Slam Face Volcanoes for Shot at Third IBL Title
July 5, 2013 - International Basketball League (IBL)
Bellingham Slam News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Bellingham Slam will have a chance to pick up the team's second consecutive league title and third overall when the face the Vancouver Volcanoes in the 2013 International Basketball League Championship game on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Eastmoreland Court in Portland.
The Slam advanced to the title game with a dominant win in the semi-finals over the Salem Sabres, 138-103. Facing Salem for the fourth time this season, the Slam were unable to shake the Sabres until the third quarter, when they piled on a playoff-record 47 points to pull away and turn the contest into a rout. Center Blake Poole paced Bellingham with 28 points, while guards Rick Wilkins and Jacob Stevenson finished with 24 and 19, respectively.
Vancouver advanced to the final by dispatching the host Portland Chinooks in the tournament's other semi-final game, 117-109. In a tight game with multiple lead changes, forward Chehales Tapscott led the Volcanoes with 33 points. Portland held a slim lead late, before Vancouver battled back and used a combination of clutch shots and key Chinooks' turnovers to eek out the victory.
With Portland eliminated, this season's title game will mark the first time since the IBL was founded in 2005 that a host team will not win the championship. Bellingham won on their home court of Whatcom Pavilion in 2008 and in 2012, while Vancouver was victorious on their floor in 2011.
Adding fuel to the already intense rivalry between the two teams, in each of the seasons in which either Bellingham or Vancouver won the championship, the other team was eliminated in the semi-finals en route to the title. Most recently, the Slam eliminated the Volcanoes in the semis of the 2012 playoffs in Bellingham by a score of 127-98.
Friday's game will be the fourth meeting of the season between the Slam and Volcanoes, with Bellingham holding a 2-1 series advantage and each team prevailing on their home floor. The two clubs last met in Bellingham on June 21, with the Slam taking benefit of a banged-up Vancouver squad to post a 126-104 win.
Heading into the championship game, the Slam are being led by veteran guard Jacob Stevenson, who is averaging 23 points per game. Center Blake Poole is not far behind with 19.4 points per contest, and is the team's leading rebounder with 12.4 boards per game. As a team, the Slam have been getting it done with defense all season long, averaging a franchise-best 99 points allowed per game.
On the other side, Vancouver is being led by the trio of forward Chehales Tapscott, guard Andre Murray and former Slam forward Paul Hafford, each averaging over 20 points per game. Tapscott also comes in as the league's leading rebounder with 14.8 boards a night.
Friday's title bout is set for 7 p.m. at Eastmoreland Court in Portland. The game will be broadcast live on KGMI 790 AM and online at www.kgmi.com, and a live video stream will be available at www.ibltv.com.
For more information, contact the Slam at (360) 734-SLAM or visit their website at www.bellinghamslam.com.
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International Basketball League Stories from July 5, 2013
- Slam Face Volcanoes for Shot at Third IBL Title - Bellingham Slam
- Portland's IBL Ride Ends in Playoffs to Rival Vancouver - Portland Chinooks
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