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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Montreal, Canada. The new-look and newly renamed Cape Cod Frenzy survive their debut night with the Montreal Matrix 110-108 in a foul-induced nail-biter that tied the game with seconds left.
The Frenzy arrived at the Pierre Charbonneau Arena in Montreal fully rested and raring to go. After two weeks of training camp and a week of regular practice, the young Frenzy unit was ready to show the ABA what they can do.
However, the host team, the Montreal Matrix, was less than hospitable on the court. A quick 6-1 start by Montreal had the Frenzy on their heels. How would their young players respond? Dynamic 6-7 forward Rob Sanders (Providence College) responded for the Frenzy with several acrobatic interior baskets. The older, more experienced Matrix squad pushed the lead back out to 19-10 with 4:28 left in the first quarter. Cape Cod refused to quit, closing the quarter strong and cutting the Montreal lead to 23-21 at the end of one. It would be the first of many such comebacks by the Frenzy in the game.
Early in the second, the Frenzy captured their first lead of the game 24-23 on a slam dunk by guard Jermaine Watson (Boston College). The Matrix decided to try and capitalize on their height advantage rotating 3 seven footers in and out of the game. Cape Cod briefly tried a zone defense and paid for it with two quick three pointers by Montreal. The Matrix led 47-37. But again the Frenzy battled back. A three pointer by guard Dustin Hellenga (Rhode Island) and a dunk by Rob Sanders brought the Frenzy all the way back to a 49-44 deficit at the half.
"We were feeling good about our chances at halftime," explained Frenzy coach Angel Robinson Jr., "because they were clicking on all cylinders and we were clicking on just one, and we were still in the game."
However, the confidence turned to despair rather quickly and the Frenzy came out of halftime flat, and the Matrix jumped out to a 63-50 lead at the 7:26 mark of the 3rd. Continually throughout the game, Frenzy layups seemed to bound around and rim out, while the opponents shots bounced 3 or 4 times before settling in. The bounces just seem to keep going Montreal's way. But, once again, the Frenzy players refused to die. Coach Robinson implemented a diamond press which proved to be the key to a 12-0 run, capped off by a driving layup by Jermain Watson who also drew the foul. The seesaw battle ended up all tied, 75-75 at the end of the third quarter.
The Frenzy keps the pressure on and a floating shot by Steve Hailey put Cape Cod up 108-105 with 18 seconds left. The Matrix, desperate for a 3, heaved an errant toss from behind the arc that was caught shot of the rim by 6-11 Frenzy center Ifesinachi Anosike. Astonishly, the refs called this "Hail Mary" shot goaltending - and called the game tied 108-108 with 5.4 seconds left.
"Ed the game NOW, we're going to finish this right now on this possession," hollered Frenzy players in the final huddle, desperate to begin their inaugural season 1-0. They took the court focused on a mission. The ball came to Hellenga, who promptly took his man off the dribble left lane and lofted an arching floater that kissed glass...and...bumped out. As the ball bounded up, a Matrix player tipped it in an effort to grab it and Frenzy Rob Sanders got a fingernail on the ball. The result: the ball reversed direction and kissed back off the glass and fell into the hoop. Frenzy victory! Hysteria ensued. Quite fitting for all the near misses throughout the game that the last shot made was a fingernail tip in.
The Frenzy were led by Rob Sanders with 27, Jermaine Watson and Dustin Hellenga with 24, Richmond Pittman 16 and Steve Hailey with 10. The Matrix were led by Shawn Browne's 33.