PLAYOFF UPDATE…MILLRATS COME BACK AND TAKE DOWN ROCHESTER!

Hey there yall…sorry about the delay it’s been a real busy week. Yes we did what most people think we could not – we beat Rochester in Rochester in the playoffs – a place where they were 57-1 previously. Not only that, but we came from 18 points down in the 3rd quarter to win by 6.

Game 3 was supposed to be on Tuesday night, so we were out there staying in the hotel awaiting the game when we received the news that the game was being moved to Saturday night at 7pm.

There was a mention of a failed hydraulics part on one of the backboards as the reason – I don’t know you can figure it out. But we basically had no choice but to bus all the way back to NH, and then bus back to Rochester on Friday. It’s crazy – it really messes up this weekend as far as the PBL championship round goes.

—oh yeah, and congratulations to Terry Sare and the Battle Creek Knights…who everyone I heard from said they had no chance against either Wilmington or Vermont. But yet they proved their naysayers wrong and advance to the PBL Championship series.

Anyway, I think we’re going to have head back out to Rochester and pull off the improbable again. We really feel confident for this game 3. We experienced firsthand that when we play our defense, and we move the ball on offense, we can beat Rochester every time. But they are a great team, don’t get me wrong, so if we are turnover prone or make mistakes they will definitely capitalize on that.

So tune in Saturday night at 7pm on www.atsportstv.com and catch the decisive game 3!!!

Rochester Takes Game One 125-110

Okay so we are very disappointed that we did not take advantage of being at home to open the series.   The third quarter was an absolute disaster for us, being outscored by 23 points.  If there is a silver lining, its that we beat this team taking the 1st, 2nd, and 4th quarters combined – by 8.  So one more quarter like those three and we’d have won the game.   That might be wishful thinking, or a big “what if”, but it is what it is.  The series is won by winning two games not one.

So we are headed to Rochester and focused on taking game two…that’s all we can do.  It we can take it, then we will be back Tues playing for series – if not, then we will be on summer vacation.  I personally think we can win Sunday, but I thought we’d win the home game.  We certainly need better play from leaders Desmond Ferguson and Marlowe Currie (9-28 from field), and I think Coach Spon will shorten the rotation.

Tune in Sunday to www.atsportstv.com at 1:05pm on Sunday!

Playoff Outlook

Everyone seems to be asking me about the playoffs and the format and who we might play, etc.  While the PBL Playoffs will be officially announced Sunday night or Monday morning there is already much speculation.  The Wilmington SeaDawgs site breaks down the pairings here.  In addition, the Razorsharks announcers interviewed Keith Friel at halftime and specifically discussed a Manchester-Rochester first round matchup.  Battle Creek’s win over Chicago last need pretty much sealed the deal for them to be the #1 seed, and as a result, face the wild card winner (Vermont/Wilmington).

The Razorsharks are indeed a formidable opponent….just watching online and the 101 points (yes 101 points) they scored in the first half (yes the first half!) against Chicago today was impressive.  However, I do think that Chicago was tired from playing BC last night, plus the travel, and looked like they had given up on the season in the effort department.

Both teams started the season slowly with the Millrats starting 0-2 and the Razorsharks starting 1-3, but both finished extremely strong.  The Millrats went 16-2 the remainder of the season while Rochester finished 15-0.  In both losses by the Millrats: (4pts at Halifax) and (in OT at Vermont) we were missing key inside players.  The good news is that Manchester’s injured should be ready to go by Thursday.  This includes Scott Hazelton (disclocated shoulder), Sam Carey (dislocated shoulder), and John Ruffus (nerve damage in ankle).  Also 6’11 center Ife Anosike will be joining the team for the playoff run.  Should be a doosy…here are how the rosters match up:

The likely starters:

Jerice Crouch 6’0                    Al Stewart 5’10

These two speedsters are the keys to their team’s fast break attack and are two of the best.  Neither will have an advantage over the other in pressuring the ball.  The assist-turnover ratio comparison between these two will likely play a big role in the outcome.  Crouch is more of scorer while Stewart contributes more in rebounds despite being smaller (4.6 to 2.3) and assists (5.1 to 3.2).

