochester's Derik Hollyfield in OT proved to be the game winner as Desmond Ferguson missed the potential game-winning three for Halifax in the closing seconds.  Halifax had a 59-47 halftime lead but Rochester erased the lead quickly when the Razorsharks went on a 9-0 run midway through the third.

In the fourth quarter, Hollyfield nailed a huge three with under one minute to play that forced the overtime period.  Hollyfield finished with 16 points, which surpassed his season high of 4 points.  Former PBL MVP, Keith Friel, scored 6 of his 24 points in the overtime period to help the Razorsharks improve to 11-3 on the season.

Rochester's Jerice Crouch finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and three steals.  Former Rainmen players, Glen Dandridge and David Bailey had 8 pts and 5 pts respectively.

Tony Bennett led the way for Halifax with 33 points.  Eric Crookshank had an impressive double double with his 19 points, 20 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 steals.  Both Bennett and Ferguson struggled from three point land with a combined 8 for 23.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  21 turnovers for Halifax
• Huge Improvement:  Halifax had their best performance from the free throw line, making 22 of 25 (88%)
• Rebound Battle:  Crook and the rest of the Rainmen outrebounded Rochester 62-53
• Road Woes:  The Rainmen are now 2-5 on the road 
• New Kids on the Block:  Newly acquired Larry Turner had 4 pts and 6 fouls in 12 minutes, Eric Gilchrese had his best game as a Rainmen, scoring 14 points
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore - 3 pts, 2 rebounds, Jevohn Shepherd - DNP

Post Game Links:
DemocratandChronicle.com
"Consider the stroke located after Hollyfield hit the winning 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in overtime to lift the Rochester RazorSharks to a 115-113 win over the Halifax Rainmen in a Premier Basketball League game at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial Saturday."

The Chronicle Herald
"We had a couple good opportunities to stay in it and win and unfortunately that’s life on the road," said Berry, whose squad is a perfect 7-0 at home but only 2-5 away from the friendly confines of the Metro Centre after Saturday’s setback, which comes on the heels of overtime losses to Vermont on Feb. 28 and Quebec on March 5."

OurSportsCentral.com
"After being down by as many as 17 points, the RazorSharks tied the game at 77-77 on a three pointer from Derik Hollyfield. Keith Friel scored 10 third quarter points including two three-pointers as the quarter ended tied 79-79. Hollyfield scored seven fourth quarter points including the game tying three-pointer with 36 seconds left that sent the game into overtime."
 
Next up, the Rainmen are back home to face off against the Puerto Rico Capitanes on March 21st...

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 - FROST HEAVES 111, RAINMEN 105 (OT)

FROST HEAVES 111, RAINMEN 105 (OT)
Rainmen Record:  9W-3L
Oh, those free throws.  The Rainmen free throw struggles continued as the Rainmen came up short on their first game of a three-game road trip.  Halifax was 41.2% from the FT line making only 14 of their 34 free throw attempts in their 111-105 overtime loss to the Vermont Frost Heaves.  The Rainmen came up big in the second half after only scoring 16 points in the second quarter.  Halifax outscored Vermont 54-45 in the second half to force overtime after trailing to Vermont at halftime.  But the missed free throws looked to be one of the biggest decisive factors in this game, with Halifax going 0-9 from the charity stripe in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.  Vermont's Matt Hall made two clutch free throws with only seconds left to play to tie the game at 93 and forced an overtime period where Vermont came out with the win.

For the Rainmen, Tony Bennett led Halifax with 28 points and Eric Crookshank finished with 23 points.  Gary Ervin finished with 20 points but was also 5/13 at the FT line.  Desmond Ferguson had an off night, making only one field goal and finished with a season-low 2 pts.

Vermont had six players in double figures with Jawan Bailey and Dwuan Rice chipping in with 19 pts a piece.  Jared Carter had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Free throw shooting proved to be the deciding factor, Halifax struggled from the line, making only 14 of the 34 attempts. 
• Worst in the PBL:  Halifax is the worst free throw shooting team in the PBL with their 63.2% free throw percentage
• Workin' Overtime:  Vermont outscored the Rainmen 18-12 in the overtime period
• Off night for Moneyball:  This was a season-low scoring night for Ferguson, who scored only 2 points
• Rebounds: Vermont outrebounded the Rainmen 46-44
• Turnovers:  Halifax turned the ball over 16 times compared to the Frost Heaves' 13 
• In other PBL action, the LFS Cavs defeated Puerto Rico and have moved into second place 
• Newest Face:  The newest member of the Rainmen, Taliek Brown was a DNP for the game
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore - 9 pts, 2 rebounds, Jevohn Shepherd was 0/1 in 3 minutes of play

Post-Game Links:
Our Sports Central

"The Vermont Frost Heaves defeated the Halifax Rainmen 111 - 105 thus afternoon in Overtime. Matt Hall's 2 free throws with 3.7 seconds left tied the game at 93 and Halifax's 3 point attempt at the buzzer came up short."

