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

Can You Hoop? Show off your skills at the Halifax Rainmen open tryouts

Do you have the skills to make the Halifax Rainmen roster?  The Halifax Rainmen are holding open tryouts on Saturday, November 20th at Citadel High in Halifax from 11am to 1pm.  This gives ballers from across the country an opportunity to showcase their skills.  Some of the past Rainmen players who have attended previous open tryouts include Canadian talents like Team Canada representative, Jevohn Shepherd, Dal Alum, Devon Norris, and St. FX alum, Garry Gallimore who all cracked last season's roster. 

For more information regarding the open tryouts, check out the Halifax Rainmen official website.

And in case you missed the PBL Draft, the Halifax Rainmen wanted to draft big, and they did just that. The Rainmen drafted two St. John's products including big man, Aaron Spears with the sixth pick. Halifax also drafted the 6-7 forward Kyle Cuff with the 14th pick.

(Photo via the Halifax Rainmen Facebook Page)

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

PBL Draft Time: Rainmen and Mill Rats to Draft on Thursday Night

Well, on Tuesday night, the highly-anticipated NBA regular season began which means the PBL season is just around the corner for local hoops fans. The first event to kick off the PBL preseason is the 2010 PBL Draft on Thursday night (October 28th) at Sox Park (US Cellular Field) in Chicago. The two PBL teams out of Atlantic Canada will be participating with both the Halifax Rainmen and the Saint John Mill Rats looking to bring in some young basketball talent to their respective rosters.

The Rainmen who struggled with the centre spot last season are looking to draft a big man in this year's draft. According to Rainmen owner, Andre Levingston: "We're looking to draft big, we're looking for players with some size and length to allow us to compete with the "bigs" of Oklahoma and Rochester." The Rainmen had a revolving door of big men last season with the likes of DeAndre Thomas, Gordon Malone, Marc Mazur, Shagari Alleyne, and Larry Turner filling in at centre.

Saint John on the other hand, are targeting athleticism under a new head coach, former San Antonio Spur, Jaren Jackson. From the Mill Rats latest press release, Coach Jackson explains "We are excited about the available prospects in this years draft. We are going to be looking for the best available players, and hopefully they will bring some athleticism and intangibles to the table."

Coach Les Berry and Rainmen owner, Andre Levingston, will be representing the Halifax Rainmen at the PBL draft while Coach Jaren Jackson and Mill Rats GM, Ian McCarthy will be in attendance for Saint John. You can watch the draft live online at www.atsportstv.com at 10pm Atlantic (8pm Central Time.) Halifax will be drafting the 6th and 14th pick while the Mill Rats will be drafting the 4th and 16th pick.

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

48 Minutes of Heart: Remembering John Strickland

written by Romy Aquino
 
When John Strickland first came to Halifax; as a basketball fan, you only saw a basketball journeyman in his mid-thirties who was a bit of a goofball on the court.  He'd have some funny antics on the court, putting up goggles when he made a nice assist and sometimes you'd see him look at his left hand, then his right hand and then back to his left hand if he made a nice layup.  No one in Halifax really knew who he was when he first joined the Rainmen, a lot of us Rainmen fans just saw a minor league basketball player who was past his prime.  We later discovered he was more than just that.

I didn't know John Strickland personally, I just knew him for the 48 minutes he was either on the court or on the bench for the Halifax Rainmen.  I'm a basketball fan, and the sport is my entertainment.  John Strickland entertained.  The more I got to watch him play with the Rainmen, the more I realized how much this dude put in work.  Sure he had his faults on the court: he was a bit slow, could barely make his free throws, talked a lot to the refs, talked a lot to the opposing coach and talked a lot to whomever he was guarding, but the guy grew on you.  He was a showman and the basketball court was his stage.  The guy rebounded, defended and was a leader on the floor for the Rainmen.  You would always see Strick supporting his teammates after every play, taking guys aside to give advice. You could tell that every player who stepped on the court with him, respected him.  The more you watched him play, the more you realized how much this guy loved playing the sport of basketball.

When I first looked at last season's Halifax Rainmen roster, I saw about 8-10 guys on the list whose hometown was somewhere in New York.  I was surprised.  How did all these New Yorkers end up playing for the Halifax Rainmen?  I did a few Q and A's with some of the Rainmen players, and came to find out that one of the main reasons a lot of these guys got these playing opportunities was through John Strickland.  This guy was someone that a lot of the young basketball players in New York looked up to and got advice from.  This was just another side of John Strickland that I had never known as a Rainmen fan.  On top of that, I also found out that this minor league veteran who I was watching on the basketball court was a streetball legend back in New York and was known as "The Franchise".  So for the two seasons that I saw him play in Halifax where he put a lot of smiles on people's faces, both young and old,  he was also doing the same thing in New York and around the world for many years before that.