Keith Friel 6’4                           Tommy Mitchell 6’3

Friel is a dangerous three point shooter and the PBL’s All Time Leading Scorer.  Mitchell is a dynamic scorer who balances attacking the rim with a deadly outside shoot.  Scored 50 points three times last season with the Montreal Royal.

Sammy Monroe 6’6                 Desmond Ferguson 6’7

Monroe is a fluid, versatile swingman who is comfortable going one on one, exhibiting an inside-out game, and finishing in transition. Ferguson, a former NBA player, is  savvy veteran who combines mistake-free basketball with unlimited shooting range.  His ability to stretch the defense will be key to Manchester’s inside game and penetration game.

Xavier Morton 6’9                    Mark Mazur 6’10

X is a big wide body with great hands who finishes very well around the basket.  Mazur is a high-IQ center who can also finish down low, throws great fakes, and can shoot out to the 3point line.

James Reaves 6’8                     Marlowe Currie 6’7

Reaves, or “Mook” has been consistenly Rochester’s most effective player over the past 3-4 years.  He too packs a load and uses his body very well to clear space and get his shot off.  He can also shoot out to 17-18′.   Marlowe Currie has been on a tear.  At Halifax on 3/22, Currie dropped 30 points on 7-9 shooting from three, and he went for 19 points and 19 rebounds in a Champlain Cup game vs Vermont this weekend.  He is really a power forward in a small forward’s body, but who shoots and moves like a small forward – if that makes any sense.  He is another of Coach Spon’s CBA veteran players who plays with a very high IQ.  I can’t see Currie guarding Mook on the block, and I can’t see Mook being able to follow Currie on the perimeter.  This should be an interesting match up indeed!

The Likely Reserves:

Steve Hailey 6’0 Lincoln Glass 5’11

Steve used to play for me on the Cape Cod Frenzy and it will be great to see him again.  He has settled into a role at Rochester.  He’s a good guy and a good system player.   We consider Lincoln Glass a ‘co-starter’ with Al Stewart.  Lincoln and Al are completely opposite style point guards, but are just as good.  Glass brings a poised veteran look with tremendous three point shooting ability, while Stewart brings youth, speed, and penetration.  This is a spot where Manchester has a big advantage.

Derek Holyfield 6’4                    Alex Owumi 6’4

Holyfield is a productive player off of Rod Baker’s bench – he brings energy, finishes and shoots threes (37%).  Owumi is a lockdown defender who is athletic, heady and also shoots it from deep (46% good for 8th best in the PBL).  Owumi will be counted on alot to keep Keith Friel in check.

Marlin Johnson 6’4                    Scott Hazelton 6’8

Johnson plays alot (26 mins) but averages just 7 points per game so he is a defender and a chemistry guy.  Hazelton, at 6’8, is a mismatch player who handle the ball very well and put points on the board off the bench.

Lincoln Smith 6’10                      John Ruffus 6’8

Smith was a late addition to the Razorsharks who gives them another big body off the bench along with rebounding.  Ruffus, a player Manchester acquired in a trade, is among the PBL leaders in scoring posting 19.9 points and 7 rebounds per game.  He would likely be a starter on any PBL team had he not joined the team late.  He is also recovering from an ankle injury.

Fred Durr 6’7                                    Sam Carey 6’8

Durr is actually a small forward but the next forward in the rotation.  He has added 7.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.  Carey, a starter for much of the season, has been one of the Millrats best all season.  Despite being a rookie, he averaged 12.6 points and 5.8 rebounds and provides Coach Spon with another low post scoring option who can equally play center.

