The Erie BayHawks fly south (well, drive) to Meadville tonight for a special preseason game against the visiting Fort Wayne Mad Ants. For those familiar with professional sports, preseason is typically code for “unimportant, uninspired, and unexciting.” Professional exhibition games generally play out like exhibits at the zoo: sure, you get to see all your favorite animals, but they’re clearly not thrilled by the limitations of their anything-but-natural habitat.
Expect something different from the BayHawks and Mad Ants tonight (and not just because those are two unconventionally named species you won’t find at the zoo). When it comes to preseason competition, the NBA Development League is not the same as the NBA―or the NFL for that matter.
The players aren’t multi-millionairesses. Not even close. Sure, they’re earning a paycheck, but they earn it, and “it” isn’t much. Some of these players have passed on bigger contracts overseas to pursue their dream of an NBA call-up. Cliché as it sounds, these guys are playing for the love of the game because they don’t get much more than that. They play because basketball is what they know, and they know that the D-League gives them a shot to play in front of NBA scouts on a nightly basis. They play knowing that a shot at the big time is literally just a phone call away. And that opportunity tips off tonight at Meadville High School at 7 p.m. (Doors at 6 p.m.)
In addition to being the first preseason game, this is the BayHawks’ only preseason game, which means it will be the players’ only chance to prove themselves against D-League competition. Moreover, it’s the coaches’ only chance to see how the 12 men fare against elite competition following this week’s training camp cuts.
Gone from the initial training camp roster are Joe Jones, Derrick Mercer, Raheem Moss, Jeff Skemp, and Ryan Troutman. And the roster is still not finalized. Of the 12 remaining players, only 10 can make the opening day roster, which must be submitted by Thursday, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. So the pressure is on for the players to perform in tonight’s preseason tilt as they try to make the final cut.
There are no guaranteed roster spots, but popular belief is that returning players Jarvis Gunter (PF/C), Ivan Harris (SF), Oliver Lafayette (G), and Jackie Manuel (SG/SF), as well as first-round draft picks Donell Taylor (SG) and Alade Aminu (PF/C) are probably safe. If that’s the case, that leaves six players battling for four spots: centers John Bryant and Kyle Goldcamp and guards Cedric Jackson, Zach Sowers, Rod Wilmont, and Martin Zeno. Size is a rare luxury in the D-League, so it would be a surprise if at least one of the big men didn’t make the final roster. And it’s quite possible that both of the final cuts are guards. In any case, it’s clear everyone will be giving maximum effort tonight with their jobs potentially on the line.
Undoubtably, the BayHawks staff’s primary focus tonight will be evaluating their own players as they prepare to make the tough final decisions next week. Nonetheless, scouting tonight’s opponent is a matter of concern, especially since its Fort Wayne. Erie will play 10 of its 50 regular season games against the Mad Ants this season, including back-to-back dates in Fort Wayne Nov. 26-27 to open the season. This is a team Erie will get to know very well over the course of the season, and success in this rivalry will go a long way toward carving out a second straight playoff berth.
There’s also some interesting subplots involving the BayHawks and Mad Ants. These teams made a draft-day swap that saw Erie send the rights to former Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Rob Kurz to Fort Wayne in exchange for the rights to the Mad Ants’ first-round selection out of Georgia Tech, Alade Aminu. Notre Dame fans will also see former Irish stars Ryan Ayers and Kyle McAlarney in action tonight. On Erie’s side, BayHawks guard Rod Wilmont, who spent the 2007-08 season with the Mad Ants, will get his first opportunity to show Fort Wayne why they should have brought him back.
All in all, it should be a fun night as Meadville plays host to the D-League. There’s a lot at stake as far as preseason games go, and it should be a great environment for the local fans. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from Meadville High School or at the BayHawks office.
Matt Hubert is a diagnosed basketballaholic and author of the Blog Talk BayHawk, chronicling the Erie BayHawks and the NBA Development League. Throughout the season, he’ll write a once-a-weekish guest post here at ErieBlogs.
