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Heartbreak again for embattled Frenzy

December 31, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Cape Cod Frenzy News Release


Barre, VT: The Cape Cod Frenzy came into tonight's game seeking redemption for two prior losses to the #4 ranked Vermont Frost Heaves. They also looked to rebound from back to back road losses on the first two nights of this four-games-in-four-days road trip. But for the second time in three nights the Frenzy were unable to hold on to a double digit lead with less than five minutes to play in the game, and Vermont emerged the winner 107-103 before a sell out crowd of 1,650.

The Frenzy were determined to make a good showing, and came out very aggressive as Coach Clarke began full court pressing from the outset.

Early on the Frenzy moved the ball very well to each other and this made the Vermont defense work extra hard. They started to gamble and the Frenzy guards made them pay: Byron Mouton fed Rob Sanders for a thunderous baseline slam over the head of a Vermont defender, and then Sanders hit 6'11 center Ife Anosike with a beautiful 'no look' pass for a wide open two handed jam.

The teams exchanged punches like two heavyweight fighters, each trying to knock the other out.

Guard Jamaal Brooks caught fire for the Frenzy off the bench, scoring 15 points in the first half and going 6-8 of the field on jumpers including 2-4 from three point range.

Vermont countered with Antonio Burks whose left handed set shots from 30 feet looked to bury the Frenzy.

However no team held a lead greater than three points in the first 21 minutes of the game. Hot shooting from Burks and dribble penetration by the Frost Heaves' point guards began to wear down the Frenzy zone defense. At the 2:26 mark in the second quarter the Frost Heaves had chisled out a 50-41 lead. But the Frenzy did not quit and fought hard for a 10-1 run in the last two minutes of the half to tie up the score all even at 51-51 at the intermission.

Steve Hailey opened the second half with a three pointer giving the Frenzy a 54-51 lead.

But the Frost Heaves hit back hard and continued attacking the Frenzy zone with driving penetration that allowed either kick outs for three pointers or drop offs to their interior players. A Melvin Creddle driving lay in made it 69-62, and back to back three pointers by marksman Aaron Cook boosted the Heaves margin to the biggest of the game: 75-62 with six minutes left in the third quarter.

Once again the Frenzy could have decided to give up, but they instead went to work. Coach Clarke changed to a man to man defense and put veteran Sly McIntosh on the Vermont point guards. McIntosh, showing pride in playing 'D', virtually shut down all of the Vermont point guards to the point where their dribble penetration was eliminated. Sly also drilled two back to back three pointers and the Vermont lead was down to just three at 77-74 with 57 seconds to go in the third. Four Vermont free throws pushed the lead back out to 81-74 at the end of the third quarter.

The Frenzy kept up the pressure to get within 85-80 at the 8:24 point of the fourth. A Frenzy fastbreak saw Mouton finding Rich Pittman streaking in for a layup to cut the deficit to 85-82! Again a push: this time Sanders quick outlet to Mouton for layup and the lead was down to one at 85-84!

More defense by Sly McIntosh as he literally ripped the ball from a guard. This led to a dramatic three pointer by Rob Sanders and an exhuberant two point lead, 87-85, for the Frenzy! The bench was going crazy, the Frost Heaves seemed stunned, and their sell out crowd was suddenly as quiet as a 'church mouse'. Steve Hailey knocked down two free throws to extend the Frenzy lead to 89-85.

Once again the Frenzy came up with a stop and pushed the ball upcourt. Pittman's driving layup attempt hit the glass and then the outside edge of the rim and bounced away and up....and out of nowwhere - came a high flying Rob Sanders who grabbed the carom and threw down a monster jam-put-back-in-the-air slam dunk.! The Frenzy were now ahead by six at 91-85! Immediately there was another backcourt steal by the Frenzy and Sanders put home a 3-D finger roll for a 94-85 lead! Pittman made 1-2 free throws for a 95-85 lead with just under five minutes to play in the game!

The #4 ranked Frost Heaves were on their heels in front of their home crowd. In fact, the Frenzy defense was so dominant during this stretch that they held Vermont to just ten points over the span of a quarter: from the 6 minute mark of the 3rd, when the score was 75-62 Vermont, to the 6 minute mark of the fourth, when Vermont only had 85 points. This 33-10 run was reminiscient of the final five minutes in last night's loss to Buffalo where the Frenzy scored 38 points in a mere 5 minutes, and of stretches against the ABA Champion Rochester Razorsharks where they turned a double digit deficit into a double digit lead.

The question now was: could the Frenzy maintain a double digit lead and close out the Heaves?

After a timeout, Vermont guard Tyrone Barley nailed a three pointer and the Heaves got two quick steals under the basket for 3D layins, and in a matter of a couple of minutes the ten point Frenzy advantage was gone and Vermont held a one point lead: 96-95 with 2:58 left. The Vermont crowd was now going nuts!

Mouton hit two free throws and then the Frenzy came up with a critical stop, but Steve Hailey lost his dribble out of bounds. Aaron Cook then drilled a huge three and now the Frenzy were the ones who were stunned as they were now losing 99-97.

The Frenzy appeared rattled on offense but Richmond Pittman grabbed an offensive rebound and made two free throws to tie up the score at 99-99.

Again the Frenzy got a critical stop, but another turnover under the basket gave Vermont another 3-D layup for a 102-99 lead with just 30 seconds remaining. This proved to be the most critical play of the game.

The Frenzy tried to rally with a beautifull alley oop pass from halfcourt out of bounds to a streaking Rob Sanders for a reverse jam with 12 seconds left but Vermont made enough free throws in the end to win it 107-103.

Frenzy General Manager said of his team after the game: "We are very proud of how hard our players have fought against 'all odds' on a very tough road trip. For them to battle two top ranked teams on their homecourts, in front of sell out crowds, and despite the hardships of road travel, says a lot about our guys. We had the ABA Champion and the #4 ranked Frost Heaves literally on the ropes. Our players are very young and this experience will help us come playoff time to learn how to close out games. We've showed the ABA that we can play with anyone."

The Frenzy were led by forwards Rob Sanders and Richmond Pittman with 18 points each. Sly McIntosh added 12 and contributed excellent defensive during a critical 10 minute stretch between the 3rd and 4th quarters. The Frost Heaves leading scorer was Antonio Burks with 20 points.

The Frenzy will try again to bounce back tomorrow against the Heaves at 1:00 PM before returning home before New Year's Eve. The game will be broadcast live on www.audiosportsonline.net.

The Frost Heaves are also set to come down to the Cape THIS WEEK, on Thursday, to face the Frenzy on their home turf at Bourne Middle School at 7:05 PM. For more information contact Frenzy GM Ian McCarthy at ian@capecodfrenzy.com or visit www.capecodfrenzy.com or www.abalive.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.

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