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Executed to Perfection at Finish

March 6, 2011 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


It was the play called in the huddle. It couldn't have worked better or come at a more important time.

3.9 seconds left and the Rochester RazorSharks tied with the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry 91-91. Jerice Crouch inbounded the ball to Eric Walton, who ran through a Keith Friel screen and broke wide open for a slam dunk. Sharks win 93-91.

It was a Premier Basketball League game reminiscent of last week's overtime loss to the Cavalry, who came from behind late to win. Rochester led by as many as eight in the final quarter but LFS was in position to take it late. Down 91-90, Eddie Smith, who had been three for three from the line, missed the first, made the second, tied the game and put it in the hands of Crouch and Walton and Friel for the final play.

"It was a perfect pass by Jerice and an excellent screen by Keith Friel and I just put it down," said Walton. The pick was the key to the play.

"I got him so good on that screen there was nowhere to go, said Friel. "They were dead. I stood him straight up. It was good."

The victory brings Rochester (7-7) to the 500 mark and keeps the Sharks within a game in the loss column of both Halifax (8-6) and Saint John (6-6), which had a game at home against Kentucky Sunday, for the final PBL playoff spot.

Lawton led by seven points early. Rochester shook off a cold shooting half by making nine of its last twelve shots, including three-point buzzer beater by Sammy Monroe, after a steal. That turned out to be a pretty big play.

Jared carter led the Sharks in scoring with 19 points on eight of twelve shooting. Carter, Walton and Mike Williams combined for 30 rebounds. As a team the Sharks out-boarded the Cavalry 52-40.

Monroe scored 18 points. Williams had 16. Eddie Smith led LFS with 20. The game was played before 1,939 fans during a winter storm warning and another foot of snow expected.

Rochester plays the last of its seven game home stand Thursday night against Kentucky. Lawton (12-2), which saw its six game win streak snapped, returns home to host Halifax. The Cavalry can help the RazorSharks by rebounding with a win there. Rochester visits the Great Plains Coliseum on March 18.

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