John Halas 6’4                                 Keith Salscheider 6’4

Halas is a vetern point guard who gives Coach Baker insurance if Hailey isn’t playing well.  Salscheider is a deep threat who is a harassing defender.

Tre Whitted 6’5                               Ifesinachi Anosike 6’11

Whitted is another versatile role player-swingman off the Rochester bench.  Anosike is a 6’11 255 lb imposing shot blocking center who is a great defensive rebounder.  He gives Manchester some of shot blocking that was lost with the departure of Kenyon Gamble, and enables them to go real big at times by pairing Anosike with either Ruffus or Mazur.

Summary:

Manchester brings much more depth than they’ve even had in the regular season with the additions of Ruffus and Anosike for the playoffs.  I also think the 1-2 format negates the home court advantage of the higher seed (in some sense).  If we can get a convincing win (by 8-15 points) at home, then I think we will be heading to Rochester a very confident and relaxed group.  So obviously Thursday is the pivotal game and its in Manchester!

Update

We’re out in Halifax right now enjoying the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel – real nice – and getting ready for our 2pm game (1pm EST).  The game is being webcasted on www.halifaxrainmen.ca or www.haligonia.ca.  

We took a beating from the Frost Heaves last week but we pretty much just wanted to get through that game without any injuries – but even that didn’t happen as Sam Carey dislocated his shoulder in the last minute of the game.  He’s out 1-2 weeks.  We had Tommy Mitchell, John Ruffus, and Keith Salscheider already out with nagging injuries so we added practice player Chris Burns and last year player David Cooper.   Coop played well with 14 points but is not in game condition nor did he know any of our plays.

So I think Coach was right in pulling the starters after the 2nd unit fell behind.  No sense killing the starters or risking injury for an exhibition game trying to claw back, with the playoffs looming just two weeks away.

So now we are in Halifax for our last regular season home game.  We’re hoping to win this and finish 16-4, which is a great record especially after starting the season 0-2.  Desmond Ferguson was unable to make the trip so we are actually going to try win with just 8 players.  They are:

Al Stewart, Alex Owumi, Tommy Mitchell, Marc Mazur, Marlowe Currie, Lincoln Glass, Scott Hazelton, and Keith Salscheider…oh well we plan to play ‘small-ball’ and give em hell! lol

We play at home Thursday vs Vermont and exhibition or not, we are not planning to lose to them at home.  Rumor is that there may be an Anthony Anderson sighting that game…but we will play to win and send a message.

It looks like it’s about 90% confirmed (barring a multiple team collapse in the last 3 games) that we will be playing as the #3 seed in the playoffs against the Rochester Razorsharks in the first round.  If so, we will open the playoffs at SNHU on April 2nd at 7:00pm.   Rochester is the defending PBL champions and feature Durham, NH star player Keith Friel….Should be doosy – tickets are on sale on www.manchestermillrats.com!

MANCHESTER at VERMONT 3/6/09:

The Vermont – Manchester game in Burlington on Friday night was a classic between these two archrival clubs.  The Millrats were very surprising that they played as well as they did after losing Kenyon Gamble and Aaron Spears.

Coach Spon commented “I was very surprised how well the guys played and how well Marc (Mazur) fit in without practicing yet with us.”

I think that shows great depth and firepower to be able to have a great team like Vermont down 16 in the fourth quarter on their homecourt after losing two key contributors.  But let’s give Will Voigt and the Frost Heaves credit for battling back and closing out the win.  We were due for this to happen since the two prior ‘great comeback’ games were us coming from behind against them (1. down 10 with 1:20 to go in the first matchup – Rob Sanders heroics sends game to OT and a win for Manchester, and 2. down 41-14 in the second qtr three days later at Barre and Millrats come all the way back despite massive ejections to win).   Those 2 come from behind games really swung the season-series last year.
As much as we hate to lose, and especially so to Vermont, it just wouldn’t be a rivalry if they never won.  So this year’s season series is 4-1 and we have the two Champlain Cup games left which I’m now certain both teams are going to play their hardest to win.  Furthermore, I don’t think it effects our standing as the eventual #3 seed in the upcoming PBL playoffs.

