Manchester Millrats Make Plans for Third Season
September 4, 2009 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Saint John Riptide News Release
(Manchester, New Hampshire): The Manchester Millrats are busy making plans to return for their third season, their second in the Premier Basketball League.
The Millrats return as the defending Atlantic Division Champions (16-4) but would like to add a PBL championship this season to their list of accomplishments in their young history.
"No question about it, we've been very close to the prize in each of our first two seasons," stated Millrats General Manager Ian McCarthy. "Hopefully it shows our commitment to putting a winning team on the court, and one that the City can be proud of."
In spite of not yet winning a league title, the Millrats organization has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments in just two seasons. In 2007-08 the franchise reached the league semis, losing in overtime to San Diego. Waiting in the championship for the winner was the Vermont Frost Heaves, a team that Manchester had defeated in 5 of 7 prior matchups that year (including preseason). Vermont went on to win the title over San Diego. Other accomplishments from that season include a League MVP (Anthony Anderson), the Executive of the Year (Ian McCarthy), three All Stars (Anderson, PJ Young, Cedric McGinnis), an All Star Game MVP (Anderson), and three All-League honorees (Anderson, Al Stewart, Ismael Caro).
In 2008-09 the Millrats began the preseason by capturing the Green Mountain Tip Off Tournament in Barre, VT over the Frost Heaves, 94-90. After then dropping their first two regular season games on the road, Manchester rolled 16-2 the remainder of the way to win the division and earn a bye in the playoffs. In a game-two playoff battle, the Millrats came from 18 down to defeat the Rochester Razorsharks on their home court, a place where they had been 57-1. Rochester, led by Durham native Keith Friel, went on to win the tightly contested best of three series.
Overall the season was a great success with the Millrats Head Coach Rob Spon being named the PBL Coach of the Month in February, Al Stewart earning PBL Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and Desmond Ferguson and Marlowe Currie being elected to the PBL All-Playoff team.
"We've done well on the court, but our best work has been off the court," explained Millrats co-owner David Cooper, "we try our best to be involved in many community and charitable events, and we will continue to make our players available to visits kids in schools, youth groups, community centers, and teams.
Cooper, a graduate of Central HS, also recently founded David Cooper Basketball, an outreach program that helps many of the City's inner city youth learn the game of basketball and encourages academic success along with athletics. Cooper runs his programs out of the Bishop O'Neill Community Center at 30 Elm Street.
The Millrats staff are now busy making preparations for the upcoming season, which starts in January. Games will be played at the Fieldhouse on the campus of Southern New Hampshire University. Tickets will be onsale in the coming weeks along with a schedule.
Several former players have used their time as a Millrat to further their profesional career and have moved on to more lucrative jobs overseas. Former SNHU star, Sam Carey, has signed with Telemotive Muenchen in Germany. Anthony Anderson has signed with ISS Sportino in Poland's top division. And Marc Mazur has joined a team in Chile.
The process of filling the new roster begins on September 27th in Rockville, MD. The Millrats staff plan to be attending the PBL's national tryout combine there to scout for talent. Then on Oct 24th and 25th, the Millrats will be conducting their own - the "2nd Annual NH Exposure Combine" will be held at the SportsZone in Derry, NH and is open to the public. The PBL is also holding a draft in Chicago in October.
Premier Basketball League Stories from September 4, 2009
- Manchester Millrats Make Plans for Third Season - Saint John Riptide
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