Shark Bytes / Fighting Fire With Fire

Published on April 4, 2011 under Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


Don't expect the Rochester RazorSharks to back down when their Premiere Basketball League semifinal playoff series resumes in Quebec Wednesday night. Quite the contrary.

Game one of their playoff series was intense, physical and hard fought. Rochester caught some late breaks and beat Quebec 114-110 in overtime. Games two and three (if necessary) will be played in Quebec City Wednesday and Friday. The RazorSharks head out Tuesday morning.

The Kebs are upset, frustrated and angry at the outcome Saturday. But they can expect their anticipated intensity Wednesday to be matched by the visitors.

"We're going to go at them hard," said Rochester head coach Rod Baker. "We're are going to attack them. I'm only taking one suit."

Quebec held a late lead in game one. With 40 seconds left, Keb guard Royce Parran made what appeared on replay to be a three-point shot. It was ruled a two-pointer. Kebs coach Rob Spon complained about the call.

"I don't understand why they didn't just go and look at it," he said Saturday. "It would be different if you didn't have a monitor to look at, but the TV is right over there. If we weren't playing Rochester, they might have taken a look at that."

Not so says Baker, who earlier this season requested a replay in a similar situation, and was also denied. It was explained to him that since replay video is not available in all the PBL arenas, it was not being used in any. Ironically, it is Quebec that doesn't video stream its games. And all of that, according to Baker, is beside the point.

"They've gotten a little confused as to what really happened," said the Sharks coach. "I've watched the shot a number of times and it's not so clear cut where his (Parran's) little tippy toes were when he went up to shoot. That's number one. Number two, wherever you go, you have to win. They missed four free throws down the stretch. We didn't. That's why we got to play in the overtime."

The focus of the contest figures to be in the middle again, where Rochester's 7 foot center Jared Carter and Quebec's 6-10, 260 pound Aaron Spears really went at it. Spears outscored Carter 18-11. Carter out-rebounded Spears 11-5. They combined to commit ten fouls.

"I got a lot of fouls putting my hands on him," said Carter. "I'm going to really concentrate on keeping my hands up and not pushing off on him on defense. I have a couple of other things that I have been thinking about. I am going to do a lot better in this game for sure."

Carter had quality support in game one. Eric Walton and Mike Williams combined for 41 points and 31 boards. If the physicality of the match is a concern to Rochester, you wouldn't know it by the coach.

"We've solved that," he says simply.

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Premier Basketball League Stories from April 4, 2011


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