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Maryland Nighthawks Crush Montreal Matrix

March 19, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Maryland NightHawks News Release


Rockville, MD - The Maryland Nighthawks are headed to Rochester, NY for the ABA's Great Eight Championship Tournament after defeating the Montreal Matrix 145-114 in front of a large and energetic crowd. The Nighthawks, hosting the first professional playoff game ever played in Montgomery County's history, started the game off strong. In a back-and-forth first quarter, Montreal built a 28-24 lead. Maryland then picked up their game, ending the first quarter on a 7-2 run capped off with a buzzer beater by Omar Weaver's put back off Ray "Hops" Cunningham's (15 points, 10 rebounds) missed free throw giving the Nighthawks a 33-31 lead.

Montreal started the second quarter off strong and kept up with the Nighthawks cutting the lead to one. Maryland Head Coach Keith Williams quickly called a timeout and went to his bench midway through the second quarter which ultimately changed the pace of the game. Frank "The Sniper" McQueen came off the bench to hit 5 first half 3's and 19 first half points to give the Nighthawks a 15 point lead heading into halftime.

Heading into the third quarter with a 75-60 lead, Lee Cook made a baseline jumper from 7 feet out to extend the lead up to 17. Montreal, led by guard Manix Auriantal (27 points), went on 8-3 run to cut the Nighthawk lead to 10, but that was as close as the Matrix would get. Maryland again went with their reserves and pulled the game away. Frank McQueen, Eric Branham, and Omar Weaver combined for 60 points off the bench and were too much for the Matrix to handle. The Nighthawks stretched their lead to as many as 36 points with 4:53 remaining in the game securing a spot in the Great Eight Championship Tournament in Rochester, NY.

Frank McQueen led the Nighthawks, scoring a career high 27 points off the bench including seven three-pointers. Big man Lee Cook had another strong game scoring 25 points while pulling down 8 rebounds, and Nighthawks guards Anton Jenifer (15 assists) and Eric Branham (10 assists) combined for 25 of the Nighthawks 42 assists.

The Nighthawks will travel up to the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY and play the Southern California Legends Wednesday, March 22.

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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