Dayton Air Strikers at Rochester RazorSharks Game Preview

Published on February 26, 2011 under Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


The Matchup: This is a rematch of the Premier Basketball League's season opener. Dayton won New Year's Eve at Rochester in overtime 115-108. It's 'Hooray for Hollywood' day in honor of Sunday's Academy Award presentations.

The RazorSharks (4-7) come off another overtime defeat. Rochester lost a late lead and fell to PBL leading Lawton-Fort Sill 102-98. The defeat snapped a two game win streak. The Sharks are in the midst of a seven game homestand. This is the fourth of those games.

Rochester avenged that opening night defeat to Dayton with a 35 point win on the road over the Strikers two games later. Fred Durr scored a career high 21 in that game.

Keith Friel leads the PBL in 3-point shooting making 30 of 63 for a 476 percentage. Friel averages 14.7 ppg, third best on the team.

Sammy Monroe's 18.5 in his three games back with Rochester leads the team. Center Jared Carter is the PBL's leading shot blocker with 17 in 11 games.

Eric Walton has averaged 17.4 points and 9 rebounds per game over his last five. Mike Williams rebounded 15 in the Sharks loss to Lawton.

Melvin Council, the PBL's Sixth Man of the Year in 2010, returns after missing two games injured.

The Air Strikers (3-11) have lost eleven of thirteen games since beating the Sharks opening night. Both of Dayton's other victories came over Kentucky.

The Strikers lost their last time out 111-93 at Lawton. Phillip Mickey Perry led Dayton with 21 points. He hit four from long range. Perry is just three games removed from scoring 39 in a win at Kentucky. He is second to Rochester's Keith Friel in 3-point baskets.

Paul Hill's 28 points against Rochester on opening night was his season's high. Hill averages 13 points per game but leads the PBL in free throws made with 71 in 84 attempts.

The Strikers rank in the bottom half in all six of the PBL's major statistical categories.

Of note: Air Striker guard Nate Miles led the PBL in scoring with 20 points per game, but played in only seven contests. Miles is no longer with Dayton. The Strikers are 1-5 without him. Miles was the athlete at the center of the University of Connecticut recruiting troubles that landed the Huskies on NCAA probation.

Of note: Rochester has drawn better than 9,000 fans per game twice this season, including a season high 9,273 Monday night against LFS, and average nearly 7,000 per home game. The Sharks are 3-2 at the Blue Cross Arena with both defeats coming in overtime.

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Premier Basketball League Stories from February 26, 2011


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