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.

__________

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.
__________

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 132, GREENHAWKS 118

RAZORSHARKS 132, GREENHAWKS 118
Rainmen Record:  11W-5L
The Halifax Rainmen maintained control for the full 48 minutes right from the opening Larry Turner basket, to roll over the GreenHawks 132-118 in Friday night's road win.

Halifax opened with an impressive 43-point opening quarter and just poured on the offense the rest of the way, putting up over 130 points for the second time this season.  The last time Halifax scored over 130 points was back in February when Halifax defeated Maryland 147-105 for the first time. 

Desmond Ferguson led the way for the Rainmen scoring 28 points including 6 triples.  Eric Crookshank had a near triple double with his remarkable stat line:  22 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.  A couple of the newest Rainmen played well on Friday, Eric Gilchrese had 22 points off of the Rainmen bench and starting centre, Larry Turner, finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds.

For the GreenHawks, Terrance Mouton finished with 27 pts, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.  Sean McKeon had a stellar performance with a near triple double having 17 points, 10 rebounds and a whopping 8 swats.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Even though the GreenHawks lost, they had an incredible 26 blocks on the night.  Two GreenHawks players had 8 blocks each.
• Free Throw Watch:  Halifax did well at the FT line, going 76% from the charity stripe.  Eric Gilchrese got to the line 13 times last night and made 10 of 13.
• The Boards Battle:  Maryland outrebounded the Rainmen 56-48
• Season Low:  Halifax's leading scorer on the season, Tony Bennett, had a season low 9 points
• The Joys of Minor League Hoops:  According to Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson's Twitter, this game was played in a high school gym in front of about 100 fans.
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore 3 pts, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal
• 11-5:  The Rainmen are two games up on the fifth place Vermont Frost  Heaves and a game and a half behind the third place Rochester Razorsharks
• Check out photos from the game here (via the Maryland GreenHawks Facebook page)  

Post Game Links:
The Chronicle Herald
""It was just an overall good road win (to) get the monkey off our back on the road after losing three in a row in overtime," said Berry, whose team led 43-31 after the first period, exploiting the Premier Basketball League’s worst defensive squad to tie their season high for points in a quarter."

RainmenBasketball.ca
"The win puts the Rainmen, 11-5, two full games up on the idle fifth place Vermont Frost Heaves, 9-7, with just four regular season games left to play for each team."

GoGreenHawks.com
"The GreenHawks outscored the Rainmen 39-29 and made a run in the fourth quarter connecting on seven three-pointers, but closest the GreenHawks would get was 14 points."

Next up, the Rainmen are back home to face off against the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry tonight, 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

Breaking Down The Boxscore - KEBS 100, RAINMEN 97 (OT)

KEBS 100, RAINMEN 97 (OT)
Rainmen Record:  9W-4L
No one in the NBA wants to lose to the New Jersey Nets and no team in the PBL wants to lose to the Quebec Kebs.  Unfortunately, the Rainmen were the unlucky ones to be the league's last place team's second win of the season.  But this wasn't the same Kebs team that held the 1-10 record in the first half of the season.  Quebec had just recently signed three new players this week.  Quebec added Brandon Morris, Brandon Cotton and Marlon Pompey before the game against the Rainmen in an effort to salvage the second half of the Kebs' season.

The Rainmen were outscored 29-20 in the fourth as the Kebs forced the Rainmen to OT.  This was Halifax's second straight overtime game on the road.  Quebec's Brandon Morris buried a three pointer in the closing seconds of overtime to put away Halifax.  Desmond Ferguson had an opportunity to tie the game at the last second but missed the three ball.

Samuel Audet-Sow led the Kebs with 23 points and eight rebounds.  Power forward, Jamaal Wise scored 22 points and also pulled down 8 rebounds while John Ruffus had a double double, scoring 11 and grabbing 12 boards.   Newly-acquired Brandon Morris, who had the winning three in overtime, scored 17 points in his Quebec debut.