Next up, the Rainmen face off against the Quebec Kebs on Friday...

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

The Pleasure and Pain of the Halifax Rainmen - A Midseason Review

We're at the midway point of the season and you can't ask for much more from the Halifax Rainmen.  With only a 20-game season, every game counts.  Right now, Halifax sits in second place behind the Puerto Rico Capitanes and hold an 8-2 record.  The PBL playoff format only includes the top four teams at the end of the season and Halifax is in position take one of those spots.  What has made the first half of the season a success?  We'll take a look at the highs and lows also known as 'The Pleasure and Pain' of this first half of the Rainmen season.

PLEASURE - The Highs of the First Half

The Core (Eric Crookshank, Desmond Ferguson, Tony Bennett) - A huge part of this year's success has been the play of this core group of guys. Like the Boston Celtics, the Halifax Rainmen have a Big 3. With the return of Eric Crookshank and Tony Bennett along with the addition of former Manchester Millrat and sharpshooter, Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson, this Rainmen trio has proven to be one of the best threesomes in the PBL. The fact that this core has remained on the roster for the first half has helped maintain the team chemistry that some of the lower tier teams in the league may be lacking.

Guards - Adding to the first half success has been the solid guard rotation of Adris DeLeon, Gary Ervin and Tony Bennett who have been killing opponents.  All three guys are quick, unafraid to attack the rim and can score at any given opportunity.  Unfortunately, Adris has moved on, and will continue his basketball career with the Dominican Republic's national team.  This leaves an open spot at the guard position.

102-99 Win over the Rochester Razorsharks (January 31, 2010) - One of the toughest tests at home for the Rainmen was the matchup against the 2-time PBL champs, the Rochester Razorsharks. Rochester, who was undefeated at the time, had difficulties defending the Rainmen offense as Desmond Ferguson led the way and had 26 pts which included 5 threes. This was a big statement game for the Rainmen, as they displayed to the rest of the league that they were now a force in the PBL.

Game Presentation - Team president and CEO, Andre Levingston and his Rainmen staff have done a great job putting out a good entertainment package for Halifax fans.  This includes an excellent marketing program which encompasses print, radio and internet promotion.  The team also reaches out to the fans via social media mediums like Facebook and Twitter.  As a result of this, Rainmen basketball is becoming more and more apparent in the city of Halifax. The Rainmen games themselves have an NBA feel with everything from R$ $mooth handling the arena music, to the Weather Girls, all the way down to the guys running down the court with the Rainmen flags before and after the games.  And it has really reflected in the attendance.  The Rainmen have had record attendance this season and the schedule is fan-friendly with most of the home games held on the weekends.

Coaching - Les Berry and his staff have done an outstanding job with this year's team.  After walking into the head coach role midway through last season, Coach Berry had the opportunity to come into the season with a fresh start.  The fresh start has helped both Andre Levingston and Les Berry work on a common vision that strives on a common goal of bringing a PBL championship to Halifax.

Defense - The Rainmen defense has been nothing but stellar with opponents only scoring 94 points per game (Halifax is the league leader).  When you have a defensive stopper like Garry Gallimore coming off of the bench and a big body like Marc Mazur down low at the five spot, it's no wonder they are one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Canadian Talent - You have to shoutout the Canadian content on this team.  First of all, you have St. FX alum, Garry Gallimore, and former Michigan Wolverine and Toronto native, Jevohn Shepherd, coming off the bench for the Rainmen.  Both have made significant contributions for Halifax in the first half, and fans can only hope to see more from the two Canucks.  You also have Dalhousie alum and Halifax's own, Devon Norris on the practice roster.  It's just too bad that we probably won't get to see him on the floor anytime soon.

