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Pearls shine in home debut
LATEST ON THIS STORYRelated Topics: BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Basketball is a game of momentum, where the ebb and flow from possession to possession dictates the course of a game.
For the Baltimore Pearls, Charm City’s second-year ABA franchise, it seemed as if they would be left high and dry in their home opener, trailing the Strong Island Sound 69-52 at halftime Saturday night. That is, until the Pearls unleashed a tidal wave of their own.
Tightening up their interior defense, the Pearls battled back, chipping the lead away, until they came through in the clutch, claming a 117-115 season opening victory.
“They had some runs, we had some runs,” said Pearl’s head coach Ollie Matson, Jr. “Toward the fourth quarter, [we started] playing Pearl ball.”
With the deficit ballooning as large as 19-points, it would have been easy for Baltimore’s professional basketball team to pack things in and look toward the next match-up. Instead, the Pearls battled. Using outside shooting from Wyoming graduate Mike Mann and former Florida State Seminole standout Todd Galloway, the Pearls clawed their way back. Galloway, was even clutch from the line late, making a pair of free throws that proved to be the difference in the waning seconds
With a strong backcourt featuring those two stalwarts, they will only be bolstered by the return of Cornelius “Pooh Bear” McMurray, a playmaking combo-guard out of Morgan State.
“[McMurray] sprained his toe,” Matson said. “He should start shooting and working out within the next week or so.”
Another key cog for the Pearls is former Temple Owl star Mark Karcher. Scoring 18 points and playing tenacious defense down the stretch, it was a turnover forced by Karcher that led to Galloway’s difference making free throws.
“He brings experience, leadership and determination, he never quits, he works hard and he is a good teammate,” said Matson. “He can play all three positions, the one, two or three … he can pass, defend and rebound. There isn’t a lot he can’t do out there.”
Another player, that isn’t so flashy but could have just as big an impact, was the addition of center/forward Jim Chivers out of Loyola. His toughness and versatility could create match-up problems for other teams.
“I got to bring in one of my guys,” smiled Matson