For the Rainmen, Desmond Ferguson scored a team-high 22 points.   Point guard, Gary Ervin, who had the franchise's first triple double a couple weeks back, had another impressive line with 18 pts, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.  Ervin has been logging heavy minutes after the departure of Adris DeLeon and had 44 minutes of PT last night.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Halifax got outworked on the glass as they lost the rebound battle to Quebec 58-39.  22 of Quebec's boards were offensive rebounds.
• Those Darn Free Throws:  The Rainmen still struggled with their free throws, only making 11 of 21 free throws
• Points in the Paint: 64-56 for the Kebs
• Road Trend:  Halifax is 0-4 on the road when they let the opposing team score 100+ points
• New Kid on the Block:  Newly acquired Eric Gilchrese had 2 pts, 2 rebounds in 9 minutes
• Canadian Watch:  Jevohn Shepherd - 14 pts, 4 rebounds, Garry Gallimore - 1 assist, 4 fouls
• 4th Place:  The 9-4 record puts the Rainmen at fourth place in the PBL, and would face off against Puerto Rico if the playoffs started today

Post-game Links:
Metro Halifax

"The Kebs rallied from a nine-point in the fourth quarter and sent the game to extra time with a put-back from Jamaal Wise with six seconds to go. Berry called overtime “competitive,” but said an Eric Crookshank outlet pass off a rebound was stolen with the game tied in the dying seconds and Brandon Morris of the Kebs nailed a three-pointer to win it with 1.9 seconds left."

The Chronicle Herald

"The last-place Kebs (2-10) outscored the fourth-place Rainmen (9-4) 29-20 in the final quarter to pull off a 100-97 shocker. The Rainmen led by two points with less than two minutes remaining but it was Brandon Morris’s three-pointer at the buzzer that sealed the shocking win."

For all you Francophones, Le Soleil

"(Québec) Les Kebs auraient rêvé le scénario de leur deuxième victoire qu'ils n'auraient pas fait mieux. Devant plus de 1500 partisans survoltés, les basketteurs de Québec ont vaincu les Rainmen de Halifax 100-97 en prolongation, hier soir. Un spectaculaire tir de trois points de leur nouveau meneur de jeu, Brandon Morris, a scellé ce premier gain en plus de deux mois."

Next up, the Rainmen face off against the Rochester Razorsharks on March 13th...

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 centre, Marc "Maze" Mazur

Straight out of the state of Michigan, is the starting centre for the Halifax Rainmen, Marc Mazur.  Marc has fit in nicely with the Rainmen lineup and brings the inside presence that the Rainmen were looking for at the start of the season.  He is a basketball vet who brings basketball experience from all over the globe.  He played with the Manchester Millrats last season alongside current Rainmen teammate, Desmond Ferguson, and has also spent some time in Europe and in the NBA D-League.  I had the chance to talk to Marc about his Halifax experience, a little about Michigan native and Rainmen teammate Desmond Ferguson as well as his thoughts on the greatest basketball players to come out of Michigan.

__________

Romy (Haligonia.ca): So off the top, let's get this straight. How do you pronounce your last name? Is it pronounced MAY-ZER? Or MAHZ-OOR?

Marc Mazur:  I'm used to people messing up some part of my name, but my last name is pronounced MAIZE-ER. A lot of people just call me Maze for short.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): First of all, welcome to Halifax. You've had the opportunity to play professional ball all over the place including stops in the NBA D-League and overseas, how has the Halifax experience been like so far?

Marc Mazur: It's been a good experience. The team and the community have been great. I think Halifax has a tremendous fan base and there aren't many places in minor league basketball that have this kind of support. I've played games in the minors, and also overseas, where you can literally count the amount of fans in attendance. So playing in front of a good passionate crowd every home game is certainly a blessing, and as a player, it makes for a great experience. I'm thankful for this opportunity

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Has there been a big transition for you moving to Halifax or have you played in similar cities? Does the Canadian money throw you off with all these loonies and toonies?

