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

The Big Payback - RAINMEN 102, CAVALRY 92

RAINMEN 102, CAVALRY 92

Rainmen Record: 4W - 1L

4 in a row.

The Halifax Rainmen got their revenge on the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry last night at the Halifax Metro Centre defeating the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry 102-92.  Tony Bennett took over in the final quarter where he scored 12 of his 24 points as Halifax won their fourth game in a row since their lone loss against the Cavs back on January 3rd. 

Halifax came out strong and built a 12-point lead after the opening quarter but quickly went cold in the second as the Cavs got back into the game with a 14-2 run to start the second quarter.  By the half, the Cavs had knocked down the Rainmen's 12-point lead to just three points.  Halifax traded the lead with the Oklahoma team in the third quarter until Halifax closed it out in the final 12 minutes.

Gary "G-Smooth" Ervin, a former NBA D-Leaguer and starting point guard for Halifax, had an impressive performance for the Rainmen, scoring a season-high 18 pts but also pulled down a whopping 16 boards, which was another season-high for the guard.  Desmond Ferguson scored 22 points and drained 5 threes to help the Rainmen raise money for Haiti disaster relief (the team donated $300 for each Rainmen three-pointer from last night's contest).  Halifax made 13 threes which accounted for $3900 going toward the cause.

For the Cavs, Shaun Fountain led the team with 20 points followed by Tim Ellis who scored 17 points.  DeAnthony Bowden, who was the Cavs' leading scorer was held to just 11 points.

Cavs' Michael Ray Richardson was comical to watch from the sidelines as the animated coach made no attempt to ignore the Halifax hecklers.  Richardson kept the spectators entertained as he continued to talk to the crowd (and John Strickland, who played for Richardson with the Albany Patroons) throughout the game.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis & Ryan Dickison Player of the Game:

Gary Ervin 18 pts, 16 rebounds, 3 assists

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game:

Tony Bennett 24 pts, 6 assists, 5 rebounds

Hat-tip to the Cavs:
Tim Ellis  17 pts, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks

Key Notes:

• Big Boards: With double digit rebounding games from both Ervin (16) and Crookshank (18), Halifax won the rebounding battle 57-40
• Off the Bench:  Halifax stuck mainly with their starters as the Rainmen bench scored just 15pts while the Cavs' bench scored 44 pts
• Droppin' Dimes: The Rainmen starters did a great job sharing the ball, accounting for 17 of the Rainmen's 20 assists
  
• New Faces:  Marc Mazur looks to be fitting in well with his new team, Mazur scored 10 pts as the Rainmen starting center.  DeAndre Thomas (aka "Baby Strick") on the other hand, has yet to make an impression with Halifax.  Thomas had 0 pts, 3 rebounds and 3 fouls in just three minutes of play.
  
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore scored 4 pts while Jevohn Shepherd dressed but was a DNP
  

Post Game Links:

The Chronicle Herald

"...But Friday night’s victory in front of 3,262 spectators at the Metro Centre was especially sweet, avenging a season-opening road loss to the Cavalry."

Metro Halifax

"Point guard Gary Ervin had another big game, hauling down a whopping 16 rebounds to go along with 18 points, while Eric Crookshank had yet another double-double with 13 points and 18 rebounds. Desmond Ferguson hit four of his five three-pointers in the first quarter en route to a 22-point outing and Marc Mazur logged some key minutes at centre and had 10 points."

PBL.com

"The team also struck 13 three-pointers, good for $300 a piece for Haiti disaster relief, for a total donation of $3,900 by Team Owner Andre Levingston."

Next up:  The Rainmen are on the road for two games.  Once against Manchester (this Sunday) and then again for a game against the undefeated Puerto Rico Capitanes (next Thursday) before returning back home Sunday to face off against Rochester. 

Will the Rainmen go 2-0 on the road? 1-1? 0-2? 

Post your thoughts 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

Halifax Rainmen (3-1) vs. Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry (3-1) Game Preview

Halifax Rainmen (3-1) vs. Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry (3-1)

Halifax Metro Centre, Game Time 7:00 pm AST

Live online coverage here on Haligonia.ca!

The Rainmen have a tough test ahead of them, as they face off against the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry Friday night in Halifax.  Halifax's lone loss came against the Cavalry when they faced off earlier in the season.  This will be the Rainmen's last home game before they head on the road for two games, one against the Manchester Millrats and another against the undefeated Puerto Rico Capitanes.

Halifax played the Cavalry in their home opener when Halifax lost 102-87 in Oklahoma.  The Rainmen struggled from three-point land in that game, where they shot a miserable 4 for 25 from three.  Brandon Dean scored 19 pts and Wayne Marshall scored 18 for the Cavs.

