NBL Canada Weekly Report

February 6, 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

It was a rough week for Halifax, as their first season in the NBL reaches the final games. A Monday night road loss to the Moncton Miracles, 102-91, didn't help their plans; Lawrence Wright's 16 points, although tops among his teammates, was the lowest point total by a game- leading Rainman all season. Chris Hagan and Tyrone Levett added 12 points apiece; Justin Johnson was the top rebounder for Halifax with 9 boards.

Tyrone Levett was the top scorer on Friday night, as the Rainmen visited Quebec in a battle for the #2 seed in the playoffs. Levett scored 31 points - more than a third of Halifax's total - but the Rainmen were defeated 103-80. Taliek Brown added 16 points; Levett also had 9 rebounds in the Halifax loss.

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

With a 113-107 victory over the Summerside Storm in front of a loud and boistrous crowd at the John Labatt Centre, the London Lightning are the first NBL team to guarantee themselves a postseason berth. Four Lightning players scored 20 points or more in the win; DeAnthony Bowden led the team with 25 points; he also dished out nine assists and had five steals. Shamari Spears came off the bench to score 22; Tim Ellis had 21 and Eddie Smith earned 20. Gabe Freeman was the team's top rebounder, with 14 boards.

On Sunday afternoon, the Lightning hosted Oshawa in the final regular season game between the Highway 401 combatants. And after four quarters, the game was tied 109-109. But in the extra period, London tore off a 20-8 advantage and won the game 129-117, finishing the Highway 401 series with a 4-2 record and earning the NBL's first playoff spot. Eddie Smith and Shamari Spears finished with 32 and 31 points, respectively; Tim Ellis completed a 29-point, 11-rebound night.

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

As the 2011-12 NBL season reaches the homestretch, every victory the Moncton Miracles achieve gives the fans hope for next year. And when the Magnetic Hill crew defeated Halifax 102-91 on Monday night, it added to Moncton's plans to build for the future. Trayvon Lathan hit 29 points for Moncton, while Boubacar Coly and Darrell Wonge hit 19 and 18 points, respectively. Lathan also had 10 team-high rebounds for the Miracles.

But a chance to gain ground on fourth-place Saint John on Wednesdsay night were dashed, as Moncton were outscored 42-28 in the first half, and eventually lost 90-80 to the Mill Rats. Darrell Wonge and Terrence Woodyard each had 16 points for Moncton; Boubacar Coly finished with 11 rebounds.

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

Do the Oshawa Power have an outside shot to play in the postseason? Right now Robert Brickey's crew are playing each game like it's 7th game of the Stanley Cup. On Wednesday night, the Power defeated Summerside at the General Motors Centre, 106-91, behind 29 points from Omari Johnson, 26 points from Brandon Robinson and 22 from Morgan Lewis. Robinson also pulled down 11 rebounds and had four steals.

On Sunday afternoon, the Power traveled to London for their final regular-season tussle with their Ontario counterparts. The Power took the Lightning to overtime before falling 129-117; Omari Johnson led all Oshawa scoring with 31 points and 10 rebounds. Brandon Robinson and Morgan Lewis each had 27 points for Oshawa.

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

kebsdequebec.com/en (English)

kebsdequebec.com (Français)

After a long layoff, the Kebs returned to PEPS for a home matchup with the Halifax Rainmen, in a game that could determine who gets home- court advantage in the playoff semifinals. And with 21 points and 10 rebonds from Ralphy Holmes, combined with 19 points and 10 boards from Cedric Moodie, the Kebs claimed victory, 103-80. James "Boo" Jackson had 15 points; Royce Parran had a team-high nine assists.

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

In order to secure that fourth and final playoff spot, the Mill Rats need to keep three teams - Moncton, Summerside and Oshawa - as far off the pace as possible. And on Wednesdsay night, the Mill Rats pulled out a 90-80 victory over Moncton, thus keeping Saint John's playoff hopes alive. For the third straight gain, Darren Duncan was the top point- scorer for Saint John, achieving 17 for the game. Kevin Francis added 16, and a returning Anthony Anderson put 15 points on the board.

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

The Summerside Storm's postseason dreams are fading fast, and two losses this week have put the Storm into a hole that they may not escape. Wednesday night saw the Storm fall 106-91 on the road to the Oshawa Power; Stephen McDowell's 14 points, along with Eric Gilchrese and Troy Jackson scoring 13 apiece, were the top scorers for Summerside. Mike Williams pulled down 12 boards to go with his 10 points.

Next up was a trip down the 401 to face the London Lightning. In the 1n the 113-107 road loss, Summerside's Julian Allen scored 28 points and 10 rebounds; while Eric Gilchrese added 24 of his own. Doug McKinney was the Storm's top rebounder, with 11 boards. Game reports compiled via team press releases, and from articles appearing in newspapers from the teams' home locations.

NBL CANADA TRANSACTIONS

January 30, 2012 - Moncton Miracles activate Victor Morris from Injured Reserve list. Released Jonas Pierre.

January 31, 2012 - Oshawa Power sign Shawn Gray. Release David Collins.

January 31, 2012 - Moncton Miracles release Victor Morris.

January 31, 2012 - Quebec Kebs place Jermaine Blackburn on Inactive Reserve list.

January 31, 2012 - Saint John Mill Rats activate Anthony Anderson from Injured Reserve list. Release Courtland Bluford.

Place Greg Plummer on Injured Reserve List. Signed Courtland Bluford.

February 1, 2012 - London Lightning signed Kyle Julius. Released David Harrison.

February 2, 2012 - Saint John Mill Rats place Antoine Tisby on Inactive Reserve list.

February 2, 2012 - Quebec Kebs signed Taylor King. Activated Shaun Fountain from Injured Reserve.

NBL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The National Basketball League of Canada is pleased to announce that Shamari Spears of the London Lightning has been named Player of the Week for the week ending February 5, 2012. This is the third time a London Lightning player has earned this honour; Gabe Freeman was twice named Player of the Week earlier this season.

Spears, a 6'6" forward from UNC-Charlotte, averaged 26.5 points per game in two contests this week, and was instrumental in helping the London Lightning earn an NBL playoff berth.

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, 202 - Shamari Spears, London Lightning.

NBL COACH OF THE MONTH

November, 2011 - Micheal Ray Richardson, London Lightning.

December, 2011 - Josep Claros, Halifax Rainmen.

January, 2012 - Micheal Ray Richardson, London Lightning.

National Basketball League of Canada Stories from February 6, 2012

• Miracles Fall to the Kebs - Moncton Miracles
• Inaugural 2012 All-Star Weekend to be Held March 31 to April 1 - NBL Canada
• Mill Rats Host KVHS & SJHS for Pink Jersey Night - Saint John Riptide
• Lightning's Shamari Spears Named Player of the Week - London Lightning
• Oshawa Power Partners with GeekSpeak Intelligent Marketing Communications - Mississauga Power
• Lightning's Shamari Spears Named Player of the Week - NBL Canada
• NBL Canada Weekly Report - NBL Canada

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.