The Erie BayHawks have now lost four of their last five games after falling at Iowa, 95-88, Saturday night.

Watched the game and the same song rang true for the BayHawks. Now they did make free throws Saturday, going 11-of-12, but the BayHawks are turnover prone. They had 21 total turnovers in Saturday’s loss.

Newly acquired point guard Cliff Clinkscales, who played 43 games for Erie last season before being waived, had six of those turnovers. Now he’s a great ball handler, but Clinkscales is going to have to get familiar with his new teammates and vice versa. Clinkscales did lead the team in assists with seven.

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Donell Taylor looks to bounce back from a 3-of-18 shooting effort in Erie's loss to Maine.

Maine Red Claws (5-1) at Erie BayHawks (2-3)
Wednesday night (Buck Night), 7 p.m.; at Tullio Arena. Tickets are $5 with every time at concessions costing $1 including beer.

On the air: WFNN-AM/1300, www.nba.com/dleague (live stream)

Players to watch: Maine – SF Bill Walker (Avg. a team-high 16.7 points a game); SG Billy Thomas (Scored 26 points in Maine’s 116-90 win at Erie last week, making 6-of-8 3-point shots. He’s fifth in the D-League in 3-point shooting at 57.1 percent); SG Tony Bobbitt (Fourth in the D-League in 3-point shooting at 57.9 percent). Erie — C John Bryant (Avg. 16.2 ppg. and 13 rebounds); G Donell Taylor (Shot just 3-of-18 from the field in loss to Maine last week; avg. a team-high 18.8 ppg.); SF Ivan Harris (Scored a season-high 14 points in his last game on 6-of-11 shooting from the field. He came into that game shooting 14-of-41 from the field.

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We had a lot of fun with this.

After Thursday’s practice, the Erie BayHawks did some video for us and this is the result of it. The guys seem to have a good time with it at LECOM, which is where the BayHawks practice.

The BayHawks (2-2) play their home opener against the Maine Red Claws (3-1) at Tullio Arena. Thes crazy thing about this opener is the BayHawks will have their first practice in the arena later today in their afternoon shootaround.

He’s played just one minute in four games for the Erie BayHawks, but Zach Sowers isn’t rumbling about it.

The rookie point guard who played three seasons at Akron before transferring to NAIA Division II William Jessup, can flat out knock down shots, but hasn’t gotten many opportunities to do so. Sowers said it’s a matter of developing his overall game in terms of playing defense, rebounding and more of an offensive threat.

“Right now, I feel I’m probably where I need to be,” Sowers said before practice earlier this week. “Work my way up. A little inexperienced at the game. Competing against these guys everyday with just 10 players, you’re going at it every day. You’re not to do anything but get better. I believe eventually it will come if I keep working hard. It will come.”

Since Sowers, a Zanesville, Ohio native, played at Akron, he got to know 2008-09 NBA MVP LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers as he was college teammates Romeo Travis, who was a high school teammate of James.

As everyone knows, James is from Akron.

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Final: Erie 109, Sioux Falls Skyforce 107 (OT)

High scorers: Reggie Williams (SF) 33 points, John Bryant (ERI) 29 points; Donell Taylor (ERI) 28 points.
High rebounders: Bryant (ERI) 16 rebounds (eight offensive), Greg Stiemsma (SF) 11 rebounds.
High assists: David Bailey (SF) 10 assists, Bryant (ERI) 4 assists.
Double-doubles: Bryant (ERI) 29 points, 16 rebounds; Stiemsma (SF) 15 points, 11 rebounds, 7 blocks.
Local look: Kyle Goldcamp (ERI) 0 points in two minutes and 34 seconds of play.
Biggest lead: Erie led by 16 points, 60-44, at the half.
Next game for Erie: Maine (Saturday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m.)

Forward Ivan Harris has shaved his head since last season with Erie and no longer rocks the braids.

The Erie BayHawks have to make their final two cuts by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to get their roster down to 10 players for the season opener Friday at Fort Wayne.

On Monday night, the BayHawks had a controlled scrimmage at East High School that revealed quite a bit about each of the remaining 12 players. The White team consisted of guards Cedric Jackson, Oliver Lafayette, Rod Wilmont, forwards Ivan Harris, Kyle Goldcamp and center John Bryant.

That team beat the Black team, 34-32. The black team consistead of first-round pick, guard Donell Taylor, guards Zach Sowers and forwards Jackie Manuel, Martin Zeno, Alade Aminu and Jarvis Gunter.

Very competitive game, but here’s what I noticed about each player in the scrimmage.

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Here’s who the Erie BayHawks will likely start in Thursday’s 7 p.m. D-League preseason game against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Meadville Area Senior High School.

PG – Donell Taylor (6-6, 185, Alabama-Birmingham)
SG – Oliver Lafayette (6-2, 190, Houston)
SF – Jackie Manuel (6-5, 189, North Carolina)
PF – Ivan Harris (6-7, 215, Ohio State)
C – Jarvis Gunter (6-10, 210, Arkansas-Pine Bluff)

Now Lafayette, Manuel, Harris and Gunter all played for Erie in its expansion year last season. Taylor is the only new starter. The Bayhawks picked him with the second overall pick in this year’s draft Nov. 5.

When looking at this starting line up, two things jump out.

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