(Strick with Heckler's Row)

It didn't take long for Strick to make an impression in Halifax.  He quickly went from this ol' vet on the Rainmen to someone who really made his presence felt here in the city.  So much so, that the crowd would chant "MVP, MVP, MVP" every time he set foot on the court.  The dude averaged 5.0 points per game for the Rainmen last season, I repeat..5.0 POINTS PER GAME.  It was crazy. The guy put his heart and soul on the floor and the Halifax fans appreciated that.  He entertained us and we enjoyed every minute.  Once the game was over, he didn't stop, he would go to the stands and talk to fans after the game,  he joked with the kids and continued to put smiles on people's faces. 

Now that he's passed, I realize that this guy who I watched at the Halifax Metro Centre has had a huge impact not only in Halifax but all over the basketball world.  Twitter is a crazy thing. I've seen tweets from former teammates Corey Underwood and Glen Dandridge, Halifax Rainmen Desmond Ferguson, the Boston Celtics' Nate Robinson, Fat Joe, SLAM Magazine, DJ Clue, and even Lebron James paying their respects to John Strickland.  He was a bigger dude than some Halifax hoops fans even knew about and he will be missed in this city.

If you've ever watched John Strickland on the basketball court, just think of how many times the guy put a smile on your face.

Rest in Peace, Strick.

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 Assistant Coach, Shannon Hansen

With the Halifax Rainmen coming off one of its most successful season to date, Halifax Rainmen assistant coach, Shannon Hansen, was there from the beginning.  Shannon started with the Rainmen in their inaugural season and now is one of Les Berry's assistant coaches.  Even though the PBL is in its offseason, it has been  a busy period.  First of all, the Manchester Millrats have relocated to Saint John, New Brunswick and will be one of the Rainmen's rivals next season.  Also, Andre Levingston was named the new president of the PBL while maintaining his role of owner and CEO of the Halifax Rainmen.  I asked Shannon his thoughts on Andre's recent promotion, his coaching background and what his thoughts were with the NBA free agent frenzy.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca): First of all, what are your thoughts on Andre Levingston's promotion to the role of President of the PBL? What changes do you anticipate next season with the Andre running the league?

Shannon Hansen: First off, Andre's promotion is a great thing for the PBL. His fire for the sport is unrivaled and he will definitely propel the league. With him at the helm, I definitely expect more stable teams in the PBL over the next few years as well as a longer season sooner than later.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): So let's hear a bit about your background....break down your coaching career and how you got involved with the Rainmen.

Shannon Hansen: I have been in basketball my whole life but I have been serious about coaching for the last several years and one of the things that drives me is seeing players learn to thrive as they improve their game which has driven me to training as well. I really love to teach the game. I was one of the first year staff and have been here since.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): We're in the PBL offseason, what's the next order of business for the Rainmen during the summer?

Shannon Hansen: Next for the Rainmen, is to find talented and skilled guys who can fit into the system to add to the team. Whoever we bring in must compliment the system and be ready to produce if we are going to reach the elite level in the PBL. We just have to resign the key guys, decide which role players to bring back and add one or two key guys. Then it's time to compete for the championship

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What was your favourite moment of the past Halifax Rainmen season?

Shannon Hansen: One of my fav moments of this past year was the Jevohn Shepherd dunk. Crazy!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You were recently at the Provincial Black Basketball tourney, what have been your impressions of Halifax as a basketball city?

Shannon Hansen: Halifax is a great basketball city. The love and enthusiasm are off the charts here, so is the talent, it's just a matter of developing it. The tourney is a great example of that.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Ok, let's talk NBA. On July 1st, who's going where? Does Lebron/Wade/Bosh stay put? Or are they on the move?

Shannon Hansen: The new big three could all end up in Chicago or Miami but don’t count out New Jersey. They may jump in and steal a guy. As a young squad, they are one key guy away from being a real threat in the East. Unless Cleveland makes some major trades, LBJ and Bosh are gone.
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 A big thanks goes out to Shannon for taking the time to answer our questions, be sure to catch more about Shannon and the Halifax Rainmen at the Halifax Rainmen official website, Rainmenbasketball.ca

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

• Eric Gilchrese
• Larry Turner
• Marc "Maze" Mazur
• Jevohn Shepherd
• Garry Gallimore
• The voice of the Halifax Rainmen, Shaun "Mavs" Gillis
• Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson
• 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