NBL Canada Weekly Report, Regular Season Finale Edition
March 4, 2012 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) News Release
NBL TEAM REPORTS
Halifax Rainmen
1888 Brunswick Street, Suite 611
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3J8
Phone: (902) 444-RAIN, (902) 444-7246
Fax: 1-866-424-4267
Head Coach: Josep Claros
Home arena: Halifax MetroCentre
rainmenbasketball.ca
Halifax needed to keep winning and hope for a Quebec loss, just to snag that #2 seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. But a scrappy Moncton Miracles team took a 95-94 home overtime victory over the Rainmen, despite the efforts of an 18-point, 12-rebound night from Eric Crookshank. Lawrence Wright came off the bench to score 15 points.
A few days later, the Rainmen welcomed Moncton to the Metro Centre, and all the memories of a late-season overtime loss ended quickly as the Rainmen dispatched Moncton 106-94, sealing the #2 seed for Halifax. Justin Johnson and Joey Haywood scored 19 points apiece for the victorious Rainmen; while Taliek Brown scored 15 points and dished out 8 assists.
In their final regular season game, the Rainmen rested many of their starters, allowing several bench players and roleplayers to receive significant playing time. And it paid off, as the Rainmen scored a 112- 105 road victory over the Saint John Mill Rats. While Lawrence Wright and Joey Haywood each scored 18 points, Darnell Hugee (16 pts) and Christian "T-Bear" Upshaw (12 pts) also put up double-figure scoring.
London Lightning
358 Horton Street E.
London, Ontario N6B 1L7
Phone: (519) 433-0634
Fax: (519) 433-9849
Head Coach: Micheal Ray Richadson
Home arena: John Labatt Centre
lightningbasketball.ca
On Thursday night, in front of 3,733 fans at the John Labatt Centre, the London Lightning completely demolished the Quebec Kebs 124-107. Gabe Freeman made a strong case for Most Valuable Player, with a double-double of 32 points and 15 rebounds. Eddie Smith came off the bench to register 21 points, while Shamari Spears added 17 to the scoreboard.
And with their final home game in the books, the London Lighting finished with a successful 28-8 run. Their 28th win was a 109-87 triumph over the Summerside Storm, in which Tim Ellis came off the bench and put 25 points on the scoreboard; Rodney Buford added 17 points, while Gabe Freeman had another double-double of 14 rebounds and 14 points.
Moncton Miracles
740 Rue Main Street
Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 1E6
Team phone: (506) 204-7730
Team fax: (506) 204-7840
Head Coach: Mike Evans
Home arena: Moncton Coliseum
miraclesbasketball.ca
The Moncton Miracles may have been knocked out of the playoffs, but they could still punch in a spoiler victory or two - and one of the victories came Monday night in a 95-94 overtime victory over the Halifax Rainmen. In the win, Boubacar Coly led the Miracles in scoring with 20 points; while Trayvon Lathan added 18 points and 13 rebounds. Darrell Wonge finished with 16 points; while Sylvania Watkins pulled down 13 boards.
On Thursday, the Miracles tried to extend that winning streak on the road against the Halifax Rainmen, but the Nova Scotia Crew would have none of that. In the 104-96 loss to Halifax, Moncton's Darrell Wonge and Trayvon Lathan finished with 23 and 22 points, respectively; while the team finished the game with a league-record five technical fouls, including two for Wonge and two for coach Mike Evans.
Oshawa Power
99 Athol St. East
Oshawa, Ontario L1H-1J8
Phone: (289) 315-0520
Phone: 1-877-554-8457
Head Coach: Robert Brickey
Home Arena: General Motors Centre
powerbasketball.ca
The faint hope for the Oshawa Power for a postseason berth faded away Thursday night, as the Saint John Mill Rats punished Durham's Team 113-99 at Harbour Station. Despite their late-season playoff run, the loss to Saint John eliminated Oshawa from the playoffs. Brandon Robinson achieved 24 points to lead the Power in scoring; Rick Bodiford had 19 points and 9 rebounds.
In their final game of the season, the weary Oshawa Power eked out a victory over the Summerside Storm on the road, 103-102, on the strength of Brandon Robinson's 28 points and 13 rebounds; Marcus Johnson (19 pts, 11 rebs) and Jushay Rocket (18 pts, 13 rebs) also had double-doubles for the Power.
Québec Kebs
300,rue Métivier
Quebec City, Quebec G1M 3Y9
Office: 418-780-4850
Fax: 418-683-3232
Head coach: Rob Spon
Home arena: Pavillon de l'éducation physique et des sports de l'Université Laval
Home arena: Pavillion de la Jeunesse
kebsdequebec.com/en (English)
kebsdequebec.com (Français)
In the Kebs' final regular season game, the crew from la belle province traveled to London for a battle with the London Lightning. In their last matchup, Quebec came back from a 10-point deficit to win by 10; this time, however, there would be no comeback. Quebec lost 124-107, finishing the season at 22-14 and earning the third seed in the playoffs. In the loss, Ricky Volcy led the Kebs in scoring with 20 points, while Carl Krauser added 16 points; Ralphy Holmes was limited to 14 points and 9 rebounds.
