PBL Canada Weekly Roundup

HALIFAX,NS–PBL Canada Roundup

Halifax Rainmen

Current Record: 6-4 (3rd Pace in the PBL)

The Halifax Rainmen finished off their last game in Nova Scotia with a double overtime win over the Quebec Kebs before heading out on a month-long road trip. But the win that left Halifax fans buzzing with excitement was quickly overturned by the PBL. The league reviewed the last game and concluded that the referee team did not comply with league rules, failing to reset the foul count at the end of regulation. To make up for the error in officiating, the Halifax Rainmen and Quebec Kebs will replay the overtime period again prior to the Rainmen-Kebs matchup on March 5th.

The Rainmen have hit a rough patch on the road, losing two in a row. Their first loss came to the Saint John Mill Rats 83-78 on February 11th in Saint John. Halifax shot the ball poorly, shooting 31.4% from the field and making just 2 of 19 from three point territory. Halifax’s Josh Dollard had a double double in the loss with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Halifax then traveled to Rochester, NY to take on the Rochester Razorsharks and were blown out 102-88. Kavon Jones did not play (ankle) and Taliek Brown (hamstring) left the game within the first three minutes.

Roster Moves
Halifax has made a few roster changes over the past week with two of their guards departing the team. One of the Rainmen’s top offensive weapons, Mike Mercer, left the Rainmen for family reasons. Mercer was the leading scorer for the Rainmen at 14.5 ppg.

The team also announced that 5’7″ point guard, Tajuan Porter, has accepted a playing opportunity in France and has left the team. The Rainmen quickly signed a replacement point guard, signing Trayvon Lathan. Lathan has playing experience both overseas and with the IBL.  “Trayvon is a guy we’ve been trying to sign for the last three years,” said Halifax Rainmen President and CEO, Andre Levingston in a press release. “He’s a very skilled and experienced player who gives us a lot of length at that position. We are very excited to finally have him as part of our organization.”

Halifax also added some size to the roster, with the addition of 6-10 centre, Kenneth Cooper.

 

Saint John Mill Rats

Current Record: 5-4 (4th Place in the PBL)

Well, the Mill Rats have been on a roll.  The team out of Saint John has put together a three-game winning streak, putting Saint John one game above .500. After losing to the Rainmen on January 29th, the Mill Rats won three straight including a revenge win against the Rainmen in Saint John.  Other wins included a 108-92 win over the Quebec Kebs as well as a 20-point win over the Dayton Air Strikers on February 16th. The addition of Dwuan Rice, who was acquired in the Vermont dispersal draft, has made a huge impact to the team. Rice had 23 points in the win over Halifax.  Anthony Anderson continues to be the leading scorer for the Mill Rats with his 17.3 ppg.

 Jeffrey Ferguson (Toronto) scored 19 points against the Dayton Air Strikers, UNB Alumni, Mike Anderson (Fredericton) had 3 pts, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in eleven minutes against Dayton.

Saint John sported pink jerseys in the matchup against Halifax, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Quebec Kebs

Current Record: 7-3 (2nd Place in the PBL)

The Quebec Kebs continue to surprise this year and currently hold second place in the PBL. After being known as one of the worst francshises in the PBL in previous seasons, the Kebs have come back this season with an experienced head coach in Rob Spon and new talent to the roster. Quebec recently pulled off a 2-point win over the Dayton Air Strikers. Quinnell Brown currently is one of the top scorers in the PBL with 19.7 ppg and led the team with 22 points in Quebec’s win.

 Kebs veteran, Jonas Pierre (Montreal) had 4 pts and 9 rebounds in Quebec’s last game against Dayton while Cordell Jeanty (Toronto) scored 6 points. Samuel Audet-Sow (Laval) did not play in Quebec’s last matchup.

Upcoming Games for the Canadian Teams of the PBL:
2/25 – Halifax at Saint John
2/26 – Halifax at Quebec
2/27 – Saint John at Quebec
3/3 – Saint John at Rochester
3/5 – Quebec at Halifax
3/6 – Kentucky at Saint John

Follow Romy Aquino on Twitter, @romyaquino

(Photo courtesy of the Saint John Mill Rats)