Heaves set for round three vs. Slam
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Vermont's Tyrone Levett goes strong to the basket against Bellingham's Brian Dennis during a game earlier this season. Jeb Wallace-Brodeur/Times Argus |
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By Anna Grearson Times Argus Staff - Published: March 21, 2007
The American Basketball Association's top-ranked team, the Vermont Frost Heaves, will take one more step on what the team has called its four-game journey when the No. 8 Bellingham Slam come to Burlington's Memorial Auditorium for a quarterfinal game tonight.
The Slam is making its second straight appearance in the final eight, while the Heaves continue their charge in their first season in the league.
Vermont handily defeated the Strong Island Sound 103-75 on Sunday in the second round of the ABA playoffs after earning a first-round bye. Winning one playoff game in their inaugural season is not enough, and the Frost Heaves went right back to work on Monday.
"As soon as our game was over we moved on to getting ready for Bellingham," Vermont coach Will Voigt said.
"There's obviously a lot of material to work with because we played them twice in the regular season. We walked through their stuff yesterday and began to talk their personnel a little bit, with a lot more to be done today," Voigt said before yesterday's afternoon practice.
The 31-6 Frost Heaves beat 23-10 Bellingham twice in Barre in consecutive games on Feb. 8 and Feb. 10, but both games gave Vermont a scare.
The Heaves grabbed 13 more rebounds than Bellingham in the first game, a 115-104 win, and Melvin Creddle lifted Vermont to a 112-107 win in the second game.
Bench play was key in both contests, and is one thing Voigt thinks the Heaves have over Bellingham.
"I don't think they have the depth we do," Voigt said. "Four of their starting five are very offensive-minded. They rely on their starters a lot."
While Vermont hopes to take advantage of the Slam's reliance on a few key players, it has not been a problem for Bellingham. Michael Parker, an ABA All-Star, and Brandon Hartley combined for 67 of the Slam's 137 points in Saturday's second-round win over the Hollywood Fame – a team that beat Bellingham twice in the regular season. Parker and Hartley, along with Scott Freymond and Jacob Stevenson, combined for well over half of the Slam's points in the Feb. 8 game against Vermont.
Unlike the preparation for Vermont's first playoff game, Voigt has been able to focus on just one team, but that one team knows as much about the Heaves as the Heaves know about it.
"It's easier in that we only have one opponent to prepare for," Voigt said. "But I don't think it makes things easier. If anything it's more difficult. They're going to be familiar with our tendencies as well."
The key to tonight's game, according to Voigt, is to limit the Slam's perimeter shooting and to play tough one-on-one defense.
Teams in the ABA tend to adjust rosters often, but the Bellingham team that will play tonight is the same team Vermont saw in early February.Vermont has added big man Antoine Hyman, who has been dominant in the low post for the Heaves since his arrival. Hyman pulled down 19 rebounds in Sunday's win over the Sound, which is what Hyman, and Voigt, say Hyman was brought in to do.
Issa Konare is still bothered by a sore shoulder, and John Bryant, hampered by a pulled hip flexor, remains questionable for tonight's game, according to Voigt.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, when the box office closed, the Flynn still had seats available in all categories for tomorrow night's ABA quarterfinal playoff game between the No. 1 Vermont Frost Heaves and the Bellingham (Wash.) Slam.
The doors of Memorial Auditorium in Burlington will open at 5 p.m. today to accommodate will- call ticket pickups and game-night walkup sales.
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