Vermont Heads For Quebec City And ABA Final 8
March 25, 2008 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Vermont Frost Heaves News Release
South Burlington, Vt.-The Vermont Frost Heaves will take their No. 1 rating in the ABA Power Rankings and defending-champion status to Quebec City for the ABA Final Eight Championships, set for the Pavillon de la Jeunesse beginning on Thursday, March 27.
Vermont, 34-4, will open with a quarterfinal game on Thursday at 5 p.m. against the San Francisco Rumble, which defeated Orange County and Long Beach to earn a berth in the draw. The Rumble overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat the Gladiators, before having an easier time with the Breakers, whom they led wire-to-wire.
San Francisco, 7-10, can call on three big men who stand 6'10" or taller-former Fresno State center Chris Adams, Jackson State product Michael Travis and Cal State-Monterey's Davoughn Lamont. The rest of the Rumble is quick and versatile, capable of implementing coach Fulton Mitchell's 2-2-1 press.
With both Terrance Green and John Bryant out for the season because of injuries, the Frost Heaves will take 11 healthy players to Quebec. Vermont has nonetheless won 21 of its last 22 games, including 12 in a row, and beat the Atlanta Vision in two challenging tests earlier this month. The Frost Heaves last lost at Manchester on Feb. 2.
After practicing at the Sports & Fitness Edge in Essex tomorrow morning, the Frost Heaves will bus to Quebec and set up headquarters at the historic Chateau Laurier in the old town. The entire team will attend a tip-off event that evening and then inaugurate the Final Eight-part of Quebec City's 400th Anniversary Celebration-on Thursday at the brand-new Pavillon de la Jeunesse.
The host Quebec Kebekwa will take on the Texas Tycoons in the 8 p.m. nightcap. Another quarterfinal doubleheader-featuring the San Diego Wildcats vs. the Atlanta Vision, and the Manchester Millrats vs. the winner of a play-in game between the Jersey Express and Montreal Royal-will tip off at 5 on Friday afternoon. Semifinals are set for 5 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, with Sunday's title game tipping off at 4 p.m.
Fans interested in tickets and hotel packages for the Final 8 may call the organizers at 418-780-4850 or e-mail info@kebs.ca. For information on the special Milne Travel fan bus tour, which would leave Vermont on Saturday morning if the Frost Heaves were to qualify for the semifinals, call Michelle at 802-864-0204.
The entire ABA Final 8 Championship will be Webcast free, for viewing live and in archived rebroadcast, at vermontfrostheaves.com. The radio call of Frost Heaves games will be carried over the Vermont Frost Heaves Basketball Radio Network, which originates with WSNO AM 1450 in Barre and is audio streamed over vermontfrostheaves.com.
The Frost Heaves Official Team Sponsors are VSECU and the Vermont Army National Guard.
For more information, visit vermontfrostheaves.com, kebs.ca or abalive.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
American Basketball Association Stories from March 25, 2008
- Vermont Heads For Quebec City And ABA Final 8 - Vermont Frost Heaves
- Final 8 Awaits Manchester - Saint John Riptide
- Commentary: The ABA All-Star Game: A View from the Bench - OSC Original by Chris Munson
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