NBL Canada National Basketball League of Canada

NBL Canada Weekly Report

March 19, 2012 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) News Release


NBL TEAM REPORTS

NBL CANADA PLAYOFFS

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)

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

GAME 2 - Quebec 112, Halifax 109, Halifax MetroCentre, Halifax, N.S.

(HALIFAX, NS) The Halifax Rainmen lost a heartbreaking game to the Quebec Kebs in front of a crowd of 2,842 enthusiastic fans on Thursday evening. The final score of the game was 109-112.

The loss pushes the playoff series to game three, which determines which teams' season will end and which team will go on to the championship round versus the London Lightning.

Leading the Rainmen with 24 points and 10 rebounds was Tyrone Levett, followed by Darnell Hugee with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Taliek Brown chipped in with 17 points and 7 assists, while Lawrence Wright added 14 points. Eric Crookshank added an impressive 15 rebounds for the Rainmen.

Royce Parran scored an incredible 39 points for the Kebs, followed by Ralphy Holmes with an impressive 31. James "Boo" Jackson added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Kebs. The box score statistics can be found below.

GAME 3 - Halifax 106, Quebec 95, Halifax MetroCentre, Halifax, N.S. (TORONTO, ON) In front of 1,982 fans the Halifax Rainmen beat the Quebec Kebs 106-95 in the final of a best-of-three round in the National Basketball League of Canada's inaugural championship playoffs.

"There's certainly nothing like the Play-offs, if you're looking for pure athletic competition," said John Kennedy, NBL Canada Commissioner. "While the Halifax Rainmen did really well tonight, I expect the Lightning are going to come roaring-back in the next game!"

This win advances the Rainmen to the inaugural NBL Canada finals to face the London Lightning, who beat out the Saint John Mill Rats last Friday.

"First, I would like to congratulate Quebec. They were a good opponent, they played hard. Second, I would also like to congratulate our players for the work they have done," said Josep 'Pep' Claros, Head Coach of the Halifax Rainmen.

"Today it was like a finals for us, you always need to win. This is what matters. Yesterday, we were not playing at that physical level that we were supposed to, but once we do it, we can compete. No matter where or against who, we can compete. The only problem we have now, is that we have a game on Sunday and Monday. And we need to get one, at least one game (in London)."

Leading the Rainmen to their spot in the finals were Chris Hagen with 27 points and Tyrone Levett who recorded a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

This finals series will also see Levett face-off against his old Lightning squad as he was traded to the Rainmen in exchange for London's Rodney Buford in November.

The Kebs were led by Carl Krauser with 19 points, Ricky Volcy with 13 points and Canadian Yannick Anzuluni and Royce Parren also chipped in 11 points each.

"It was a hard fought game. The guys gave a 100% effort. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We played one more game than everyone else expected us to play," said Robert Spon, Head Coach of the Quebec Kebs. "It was a pleasure to coach this season. I want to thank the Quebec fans, the Berniers, the KEBS organization and the players for that great season."

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

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

GAME 1 - London 86, Halifax 83, John Labatt Centre, London, Ont.

(LONDON, ON) The inaugural NBL Canada Championship started out with a tightly contested London Lightning win for 86-83 in front of 2200 fans at the John Labatt Centre. London now leads the series 1-0.

"We played well in the last 5 minutes of the game," said Coach Micheal Ray Richardson on his teams first Championship series performance. "This is the first game all year that we shot the ball 38% and won. I can guarantee you tomorrow we won't shoot that low. We were really rusty after 9 days off. This is cham-pionship basketball though so it's not about how many points you win by it's the fact that you win."

The victory was sealed when Shamari Spears hit a bucket with 10.5 seconds left and was fouled. Five players were in double figures for London: Gabe Free-man, Eddie Smith, Tim Ellis, Rodney Buford and Shamari Spears with 17, 16, 15, 10 and 10 respectively.

The Lightning take on the Rainmen for Game 2 of this Championship Series tomorrow (Monday) at 7pm.

Game reports compiled via team press releases, and from articles appearing in newspapers from the teams' home locations.

NBL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

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

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.



National Basketball League of Canada Stories from March 19, 2012


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.


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