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Ryan Taplin/Metro Halifax
Former Halifax Rainmen forward Rob Sanders drives to the hoop against a trio of defenders from the now defunct Montreal Sasquat’ch at the Metro Centre.
The Halifax Rainmen may have to get creative if they want to play more games at the Metro Centre next year.
Owner Andre Levingston was in Chicago Wednesday for the Premier Basketball League’s annual meetings and lobbied for an extension of the existing 20-game schedule. He wasn’t flat-out rejected, but it doesn’t look likely.
“My question was, ‘Is it fair to say next year will be a 20-game season?’ And the answer was, ‘At this point, yes, next year will be 20 games,’” Levingston said. “I was hoping for an increase of at least two (home) games. I would definitely like to see 12 home games at the Metro Centre next season.”
Levingston said the PBL is handling growth cautiously and that not all teams are ready for more home games.
If the PBL’s decision stands, he said he wants to add two exhibition contests to his regular-season schedule. He would like to bring in the Chinese national team and the two-time defending PBL champion Rochester RazorSharks.
“We definitely need a few more games at the Metro Centre,” he said. “I was hoping to hear (something different) but now we’ll have to make that happen on our own.”
Levingston said the Montreal Sasquatch and Augusta Groove will not be back in 2010. Montreal’s departure leaves the Atlantic Conference with four teams: the Rainmen, Vermont Frost Heaves, Manchester Millrats and Quebec Kebs.
Although the PBL could add more teams in the coming weeks, Levingston said none are Canadian and none would be an ideal geographic fit for the Atlantic Conference.
He said the overall tone of the meetings was positive.
“All in all, next season will be very, very exciting,” he said.
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