After winning at expansion Canton by 15 points in their regular-season finale, the Erie BayHawks returned to practice today as they get ready for Game 1 of their D-League playoff series against Austin on Thursday night at 7 at Tullio Arena.

Game 2 and Game 3, if necessary, will be Sunday and Monday, respectively, in Austin. A third seed, the Toros (33-17) picked the fifth-seeded BayHawks (28-22) as the top three teams got to select their first-round playoff opponent from the bottom four seeds.

After Monday’s practice, players Tyrone Brazelton, Joey Graham, Keith McLeod and Marvin Phillips talk about the playoff format and being chosen by the Toros.

Battling with T.J. Campbell for the ball, BayHawks point guard Keith McLeod had a tough night in Erie' 114-103 loss to Canton on Friday night./Photo by Janet B. Kummerer/Erie Times-News

Veteran point guard Keith McLeod got his shot playing against the team from his hometown that traded him to Erie in January.

Didn’t go well for him or the BayHawks.

Not only did the expansion Canton Charge beat the BayHawks, 114-103, tonight at Tullio Arena, but McLeod scored just five points on 2-of-12 shooting.

“It’s worse when you lose when you have that kind of night,” McLeod said. “Now had I shot like this and we had won, then so be it. I wouldn’t care, but we lost. It was what it was. I got to be better. Point blank period and I am better. It was just a bad night all around.”

A 2012 D-League All-Star selection, McLeod had missed the previous games games against Canton due to a hamstring injury, but didn’t feel as if he put too much pressure on himself to play well tonight.

“It’s basketball,” McLeod said. “‘I’m not sitting here worried that it’s life or death. It’s basketball. It’ what I do. It was just one of those nights. Sometimes it’s just how it goes.”

The good news for McLeod is he gets to face the Charge again Saturday night  as he returns to his hometown for the 7:30 game.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to go out here and prepare like I did and we’re going to see what happens. Hopefully I don’t have a night like tonight. At least I don’t plan on it.”

Here’s Erie BayHawks coach Jay Larranaga and guards D.J. Kennedy and Keith McLeod talking about their playoff chances with three games left in the D-League regular season.

Currently holding the seventh spot in the D-League playoff chase, the BayHawks (26-21) play Springfield (27-20) at Tullio Arena tomorrow night at 7 and take on Canton in their final regular-season games. They play the expansion Charge on Friday in their regular-season home finale and Saturday at Canton.

Erie is just a game behind Springfield for the top spot in the East Conference.

Mike Gerrity averaged 7.3 points in 18 games for Erie./Photo by Janet B. Kummerer/Erie Times-News

Mike Gerrity says it’s part of business.

That’s a nice way of saying it sucks.

In a month’s time, the Erie BayHawks waived him twice with the latter coming Feb. 9.

Ten days later, the Maine Red Claws claimed him out of the D-League player pool.

Today, Gerrity, 25, returned to Erie to face his former team and somehow didn’t vent about how the BayHawks parted ways with him twice.

“It’s hard, but you understand what you’re getting yourself into at the beginning of the year,” Gerrity said. “I knew it was going to be an uphill battle all the way, but it’s about the sacrifices you’re willing to make if you love the game.”

Gerrity had four points and four assists off the bench in his return, but it wasn’t too long ago he joined Erie, was waived, rejoined Erie and got waived again.

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D.J. Kennedy

Having played in the NBA for four seasons, Erie BayHawks point guard Keith McLeod has an idea of what an NBA player looks and plays like.

In his mind, teammate D.J. Kennedy is getting closer to having that NBA look.

“He’s real close because he can do it all,” McLeod said. “If you look at the stat sheet, he’s always got eight or nine rebounds, seven or eight assists and double digit points. It’s just about the league and what they want and when they want it. His name getting out there more so people can check him out and I’m sure they know who he is.”

A 6-6 guard out of St. John’s, Kennedy is averaging 14.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 26 games, but still feels as if he’s under the NBA radar.

“Nothing has changed,” said Kennedy, who has started every game he’s played for the BayHawks. “That’s my mentality.”

In his last game before the D-League all-star break, Kennedy had 19 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and five steals in an 97-88 loss to the Dakota Wizards.

“D.J. plays all facets of the game,” Erie coach Jay Larranaga said.

