Halifax Rainmen: How Well Do You Know Your Teammates?

With so much time spent together on the road, Audley Stephenson AKA @TheAudman decided to check in with players from the Halifax Rainmen to find out how well how well they knew one another.

THAT’S HOW WE BALL!!

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Audley Stephenson AKA The Audman is an author, speaker and one of the founders of the popular NBA podcast,The Breakdown with Dave & Audley. He also serves as a member of the media and publicity team for the NBLC’s Oshawa Power.

posted by Dwayne Wynter

posted by Josh MacDonald

Windsor’s first weekend of professional basketball was an exciting one as The Express experienced their first victory followed by their first loss at the WFCU Centre.

The first test came against the Halifax Rainmen. With a home crowd of over 3,000 people, Windsor controlled Halifax for the majority of the game and sealed the win with less than three minutes to go in the fourth.

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The Halifax Rainmen have officially began training camp in Halifax. With only 1 player- Canadian guard Joey Haywood- returning from last seasons roster, the Rainmen camp is filled with fresh faces who will look to make the team and make an impact in the NBL Canada.

Perhaps most exciting is the news that 20 year old point guard Josiah Turner is trying out for the Rainmen. Turner, a 6’3 Californian, was the 11th overall ranked prospect in the class of 2011 according to Rivals.com. Turner was a high profile recruit to Arizona University where he averaged 6.8 points per game over 29 games in his freshman season. However, he was suspended twice by Arizona Coach Sean Miller and announced his intention to transfer. Turner was then recruited by NBA Hall of Famer Larry Brown, the new coach at Southern Methodist University. However, Turner recently announced he would withdraw from SMU and pursue a professional career. Turner spent a month playing in Hungary but now will look to make the Rainmen roster, and with point guards Taliek Brown, Chris Hagan and Christian Upshaw departing, could have an opportunity to become the Rainmen starter.

Turner is a pure point guard with great court vision, athleticism and good size for his position. Turner still has NBA dreams, and considering he is only 20, there is still a possibility of him being selected in next years draft; imagine how great it would be for the Rainmen and the NBL Canada if Turner becomes their first player drafted into the NBA from the NBL Canada.

Allan April is a university student and basketball fanatic from
Halifax. A proud member of Celtics Nation and also works as a
statistician for the Halifax Rainmen. Follow him @RainmenTweets

In the inaugural NBL Canada regular season the Halifax Rainmen finished second in the seven-team league and followed with an exciting playoff run, before losing the finals to the London Lightning in 5 games. As the second NBL Canada season approaches, it has become clear that the Halifax Rainmen and owner Andre Levingston were not content with last years runner-up performance. This off-season has been filled with change for the Rainmen, starting with the head coaching change they made in August. Last seasons head coach Josep “Pep” Claros has been replaced with owner Andre Levingston’s cousin, former NBA big man Cliff Levingston. Levingston was a 1st round selection in the 1982 NBA Draft and played 11 seasons with the Pistons, Hawks, Bulls and Nuggets, winning two NBA Championships with the Michael Jordan led 1991 and 1992 Chicago Bulls. Since 2000 Levingston has coached in the CBA, ABA and the USBL- where he won a Coach of the Year award and coached the Dodge City Legend to a Championship. Considering Levingston made his living as a 6’8 power forward battling in the notoriously physical 1980’s Eastern Conference, one would expect this years Rainmen to look a lot different than last years European influenced run n’ gun style.

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posted by Romy Aquino

(Photo via Chuck Miller)

We’re closing in on another NBL Canada season and a new crop of NBL rookies were drafted last night at the Renaissance Hotel in Toronto.  The Windsor Express had the first selection on the night, drafting 6’10”centre, Robert Curtis.  However, it was the Mill Rats who landed the #1 pick, trading their fifth overall pick, Michael Helms, and Mississauga native, Isaac Kuon to the expansion team, Windsor Express.

The Halifax Rainmen made a splash on draft night as well, trading all-star forward, Tyrone Levett and Halifax native, Christian “T-Bear” Upshaw to the Moncton Miracles for the #2 pick, Anthony Johnson.  Halifax also made another draft night trade, picking up Oshawa’s Brandon Robinson for cash and a future 2013 draft pick.

Summerside picked up six players on draft night, including three first round draft picks: Brandon Hassell, Chad Gillaspy and Avery Smith. 

The second NBL Canada season starts on November 2nd.

Check out how the rest of the draft played out:

First Round

Windsor Express – Robert Curtis – 6’10”/Centre

Moncton Miracles – Anthony Johnson – 6’8/Forward

Summerside Storm – James Hassell – 6’11/Centre

Oshawa Power – Chad Gillaspy – 6’7/Forward

Saint John Mill Rats – Michael Helms – 6’2/Guard

Laval Kebs – Adrian Moss - 5’10/Guard

Summerside Storm (Acquired from Halifax Rainmen) – Avery Smith – 6’4/Guard

Moncton Miracles (Acquired from London Lightning) – Kamar Burke – 6’5/Forward

Second Round

Windsor Express – Kevin Loiselle – 6’6”/Forward

Moncton Miracles – Terance Licorish – 6’9”/Centre

Summerside Storm – Reginald Robinson – 6’1/Guard

Oshawa Power – Amani Daanish – 6’8/Forward

Saint John Mill Rats – Darin Mency – 6’2/Guard Laval Kebs – Travis Cohn – 6’2/Guard

