Best-of-Three PBL Semifinals Decided Tonight

April 8, 2011 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


Game Day 23 / PBL Semifinals

Rochester RazorSharks at Quebec Kebs

Cegep Limoilou at 7:30pm

The Matchup: This is the third and deciding game of this Premier Basketball League playoff series. The best-of-three is tied 1-1 after the Kebs defeated Rochester 98-88 on Wednesday night.

The game will be relocated to Cegep Limoilou, a Quebec City college. The Laval University Sport & Physical Education Pavilion, where the Kebs usually play, is unavailable. Quebec was 9-2 at Laval.

The season series between these teams stands at 2-2 with all four games being won by the home team.

The RazorSharks (13-9) led game two by a basket heading into the fourth quarter when they fell apart, being outscored 24-12 by the Kebs in final twelve minutes. The 12 points tied the six year franchise low for a quarter.

Rochester shot just 28% in the second half after hitting 43% in the first half. The Sharks were 19 for 20 from the free throw line in the first half. They were 13 of 22 in the second half.

Mike Williams had a big game for Rochester, scoring his RazorShark high 20 points along with 11 rebounds. Jared Carter had a solid 15 points with 10 rebounds. Keith Friel scored 15. He played a season high 43 minutes including the entire second half.

The Sharks finished the game with just seven available players. Jerice Crouch and Sammy Monroe were not permitted to cross into Canada by customs officials Tuesday. Eric Walton was ejected with ten minutes remaining after picking up a double technical foul.

The team does not expect to have Crouch nor Monroe available for game three and have prepared to play that way.

The Kebs (15-7) trailed most of the game Wednesday before owning the final quarter. Tommy Mitchell came alive at the end scoring 17 of his game high 22 points in the second half. Mitchell was 4 of 6 from long range.

Erick Barkley, who didn't play in game one, scored 13 and was 3 for 5 from outside the three-point circle. Quebec outscored Rochester 24-6 from outside the arc.

League scoring champion Quinnell Brown scored 20. He got 10 of those in the first quarter. Brown played 45 minutes.

Jonas Pierre scored just 4 points but had a game high 13 rebounds. Pierre averages only 5 boards per game.

6-10 center Aaron Spears scored 10 points with 8 rebounds in his 25 minutes of action. Spears picked up 6 fouls. He has 13 fouls in the two games so far. The PBL allows players to participate with six or more at the risk of an additional technical foul shot.

Of note: Sharks achieved a stated goal by hitting more free throws than the Kebs attempted. Rochester made 32. Quebec took 28. That same margin was 42-28 in game one.

Of note: Crouch's absence Wednesday snapped his RazorShark team record 89 consecutive game streak.

Of note: A victory Friday puts Rochester in the PBL finals for the fourth consecutive season. The Sharks won the 2008 and 2009 titles.

Of note: Halifax snapped Lawton-Fort Sill's 34 game homecourt win streak with a ten point win Wednesday. The Rainmen and Cavalry also play a decisive game three tonight.

Of note: Wins by either Quebec or Halifax puts a Canadian team in the PBL championship round for the first time.

Television: There is none. Check for frequent updates on the Rochester RazorSharks Facebook page.

Quotable: Rochester coach Rod Baker, "I'm OK with our chances (without Crouch and Monroe) if we play a little bit smarter and a little bit tougher for the full 48 minutes."



Premier Basketball League Stories from April 8, 2011


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