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McLeod had 22 of his 25 points in the 3rd.

The only person after Erie’s 98-93 win tonight against Sioux Falls at Tullio Arena who didn’t know Keith McLeod had 22 points in the 3rd quarter was, well, Keith McLeod.

“No clue,” McLeod said. “(I) had no clue. I knew I was making shots.”

McLeod’s hot shooting also blinded Kyle Goldcamp to the fact he had 12 points in the quarter himself.

“I honestly didn’t know because Keith was hitting everything,” Goldcamp said. “It was like, I’m going to keep trying to set screens and figure out a way for him to get open because when you have a hot hand like that, you got to keep feeding the man. That’s great. It was awesome. A great time being out there. It was a good run, but I was unaware.”

The two combined to score 34 of Erie’s 36 points in the third as the BayHawks built an 82-68 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Erie outscored Sioux Falls by 15 points in the quarter.

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Jay Larranaga averaged 11.3 points in his career at Bowling Green.

All newly acquired Erie BayHawks point guard Keith McLeod knows is he put the ball in the basket more than his head coach did for Bowling Green.

BayHawks coach Jay Larranaga and McLeod shared a laugh after Thursday’s practice about who was the better player at Bowling Green. I jokingly asked McLeod, ‘Who is the best player out Bowling Green. You or your coach?”

McLeod, who is the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,895 points, leaned away and smiled before saying, “Best player? I don’t know. I know I scored more points.”

Larranaga (1993-97), who scored 1,249 career points, has the most 3-pointers made in a game (9), but McLeod (1998-2002) has the school record for most free throws attempted in game (27)  and most free throws made in a career (552).

With a big laugh, Larranaga admitted McLeod, who played for four NBA teams in four NBA seasons, was better than him.

“It’s not even close,” Larranaga said.

Larranaga, who played for his dad, Jim, at Bowling Green was college teammates with one of the best to ever play for the Falcons – former NBA point guard Antonio Daniels, who is the school’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,789 points.

Ironically, the two both played with the school’s all-time leading scorer – Anthony Stacey (1995-2000). Stacey scored 1,938 points.

Averaging 27.1 points and 10.5 boards, Mike Harris was a man on the inside for Rio Grande Valley this season.

I’m sitting here looking at the All-NBA D-League teams and that first-team squad is nice, but then I checked out the honorable mention list.

Hmmmm.

I could pick five guys from that list and seriously challenge the first team.

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The BayHawks must contend with Albuquerque's Keith McLeod, who has averaged 31.1 points in his last six games.

Erie BayHawks (15-25) at Albuquerque Thunderbirds (18-22)

Saturday, 9 p.m., Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, N.M.

On the air: WJET-AM 1400, www.nba.com/dleague (live stream).

Players to watch, Erie:

SF Jackie Manuel (Expected to play tonight after missing Tuesday’s win against Sioux Falls with a stomach virus.). … SG Blake Ahearn (Averaging 21.6 points in his three games with Erie since being traded from Bakersfield for D-League All-Star rookie power forward Alade Aminu). … SF Ivan Harris (Scored 21 points Tuesday after not scoring in Erie’s previous game against Iowa).

Players to watch, Albuquerque:

G Keith McLeod (After not scoring in an Feb. 25 loss at Idaho, McLeod has averaged 31.1 points in his last six games. He went for 44 in a March 3 loss at Dakota). … G Antonio Agudio (Averaging 15.4 points and shooting 42.8 percent from 3-point range). … SF Trey Gilder (Traded to Albuquerque from Maine for center Kurt Looby on March 5, Gilder is averaging 13.9 points this season.

Fast facts: Erie — The BayHawks are without rookie point guard Cedric Jackson, who signed a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs this week. … Shooting guard Mike Gansey has averaged 26 points and shot 13-of-23 from 3-point range in his last three games. … Erie has won its last two games.

Fast facts: Albuquerque — The Thunderbirds’ leading scorer, Carlos Powell, is now overseas playing in China. The top pick in the 2009 D-League Draft, Powell averaged 22.1 points in 33 games for them. … Albuquerque snapped a seven-game losing skid in Wednesday’s win against Fort Wayne.

 BayHawks up next: at Idaho (Saturday, 9 p.m.), at Utah (Monday, 9 p.m.).

— Duane Rankin