Millrats falter on the road
November 18, 2007 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Saint John Riptide News Release
Fresh off a 24 blowout victory of the Halifax Rainmen last night in Manchester, the Millrats made the seven hour ride north to face the 0-4 Quebec Kebekwa. Fresh legs prevailed as the Quebec Kebs shot the lights out, and handed the Millrats their first loss of the season 132-110.
Manchester jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead before the Kebs responded with a 14-4 run of their own to take a 16-13 lead, midway through the first quarter. The first quarter ended with the Kebs ahead 27-24.
In the second quarter, foul trouble began to plague the Millrats, especially their star forward Rob Sanders. With Sanders on the bench and the rest of the team discombobulated, Quebec took advantage and extended their lead to 44-35 with two minutes remaining in the half. Millrat guard John Huggins provided a spark off the bench, hitting two back to back three pointers, and cutting the Quebec lead to 44-41. Quebec maintained a two point margin, at 55-52, going into the intermission.
The Kebs came out with red hot three point shooting in the second half. Foul trouble continued to restrict the Millrats attempts to mount a comeback. Quebec eventually extended to a 98-71 lead behind Tony Weeden's long range bombing. The Millrats eventually mounted a furious rally in the fourth quarter, getting as close as eight points, before the Kebs regrouped and closed the door on Manchester.
John Huggins led Manchester with 22 points, Stacey Moragne scored 20, and Souleymane Wane 18. Tony Weeden led the Kebs with 52 points on 10-17 shooting from the three point arc. The Kebs improved to 1-4 on the season, while Manchester falls to 2-1.
"The back to back games combined with the long bus ride took its toll on us," explained Millrats Head Coach Larry Lessett, "we showed character coming from 27 points down to cut it to 8, but we just ran out of gas. We congratulate Quebec on their first win, and we will learn from this experience."
The road trip doesn't get any easier as Manchester hits the road on Wednesday for long voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia where they will face the Rainmen in two back to back rematches next Thursday and Friday. The next home game for the Millrats is next Sunday at 4:35 pm versus the Montreal Royal in the âFieldhouse' on the campus of Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH. Single game, season and half season ticket plans are on sale now on www.manchestermillrats.com or by calling 1-866-9-GET TIX (1-866-943-8849).
For more information please contact Millrats General Manager Ian McCarthy at millrats@gmail.com or visit www.manchestermillrats.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.
American Basketball Association Stories from November 18, 2007
- Late rally gives Sound fourth consecutive win - Strong Island Sound
- Millrats falter on the road - Saint John Riptide
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- Sound pound Phantoms, 117-88 - Strong Island Sound
- Tycoons nip Takers, 119-117 - Texas Tycoons
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