Playoff Implications on the Line for Mill Rats Final Home Stand
Published on March 23, 2011 under Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Saint John Riptide News Release
The Saint John Mill Rats are preparing for their final home stand of the 2011 Premier Basketball League season, with playoff implications on the line.
If Saint John wins their final three home games, they will clinch the 4th seed in the PBL playoffs. By doing that and winning their regular season finale at Halifax on March 31, they will clinch the 3rd seed. This is by virtue of Saint John holding a tie breaker over the Rochester RazorSharks, who can finish with a 12-8 record at best.
To do that feat they will not only have to beat the Kebs and the Rainmen, but also the #1 ranked Lawton Fort-Sill Cavalry on Sunday.
The Cavalry are currently 16-2 and have won three consecutive championships (two in the Continental Basketball Association and last season in the PBL). The Cavs are coached by former NBA All Star Michael Ray Richardson. It is planned for Lawton-Fort Sill to stay in Saint John next week until they determine who their first round playoff opponent will be (Saint John, Halifax, or Rochester).
However two losses to Halifax, and the Rainmen will clinch the #4 seed, and Saint John's season will come to an end. A loss to Quebec or Lawton, combined with a loss to the Rainmen, would force a tie breaker between Halifax and Saint John that would be decided by head-to-head point spread. Currently the Rainmen hold an 8 point advantage over the series to date. If the point spread ends up tied, the last playoff spot could conceivably come down to a coin flip.
"This will be no easy task and we just want to take it one game at a time, but certainly we are counting on all of our fans to come out strong for these last 3 home games and get the Station loud and rocking!" stated the Mill Rats VP of Marketing David Cooper.
The final regular season games are:
Thursday - 7PM - Harbour Station - #2 Quebec Kebs
Sunday - 4PM - Harbour Station - #1 Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry
Tuesday - 7PM - Harbour Station - #5 Halifax Rainmen
Thursday - 7PM - Metro Centre - #5 Halifax Rainmen
The current PBL standings are:
Lawton Fort-Sill Cavalry 16-2
Quebec Kebs 12-6
Rochester RazorSharks 11-8
Saint John Mill Rats 8-8
Halifax Rainmen 8-9
Bluegrass Stallions 6-13
Dayton Airstrikers 3-15
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New Player:
The Saint John Mill Rats have added 6'6 Markus Austin to their roster for the remainder of the season. Austin was a Vermont Frost Heaves player prior to their team folding. He won back to back championships with the Frost Heaves in a previous league in 2007 and 2008.
"Markus brings us length and a defensive presence at the wing positions. We've struggled notably against the elite wing players in this league and he gives us another active defender to help us in that area, plus he is a champion and has that experience," stated Mill Rats Head Coach Jaren Jackson.
Premier Basketball League Stories from March 23, 2011
- Shark Bytes / A Shooter's Touch - Rochester RazorSharks
- Playoff Implications on the Line for Mill Rats Final Home Stand - Saint John Riptide
- Eric Crookshank Named Eurobasket Player of the Week - Halifax Rainmen
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