BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, CYL, and CBA
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
6 May 2314
CBA Playoffs - Commonwealth Championship: Salem Shadows vs Airport Aviators
Game 3: Airport 110 at Salem 118 - Airport leads 2-1
Licker Sam Arnold powered his team to a Game 3 win, pushing the series to 2-1 with Salem winning their home game over Airport, 118-110. Arnord scored 35, rebounded 24, and dished 13 assists in the win. JB Letterhead added 32 for the winning team.
The game was one of wild swings with the Aviators leading as much as 18 in the first half and going up 66-54 at halftime. However, the Shadows cut the game to 1 by the end of the 3rd, trailing 92-91. In the 4th, it was all Shadows, winning the scoring battle 27-18 and going up as much as 13 in the quarter.
Airport''s top two scorers were Fickle Fitzpatrick and BB Whiteman with 25 and 23 points, respectively. DA Forte was held to 12 points 5 rebounds in eight minutes of action due to extreme foul trouble. Forte fouled out.
Game 4: Airport 96 at Salem 116 - Series tied 2-2
Salem pulled away from a close game in the 4th quarter, tying the series, 2-2, with a 116-96 win over Airport in the Commonwealth Championship. The Shadows' Jamal Pleick earned Game MVP honors with 23 points and 9 rebounds.
The Shadows trailed 55-51 at halftime but ended the 3rd quarter up 81-78 before outscoring the Aviators 35-17 in the 4th.
Four total Shadpws players scored in double digits including Pleick. They were JB Letterhead (21), Licker Sam Arnold (17), and Armand Penn (12).
The Aviators had five players in double figures in scoring, led by BB Whiteman with 20, followed by Eric Potter (15), Marcus Greene (12), DA Forte (11), and Melvin Strong (10).
Game 5: Salem 135 at Airport 137 - Airport leads 3-2
The Airport Aviators won in a close shootout, 137-135, over Salem to take a 3-2 series lead in the Commonwealth Championship.
Having struggled with foul trouble the two games in Salem, the Aviators' DA Forte rebounded to score 44, rebound 14, as well as contributing 4 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal to lead his team to victory. Starters BB Whiteman and Fickle Fitzpatrick contributed 24 and 19, respectively, to help their team. Fitzpatrick added 10 rebounds.
The Shadows had seven players in double figures, led by JB Letterhead's 30 points. Cedric Guy added 21 off the bench, and Jamal Pleick was the third-leading scorer with 18. Licker Sam Arnold scored 14 and had 10 rebounds in just 25 minutes of action due to foul problems.
The series now returns to Salem for Game 6. Should the Shadows win, Game 7 will be played at Airport.
Salem's biggest lead was 10, with the victors' largest lead at 6.