PBL PLAYOFF PROJECTIONS:

The way I see the playoff structure coming, which is just my prediction/opinion, is as follows:

THREE GAME SERIES: (1) Rochester vs (4/5) Wildcard Winner:  I’m going to change my prediction here which was earlier Battle Creek.  I think Battle Creek will possibly lose at Augusta, at Chicago, or at Buffalo – and if they do and the Razorsharks win-out then Rochester will win a tie-breaker.

THREE GAME SERIES: (2) Battle Creek vs (3) Manchester: I think we are locked into the #3 seed because we clinched our division and because Battle Creek only has 2 losses.  This could switch if Battle Creek loses two of our four, because I believe we win the tie-breaker based on margin of victory.

ONE GAME WILDCARD: (4) Wilmington vs (5) Vermont: I think this is pretty much set.  Wilmington would have to win by 23 points or more at Rochester on Tuesday, and win-out their schedule to surpass Rochester, and since they would not have won a division, they fall to hosting the Wildcard game.  Vermont would have to lose 2 out of their last 4 games to possibly miss the #5 seed, which those games being against Quebec, Buffalo, and ‘Team Montreal’ – isn’t going to happen.

Although I think the Quebec – Vermont game on Friday night in Barre could make it interesting…which brings me to my trade-talk:

PBL TRADES:

PBL Trade

The Millrats and the Kebs completed the first ever in-season trade in PBL history by swapping Jamaal Wise and Charles Mason for John Ruffus.  Quebec followed that up by sending Anderson to Halifax for Glen Dandridge.

I actually think I caused the second trade unknowingly.  With about an hour before the transaction deadline, I was chatting with Andre Levingston and mentioned to him to watch the web a big trade was coming through.  I ended up disclosing to him that the Kebs had wanted Jamaal and at first had offered Anderson.   We told the Kebs no thanks we would only be interested in Ruffus.  So anyway, I think that spurred Andre to get on the phone and swing the deal for Anderson, having heard that the Kebs were looking to move him.

For the record the Kebs approached us before our game with them on Saturday looking to get Wise.  We definitely needed size on our front line for the playoffs – no question about it.  We’d been getting outrebounded in many of our games – it was our achilles heal actually.  I had particularly coveted Ruffus and would have takn him in the Montreal draft.  He reminds me of Udonis Haslem for the Miami Heat – big, strong, and rugged.  When he gets the ball in the post he either scores or gets fouled, and he rebounds and defends.

Losing Wise wasn’t ideal because he helped us greatly with his athleticism and rebounding, but he is a wing player which we already have a stable of those and Ruffus is a power forward/center.  Charles Mason was a starter last season with the Millrats averaging 14 points per game, but had struggled to find playing time on this year’s team.  He will likely be unleashed abit in Quebec and can get on a streak with his three point shooting.

The Kebs also signed PJ Young which not officially part of the trade, but we agreed to connect the two parties together.  PJ was an ABA All-Star last season and a Millrats starter.  We released him to pursue other opportunities but I think the Kebs are a good fit for him since he might as well be playing the next few weeks.  He is athletic and is a tremendous defensive player and hustles constantly.

The Kebs new lineup of: Soucy, Dandridge, PJ Young, JP Morin, & Charles Mason could possibly give Vermont a few fits.  It’s be a big help if Charles Fortier is back in action.  Watch out if Mason, Fortier & Dandridge all get hot.   If Quebec manages to steal the game this Friday, then that would make for a very dramatic game in Quebec the last game of the season (especially so for Halifax fans).

Millrats Forced to Reload, Sign Mazur

03/05/2009 11:11 AM

(March 5, 2009 Manchester, NH): The Manchester Millrats were dealt two significant blows to their title quest this week.  Centers Kenyon Gamble and Aaron Spears will not remain on the team’s roster for the remainder of the season.

