Lightning to face Seattle in IBL playoff opener
L.A. seeded third; Murray will be back in lineup
The Los Angeles Lightning have been seeded No. 3 for the IBL pro basketball playoffs and will take on the Seattle Mountaineers at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Monroe, Wash. It's practically a home game for Seattle, which is located 35 miles southwest of Monroe.
All playoff games are being web cast on the team's web site, lalightning.net, with Gerry Fall calling the action.
L.A. finished the regular season on Tuesday with a 114-109 setback at the Tacoma (Wash.) Tide. Toby Bailey and Trayvon Lathan scored 20 apiece for the Lightning (14-4), who had their six-game winning streak snapped.
Former NBA standout Lamond Murray, the leading scorer for the Lightning at 25.2 per game, will be back for Thursday's American Bracket semifinal at the Monroe Sports Arena.
L.A. split a pair of home games with Seattle (13-7) his year on May 23-24, winning 116-109 and falling 115-113 at Cal Lutheran. The Lightning have added a lot of talent since then, including Bailey, Darrick Martin and 7-foot center Adam Parada.
Parada is averaging 20.3 points and 14.4 rebounds while Bailey has been stellar in all phases (19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists).
If the Lightning tops Seattle, they would take either No. 2 Bellingham, Tacoma or Central Oregon in Friday's American Bracket final at 2:30 p.m. Tacoma and Central Oregon played a quarterfinal game on Wednesday.
The two survivors of the 10-team playoffs will meet for the IBL championship on Saturday, July 18.
