Red-Hot Slam Return to Whatcom Pavilion Friday
June 7, 2012 - International Basketball League (IBL)
Bellingham Slam News Release
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Bellingham Slam, winners of ten straight games, return home to Whatcom Pavilion on Friday at 7 p.m. as they face the Olympia Reign in International Basketball League Action.
Coming off a pair of victories last weekend, the Slam, now 11-1 on the season after starting off 1-1, hasn't lost since April 21 and completed a perfect month of May (7-0) for the second time in team history.
On Friday, Bellingham will face an Olympia Reign (3-10) squad that is struggling following a tough road trip to Edmonton in which they lost two games by an average margin of 45 points.
The game will be the final game of a four-game season series with the Reign, which the Slam lead 3-0. Olympia is being led a pair of ex-Evergreen State College standouts, guard Mike Ward (20.3 points per game) and forward Nicholas Moore (17.3 points, 7.7 rebounds). Guard Giovonne Woods, formerly of Central Washington University, is averaging 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and a team-leading 5.3 assists per game.
On Sunday, the Slam will put their franchise-record seven game road winning streak on the line as they head to Salem to take on the Soldiers. Salem has been the only team to beat the Bellingham this season, 112-105 in the Slam's home opener on April 21, but was just defeated by the Slam, 127-105, on June 2 in a game played at Blaine High School. Tip-off for Sunday's tilt is set for 5 p.m. at the Salem Hoop.
The Slam continues to benefit from the hot shooting of guard Paul Hafford, who leads the team in scoring with 23.5 points per game, thanks in part of 40 percent shooting from three-point range. Point guard Morris Anderson has been coming on strong as of late, scoring a combined 53 points in two games last weekend. He also ranks third in the IBL in both assists (6 per game) and steals (2.9). Center Blake Poole looks to be having another All-Star season with averages of 16.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, while newcomer Evan Matteson has fit in nicely to the Slam's rotation and is averaging 9 points and 8 rebounds through his first two games as a pro.
Bellingham currently sits in the top spot in the IBL's standings, two games ahead of Edmonton (8-3). A pair of victories this weekend would help solidify the Slam's position in the standings as they aim to grab the number one seed in the IBL's postseason tournament.
Friday's home game against Olympia will be broadcast live on KGMI 790 AM and online at www.kgmi.com.
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International Basketball League Stories from June 7, 2012
- IBL Results - IBL
- Red-Hot Slam Return to Whatcom Pavilion Friday - Bellingham Slam
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