The 7’0″ Gamble, who was leading the PBL in blocks at 3.9 per game, departed for a lucrative job offer in Qatar.

“We are proud to have been able to assist Kenyon to be in a position to receive that reward,” stated Millrats General Manager Ian McCarthy.  “He is a good person and a very high caliber basketball player.  We always want to win, but our mission also centers around helping these young men further their careers.”

Aaron Spears was diagnosed with a minor meniscus tear (knee injury) that was suffered in the Millrats last game at Buffalo on February 21st.  With only four weeks left in the season, a return to action was not likely.

“The challenge in pro sports is that you can be thrown a curveball at any moment, and you need to be flexible enough to make changes on the fly and still not miss a beat,” McCarthy explained, “we’ve made roster moves already this season to address certain team needs that worked out well, and we will do the same in this instance.”

With the PBL transaction deadline looming on March 9th, and two important road games this weekend, McCarthy and Millrats Head Coach Rob Spon wasted no time searching for a replacement.

The Millrats are pleased to announce the signing of 6’11″, 264 lb Marc Mazur.  Mazur will be in uniform for this weekend’s games against the Frost Heaves and the Kebs.

Mazur, who played collegiately at Detroit and hails from Clarkston, Michigan, played several years in the D-League, the CBA, and has had stints in countries such as the Baltics, Poland, Spain, Chile, and Portugal.

“Mazur is a big physical presence inside, a great rebounder, and has a nice touch from the outside as well,” said Coach Spon. “He’ll fit in great with us and he’s played with some of our guys before so the chemistry will be there.”

Manchester is currently 13-3 with a vice grip on first place in the Atlantic Division.  They have won 13 out of their last 14 games (#1 in the PBL), including 8 in a row.

The Millrats defense is #1 in the PBL in points against (95.8), steals (11.7), and blocks (5.1).

Friday night at 7:05 pm, the Millrats will visit the Burlington Memorial Auditorium to face their archrival, the Vermont Frost Heaves.  Vermont has never lost in Burlington in their franchise’s history.  On Saturday, Manchester will head to Quebec City to face the Kebs.  Manchester has never beaten Quebec in the Pavilion de la Jeunesse.
Now, this is an interesting situation that I’ve found myself in on more than one occasion.  Last season, we were faced with injuries to Souleymane Wane, David Cooper along with the impending departure of Rob Sanders (Dominican Republic) and Izzy Caro (Puerto Rico).  After a 12-1 start, we had a nasty 0-4, beat Vermont, 0-4 stretch (1-8) that we suddenly found ourselves 13-9.   We added Al Stewart, Charles Mason, Cedric McGinnis, Eric Downie, & Ronald Wright and we finished the regular season 14-2 the rest of the way.  Our only losses were 1 point to Texas and a close game to Beijing in Singapore (who we destroyed by 29 the next night).

When we lost our first two games this season, many observers said “the Millrats are overrated”, “the Millrats stink”, and so on.  As a staff, we recognized a glaring hole on the roster and that was outside shooting.   We also needed a 2nd point guard the same caliber as Al Stewart (after seeing him go down with an injury in the preseason and our team got steamrolled by Quebec).  So we worked our magic and ‘poof’ we signed super-shooters Tommy Mitchell, Keith Salscheider, and Lincoln Glass (point guard & shooter).

These guys arrived a day before our doubleheader matchup with Vermont that could’ve easily put us in an 0-4 hole to start the season.  But we went on to win 5 games in a row, before our next problem surfaced.

Our 6’11 center, Ife Anosike, had a job as a registered nurse (yes a 6’11 nurse!) in New York City lined up prior to our season starting.  When we called on him to come play he told us he might have to leave Jan 31st.  So we lucked out when 7’0 Kenyon Gamble, called Coach Spon to say he had just returned home from Syria and wanted to play.  We signed Kenyon and his first game was to be at Halifax on Jan 29.  We thought about bringing Anosike and Gamble, but we weren’t sure who else to deactivate for the trip because each player had been working hard in practice.  So we said goodbye to Anosike and brought Gamble.

