Dayton Air Strikers head into playoff run in PBL

     Heading into the 2nd half of the season, the Dayton Air Strikers are embarking on the most important week of their season. The season has been a roller coaster of a ride, starting off by winning the PBL Pre-Season tournament, then losing 3 of its first 4 games of the regular season. Now sitting at 4-6 and a 1 game lead for second place, the Air Strikers have their PBL playoff stakes in their own hands.
    

Air Strikers ready for battle

     The Air Strikers will take on Lake Michigan Admirals tonight at the Moraine Civic Center (7pm). The Admirals are 2-9 and know their playoff hopes are on life support. The Air Strikers last defeated Lake Michigan up in Michigan, and look to carry that momentum into tonights game. However, the Air Strikers will also take on PBL Champion Rochester on Thursday (7pm), then they will battle Lake Michigan on Saturday and Scranton again on Sunday, due to reschedules in the PBL. So this 4 game homestand could literally make or break the Air Strikers hopes of reaching the PBL playoffs in April.

     If the Air Strikers are to win 3 of the 4 games this week, this would put them at 7-7, sitting firmly in second place with 6 games remaining. If they can beat Scranton, then that would put Scranton 3 games behind while with 2 more games at Dayton, which would be ideal for the Air Strikers.
   
     The Air Strikers are healthy, with Aaron Perry, Avery Smith, and Brandon Russ all healed from early season injuries. The Strikers have the talent to get all the way to the PBL playoffs and beyond; Question is, can they ride that roller coaster all the way to a fantastic finish, or will they be overwhelmed with the pressure and expectations of winning a pre-season championship?

Air Strikers go 1-1 on road trip, remain 1/2 game behind playoff spot

     The Dayton Air Strikers went 1-1 on their road trip this weekend, winning at Scranton (Sunday) 132-127 but losing at Rochester (Monday) 106-97. The Air Strikers now remain at 4-6, 1/2 game back of Scranton Steamers (4-5) and division leader Rochester (11-1) heading into the midway break. Here is a recap of the weekend road trip:

Strikers win in Scranton

          (Sunday)   In the game against Scranton, G Avery Smith toasted the Steamers for 31 points, 7 assists and 5 boards, while F William "Bo" Harris had a double double off the bench with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 steals to help lead the Strikers to a win. The Steamers held a slight lead at half (64-60) but was outscored by the Air Strikers in the 3rd quarter 40-27 to give the Air Strikers a cushion they would never relinquish. The Air Strikers now have beaten the Steamers 2 of 3 games they have met, which could be crucial come late in the season if the teams tie for 2nd best record.
     
         (Monday)  The Game against Rochester was once again a tight one, as the Razorsharks held a 10 point halftime lead, but the Air Strikers continued to fight back, getting the lead within 4 with less than 2 minutes in the game..With over 8,000 fans nailed to their seats, Razorsharks G Jahron Giddings hit a key basket with the shot clock winding down, and then sealed the deal with 2 free throws to lead the Razorsharks to a win. The Air Stirkers was led by F-C Brandon Russ, who dropped 23 points (10-12 FG) to go with 9 boards, while F "Bo" Harris put in 20 points to go with 11 rebounds.

NEXT UP: The Air Strikers will host Lake Michigan as they will have 7 of their last 10 games at home during the strectch run.

Gomillia gets pro opportunity in Mexico

Notes: Mark Gomillia has gotten a opportunity to play pro in Mexico. The guard from Stephen F. Austin has been a good wing player for the team as he has averaged 11 points while shooting over 50%  from the 3pt line and over 90% from the free throw line....F-C Aaron Perry returned this weekend from his foot injury, playing well and scoring 10 points in 18 minutes of action.

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