Malice at the Mary: Newfoundland Rogues playoff hopes dashed after Friday night brawl

William Ping · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 30, 2025 4:32 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

As Friday night's crippled betwixt the Newfoundland Rogues and the Windsor Express wrapped up, things were looking bully for the location squad astatine the Mary Brown's Centre.

To clinch a spot successful the playoffs, the Rogues needed to triumph 2 games against the apical ranking squad successful the league.

After a hard fought game, the Rogues came retired victorious with a people of 115-109. 

But that's erstwhile the occupation started.

Three Windsor Express squad members surrounded a Rogues subordinate and the 2 teams began a brawl that spilled implicit into the courtside seats, wiping retired a enactment of chairs. After a fewer pugnacious moments with players each implicit the floor, the teams returned to their locker rooms.

"I missed however it began," said Rogues manager Reece Gaines portion talking with CBC News connected Sunday. "I conscionable saw 1 of my players down and it looked dangerous, to beryllium honest. And I conscionable wanted to get up determination and get everybody disconnected of them. There was 3 oregon 4 guys connected 1 of our guys."

Gaines said he's ne'er seen thing similar this successful his full hoops career. He believes the combat was sparked by the Windsor players being disappointed successful their loss. 

"The squad that's favoured takes it a small spot much personal," Gaines said. 

Saturday night's crippled gave the Windsor squad thing to consciousness amended about. After different adjacent game, Windsor won 105-100, knocking the Rogues retired of playoff contention. 

Gaines said Saturday's loss was owed to suspensions that near his squad without a centre and a powerfulness forward. 

"We knew we had an uphill battle," Gaines said, reflecting connected the last game. 

"Not having the afloat squad for the past crippled benignant of hurt. But I deliberation the guys fought truly hard and for maine personally, it was a tremendous learning experience, facing a batch of unexpected adversity, being enactment successful situations I haven't been enactment successful earlier and seeing however I grip it."

Gaines besides sung the praises of his player's efforts crossed the full season. 

"They did a large occupation of being accordant and persevering and staying with it and ever playing a batch of bosom and a batch of fight. And that's what I'm arrogant of."

Gaines said the passionate enactment of the fans attending the games made a large difference, 

"It truly meant a batch to the guys," Gaines said. 

As for what's next, Gaines said the aboriginal of the league is agleam with squad proprietor Tony Kenny. 

"I deliberation helium has a large imaginativeness and hopefully we beryllium unneurotic and find the close guys and close pieces to fit."

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