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The Final Showdown

April 18, 2011 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


This is game three of the best-of-three game series for the fourth Premier Basketball League championship. It is a winner-take-all contest between the regular season and defending champion Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry and the former two time champion Rochester RazorSharks. The teams split the first two games, each winning on its home court.

The RazorSharks (15-10) ran off to a second quarter 18 point lead and withstood a 22-2 third quarter run to win game one. In game two, Rochester spotted the Cavalry an early ten point lead at 14-4 before fighting back to tie the game at 89-89. The Sharks went scoreless the last 3:14 of the game to lose 96-89.

The team was plagued early and late in game two. Six fast turnovers helped dig the ten point hole. Rochester failed to score a single field goal over the last five minutes of the game and hit just 3 of 16 shots in the fourth quarter.

The Sharks continue to earn a huge advantage at the foul line. They made 33 of 45. Lawton was 9 for 18. Mike Williams was 10 for 14. Over five 2011 playoff games Rochester has outscored its opponents by 123 points from the line.

The RazorSharks are 3-8 overall against the Cavalry. They are 0-6 in Oklahoma.

The Cavalry (21-4) attempt to win their fourth straight league championship. Lawton-Fort Sill won two titles in the Continental Basketball Association before winning the PBL crown last year. The Cavs have won a championship in each season since moving to Lawton from Oklahoma City in 2007.

The final series this season has mirrored the 2010 finals. Lawton lost the first game in Rochester before rallying to take two games at home to win the series 2-1. The final score in last year's single game showdown was 126-108.

The Cavs bench played Rochester's to a virtual standstill in game two led by Gabe Freeman. He scored 15 points with 15 rebounds after being held scoreless in game one. The Sharks scored one additional bench basket. They enjoyed a 72-38 edge in game one.

Of note: Lawton is 12-1 at home this season. The Cavs saw a 34 game home court winning streak snapped by Halifax in the PBL semifinals last week.

Of note: There are five players on each team who played in the finals against each other last year. For the Sharks, Council, Crouch, Keith Friel, Fred Durr and Eric Walton were in the PBL finals against the Cavs. For Lawton, Eddie Smith, Elvin Mims, Brandon Dean, Shawn Fountain and DeAnthony Bowden were here last year.

Of note: Rochester has failed to outscore an opponent in the second half of any of its five playoff games so far. Conversely the Sharks have won four of the five first halves. The competition has been tough. Rochester has been outscored 527-525 while winning three of the five games.

Of note: The Sharks are 5-1 in winner-take-all PBL playoff games. The only loss came at Lawton last year.

Quotable: Rochester coach Rod Baker (who broke his diet with a hot dog and ice cream following the game) about game two, "We were bad early and didn't play nearly as well as we did Friday and were still right there. Some guys weren't ready to play. We got caught up in the emotion of the game. There's no reason why that should happen again."

Baker about game three; "We were pretty good today (at the morning walk-through). I think we'll be ok."

Television: AtSports web-cast beginning at 8:00. If at first you don't succeed...

http://atsportstv.com/Home.aspx

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Premier Basketball League Stories from April 18, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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