Tag: minor league

Wolves Face Chosen Lions In First Round of ECBL Playoffs

Winston-Salem Wolves vs NC Capitals 2024 Jahlil Rawley

The Winston-Salem Wolves will travel to Charlotte for the first round of the ECBL playoffs, as multiple playoff games are being held at one site for the 2024 postseason.

The Wolves will face the Carolina Chosen Lions for the first round on June 8th, a team they’ve faced and defeated earlier in the season. Tip off is 5pm at Mountain Island Fitness in Charlotte.

The Wolves enter the playoffs without starting guard Mike Chambers, who suffered a knee injury in the final regular season game and will be out for the remainder of the season. Despite this, the Wolves still enter the postseason with a strong backcourt, including point guard Jahlil Rawley and Mike Hughes, both of whom are capable of scoring and will work to make up for the loss of Chambers.

Wolves Fall To Petersburg On The Road; Playoffs Up Next

Winston-Salem Wolves 2024 Antonio Robinson

The Winston-Salem Wolves had the chance to grab the #1 seed for the ECBL playoffs in a road game against the Petersburg Cavaliers on Saturday, but fell 136-128 in what has become an annual event: the Wolves vs the Cavaliers for the Northern Conference regular season title. Unfortunately for the Wolves, they were unable to secure the regular season title, which would have been the second in a row for the team.

However, after finishing 10-3 on the season, the Wolves now turn to the playoffs and next weekend they will host the Carolina Chosen Lions out of Rocky Mount, NC in the first round of the 2024 ECBL playoffs and the bid to make a run for the ECBL title. The Wolves have appeared in one previous ECBL Championship in 2019, despite making the playoffs in 4 of their 5 active seasons. Head coach Antonio Robinson feels his team is poised to make another run at the trophy, and the first step will be getting past the first round of the playoffs.

Game times and dates will be announced this week.

Winston-Salem Wolves And The ECBL Playoff Landscape

Winston-Salem Wolves 2024 Antonio Robinson Jahlil Rawley

If the season ended today, the Wolves would hold the #1 seed in the ECBL playoffs for the second season in a row – but of course, the season isn’t over.

With a record of 8-2 overall, the Wolves definitely control their own destiny in playoff seeding; however, with a few weeks left in the regular season, nothing has been settled – so let’s take a moment and review the playoff landscape before the final push.

Close on the heels of the Wolves are the Fayetteville Panthers – with a record of 8-3, the Panthers are one of only two teams to hand the Wolves a loss this season. There were a few contributing factors in the loss – the Wolves were short handed, on the road and playing the second game of a back-to-back when they last lost to the Panthers. However, the Panthers have proven to be a quality team this season, winning their last 6 games. The Wolves travel again to play Fayetteville on April 11, so this matchup could create a tie at the top of the division and the tiebreaker would go to the Panthers.

The Wolves have one home game remaining on the schedule – May 19th against Kingdom Life Basketball Club, who have yet to secure a win in the 2024 season and suffered a loss to the Wolves earlier in the season. Following that, the Wolves hit the road again to face another playoff contender, the Petersburg Cavaliers, who won the conference title in both the last two seasons.

Elsewhere in the conference, the DC Heat have been a force, compiling a 7-2 record with only one loss on the court, to the Wolves. The other loss on their record was by forfeit, so the lone loss to Winston-Salem is significant and puts them in a position where they need to win out the remainder of their season and hope for a loss from other teams.

The playoff seedings in the Northern Conference may not be set, but several teams seem to have a spot secured: Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, DC, Rowan County and Petersburg. Where those teams are positioned is still up in the air. Rowan County could be the dark horse, being the only other team to defeat Winston-Salem this season, and despite a slow start, have built a 7-4 record.

For full details in the remaining schedule, be sure to check out the Schedule & Results page.

Wolves Defensive Troubles Continue

Winston-Salem Wolves Julius Brooks dunk

The Winston-Salem Wolves continued to struggle in transition defense again on Sunday in a loss to the Carolina Chosen Lions 109-102 in Winterville, NC. The Wolves led briefly in the first quarter behind early offensive energy but trailed by 10 at the half. The second half saw the Wolves battle back, cutting into the lead slightly by the end of the 3rd and closing the gap to a single point in the 4th, only to suffer from continued struggles getting defensive stops in transition at key moments.

Bright spots for the Wolves were improved free throw shooting and the return of Joshea Singleton into the lineup, but the 2021 Wolves continue to search for adjustments that will allow them to return to form from their 2019 ECBL Northern Conference championship run.

The Wolves return home on April 24 to face division rival Rowan County.

Winston-Salem Wolves Return To Action April 2021

Winston-Salem Wolves

The Winston-Salem Wolves return to action April 2021! Preseason rosters will be announced late March, followed by team events in Atlanta and locally in Winston-Salem. The ECBL season for the Wolves tips off April 10, as well as additional non-league games.

During the summer, the Wolves will participate in the Triad Pro-Am, the Red Bull 3x, and the new Beast League. Stay tuned for more news in the near future!