2015 FBA Season/15.06.11
| Thursday, June 11 | |||||
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| SAS | 
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113 | |||
| ALK | 
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115 | W | 
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Series Tracker:
W1 vs W6: Series tied 2-2
Santa Ana Spectrums @ Alaska Arctics
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Officials: Alex Trenor #7, Jeremiah Waller #10, Carmen Santoligo #39 Player of the Game: Alessandro Serra (Weasel, G) - 19 pts, 2 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl |
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== Specs Freeze Up As Arctics Even The Score == After handily beating the surprise of the Playoffs in the Alaska Arctics in the first couple of games at home, the Santa Ana Spectrums were coming up north with clear confidence as many believed that the series would be pretty much set. With the fantastic play of Superstar Stephan Soro (Red Fox, G), getting more than 30 in both games, many analysts believe that the Arctics season could end in the same way previous opponents team “SASage” has faced previously. It seemed like everyone thought this could end up being the first sweep in the playoffs. Boy was that FAR from the truth… The Alaska crowd in the Arctic Tundra Arena was a major factor in the game being the loudest it has ever been when the Specs came to town. It was just enough for team SASage to stumble in game 3 when L.V. McDyess (Black Panther, G) missed a mid ranged shot in the last few seconds that could've send the game to overtime. Many fans say that the noise in the Tundra quivered SAS. However, the head coach of Santa Ana, Alan Foster, believes differently. "Honestly, I don't think folks are giving these Arctics enough credit", Foster says. "As a divisional opponent, this is a team that knows a lot about our play style, and the heart and will to win is there. We just got to do everything we can to slow em' down and being some momentum back our way." It seemed like it coming into the 1st quarter of play time. As the combination of Soro and McDyess kept Alaska on their heels, leading the way with a solid 10-2 run. The Arctics had some trouble on slowing down Soro as he was able to obtain 12 points in the opening quarter. The Specs continue to push on in as the ended the first period with a confident lead, 33-25. In the second however, The Arctics found a way to wake up. More specifically, Bobby Baylor (Polar Bear, F/C) and Alessandro Serra (Weasel, G). Bobby had another surprising performance as he was able to get into the paint often, obtaining 10 pts, 4 boards and an amazing block against Ain Iannizzi (Cougar, F). While Serra showed his contributions by dishing the rock 4 for times, 3 of them to Baylor, and was able to show his stealth by snatching the ball twice on the defensive end for quarter #2. Even with the duo being ably to play well, they were still down by 6 and the end of the half, 59-53. When the start of the second half came in, It showed a heated battle between Soro and Serra. It seemed like One always had an answer for the other. Each of them had made a 3 pointer, and both were able to steal from one another and get some quick fast-break points. They even fouled each other, which happened to be their only fouls in this game. Both of them battled like gladiators as this quarter ended up being a high scoring one. As the Arctics were able to turn it to a one possession game, 89-86. As the 4th quarter rages on, both teams were never letting down. Multiple lead changes occurred, and the Arctic fan base went totally nuts as amazing play from both sides were heart pounding each possession. As the closing seconds drew near, Alaska was only down by one with the ball in their grasps. When Ambrose Slade (Eurasian Lynx, G) was able to inbound the ball to Cliff Matthiews (Canadian Lynx, G), he wasn’t able to get a clear shot as he was being defended well by Iannizzi. So with quick thinking, he dished it out to Serra. Serra then made a desperation 3 as he was covered well by Soro. It bounced a couple before it finally sunk in before the buzzer sounded off. The crowd screamed with total glee as the Alaska players piled up on this games hero, Serra. With that shot, he not only took the victory, but was also tie the series up. Alaska now has a chance to take the lead, and shock the whole world once again. Game 5 will be in Santa Ana, California at 6/13/15. == FBA, it's Lex-mania: Serra tears the Spectrums apart == ANCHORAGE (USA) – Just twelve months ago, we'd left Alessandro Serra weeping on the stands of the Arctic Tundra Arena, as his team was ousted from playoff contention by Shane Rufus and the Thrust – the young weasel from Castel di Sangro having been kept out of the series by a shoulder injury. It seemed like that ship had sailed already for the poor kid. One year into his FBA adventure, Serra