PAIN - The Lows of the First Half

The Frequent Roster Changes - What's minor league basketball without constant roster changes?  We've seen a handful of guys come and go on this roster.  Guys like Mark McCarroll, Shagari Alleyne, Cory Underwood and Antwan Dobie were just a few of the faces that came and went throughout the first half of the season.  Luckily, it hasn't had much of an impact on the team chemistry.  The Rainmen will face its biggest test moving forward with the loss of Adris DeLeon.

Free Throw Shooting - The Rainmen are worst in the league in free throw shooting, making only 66.5% of their attempts.  If the Rainmen ever get into close game situations, especially come playoff time, the Rainmen will definitely need to make improvements.

The 108-101 Loss to Puerto Rico (January 28, 2010) - This game was a bit of a heartbreaker since the Rainmen were in the game up until the closing minutes.  But what made it a tough game to swallow was the fact Eric Crookshank did not make the trip to Puerto Rico as he was awaiting the birth of his baby.  The Rainmen were outrebounded 45-33 in that game and Eric's presence would have had made a huge impact.

What were some of your highs and lows of the first half of the season? Let us know in the comments section...

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

The Home Dominance Continues - RAINMEN 104, MILLRATS 83

RAINMEN 104, MILLRATS 83
Rainmen Record: 8W-2L

Just like the Buffalo Stampede last week, the Manchester Millrats rolled into Halifax with tired legs and a shorthanded eight-man roster.  The Millrats, who had played Saturday afternoon against the Quebec Kebs, came to the Halifax Metro Centre for their second matchup in two days.  Halifax pounced on the Millrats' tired legs and built a commanding 33-17 lead in the opening quarter. 

The Millrats bounced back in the second quarter, going on a 12-0 run to get within seven until Halifax's Tony Bennett ended the run with a three with 2:59 to play in the half. 

The Rainmen regained control in the second half when they outscored the Millrats 55 to 44.  Halifax's offense was too much for the Millrats as they had no answer for Rainmen guard, Tony Bennett.  Bennett finished with season-highs in both scoring and rebounding with 32 points and 8 rebounds. The win over the Millrats was Halifax's sixth straight home win as they still hold an unblemished home record.

Eric Crookshank was impressive on the glass, grabbing 19 boards to go with his 18 points.  And as much as the Millrats defense tried to defend their former player, Desmond Ferguson, Ferguson dropped 14 points on his former team.

For the Millrats, Charles Bronson put together a double double with 20 points and 12 rebounds.  Dwight Brewington, the league's only deaf player, chipped in with 16 points.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis and Bill McLean's Player of the Game:
Tony Bennett 32 pts (season-high), 8 rebounds (season-high), 2 assists, 2 steals

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game:
Eric Crookshank 18 pts, 19 rebounds, 4 blocks and a steal

Hat-tip to the Millrats:
Charles Bronson (not to be confused with this Charles Bronson) 20 pts, 12 rebounds, 2 assists

Key Notes:

• Workin' the Glass:  Halifax outrebounded Manchester 59-45
• Points in the Paint:  Rainmen did their thing down low, scoring 58 points in the paint while the Millrats' scored 42
• Horrible FT Shooting: The Rainmen struggled from the FT line, nailing only 10 of 21 free throws (47.6 %) 
• Adios Adris:  At the end of the game, the Rainmen announced that guard, Adris DeLeon, had played his final game as a member of the Rainmen and heads back to his home country of the Dominican Republic.  He will be continue his basketball career with the Dominican national team.  We wish Adris all the best.
• Newest Faces:  The Rainmen's newest faces, Cameron Stanley and DeAndre Thomas, didn't see much floor time on Sunday.  Thomas saw the court for a little over 4 minutes and Stanley played just 3 minutes. 
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore 6 pts (2 threes), Jevohn Shepherd finished with 0 points, 2 rebounds and an assist
• Public Enemy #2:  The Rainmen now sit with an 8-2 record and are in the second spot behind the Puerto Rico Capitanes

Post Game Links:
The Chronicle Herald

"The Rainmen stayed perfect at home on the PBL season, pushing their second-place record to 8-2 at the halfway mark with a 104-83 win over the Manchester (N.H.) Millrats before an estimated 2,500 fans. It was the sixth straight home win for the Rainmen and third on their current five-game homestand."

