Coach Bob MacKinnon said 'it was an honor' to coach the team.
A dejected L.D. Williams leaves the court after the Canton Charge defeated the Springfield Armor Monday at the MassMutual Center.SPRINGFIELD – It was the end of the season for the Springfield Armor, but it felt more like a graduation with everyone sad about the end of an experience shared by 10 players and two coaches.
The Canton Charge defeated the Armor 115-106 Monday night before 1,681 fans at the MassMutual Center, winning the best-of-3 first-round playoff series in three games and advancing to the NBA Development League semifinals.
For Springfield, Game 3 was more like Game 1 when the Charge were just a tougher team. Canton had its way with the Armor defense and became the first team this season to beat them twice at home.
The loss ended by far the best season in franchise history, the Armor winning 30 games and the East Conference title while reaching the postseason for the first time.
Armor coach Bob MacKinnon did not want to talk about the game.
“We just talked about what we accomplished and I’m not going to let a loss or two diminish what this team has accomplished,” MacKinnon said. “To come here and get a group of guys who wanted to sacrifice for each other every day, it was an honor to coach these people.”
After a long postgame talk in the locker room, the emotion spilled out into the concourse and the floor with tears and hugs flowing freely among the Armor players and staff.
“We had a great group of guys from day one in training camp. We all put a lot of work in it, and from day one we were committed to what Coach MacKinnon, Coach (Chris) Carrawell and (general manager Milton Lee) brought to the table,” a red-eyed L.D. Williams said. “I can’t be more proud of these guys because we all stuck together.”
The Armor accomplished the greatest single-season turnaround in D-League history, going from 13 wins a year ago to 29 regular-season victories. Postseason awards will surely come their way, but for now the Armor have some pain to get through.
Springfield opened the playoffs at Canton and lost. The series came here for Game 2 and the Armor pulled it out in overtime to give them the momentum and the decided advantage of playing at home for the series finale.
But after a quick start for Springfield, the Charge offense dictated the flow Monday, consistently running the high pick-and-roll that enabled the ballhandler – usually T.J. Campbell – to have two passing options or two shooting options, and he rarely made the wrong decision.
Campbell (19 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds) and Antonio Agundio (24 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds) were superb in the backcourt while Kyle Gibson (23 points) and Tyrell Biggs (21) rarely missed a shot.
“Those guys read the screen well and they just executed the game plan,” said Williams, who led the Armor with 27 points.
Canton shot 56 percent from the floor, dominating in the paint for three quarters. While most of the numbers show a closer game – each team had 22 assists and shot 38 percent on 3-pointers, while the Charge had 22 turnovers to just 13 for the Armor – the rebounding discrepancy was painful for Springfield.
Canton had 48 rebounds to just 31 for Springfield, and it held the Armor to just 7 offensive boards.
The Charge grabbed control of the game with a 9-0 run to start the second quarter and never let go. Since the defense could not come up with consistent stops, the Armor offense never really found a rhythm.
JamesOn Curry, completing his third season with the Armor, scored 24 points and Dennis Horner 21. Williams and Horner led the Armor in rebounds with seven apiece.
But MacKinnon did not want to talk about the rebounding, the pick-and-roll or anything else from this final contest.
“That’s in the past right now,” MacKinnon said. “We’re focused right now on these players as individuals and I’m just so proud of the effort they put forward all year long.”
While the Armor will have to watch the final two rounds of the playoffs as spectators, MacKinnon has already buried any pain the loss may have created.
“My only disappointment in this whole thing is I don’t get to practice tomorrow,” MacKinnon said.