Marc Mazur:  I've been living in Southern California for the past four years, so the biggest transition for me has been getting adjusted to cold weather, that's basically it. I've learned to adapt to almost any situation, no matter where I'm at, but it's been easy here in Halifax. Being originally from Michigan, when I was younger, my friends and I would make frequent trips to Windsor, so I am familiar with the loonies and toonies, so it was a smooth transition.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  This Rainmen team is really clicking this year, what have been some of the key factors to this success?

Marc Mazur:  I think the organization brought in a great mix of guys who understand how to play winning basketball, who are unselfish, and who play hard and love to compete. I think we have a good mix of veterans and young players. We have players that are starting to understand their roles and are playing within themselves. With that, I think it allows us to be a very versatile team and it makes us a very difficult matchup for opposing teams. I think we have all the makings of a championship team, but in order to to compete for the championship, we need to be focused every game and concentrate on our execution and continue to keep playing great defense in the second half of the season.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Including your time at the University of Detroit, your career has spanned about 10 years, what has been your greatest accomplishment during this time?

Marc Mazur: Because of basketball, I've been fortunate enough to be able to travel and play in over 18 countries, and each has been a unique experience, it's been great traveling and learning and living within different cultures. You really learn a lot about yourself. Basketball wise, winning two NBDL championships was great. But, I don't think anything can compare to my college experience. I was fortunate enough to play on some great teams at UDM. While I was there we won conference championships, played in the NCAA tournament, advanced to the Final Four of the 2001 NIT, had the nation's longest home winning streak of 41 straight games (undefeated for over 3 years), beat major programs such as UCLA, UCONN, Butler and a few others, and we were constantly one of the best defensive teams in the nation during my four years there. And being named team MVP my senior year was a great personal accomplishment for me because of my role and all the great players we had on these teams.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You've played with your Rainmen teammate, Desmond Ferguson, previously in your basketball career. Do you have any good Desmond Ferguson stories?

Marc Mazur: Good? As in embarrassing? No, I don't have too much on Dez. Most of those types of stories involve former teammates, friends and coaches that we like to make fun of or imitate. We've played with quite a few characters throughout the years. But on the court, I will never forget him hitting 10 three point shots on his senior day at UDM. He was hitting them from a few steps inside half-court. It was one of the best shooting performances I've ever seen.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You were born in Pontiac, Michigan. Who are the top five players to come out of the state of Michigan?

Marc Mazur: I won't list the best, because I'm bound to leave someone great off, so I'll take the easy way out and give you my five favorite: Magic Johnson, George Gervin, Glen Rice, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Were you a big Detroit Pistons "Bad Boys" fan growing up?

Marc Mazur: Of course! That was the early 90's, and I'll admit it, I had my "Hammertime" Pistons t-shirts. That was around the time I started gaining interest in basketball. I would watch them every time they were on TV, and I grew up watching that type of basketball and wanting to emulate the "Bad Boys". To this day I can't cheer for the Chicago Bulls, and living in California, I just recently got over my Laker hatred.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Now, who's the best musical artist to come out of Michigan? Is it Kid Rock, Eminem, or am I way off base?

Marc Mazur: I love music, and Michigan has a great musical history, so I have to say that your way off base. I have to go with some of the original Motown artist such as Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations. They put Michigan/Detroit on the music map. But, I also love artists such as Bob Seger, and as you mentioned, Kid Rock and Eminem.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Has Devon Norris introduced you to the donair yet? If so, let's hear your opinion.

