Duane Ticknor, a minor-league coaching veteran who led the Dakota Wizards to back-to-back playoff appearances from 2007 to ’09, will be the next head coach of the Mad Ants.FORT WAYNE – When: 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday
Where: Canton, Ohio, today; Memorial Coliseum, Saturday
Records: Mad Ants 5-10; Canton 7-7
Webcast:
Mad Ants leaders: Ron Howard (21.5 ppg), Darnell Lazare (8.0 rpg), Walker Russell Jr. (9.1 apg)
Canton leaders: Tyrell Briggs (19.6 ppg), Dante Milligan (10.8 rpg), Keith McLeod (5.0 apg)
Key matchup: The last time the two teams met was New Year’s Day, when the Ants won 104-103. Canton shot lights out from behind the three-point line, going 12 of 19. Antoine Agudio and Trent Strickland combined to go 7-for-8. With the acquisition of 6-foot-11 center Jarrid Famous in the middle, Fort Wayne can pressure the outside shooter more.
The skinny: Since the Ants’ win over Canton in Fort Wayne, the Ants have been to Reno, Nev., and back, where they lost two games. The Ants also lost a player when 6-7 guard Darington Hobson was recalled by the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. It was Hobson’s 18-foot jump shot that provided the winning points. Canton, meanwhile, has not played since its loss at Memorial Coliseum. It will be a well-rested team that the Ants are playing tonight.
Note: After placing 6-foot-11 center Chris Hunter on waivers because of an injury, the Ants acquired Famous from the Iowa Energy. Fort Wayne traded its second-round draft pick in the 2012 draft for the rights to Famous, who played with Lazare in the Indiana Pacers training camp. Famous averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds in eight games with Iowa.