Our Sports Central

"Tony Bennett had a huge game for the Rainmen, racking up 32-points, 20 of which were scored in the second half. Eric Crookshank was strong off the boards, pulling down 19 rebounds, while adding 18 points. The Rainmen started fast in Sunday's game with 33 points in the first quarter and never looked back."

Metro Halifax

"The Rainmen are 8-2 and pushing for their first Premier Basketball League playoff spot. The Millrats, a PBL semifinalist last year, are slipping further out of the race at 3-8."

The Rainmen are back in action this Saturday when they face off against the Maryland Greenhawks here in Halifax (Watch it live 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

The Fatigue Factor - RAINMEN 111, STAMPEDE 90

(Shaun "Mavs" Gillis with Tony Bennett post-game)

RAINMEN 111, STAMPEDE 90
Rainmen Record: 7-2

A back to back situation must be tough in the PBL, especially with an eight-man roster and without a head coach to lead the way. This was the case for the Buffalo Stampede who were without key players Mark Price and forward, Damone Brown in their back to back games in Canada. Buffalo pulled out the win against the Quebec Kebs on Saturday night but unfortunately had the tough task of travelling to Halifax the next day for another matchup.  And fatigue was a huge factor for Buffalo in yesterday's game as the Stampede collapsed in the second half resulting in a Rainmen victory, 111-90.  The Rainmen were able to capitalize on the tired Buffalo roster with an 11-0 run early in the third quarter to build a 12-point lead.  From that point on, Halifax let their bench close the game out.

The 21-point margin of victory was impressive but it wasn't exactly a pretty game for the Rainmen as they struggled to make shots early on.  The most glaring stat from the boxscore was how poorly Halifax shot from three point land.  Halifax was an atrocious 7 for 30 from beyond the arc as both Desmond Ferguson and Tony Bennett who are normally deadly shooters were cold from three.  It was the Rainmen defense that proved to be the difference maker as Halifax struggled on the other end.  Halifax held the tired Buffalo team to just 46% shooting with Buffalo committing 19 turnovers.

The Rainmen bench also came up big in this one with 52 points coming from the reserves.  Adris DeLeon was the lead spark off of the bench, leading the Rainmen in scoring with 17 points.  Eric Crookshank finished with the double double with 15 pts and 15 boards.  Rainmen newcomer and former member of the Buffalo Stampede, Cameron Stanley, made his Rainmen debut and finished with 11 points and 4 rebounds.

For the Stampede, Andy Robinson and Greg Gamble led they way with 29 points and 22 points respectively.  Gamble also finished with 11 rebounds.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis and Romy Aquino's Player of the Game
Tony Bennett 16 pts, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

Hat-tip to the Stampede
Andy Robinson 29 pts, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Key Notes:

• Shorthanded Stampede:  Not only were the Stampede short a few players but they were also without a head coach.  Assistant coach Jordan Ellis took over the head coaching duties for Buffalo.
• Huge Third Quarter:  Halifax blew the game open with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Stampede 29-15
• Hustle Board Stats:  Halifax had 8 team blocks and 4 steals.  Buffalo on the other hand, had just 1 block and 0 steals.
• Points in the Paint:  66-40 in favour of the Rainmen
• Canadian Watch:  Jevohn Shepherd 8 pts, Garry Gallimore 4 pts
• Movin' On Up: Halifax moves to 7-2 and holds the second spot in the standings behind the undefeated Puerto Rico Capitanes
• If you missed yesterday's game, watch the replay here.
• The Halifax crowd donned the nickname "Big Country" for Buffalo's Garrett Schmidt, who had a striking resemblance to the former Vancouver Grizzly, Bryant "Big Country" Reeves
• Make sure you check out "Mavs" Gillis' interview with Heckler's Row

Post Game Links:

RainmenBasketball.ca

"The win over the visiting Buffalo Stampede improved the Rainmen’s record to 7-2 on the season, securing the team’s hold on second place in the Premier Basketball League."

OurSportsCentral.com

"The Stampede kept it close till the third quarter when the fresh Halifax team pulled away. The Rainmen were led by Adris DeLeon who had 17 points and Tony Bennett who had 16. Eric Crookshank had a good game for the Rainmen with 15 points and 15 rebounds."

The Rainmen will celebrate Valentine's Day next week with a matchup against the Manchester Millrats at 4pm here in Halifax. 

What did you guys think of the game?  What aspect of this Rainmen team has impressed you so far?  Where do you think the Rainmen can improve?  Let us know in the comment section below!