Halifax will look to win their fourth game in a row after defeating the Vermont Frost Heaves 119-109 last Saturday evening.  The Cavs on the other hand,  are fresh off of a loss as they blew their 20-point lead against Puerto Rico, losing 101-94.  It was their first loss of the season.

Keep an eye on...

• Leading scorer:  DeAnthony Bowden 17.2 ppg
• Leading rebounder:  Elvin Mims 6.8 rpg

OTHER RAINMEN NEWS:

• Well here comes more roster moves.... Halifax released centre Gordon Malone and point guard Antwan "Antifreeze" Dobie
• Andre Levington on Malone: “We decided to release Gordon Malone because we needed a more versatile player in that role”
• The Rainmen also traded a 2011 second round draft pick to the Manchester Millrats for 6'7" forward, Marlowe Currie
• Latest tweet on Currie:"Direct quote from Levingston on Currie: “He can step out and hit the three so he’s a mismatch for a lot of other forwards.” (via @metrorainmen)
• Currie was on the PBL All-Playoff Team last season with Halifax's Desmond Ferguson (formerly of Manchester)
• Also, check out Haligonia's Q and A with Halifax's own, Devon Norris
  

Can the Rainmen continue their hot streak against the Cavs?  What do you think of the latest roster changes?  Post your thoughts 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

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

Rainmen Rally in the Second Half to Defeat Quebec - RAINMEN 112, KEBS 87

(photo courtesy of Romy Aquino)

RAINMEN 112, KEBS 87
Adris DeLeon led the Rainmen to victory in Halifax's regular season home opener at the Metro Centre on Sunday afternoon.  DeLeon came off the Rainmen bench to lead all scorers with 23 points on 6/9 shooting in only 17 minutes of play.  It was a tight game up until the Rainmen finished off the third quarter on an 11-0 run, up 77-64 after three quarters.  As the Rainmen continue their search for their starting centre, coach Les Berry went with the new kid in town, Cory Underwood, to start at the five.  Underwood, formerly with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the D-League, finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, a steal and a block.

The Rainmen continued to pound on the Kebs in the final quarter as Halifax's offensive weapons, Tony Bennett and Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson, helped Halifax go on another run in the fourth.  Ferguson nailed back to back threes and then Bennett made three consecutive baskets midway throught the fourth quarter to give Halifax a 25-point lead.

For the Quebec Kebs, former PBL MVP, Jeremy Bell led the Kebs with 21 pts and 7 rebounds but also had 7 turnovers.  Former Halifax Rainmen, Cordell Jeanty finished with 18 pts.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis & Ryan Dickison Player of the Game: 
Adris DeLeon  23 pts, 1 steal in 17 minutes of play

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game:
Tony Bennett  15 pts, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

Hat-tip to the Kebs:
Jeremy Bell  21 pts, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 three balls

Key Notes:

• Hot Shooting: The Halifax Rainmen shot an impressive 57% while Quebec shot 44%
• Halifax's bench had a field day as they outscored Quebec's bench 54-16
• Points in the Paint: 58-34 in favour of the Rainmen
• Canadian Watch: Garry Gallimore - 6 pts, 2 assists, Jevohn Shepherd - 11 pts on 4/4 shooting
• Strong Second Half: Halifax outscored Quebec 64-43 in the second half
• Canadian pop singer, Elise Estrada performed at halftime of the Rainmen home opener
• "WE WANT STRICK!" - Fan fave, "The Franchise" John Strickland got some run yesterday, 15 minutes, 6 pts
• In case you missed it, be sure to check out Haligonia.ca's interview with the newest member of the team, Cory Underwood

Post Game Links:
The Chronicle Herald

In their home opener before 3,276 fans, the Rainmen used an explosive fourth quarter to swamp the visiting Kebs 112-87 at the Metro Centre, completing a sweep of a home-and-home series that has them on their first winning streak of the young Premier Basketball League season.

Canada Basketball

Guard Adris DeLeon (New York) led the Rainmen scorers with 23 points, while Tony Bennett (Chicago) had 15 points. Desmond Ferguson (Lansing, Mich.) added 14 points, as the hometown team piled up 37 points in the final quarter.

The Raw Feed

Cordell Jeanty who sat out last game against the Rainmen because of injuries fought hard in fourth to keep the Kebs in the game. The Quebec City Kebs played a great game, but fatigue overcame them in the fourth, with three of their strongest players out due to injuries Jonas Pierre (shoulder) Louis Patrick Levros (ankle) and JP Morin (abdomen). The Quebec City Kebs are optimistic that two of the players will return in the next two weeks to play.

Next up, the Rainmen take on the Vermont Frost Heaves at the Metro Centre this Saturday night @ 7pm, live on Haligonia.ca!

Let us know your thoughts on the Rainmen home opener...what areas can the Halifax Rainmen improve on?  Put down your thoughts in the comments 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

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.