Angelo Di Carlo's ValleyDawg Week in Review
May 20, 2004 - United States Basketball League (USBL)
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs News Release
The ValleyDawgs had a tough week, playing four games in five days. The âDawgs started the week off strong, sweeping the Adirondack Wildcats in a home-and-home weekend series. Pennsylvania returned home Tuesday evening to begin a 4-game homestand. Injuries and consecutive games caught up to the Eastern Division leaders. Brooklyn and Adirondack proved to be too much for the ValleyDawgs on Tuesday and Wednesday. The back-to-back losses dropped the ValleyDawgs to 10-5 on the year and saw their Eastern Division lead shrink to a half game.
Overall Record: 10-5 (1st Place in the USBL Eastern Division, half game lead over Brooklyn)
Record this week: 2-2
Saturday May 15 Adirondack 101 at ValleyDawgs 106
Sunday May 16 ValleyDawgs 81 at Adirondack 74
Tuesday May 18 Brooklyn 123 at ValleyDawgs 116
Wednesday May 19 Adirondack 109 at ValleyDawgs 103
May 15: ValleyDawgs knock off Wildcats 106-101
On Saturday, first place in the Eastern Division was on the line. The âDawgs used a 32-21 1st quarter advantage to jump out to an early lead. Marcus Hill led PA to the 106-101 victory with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 steals. Tim Winn added 16 points and four assists in the win. 2001 USBL Post-Season CO-MVP Frantz Pierre-Louis returned to PA in the game, scoring 10 points and grabbing 6 rebounds off the bench. With the win, the ValleyDawgs remained undefeated (4-0) at Liberty High School. USBL leading scorer Jimmie "Snap" Hunter scored 28 points in the loss for Adirondack.
May 16: âDawgs Beat Wildcats Twice in Two Days
Less than 24 hours later, the two teams traveled to upstate NY for the 2nd game of the home-and-home series. Lou White scored 11 of his team high 13 points in the first half to give the âDawgs a commanding 56-37 lead after two quarters. Adirondack held the ValleyDawgs to just 25 second half points, but PA's lead was too much. The ValleyDawgs held onto the 81-74 win. The victory improved the ValleyDawgs road record to 6-3 on the season. Pennsylvania is the only team in the USBL with a winning record away from home. But the win was a costly one for the ValleyDawgs. Marcus Hill was lost for the season when he broke his hand during the game.
May 18: Kings Hand ValleyDawgs First Home Loss of the Season
The ValleyDawgs began a 4-game homestand at Liberty High School's Memorial Gymnasium on Tuesday evening against Brooklyn. It was a fast paced game throughout, but turnovers and poor free shooting caught up to Pennsylvania in the end. The âDawgs turned the ball over 29 times in the game and shot just 50% from the free throw line. Center Frantz Pierre-Louis was a monster in the post with 12 points and 16 rebounds (8 offensive), but he could not find any rhythm at the free throw line. He was just 2-10 from the charity stripe. Tim Winn scored 14 of his 22 points in the final frame to give the âDawgs a 116-112 lead. But it went downhill from there as Brooklyn scored 11 straight points to close out the game and win it 123-116. The Kings' Anthony Glover converted from the free throw line time after time in the final minutes. Glover finished with 21 points (11-13 FT). Mike Campbell led all scores with 30. It was the first home loss of the season for the ValleyDawgs who dropped to 4-1 at the new âDawg Pound.
May 19: âDawgs Lose Second Straight Game
Adirondack came to town on Wednesday looking to avoid a season sweep. The âDawgs had won all three contests this season. In fact, the ValleyDawgs came into the game riding an 8-game winning streak against their rivals from Upstate NY. But the âDawgs weren't clicking well in the 1st quarter and shot just 22% from the field. A late run closed the gap to 21-18 after the first frame. Adirondack built a comfortable 49-39 lead with 2 minutes left in the first half, but the ValleyDawgs again made a late quarter rally, scoring 9 straight points and trailing but just one, 49-48, at the half. But the third quarter was all Adirondack. They outscored the ValleyDawgs 35-19 and never looked back. Pennsylvania attempted to make a late comeback but it wasn't enough as Adirondack won it 109-103. Jimmy "Snap" Hunter scored 31 points and had 10 rebounds in the win for the Wildcats. Antonio Meeking led the way for PA with 16 points and 11 boards, while rookie Kenya Carruthers scored 16 as well. The loss dropped the âDawgs to 10-5 on the year and shrunk their division lead to just a half game over Brooklyn.
This Week's Schedule
The ValleyDawgs have a tough schedule this week with three big games.
Saturday May 22 Kansas Cagerz at ValleyDawgs
Wednesday May 26 Cedar Rapids at ValleyDawgs
Thursday May 27 ValleyDawgs at Brooklyn Kings
May 22: Kansas at ValleyDawgs
On Saturday, it will be a battle of the USBL's best as the Kansas Cagerz come to town. The Cagerz own the best record in the USBL and are in first place in the Midwest Division. It will be the first meeting of the season between two teams who have had a heated rivalry over the years. The Cagerz and âDawgs had a benches clearing brawl in a game in Salina, Kansas a few years ago. The following year when the ValleyDawgs returned to Kansas for a game, local police arrested ValleyDawg Terrance Roberson because of the previous year's brawl. The ValleyDawgs protested and Roberson was released in time for the start of the game. These two teams do not get along well and Saturday's game could be a real battle between the USBL's two division leaders.
May 26: Cedar Rapids at ValleyDawgs
Pennsylvania's 4-game homestand comes to a close on Wednesday. They will host the Cedar Rapids River Raiders. The River Rapids are an expansion team in the USBL and it will be the first game ever between them and the ValleyDawgs. Cedar Rapids is currently in 3rd place in the Midwest Division.
May 27: ValleyDawgs at Brooklyn
The top two teams in the USBL's Eastern Division will go at again on Thursday. It will be the fourth and final time these two teams will meet on the season. Brooklyn has had the ValleyDawgs number in 2004. Two of the ValleyDawgs' five losses have come at the hands of the Kings, including a 110-107 loss in the only other meeting in Brooklyn this year.
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United States Basketball League Stories from May 20, 2004
- USBL all-time records in jeopardy - USBL
- USBL Transactions - USBL
- Merriex Earns Second OursportsCentral.com Player of the Week Honors - Cedar Rapids River Raiders
- Angelo Di Carlo's ValleyDawg Week in Review - Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs
- Blue Ducks set for return to Brevard - Brevard Blue Ducks
- River Raiders earn tight win - Cedar Rapids River Raiders
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