Marc Mazur: You know, I have had different versions of the donair throughout my travels in Europe, but I haven't had the chance to get one in Canada. I heard that Halifax was the originator and has the best donairs. I'll have to give it a try real soon.
__________

Thanks to Marc for taking part in our Q and A, you can find Marc at the Halifax Rainmen home games and at his website MazeBasketball.com

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

• 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

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

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.
_______

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

Rainmen-Millrats Game Preview with Manchester GM, Ian McCarthy

The 4-1 Halifax Rainmen are on the road today facing off against the 2-3 Manchester Millrats (Game Time 5:05 AST).  In their last matchup, the Rainmen defeated the Millrats in the preseason Holiday Classic 101-97 back in December.  Manchester currently has one of the top scorers in the PBL, Eric Gilchrese, who averages 23.5 points per game.  Also on this team, is Luke Bonner, younger brother of Matt Bonner of the San Antonio Spurs and former Toronto Raptor.

Ian McCarthy is the general manager and head assistant coach for the New Hampshire team.  He was named GM of the year in 2007-08 when the team was a member of the ABA.  After their one season in the ABA, the team made the move to the PBL along with the Halifax Rainmen.  I had the opportunity to ask Ian about the upcoming matchup with Halifax, the scouting report on Marlowe Currie and his best Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson story.

________

Romy (Haligonia.ca): This will be the first regular season matchup between Manchester and Halifax. What will the Rainmen have to do to stop the Millrats this weekend?

Ian McCarthy: So far Halifax appears to be a very good defensive team. We feel we have four of the best guards in the league with Anthony Anderson, Al Stewart, Dwight Brewington, and Eric Gilchrese, so to slow down the Millrats you have to first stop our guards.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Who on Manchester will cause the biggest matchup problem for Halifax?

Ian McCarthy: I think Dwight Brewington, who's been moved from small forward to the point guard position. He's 6'5 and a great penetrator so if there's a small guard on him, it's a mismatch, and it'd be hard for Des to keep him in front as well.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Halifax acquired Marlowe Currie from Manchester in a trade earlier this week. What's the scouting report on Currie?

Ian McCarthy:  Currie's a poor man's Larry Bird. He's a great three point shooter, he can go in the post, and he does the dirty work as well.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Who on the Millrats' current roster has impressed you so far?

Ian McCarthy:  I have a great relationship with several players on our team which stretches back a couple years. Many of them have played with us in the summer, so I have alot of confidence in their abilities. The one guy who's really impressed me is Eric Gilchrese. I think I am a great judge of talent, but I had no idea Eric would be this good, this soon, when we drafted him. We weren't sure if we had a roster spot for him at the beginning of the season, but since then he's become the league's second leading scorer. What's funny is that I actually offered him to Vermont, Quebec, and Halifax just to help him, and got no interest. In his first couple games, he scored 26 against Quebec and 21 against Rochester, and suddenly everybody wanted him!

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  So when did you first get involved with the Manchester Millrats organization?

Ian McCarthy:  I founded the franchise in the summer of 2007. The basketball operations actually began in 2005 as the Boston Frenzy, then the Cape Cod Frenzy, and then the Manchester team was started in August of 2007.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  One of Halifax's biggest acquisitions this offseason was the addition of former Millrat, Desmond Ferguson, let's hear your best Desmond Ferguson story.

Ian McCarthy:  Preseason last year, Des had been in a little slump, and dealing with an injury. When we were playing Vermont in the Green Mountain Tip Off Tournament, we were down 3 or 4 points in the late 4th quarter, and Des caught a pass in transition in front of our bench and as the ball left his hands he shouted "that's what I doooooo!!". Of course the 30 footer was nothing but net and he hit two more in the waning minutes to win the game. For the rest of the season, whenever someone did something great in their area, we'd say "that's what I doooooo!" - even if I made a good signing Des would look at me and say "that's what you doooo!". It held special meaning cause it helped us beat our arch rival.

________

Be sure to check out the Manchester Millrats website, manchestermillrats.com.  The Rainmen play the Millrats tonight in Manchester and both teams meet again on February 14th in Halifax.  Thanks again to Ian for participating in our game preview.

