Rainmen nab local hoop talent Gallimore, Norris

Former AUS stars signed as team winds up camp
By Monty Mosher, The Chronicle Herald 

The Halifax Rainmen will have some local flavour for the upcoming season after the Premier Basketball League team signed former Saint Francis Xavier X-Men guard Garry Gallimore and ex-Dalhousie Tigers guard Devon Norris on Monday.

Team owner Andre Levingston announced the signing of the two former AUS players along with Jevohn Shepherd, a small forward from Toronto who played at the University of Michigan, and six-foot-11 forward Mark McCarroll, a product of the University of Pittsburgh.

Five players got the axe with point guard Jason McLeish (East Kentucky) and Demetrius Howard (Augusta State University) the biggest names.

Small forward Jason Henry (Arkansas) was sent home because of an old knee injury that flared up in camp and ex-Saint Mary’s guard Mark Ross, a long shot at the start of camp, also failed to stick with the club. Former Acadia Axemen forward Achuil Lual got his release.

The team wrapped up a week-long training camp in Yarmouth on the weekend and will continue its preparations in Halifax for the pre-season opener Dec. 19 at Metro Centre against Manchester.

Gallimore, an Ottawa native who won awards in Antigonish for his defensive play, earned praise for a more developed game in Yarmouth. He had 24 points in an inter-squad game.

"Garry Gallimore probably had the best training camp of anybody," said Levingston. "The kid had an amazing camp. I watched Gary for a couple of years when he was at StFX and I knew he was a strong defensive player, but this kid can play, man.

"He hit big shots, he defended his butt off and he was aggressive. We were really, really impressed with him. This is no pick just to say we got a local kid."

Tantallon’s Norris doesn’t have the skills of many of the veteran pros around the team.

"But he competed every night," said Levingston. "He listened to his coach and he wants to get better. That didn’t go unnoticed."

Levingston said McCarroll, 29, is a key acquisition with past pro experience in Sweden, Finland and the Dominican Republic.

"He’s extremely talented and athletic," said Levingston.

Levingston said the team is beginning to take shape, but he’s not done his work. He still wants another big man and a point guard before the regular season opens Jan. 3 in Oklahoma.

Other players under contract are guard Tony Bennett, forward Eric Crookshank, small forward Desmond Ferguson, forward John Strickland, centre Gordon Malone, guard Lonnell Shuler-Jones and guard Adris Deleon. Bennett, Crookshank and Strickland are the only returnees from last year.

"We look good on paper and we did see a lot of bright spots in training camp," said Levingston. "With this big kid (McCarroll) coming in, it definitely puts us at another level. But the league is so strong. We don’t know how good we’re going to be, but I know we have a chance to be a very good team."