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Razorsharks to Play in the Inaugural PBL Championship

March 21, 2008 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


(Rochester, NY)...There will be one more game for the RazorSharks as they defeated the Reading Railers last night 100-76 in the East Division Championship. The last time these two teams faced off, Reading dominated winning 114-99 giving the RazorSharks their worst loss in team history. This time though the Railers couldn't match that and ran out of gas after playing their 3rd straight game in 3 days. The victory made it 46 straight wins at home, continuing their Rochester sports history record and now move on to their 2nd league championship game in 3 years (2005-2006 ABA Champions).

Rochester was led by Sammy Monroe's 16 points and a huge night from James Reaves, who finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds and 4 blocks, capturing his league-leading 6th double-double of the season. The RazorSharks spread the ball around all night with 6 players scoring in double figures. Jerice Crouch also finished with 13 points and had 3 steals.

Starting off the 1st quarter, the RazorSharks showed no ill effects of not playing the past 8 days coming out on a 7-0 run in the first 1:30 and pushed their lead to 12 with 7:15 remaining, 19-7. Reading came right back with a 7-0 run of their own with just under 5:30 in the quarter and pulled within 4, 23-19, with 1:21 left in the 1st. Demond Stewart led the RazorSharks in the opening quarter with 8 points as Rochester finished with a 27-21 lead.

In the 2nd, the teams went back and forth with Rochester ending the 1st half with a 46-38 lead. The RazorSharks halftime scoring leaders were Demond Stewart and Vidal Massiah, both with 8 points. Reading Railers were led by Tayron Thomas' 11 points, 9 coming in the 1st, and finished with a team-high 18 points and 8 assists.

Early in the 3rd quarter, the Railers pulled within 5, 51-46, going on an 8-1 run. However, with 7:30 remaining, Rochester rolled off an 8-0 run giving them a 13-point lead, 61-48. RazorSharks' guard, Derik Hollyfield, put a dagger in the hearts of Reading with a 3-point buzzer-beater from just inside the half court line that ended the 3rd with a 77-64 lead. Reading only went on to score 12 points in the final quarter, as the RazorSharks blew it open. Rochester led by as much as 25, following a layup by Keith Friel with 2:40 left to play as the RazorSharks eventually closed out the 24-point victory.

Rochester's last challenge is against the Arkansas Impact, who upset the #1 seed Quad City Riverhawks, 102-93, in last night's West Division Championship. The last time the RazorSharks played the Impact it was a tight game throughout, but Rochester pulled away late in the 4th with a 91-84 victory. The Inaugural Premier Basketball League Championship game is set for Sunday, March 30th at 1:05pm at the Blue Cross Arena. PBL Championship ticket information will be announced shortly.

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