had apparently lost his shot at being a major part of the Arctics' rotation, and there had been talks about the possibility of bringing him back to Italy after the end of his two-year contract. The Anchorage-based team had seemingly given up the fight for a good post-season, and there seemed to be no reason to leave the brightest star of the Italian basketball movement rotting in Alaska, Lex having reportedly struggled with adapting to the environment and the city for the better part of his rookie contract. However, as soon as Coach Nelson decided to take the weight off veteran Carl Esteban's shoulders and test a 3-guard offense with Lex supporting Cliff Matthiews and Ambrose Slade, the Arctics took flight. The Alaskan franchise quickly assured themselves a playoff spot, and Serra became their secret weapon, allowing them to defeat the heavily-tipped Howlers in the first round by posting a double-double in Game 3 and a whopping 25-point game in the Game 6 decider. All of a sudden, Alaska was swept by the self-appointed “Lex-mania” - a cult soon to spread all across the Italian Boot, as more and more casual viewers get reminded of Serra's phenomenal skills. More and more televisions tune in to follow the Conference Finals between the Arctics and the Santa Ana Spectrums, where Daius Aurelias – four-year FBA veteran and Serra's teammate on the national squad – is lingering in deep reserve after an under-par season. Only one between those two will get the honor of being the first Italian to play in the FBA Finals, and the 6,109 inhabitants of Castel di Sangro are adamant that their favorite son will come out on top. THE GAME – Santa Ana started off strong with a good showing from Soro and McDyess, the canine-and-feline duo feeding each other hot balls as the Californian team started the match on a nice lead. McDyess had to sit soon, after picking up a couple fouls early in the 1st, but sophomore guard Zack Plushpaw was more than ready to pick up the slack from his experienced teammate, scoring a longball and then an elegant layup on a fast break. The Arctics turned on the heat in the second quarter, as Serra and Bobby Baylor quickly closed the 8-point deficit Santa Ana had opened in the first. Serra's confidence was high as he both dished the ball to the bear and scored from the long range, keeping the game open as the teams left the court on a partial of 59-53 in the Spectrums' favor. The battle between Serra and Soro, which had seen its prodromes in the second quarter, became more heated in the third as the two point guards kept exchanging blows, overshadowing at times Arctics' leader Ambrose Slade (who nonetheless managed to end the game with 15 points and 8 rebounds) and raccoon veteran Anthony Rios, seemingly spent after giving his all in the first two games. Zack Tate's paws were decidedly hot under the rim, as often was the case during this off-season – the huge polecat from Santa Cruz not sparing the South Californian team from his fury. While the Arctics thrived on their teamwork – six players ended the game in double figures – Santa Ana had to rely mostly on Soro, McDyess (who got on a cold streak at the beginning of the fourth quarter) and Ain Iannizzi, the Italian American (see that's a theme?) cougar posting the only double-double of the game. The fourth quarter saw repeated changes of lead and an increase of intensity, with many players – Franz, Parsons, Matthiews – accusing the blow. Soro went 2-for-3 from the arc, quickly mimicked by Serra and Valentine Prudhomme whose 3-pointer from the corner let the Arctics back in the game after a few lost possessions. Systematic fouls on Destrier and Iannizzi allowed Alaska to scoot closer, and eventually get to the last possession being down by just one. Slade inbounded the ball to Matthiews, who dished it to Lex, standing outside of the zone for a shot at the buzzer-beater, which he took over the head of a surprised Soro. The weasel then hit his lucky star as the ball fell into the silk after dancing on the rim for a few seconds, deciding the game's result in the Arctics' favor and effectively tying the series up at 2-2. It remains to be seen if Alaska can ride this momentum to a win on the road – but nobody can deny that the Finals look a whole lot nearer on this side of the Cook Inlet. Spectrums: Soro 29, McDyess 20, Iannizzi 13, Plushpaw 13, Destrier 11, Rios 9, Anggun 7, Vora 4, Iona 3, Franz 2, Sutters 2, Parsons 0. Rebounds: Iannizzi 10. Assists: McDyess 7. Arctics: SERRA 19 (7/12 from 2, 2/5 from 3, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals), Baylor B. 19, Slade 15, Tate 13, Matthiews 12, Konstantidis 10, Esteban 9, Fu'afu'a 6, Prudhomme 5, Yoder 4, Rollinghouse 2, Kong 1. Rebounds: Tate 9. Assists: Slade 8. (Last night: Albany-Pittsburgh 94-92 (Albany leads 3-1)) Patrizio Di Loreto, Il Giornale Dello Sport
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See the complete box scores for 15.06.11