Volcanoes Take on Slam over Memorial Day Weekend
May 22, 2014 - International Basketball League (IBL)
Vancouver Volcanoes News Release
Vancouver, WA - The only professional team in Clark County has been hard at work preparing for a weekend of games where they will host the three time Champion Slam at home Saturday, then take the show on the road Memorial Day Monday.
With one championship to their credit, the Volcanoes take games against the back to back IBL Champions seriously. "Defense if our key. We have no problem scoring points, we have to have a defensive mind set to stop people," Head Coach Joe Navarro states about this weekend's match ups. " It's always good for us to play Bellingham, it's good for us to see how we match up against them. We have to try and do our best to contain Mo (Morris Anderson) and Jacob (Stevenson), and keep Blake (Poole) off the boards, but that's a lot easier said than done. They're such a deep team, with great shooters, if we don't want to defend we could get blown out."
In the one meeting so far this season, the Volcanoes were successful in their first game of the season at home versus the Slam, 127-115 with 6'2" G Andre Murray putting up 37 points, and now missing member of the squad who is in Australia, 6'6" F Chehales Tapscott adding 35 points and 19 rebounds at the start of the 10th year anniversary season for the professional sports club. With Tapscott in the land down under still producing double doubles at 27ppg and 10rpg for his new team the Rockhampton Rockets, guys like 6'9" C JR Moore, 6'9" F Brian Morris, a part of the 2011 Championship team, and 2012 returner 6'10" C Calvin Hampton have stepped up to fill the void and carry on.
"The team definitely notices Tapscott's absence, I told him that was one of the most impressive games his first game and I was thankful to be on the court with him not playing against him!" Hampton shares. "Wish we still had him, but he is getting better now in Australia and we are handling that void. I do all I can and other guys are too, like JR Moore stepping up, and Gjio (Bain) and I got this block shots, protect the basket mind set going on the block."
This big man keeps on trucking for the Volcanoes and in six games Hampton is averaging 1.6 blocks, currently number 8 on the top ten IBL Players In the Game Watch List, averaging a double double himself at 13.2ppg and 10.7rpg. "I do what I can to keep my team winning. Last season I was overseas in Thailand that is why I wasn't with the Volcanoes. I look at myself as that last puzzle piece to accommodate our guys, we have a lot of talent that can stretch the floor and make shots, I spend a lot of time focusing on defense. When you have runs you have to focus on defense to keep your team in it. I am not really focused on the numbers, I put myself in position every night to fit in where the team needs me to, doing whatever I can to get the win," the Oregon State alumni passionately stated.
"The loss against Portland gave us quite a sting, but it is better to take a loss early, it wasn't a blow out and we can learn from it to fine tune for the rest of the season. Everyone had hopes for an undefeated season, but this league is so stretched out, exciting and competitive you never know who is going to be there at the end of the season with the title. Bellingham is the toughest team, we have to bring our A game and I think it helps to have this loss on our back. It will be extremely tough as we head their way Monday, you need that type of motivation to push forward to get those kinds of tough wins," the dedicated teammate observed.
The way Hampton sees it the game can swing either way for two of the best teams in the League, both with championship experience, and expects a fight every time. "They are like the Spurs, they are so non one-dimensional you have to guard everyone on the court."
The action tips off for the Volcanoes this Saturday, May 24th against the Bellingham Slam, featuring a World Class Martial Arts demonstration at halftime. Admission at the door at Clark College Adults $7, Students under 18 and Seniors over 65 $3, Children Age 7 & under FREE!
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International Basketball League Stories from May 22, 2014
- Volcanoes Take on Slam over Memorial Day Weekend - Vancouver Volcanoes
- Slam Adds Veteran IBL Forward Gottselig - Bellingham Slam
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