Well we had a nightmarish bus trip going 23 hours through a blizzard, and Gamble ended up being turned back at the border by Immigration.   So we ended up getting killed on the offensive boards (I think Halifax had 16 offensive rebounds in just the first quarter), and lost 123-119.  I think if we had either Gamble or Anosike we would’ve won that game.

But hey with Gamble we went 8-0 through the month of February and finished undefeated at home for the PBL regular season.  We noticed that we were winning games but we were still being outrebounded by teams with losing records even.  So to help correct that problem we signed 6’10 Aaron Spears.  Aaron was a bonus!  He was a big center who could rebound and swat shots, but he was great offensively.  In Buffalo, he really helped us come from behind on the road because we kept going to him in the post and he would score or get fouled almost every time, which in turn opened up 3pt shooters, which in turn opened up driving lanes and Buffalo could not guard us.  We outscored them by 33 in the 3rd and 4th quarters.  We also outrebounded them.

Now this week’s news…Spears out for the season and Gamble moved to Al Rayyan in Qatar for the big bucks – and want can the Millrats staff pull out of the hat this time?   Well first off – thank goodness it was this week and not next week: The PBL sent a memo that no players can be added after March 9th not even for injury!    Secondly to be eligible to play in the playoffs, players must play in 4 reg season PBL games.  Our fourth to the last game is tonight in Vt!

So we hit up a zillion agents, reached out to a ton of players, asked for referrals and so on and so on – and we signed 6’10 or 6’11 (depending on what you read) Marc Mazur.   Mazur goes 264lbs, Gamble was 215 sopping wet.   But they are definitely different players.  Mazur is great on the pick and roll and can shoot also from the perimeter whereas Gamble was limited offensively to finishing around the basket.

So we are still a very confident basketball team as we prepare to head into Burlington tonight.  Desmond Ferguson has gotten himself back to the level  of player that he was in Yakama last season, and many other guys are playing great (Mitchell, Stewart, Glass, Currie, and of course Sam Carey).  Tonight you will also see a very motivated Jamaal Wise, who is in is 2nd game with the Millrats, and was cut by Will Voigt last season.

The Frost Heaves are unbeaten in Burlington (23-0), and have added 6’11 Larry Turner, plus they have to be motivated after being dropped 4 straight times this season by the Millrats.  Manchester is on an 8 game winning streak, but is winless in Burlington (2007-2008), and also winless against Quebec in the Pavilion de la Jeunesse (our Sat game).   This week should be some great games!!

Millrats Staying Active in the Community

Lincoln Glass, Charles Mason, Alex Owumi, and Tommy Mitchell the Cawley School

The Manchester Millrats have been staying extremely active in the community since their inception, and this season has been no different.

“We are just happy to be able to bring a smile to a kid’s face, some excitement, or some happiness,” stated Millrats Principal Owner Jason Briggs. “It’s a huge part of why we are here.”

The Millrats players and coaches routinely visit schools and other civic organizations each week to provide inspiration, recreation, or education. Sometimes, the Millrats will put on a practice or basketball clinic, while other times they may read to the children and spend time with them away from the court. All participating kids are provided with a ticket to an upcoming home game.

“Visting youth and community organizations is definitely a major priority with this franchise,” stated Millrats point guard Lincoln Glass. “It’s great to see that they point an emphasis on that here because it’s so important.

Some of the community organizations that have participated are: Davd R. Cawley School Woodbury Middle School Easter Seals Pinehaven Boys School Webster House Webster School Boys Basketball Chester School Hallsville School NH DHHS Division for Juvenile Justice Services Manchester Big Brothers Big Sisters Manchester Boys and Girls Club Manchester Central High School Beech Street School Mighty “Miler” Program Manchester West High School Manchester Boy Scouts Manchester Girl Scouts HEAR in New Hampshire St. Thomas Aquinas School and many more!