Saint John Mill Rats
133 Prince William Street, Suite 9
Saint John, NB E2L 2B5
Office: (506) 214-4454
Fax: (506) 652-1562
Head Coach: Jaren Jackson
Home Venue: Harbour Station
millratsbasketball.ca
It was simple. Win against the Oshawa Power and the Saint John Mill Rats' season would continue. And thanks to an explosive 68-43 first half, the Mill Rats cruised to victory with a 113-99 note in the win column. Late season acquisition Jermaine Blackburn dominated with 22 points, while double-doubles were registered by Stanley Ocitti (20 pts, 10 rebs) and Anthony Anderson (20 pts, 10 assists).
With Saint John resting its starters for the final home game of the season, the Mill Rats played Halifax with several of its reserves receiving significant minutes. In the 112-105 loss to the Rainmen, Kevin Francis finished with 21 points, while Courtland Bluford and Isaac Kuon scored 19 points apiece. Steve DeLuca had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Summerside Storm
511 Notre Dame Street
Summerside, Prince Edward Island C1N 1T2
Phone: (902) 432-1234
Fax: (902)-436-4596
Head Coach: Joseph Salerno
Home Venue: Consolidated Credit Union Place
stormbasketball.ca
In their final home game of the regular season, the Summerside Storm packed Credit Union Place with 4,064 fans, the largest crowd to ever watch a home Storm game. Unfortunately, the Storm lost a heartbreaker to the Oshawa Power, 103-102. NBL All-Star Mike Williams was the top scorer for Summerside with 25 points and 16 rebounds.
The Storm finished out the year with a disappointing 109-87 road loss to the London Lightning, in which Troy Jackson and Al Stewart notched 22 and 19 points, respectively; Louie McCroskey had a double-double of 14 rebounds and 11 points. Game reports compiled via team press releases, and from articles appearing in newspapers from the teams' home locations.
NBL CANADA TRANSACTIONS
None.
NBL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The National Basketball League of Canada is pleased to announce that Gabe Freeman of the London Lightning has earned Player of the Week honours for the third time this season. Freeman is the first NBL player to receive Player of the Week consideration three times. In London's last two games of the season - both wins at John Labatt Centre - Freeman averaged a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds.
Previous NBL Player of the Week Honours:
November 6, 2011 - Gabe Freeman, London Lightning.
November 13, 2011 - Joey Haywood, Halifax Rainmen.
November 20, 2011 - Anthony Anderson, Saint John Mill Rats.
November 28, 2011 - Chris Cayole, Summerside Storm.
December 4, 2011 - Ralphy Holmes, Quebec Kebs.
December 11, 2011 - Justin Johnson, Halifax Rainmen.
December 18, 2011 - Darrell Wonge, Moncton Miracles.
December 25, 2011 - Ralphy Holmes, Quebec Kebs.
January 1, 2012 - Gabe Freeman, London Lightning.
January 8, 2012 - Stephen McDowell, Summerside Storm.
January 15, 2012 - Morgan Lewis, Oshawa Power.
January 22, 2012 - Darren Duncan, Saint John Mill Rats.
January 29, 2012 - Brandon Robinson, Oshawa Power.
February 5, 2012 - Shamari Spears, London Lightning.
February 12, 2012 - Morgan Lewis, Oshawa Power.
February 19, 2012 - Brandon Robinson, Oshawa Power.
February 26, 2012 - Tyrone Levett, Halifax Rainmen.
February 4, 2012 - Gabe Freeman, London Lightning.
NBL COACH OF THE MONTH
The National Basketball League of Canada is pleased to announce that Robert Brickey of the Oshawa Power has been named Coach of the Month for February 2012. From February 1 to the end of the season, Brickey, who joined the Power in mid-season, guided a previously moribund Oshawa Power team to a 6-3 record and within an eyelash of a playoff spot. The record also included several overtime victories for Durham's Team, including two back-to-back overtime wins over Halifax and Saint John.
November, 2011 - Micheal Ray Richardson, London Lightning.
December, 2011 - Josep Claros, Halifax Rainmen.
January, 2012 - Micheal Ray Richardson, London Lightning.
February, 2012 - Robert Brickey, Oshawa Power.
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National Basketball League of Canada Stories from March 4, 2012
- Oshawa's Brickey Named Coach of the Month, London Freeman Player of the Week - NBL Canada
- NBL Canada Weekly Report, Regular Season Finale Edition - NBL Canada
- Lightning Finish Regular Season Defeating Summerside - London Lightning
- Last Regular Season Tilt Goes to Rainmen - Saint John Riptide
- Rainmen Conclude 2011-2012 Regular Season by Defeating Mill Rats - Halifax Rainmen
- Mill Rats Playoff Meet & Greet at Montana's - Saint John Riptide
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