The East Coast Basketball League (ECBL) was founded in 2015. The league was centered in the Carolinas with teams also in Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Finals MVP: Donald Rutherford (203-F/C-87) of GUG Player of the Year: Chris Moore (6'2''-G-86) of PT Players Guard of the Year: Terrell Smith (6'3''-G-85) of PT Players Forward of the Year: Raymond McKeithan (6'7''-F) of Fayetteville C. Center of the Year: Brian Williams (6'9''-F-79) of Carolina G. Defensive Player of the Year: Cole Lewis (6'1''-F-91) of Fort Gordon E. Coach of the Year: Chris Thomas of PT Players
PrimeTime Players Win Inaugural ECBL Title - Jul 2, 2015
Fort Mill, SC - The the top teams in their divisions since the opening week of play, PrimeTime Players and the Fayetteville Crossover won their respective division playoffs to meet in the inaugural ECBL Championship.
Having played in the last regular season game against each other two weeks earlier Fayetteville were looking to change the outcome in the championship game by welcoming Stan Johnson (6'7''-F, college: W.Carolina) back to the team and inserting him into the starting lineup along with Raymond McKeithan (6'7''-F, college: Glenville St.) and Deshawn McLean to create a huge size advantage. A good start for the host PrimeTime Players as Brian Mobley (6'6''-C-87, college: Johnson C. Smith) sank three early three-pointers to help give his team a quick 10-point lead. The lead was quickly cut down by the inside play of the big three as they scored 16 first quarter points along with 10 points from Jerome Carr (6'4''-F/G). PrimeTime held a slim 31-26 lead after one quarter of play.
The second quarter started with Crossover All-Star McKeithan sitting out with three early fouls, but the other Crossover guards outscored PrimeTime's guards 18-2 in the quarter keeping PrimeTime from extending its lead past five at the midway point of the quarter. The inside play of PrimeTime's Thomas Pfaff (6'8''-F-87, college: Lipscomb), Malaciah Jones (6'8''-F/C), and Donald Rutherford (6'8''-F/C-87, college: Catawba) started creating second chance shots for PrimeTime and Jones and Rutherford combined for 22 first half points. Mobley added another nine in the 2nd for a total of 19 at the half.
The second half saw the CrossOver play veteran guard Elliott Williams at the point to try and change the pace of the game, which he did with an assist for a McKeithan three then scoring five points of his own to cut the lead to 60-59. PrimeTime went on a run of their own as Thomas Pfaff scored eight quick points. PrimeTime was able to push the lead to 98-71 heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter PrimeTime was able to keep Fayetteville from cutting the lead under 14. Game MVP Donald Rutherford scored 16 of his game-high 35 in the quarter and PrimeTime was able to close out their first ECBL Championship and fourth minor league championship in-a-row with a 130-113 victory.
Fayetteville CrossOver - Jerome Carr 28 pts 11 reb; Raymond McKeithan 21 pts 10 reb; Corey Evans (6'3''-G/F, college: Cincin.Christian) 15 pts 3 assists; Stan Johnson 11 pts 8 reb; Anthony Keane (6'3''-G) 10 pts, 6 assists; Elliott Williams 8 pts, 4 reb., 4 assists; DeShawn McLean 5 pts, 5 reb.; Terrance Britton (6'0''-G-88, college: Mount Olive) 5 pts, 3 assists; David Early 4 pts, 5 reb; Jade Belt 3 pts, 2 reb; Doreous McCullers 3 pts, 2 reb.