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

Rainmen Hand Rochester Their First "L" of the Season - RAINMEN 102, RAZORSHARKS 99

RAINMEN 102, RAZORSHARKS 99
Rainmen Record:  6W-2L

The Halifax Rainmen made a statement Sunday afternoon by giving the undefeated Rochester Razorsharks their first defeat of the season.  Halifax put together one of the team's best performances against the defending champs and held off the pesky Razorsharks 102-99.  It was a truly physical matchup between the two teams, so much so, that both teams got a little chippy before halftime.   

The first half was all Rainmen as everything was just clicking for Halifax.  The Rainmen went on a roll, going on a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter to help build a 17-point lead.  By halftime, the Rainmen were up 52-39.

In the second half, the Razorsharks, as expected, didn't lay down and made a run with guys like Lincoln Smith and Jerice Crouch leading the way.  Rochester continued to chip away at the Rainmen lead when Randy Gill (a Halifax fan favourite.....sarcasm) made a three ball with 3:42 to play in the fourth to tie the game at 90.  But the Rainmen showed composure and closed out the game.  A big three from Ferguson, a Crookshank dunk along with some clutch free throws from Gary Ervin helped seal the win.  In the closing seconds, with the Rainmen up three, the Razorsharks had an opportunity to send the game to overtime but Jerice Crouch's three bounced off of the rim.

Desmond Ferguson led the Rainmen with 26 points and Eric Crookshank looked good in his return after missing the last game in Puerto Rico.  Crook had 21 points and worked the glass grabbing 14 rebounds.

For the Razorsharks, Lincoln Smith led the team with 18 pts and last season's MVP, Keith Friel finished with 12 points.  Former Rainmen, Glen Dandridge and David Bailey were in uniform for Rochester, Dandridge had 12 pts while Bailey had 6 pts and 5 boards.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis and Ryan Dickison's Player of the Game
Eric Crookshank 21 pts (10-13 from the field), 14 rebounds, 5 swats and 2 steals

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game
Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson  26 pts (5 triples), 5/6 from the FT line

Hat-tip to the Razorsharks
Lincoln Smith 18 pts (8 of 10 from the field), 5 rebounds

Key Notes:

• Points in the Paint: 52-44 for Halifax
• Block Party:  Halifax played some great D, and had 10 blocks with 5 coming from Crookshank
• Rochester Perfect from FT:  Razorsharks made all their free throws as they were 17 for 17 from the line
• Heated Exchange:  Double technicals were issued to both Keith Friel and Tony Bennett as both had some heated words right before the halftime which caused both benches to clear as the referees had to separate the two teams
• Undefeated at Home:  Halifax continues to roll at home and now have a 4-0 home record
• Canadian Watch: Garry Gallimore 5 pts, 2 rebounds, Jevohn Shepherd 2 pts, 3 rebounds
• Hoops for Haiti: Halifax team owner, Andre Levingston went head to head against CEO of Eastlink, Lee Bragg in a free throw shootout with proceeds going towards Haiti disaster relief efforts. Hoops for Haiti raised $31,000 for the cause,  you can find out more at rainmenbasketball.ca
• Most interesting Rainmen intro:  "A man who grew up with the Donair......Halifax's own, Devon Norris"
• Watch the replay of Sunday's game here
• Great Home Crowd:  The Metro Centre had a good crowd with 4000+; Heckler's Row was in attendance in their bathrobes and Santa suits
• New Face to Halifax: Newly acquired Cameron Stanley was in uniform for the Rainmen but was a DNP in this one

I had the opportunity to talk to Scott from the D-League blog, Ridiculous Upside, to get a scouting report on Cameron Stanley.  Here's his scouting report on former D-Leaguer and newest member of the Halifax Rainmen:

"Cam Stanley's a left-handed wing that made the Dakota Wizards after showing up and playing well in an open-tryout in Washington, D.C. He probably would've made the Wizards, but was released because the Wizards had Romel Beck (the Mexican National Team's leading scorer) and Renaldo Major (former D-League defensive player of the year and D-League call-up) at his position. While he was in camp, he showed athleticism, a good basketball IQ and turned out he could defend pretty well. He also did a good job of getting to the hoop, but his jump shot mechanics looked a bit shaky.


Prior to the Wizards, I don't honestly know enough about him. He played three seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to Winthrop for his senior season."