If an organization would like to schedule a date for the Millrats to visit in the future, or you would like more information, please contact Millrats Assistant General Manager Austin Nelson at millrats@gmail.com or visit www.manchestermillrats.com or www.pblproball.com.

Welcome to the Official Blog of the Manchester Millrats

Welcome to the official blog of the Manchester Millrats, my name is Ian McCarthy and I am the team’s General Manager.   We are a minor league basketball team in the Premier Basketball League (PBL).  This blog will help us distribute news, notes, and events on our players, staff, and our team – as well as offer our opinions on a whole host of topics.  The opinions expressed here are generally mine and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or consensus of our other owners or staff members, unless specifically stated.

Here is our most recent ‘News & Notes’ which brings us to sort of the state of affairs of our franchise:

Millrats News and Notes

02/26/2009 9:31 PM

(February 26, 2009 Manchester, NH): Here are some of the lastest news and notes from the Millrats organization:

UPCOMING HOME GAME: The Manchester Millrats host the Chicago Throwbacks (6-7) from the Central Division on Friday night at 7:30 pm at Southern New Hampshire University in the Millrats PBL regular season home finale.  Tickets are onsale online or at the door, and are just $10 for adults and $5 for kids 17 and under.

NEW PLAYER: Jamaal Wise (6’5″ F Rhode Island), the Millrats draft choice in the Montreal dispersal draft, has been activated for Friday night in place of center Aaron Spears, who has been moved to the injured reserve.  Wise was a teammate of Scott Hazelton’s at the University of Rhode Island.  He averaged 19.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while playing for the Sasquatch.

PORTLAND, MAINE: The Manchester Millrats organization would like to extend their congratulations to John Jennings, Bill Ryan Sr., and Bill Ryan Jr., on being awarded an NBDL franchise for the city of Portland, Maine.

NBA TRYOUT: Manchester Millrats guard Tommy Mitchell just returned on Wednesday from a workout with the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers on the campus of UCLA.  From all reports, Tommy made a favorable impression on Clipper staff members Pooh Richardson, Mitchell Butler, and Darrick Martin.

Said Millrats Principal Owner Jason Briggs of Tommy Mitchell: “Tommy is a pure scorer in the mold of Allen Iverson or Bernard King.  We want the best for him and his family.  We are all pulling for him to get his shot, and have supreme confidence in his ability and character.”

MILLRATS WINNING: The Manchester Millrats are undefeated (7-0) in the month of February, having ran thru this month’s PBL schedule posting a 22.7 point average margin of victory.  The Millrats have won 12 out of their last last 13 games overall.

PLAYOFF HUNT: The Manchester Millrats are currently leading the Atlantic Division by 3.5 games over the Vermont Frost Heaves (8-6) and the Halifax Rainmen (8-7).

Each division winner will receive a 1 thru 3 seeding in the PBL Playoffs, with the two next best teams playing a wild card match.

If the playoffs began today, Battle Creek (12-1) would be the #1 seed and host the wildcard winner.  #2 Manchester (12-3) would host #3 Rochester (9-3), and the wildcard game would be the #5 Augusta Groove (7-5) at #4 Wilmington Sea Dawgs (9-4).

Of course Vermont, Halifax, and Chicago are all still in the wildcard hunt.

NEW HAMPSHIRE NATIVE: If Manchester does indeed face Rochester in the PBL Playoffs, they will see a familiar name to Granite Staters.  Keith Friel, a former New Hampshire state basketball star from Durham, is the leading scorer for the Razorsharks.  In fact, the 6’4″ guard is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer!  Friel, who attended the University of Virginia before playing professionally, has been in Rochester for several years.  His father was the legendary basketball coach at the University of New Hampshire.