Halifax Rainmen – Courtland Bluford – 6’2/Guard

London Lightning – Jerome Richardson – 6’5/Forward

Third Round

Windsor Express – Wayne Portalatin – 6’9/Centre

Moncton Miracles – Collin Whitely – 6’6/Forward

Summerside Storm – Michael Norwood – 6’6/Forward

Oshawa Power – Jamaal Smith – 5’11/Guard

Saint John Mill Rats – Taneiko Robinson – 6’6/Forward

Laval Kebs – Emmanuel Trinquieur – 6’4/Guard

Summerside Storm (Acquired from Halifax Rainmen) – Brandon Bush – 6’6/Forward

London Lightning – Obinna Agomo – 6’3/Guard

Who made out the best on draft night?  Send me a tweet and let me know! @romyaquino

posted by Romy Aquino

Tomorrow marks the opening of the first NBL Canada All-Star weekend with festivities like the Legends game, 3-point contest and dunk competition all taking place on Saturday in Halifax.  NBL Canada fans can expect a jam-packed weekend at the Halifax Metro Centre with All-Stars from around the league showcasing their skills all weekend long including their three-point shooting abilities. 

Your competitors for tomorrow’s three point contest include:

Lawrence Wright, Justin Johnson, Bryan McCullough, Tyrone Levett and Joey Haywood from the Halifax Rainmen; DeAnthony Bowden and Jamar Abrams from the London Lightning; Omari Johnson, Tut Ruach, and Morgan Lewis from the Oshawa Power; Ricky Volcy and Ralphy Holmes from the Quebec Kebs; Anthony Anderson from the Saint John Mill Rats; and Chris Cayole from the Summerside Storm.

The Rainmen’s Justin Johnson is notorious for this sharp shooting, and once nailed six threes in two minutes during his time at Iowa.

For more information on this All-Star weekend, visit nblallstar.ca.

Who’s taking this three point competition?  Send me a tweet and let me know! @romyaquino

posted by Romy Aquino

NBL Canada All-Star weekend is upon us this coming weekend in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The All-Star Saturday participants of the dunk competition and 3-pt shootout haven’t been announced yet, but I want to know…who do you hope to see at this weekend’s dunkoff?   

How about Darnell Hugee of the Halifax Rainmen?  He has proven in New York that he has some hops:

(H/T @ItsAprilFools)

For more information on this All-Star weekend, visit nblallstar.ca.

Who do you want to see in this All-Star dunk competition?  Send me a tweet and let me know! @romyaquino

posted by Romy Aquino

LONDON LIGHTNING 116, HALIFAX RAINMEN 92

London Top Performers

DeAnthony Bowden - 28 pts (9-14), 4-9 3pt, 4 rebs, 5 ast

Eddie Smith - 20 pts (6-10), 3 rebs, 7 ast

Halifax Top Performers

Tyrone Levett - 14 pts, 7 reb, 3-6 3pt

Chris Hagan - 21 pts, 3-3 3pt, 3 ast, 5 rebs

The London Lightning can say they had a great season from start to finish.

London, who has been the powerhouse of the NBL Canada all season long, capped their season fittingly, taking home the 2011-2012 NBL Canada championship.  The Lightning took game five in a packed house at the John Labatt Center in London, 116-92.

The Lightning blew the game wide open with some hot shooting in the fourth quarter, outscoring Halifax by a margin of 35-15.  And who was it that got London’s run going?  None other than former Halifax Rainmen guard, Rodney Buford.  The former NBA veteran who was traded to London early in the season, nailed three big three pointers in the fourth where London went on a 21-4 run to start the quarter.  Buford finished the game with 18 points.  DeAnthony Bowden also had a stellar game, nailing a few crazy layups while getting fouled in the process.  The London guard finished with a game-high 28 points on 9-14 shooting.

Regular season MVP, Gabe Freeman, got in foul trouble in the second half but still finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds on the night.  Freeman was named the NBL Canada playoffs MVP.

Fans of both teams couldn’t have asked for a more exciting game as the matchup was back and forth all the way through three quarters.  Halifax started off early with some hot shooting, hitting nine threes in the first half alone, including three of them from Justin Johnson.  Halifax’s Chris Hagan, who has had an impressive playoff run, led the team with 21 points.

NBL Canada’s Chief Operating Officer, Ian McCarthy, presented the championship trophy in place of NBL Canada commissioner, John Kennedy, to the Lightning in front of their hometown fans.

“The entire NBL Canada Playoffs showcased the best of the best from a great inaugural season,” said McCarthy. “The Finals capped off this memorable season with a riveting five game series between two worthy opponents who garnered huge support from both cities.”

Lightning coach, Michael Ray Richardson, was named NBL Canada Coach of the Year.

NBL Canada fans will still get to enjoy more NBL Canada hoops action with the  All-Star weekend just around the corner.  For more information visit nblallstar.ca.

What was your favourite moment from this NBL Canada series?  Send me a tweet and let me know! @romyaquino

posted by Romy Aquino

What’s up people! Today is Game 5 of the championship Game Five between the Halifax Rainmen and London Lightning at the John Labatt Centre in London, ON. If you’re at home watching the game or live at the JLC, come join other NBL Canada fans on today’s chat starting just before 2pm EST/3pm AST.