Be sure to check out Scott's blog, Ridiculous Upside for all your NBA D-League news/updates.

The Halifax Rainmen take on the 2-5 Buffalo Stampede next Sunday at the Halifax Metro Centre (Game time 2pm AST)

Halifax has a favourable schedule in the month of February with three straight games against teams with losing records (Buffalo, Manchester and Maryland) before facing off against Puerto Rico on the 26th.  What's you prediction for the next three?  3-0? 2-1? Let us know your thoughts...

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

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

If you've been to any of the Halifax Rainmen home games this season, the guy that's draining all the threes with ease is Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson.  The guy got the nickname back in the day from his old AAU teammates, Kevin Garnett and Robert "Tractor" Traylor.  Desmond, from Lansing, Michigan, which is also the home of Ervin "Magic" Johnson, played for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers as well as other pro basketball leagues around the globe.  He played for the Manchester Millrats last season and was named to the PBL All-Playoff team.   What's more impressive is that Moneyball also owns his own clothing company named Moneyball Sportswear specializing in athletic apparel.

I got the chance to ask Desmond about his company, the biggest joker on the Rainmen squad and his favourite Michael Jackson tracks.
______

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Judging from your hoops resume, you've played all over the world and you've even spent some time in the NBA, what's your opinion of the city of Halifax so far? Is this your first time playing for a Canadian team?

Desmond Ferguson: This is my first time playing in Canada. I played with the Manchester, NH team last year, so we came up here a couple times to play. But this is actually my first time playing for a team in Canada. The city of Halifax has been great thus far. I haven't been a whole lot of places, but so far, so good. I feel we have the best fans in minor league basketball and that played a part in me becoming a member of the Rainmen this season.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You've had stints in Europe, Asia, and throughout the US, what were some of your more interesting/unique playing experiences?

Desmond Ferguson: Really, they all were. I have been blessed to use basketball as a tool to experience living in different countries, different cultures, and different ways of life. I have stories for days about many of the places that I have been, good and bad, but that would take forever. I value all of those experiences because they help shape the person that I am today.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): The Rainmen have a new look this year with their new uniforms and your company, Moneyball Sportswear, designed the new unis. How did you get involved with running your own sportswear company?

Desmond Ferguson: I never really wanted to work for anyone else. I started off as the neighborhood barber at the age of 12, so I always had ambitions of being an entrepreneur. So, with the downtime that I had my first professional season playing in Holland, I came up with the idea of wanting to own a basketball uniform and apparel company. Many athletes play sports for years, but don't really prepare for when they can no longer play that sport and then they are stuck in no mans land. I've seen it first hand, so I don't want to fall victim to that. But after brainstorming about the potential business venture I just did my research and seen that I could make it work. I knew that I wanted to be involved with basketball in some shape, form, or fashion, because of my love for the game... and 7 years later, here we are.

Moneyball Sportswear, a small business that is growing year by year. Check out the website when you get a chance.

http://www.moneyballsportswear.com/ and on Facebook: Moneyball Sportswear

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You've played for Manchester last year who were in last season's playoffs, what do you think of this season's Rainmen roster? Do they have the right tools to make this season's playoffs?

Desmond Ferguson: Yes. I think Andre has done a good job of getting the right mix of players together to compete at a high level. My goal in coming here is to help get this team to the playoffs and bring a championship to Halifax. So, yes, with the team that we have, I feel that we can get it done. We just have to continue to improve as a team and everything else will take care of itself.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Who is the biggest jokester on the team?

Desmond Ferguson: Crook by farrrrrrrrr!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let's talk some NBA, who was your team as a kid? What current player do you like watching nowadays?

Desmond Ferguson: Well, I'm from Lansing, MI so growing up, I was a little bit torn. I obviously was a Detroit Pistons fan as they went on to win back to back NBA Championships in the late 80's. But at the same time, there was this guy that is the greatest point guard to ever play the game, that is from Lansing, MI, and that happened to play for the Los Angles Lakers. He goes by the name of Ervin "Magic" Johnson. lol. So, to make a long story short, I was a fan of both teams. I would say the hometown Detroit Pistons had the slight edge though..... As far as the current player that I like watching now, I would have to say Lebron James.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What's your take on this whole Gilbert Arenas situation? 

