Here is the Manchester press release from the Millrats' game with San Diego last night, which is strikingly true at times:
"March 30, 2008 Quebec City, Canada: The Manchester Millrats faced the toughest team from the West, the #3 seed San Diego Wildcats, in the final four of the ABA Playoffs, and pushed them to the limit before falling 115-106 in overtime.
Many considered the Millrats overmatched because of the firepower San Diego showed in demolishing the Atlanta Vision 145-99 the previous night. Manchester needed overtime to squeak by a familiar foe, the Montreal Royal 146-140.
Manchester fell behind by 7 or more points a half a dozen times during the contest, the largest deficit being 38-24 in the second quarter. Each time Manchester fought back and found a way to get back in the game. Using pressure defense, Manchester got within 42-41 at the half.
The third quarter was a high scoring affair, and still the Millrats matched San Diego point for point, basket for basket. The Millrats entered the fourth quarter trailing just 77-76.
Again San Diego claimed significant fourth quarter leads, but Charles Mason and Rashid Al-Kaleem drilled numerous huge three pointers to keep the Millrats within striking distance. None was bigger that Al-Kaleem's trifecta from the corner while falling out of bounds with 4.7 seconds left to tie the score at 104-104.
San Diego attempted a long shot for the win, which was short, but Jermone Habel grabbed the errant miss and laid it in. From all appearances it was well after the final buzzer had expired. One official called 'no basket', and the other two indicated the basket was good. Tom Chichester, the lead official, called the game over and ran off the court with his crew. The Millrats gave chase, certain that the shot was after the final horn. San Diego's team also ran to the locker room, changed into street clothes and boarded their bus. After ABA CEO Joe Newman and the Quebec City management interceded, the officials did the correct thing by reviewing the video to make the correct call. At first, San Diego refused to return to the arena, but eventually did return and a three minute overtime ensued.
Manchester grabbed a two point lead in the beginning of overtime, but the high scoring Wildcats made a flurry of baskets that gave them a 111-107 lead. Al Stewart made two free throws to bring the Millrats within 111-109, but Manchester was forced to foul to stop the clock, and the Wildcats made four free throws down the stretch to extend for a hard fought win.
Cheering each San Diego made free throw at the end was a large contingent of Vermont Frost Heaves fans, for whom their fear of the playing the Millrats must have exceeded any loyalty for their Northeast rivals.
Charles Mason and PJ Young each scored 21 points for Manchester, Anthony Anderson 19, and Al Stewart 16. Cardell Butler, known as "Ballaholic" from the And1 Streetball tour scored 38 for San Diego, and Jerome Habel added 21. Manchester gave up 30 offensive rebounds to the the Wildcats, and lost despite holding the ABA's most potent team to 37% shooting from the field.
In the earlier quarterfinal, the Vermont Frost Heaves held on to defeat the Texas Tycoons, 106-100. So the defending ABA Champion Vermont Frost Heaves will get a chance to repeat on Sunday at 4:00 pm versus the San Diego Wildcats."
The Manchester team DID "give chase," which I am amazed the writer of this release, who I assume is Ian McCarthy, the 'Rats GM, admitted. What was not said was Millrat Cedric McGinnis was ejected after pushing an official during this chase. I did not see this happen as it occurred just off the floor. However, what message does this send to the fans of the ABA, which is billed as "fan friendly affordable fun"?
Manchester did take a 2-point lead but did not score the first points in overtime - the technical free throw counted as the first point scored in overtime. If this did not count in overtime, it would have been assessed to the score at the end of regulation, and therefore the Millrats would have lost in regulation.
As for the quip about the Vermont fans and their apparent lack of "loyalty to their northeast rivals," I must remind you all of how the Vermont fans wore red during the Millrats' quarterfinal with Montreal (which Montreal almost won...) in part to support the Royal (Manchester's colors are black and yellow, Montreal's are red and white) and perhaps Atlanta, who wears red and black. In talking with Vermont fans, sure they may have wanted to face their rival in the final, but the loyalty to this northeast team was severely damaged months ago after the now-famous violent incidents in Burlington in January that resulted in suspensions and fines on both sides with the more severe punishments being handed down to Millrats. Again, fan friendly affordable fun for the fans? Of both teams? It was KIDS NIGHT the night this took place.
This loyalty took another hit Thursday night after the Millrats sent out a press release that says for fans to look for Texas in the final (Vermont had to beat Texas Saturday night to earn the right to play in today's final). Upon walking into the arena Friday afternoon, I immediately was sent text messages and was asked by several fans and Heaves staff if I had seen the release. Apparently the released achieved it's desired response.
There are several Millrats whom the Vermont fans truly respect, and this rivalry has created some terrific basketball between the two teams, but certain actions will unfortunately stick with the Vermont fans for a long, long time. The part about the fear does have a certain degree of truth to it, too. Manchester is a very, very good team, and Vermont has suffered big-time losses to injury, even before Issa Konare went down in the third quarter of last night's game. Manchester has made some key additions (and some additions-by-subtraction because of the aforementioned incidents in Burlington), and I know that made some Vermont fans extremely nervous.
--Anna Grearson
