Frost Heaves Advance to Sunday's ABA Final
March 29, 2008 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Vermont Frost Heaves News Release
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada-The Vermont Frost Heaves advanced to their second consecutive ABA title game with a 106-100 semifinal defeat of the Texas Tycoons in the Final 8 Championship at the Pavillon de la Jeunesse tonight.
Vermont will play for the ABA title tomorrow at 4 p.m. against the San Diego Wildcats, which defeated the Manchester Millrats in tonight's other semifinal. Tickets will be available at the door.
Vermont, now 36-4, built a double-digit lead midway through the fourth quarter on a put back from forward Issa Konare, only to watch Texas reel off 10 unanswered points to gain a 90-90 tie. But from that point on, guard Dwuan Rice keyed the defending champs, scoring nine of Vermont's final 16 points.
The Frost Heaves held a 53-51 lead after a see-saw first half in which Vermont forged a five-point lead and Texas went out to a six-point lead.
In the second half, with Texas leading 68-64, Vermont outscored the Tycoons 20-4 behind center Dokun Akingbade, who led Vermont with 20 points for the game. But Andre Heard and Mario Kinsey, who led Texas with 22 points each, shot the Tycoons back into the game. For the evening Texas sank 14 of 29 three-point attempts.
Other double-figure scorers for Vermont included Antonio Burks with 18, including five three-pointers; Rice and Konare, who each chipped in 15; and Dwayne Lee and Brett Gravitt, who scored 12 each from the backcourt and joined Rice in handling Texas' defensive pressure.
Konare, an ABA All-Star, suffered lower back spasms as a result of a fourth-quarter fall and didn't return to the game. He is doubtful for tomorrow's final.
The radio call of the title game will be carried over the Vermont Frost Heaves Basketball Radio Network, which includes WSNO AM 1450 in Barre; WJOY AM 1230 in Burlington; and WLVB FM 93.3 in Lamoille County. The live audio stream may be found at vermontfrostheaves.com.
All games in the ABA Final 8 Championship are archived for free viewing over the Web as of mid-morning the day after their conclusion. Go to vermontfrostheaves.com and click on the link on the home page.
The Frost Heaves Official Team Sponsors are VSECU and the Vermont Army National Guard.
For more information, visit vermontfrostheaves.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
American Basketball Association Stories from March 29, 2008
- Frost Heaves Advance to Sunday's ABA Final - Vermont Frost Heaves
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