Desmond Ferguson: I think the whole Arenas situation is unfortunate. I wish that it could have been an in-house type of thing that didn't get out to the media. But sometimes when you make your bed, you have to lay in it. I don't wish bad on anyone. I hope that he is able to come out in the best situation possible under the current circumstances that he is faced with.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): I read on your blog that you were a big MJ fan (Michael Jackson, that is), let's hear your fave five MJ tracks.

Desmond Ferguson: My favorite five MJ tracks are (in no particular order):

• Thriller
• Don't Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
• Man in The Mirror
• Rock With You
• Beat It

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What current artists are you into right now?

Desmond Ferguson: I listen mostly to Hip Hop and RnB. Nas is my favorite. The early to mid-90's era of Hip Hop is what I love. Wu Tang, Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, Dr. Dre and Snoop, etc. On the RnB tip Trey Songz is hot right now. I like Musiq Soulchild, Donnell Jones, John Legend, just to name a few.
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To find out more about Moneyball Sportswear, visit MoneyballSportswear.com and you can catch Desmond at the Halifax Rainmen home games.  Thanks again to Desmond for participating in our Q and A.

Check out previous Rainmen-related Q and A's:

• Devon "Chuck" Norris
• Adris "2 Hard 2 Guard" DeLeon
• Halifax Rainmen DJ, RS Smooth

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 90, KEBS 80

RAINMEN 90, KEBS 80
Halifax Rainmen Record: 1-1
The Rainmen split their opening regular season road games as they bounced back from their season opener loss to the LS Cavs, and knocked off the Quebec Kebs last night, 90-80.  In what looked to be a close game, the Rainmen and Quebec Kebs were knotted at 65 after three quarters until the Rainmen won the closing quarter 25-15.  The Rainmen went on a 10-0 in the final minutes which included a couple of key three balls from Desmond Ferguson and guard, Gary Ervin.

Without an online feed for last night's game, we once again break down the boxscore:

• Great defensive effort from the Rainmen, as they held the Kebs to 20/50 FG (40%) shooting
• Desmond Ferguson and Tony Bennett led the Rainmen with 14 pts apiece
• Halifax Starting Five: Bennett, Ferguson, Strickland, Ervin and Crookshank
• Big Boards: Eric Crookshank worked the glass, grabbing 20 rebounds to go with his 4 pts and the Rainmen outrebounded the Kebs 52-47
• Points in the Paint: Looks like the Rainmen got it done down low, scoring 46 points in the paint to the Kebs' 36 pts
• The New Faces on the Rainmen: Plummer - 10 pts, 2 threes and Underwood - 3 pts, 3 rebounds
• Canadian Watch: St. FX alum, Gallimore - 4 pts, 3 rebounds
• Hat-tip to the Kebs: Samuel Audet-Sow - 30 pts, 6 rebounds, 2 steals

Post Game Links:

The Metro Halifax

The Rainmen went on a 16-6 run with about six minutes to go to break open a close game and post a 90-80 victory over the Quebec Kebs at the University of Laval on Thursday night, evening their Premier Basketball League record at 1-1.

 
The Chronicle Herald

Tony Bennett and Desmond Ferguson topped the Rainmen with 14 points each. Gordon Malone added 13 while newcomer Greg Plummer and Gary Ervin had 10 each. Power forward Eric Crookshank pulled down 20 rebounds, tying a franchise record set by Rob Sanders a year ago against Manchester.

Rainmen have their regular season home opener on Sunday in a rematch against the Quebec Kebs (Pop star, Elise Estrada will be performing at halftime)...

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

 

Rainmen Blow Out the Ice Cold Frost Heaves - RAINMEN 128, FROST HEAVES 83

RAINMEN 128, FROST HEAVES 83
This wasn't a pretty game by any means for the Vermont Frost Heaves.  Vermont struggled from the get-go as they could only manage to put up 13 points in the opening quarter and weren't able to make a run to get back into it.  Vermont shot poorly in the first half (15 for 46) and by halftime, had a 29-point deficit to the Rainmen.  Halifax on the other hand, had their offense rolling with their 57% shooting which helped them land their third straight preseason win.

The Halifax Rainmen '09 Holiday Classic starts this weekend!

Rainmen basketball is returning to Halifax tomorrow night, as the Rainmen kick off their Holiday Classic with three games this weekend at the Halifax Metro Centre:

December 19 vs. Manchester 7pm AST
December 20 vs. Quebec 2pm AST
December 21 vs. Vermont 7 pm AST