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

Big Buckets in the Final Minutes Lead to Halifax Win - RAINMEN 119, FROST HEAVES 109

RAINMEN 119, FROST HEAVES 109

Rainmen Record: 3W-1L

A big bucket from Gary "G Smooth" Ervin last night helped seal the tight game between the Halifax Rainmen and the Vermont Frost Heaves at the Halifax Metro Centre.  The arch rivals went bucket for bucket up until the last few minutes in regulation when leading scorer Tony Bennett and Gary Ervin made some clutch baskets.  Saturday was also the debut of Rainmen's newest faces, Marc Mazur, DeAndre Thomas and Antwan "Antifreeze" Dobie.  Marc Mazur got the start at centre and put up 14 pts and 5 rebounds in 32 minutes of play.

Both teams shot the ball well, shooting 55+% from the field.  Vermont's Troy Jackson and Jawan Bailey helped keep the game competitive and combined for 42 of Vermont's 109 points.

For the Rainmen, Tony Bennett had an impressive night, slashing to the basket at every opportunity he could.  Tony Bennett finished with 28 points on 10 of 20 shooting.  Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson was money with the three ball as well, nailing six threes.

The Halifax Rainmen and Rogers (sponsor of the Halifax Rainmen) helped raise $23,800 for Haiti disaster relief efforts as the communications company donated $200 for each Rainmen point scored last night.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis and Ryan Dickison's Player of the Game

Desmond Ferguson - 23 pts, 6 threes, 5 rebounds and 4 steals

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game

Eric Crookshank - 22 pts, 15 rebounds, 4 assists

Hat-tip to the Frost Heaves

Jawan Bailey - 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal

Key Notes:

• Halifax shot an impressive 61.8% from the field
• Balanced scoring effort from the Frost Heaves as they had six players in double figures
• How the New Faces Performed: Mazur - 14 pts, Dobie - 2 pts, Thomas - 2 pts
• Vermont shot well from the FT line, shooting 82.8%
• The Bench: Vermont outscored the Halifax bench 53-17
• Vermont turned the ball over 16 times to Halifax's 12 turnovers
• New Nicknames: The Halifax crowd came up with a few nicknames for the new faces, there were chants of  "New White Guy" for Marc Mazur and "Baby Strick" for DeAndre Thomas
• The Halifax crowd also donned the nickname "Encino Man" to Ross DeMassi of Vermont due to his resemblance to Pauly Shore
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore was the only Canuck in action, he finished with 1 pt and 2 rebounds.

Next up, the Rainmen take on the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry this Friday evening, tune in to Haligonia.ca for live online coverage!

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 – CAVALRY 102, RAINMEN 87

CAVALRY 102, RAINMEN 87

Halifax Rainmen Record: 0-1
The Rainmen made their regular season debut on Sunday against one of the newest teams to the PBL, the Lawton-Fort Still Cavalry. The Cavalry, formerly of the CBA and located in Oklahoma, displayed an excellent showing Sunday as they defeated Halifax 102-87. The Rainmen on the other hand, were short-handed as they were without recently released forward Mark McCarroll and guards, Lonell Jones and local flavour, Devon Norris, who did not make the trip to Oklahoma.  The leading scorer for the Rainmen was Tony Bennett with 17 points, 4 assists and 5 boards.

Rainmen Rock the 'Rats in the Fourth Quarter - RAINMEN 101, MILLRATS 97

(photo credit: Bill MacLean)

RAINMEN 101, MILLRATS 97

In the preseason debut of the Halifax Rainmen at the '09 Holiday Classic, the Rainmen put together a 32-point fourth quarter to put away the visiting Manchester Millrats.  In what could be the highest attendance of a Rainmen game at the Halifax Metro Centre to date (due largely in part to Rogers giving away 10,000 complimentary tickets), the Rainmen-Millrats put on an impressive show.