SmoothQue
12-29-2004, 09:00 AM
Big time at Alltel Arena
9,497 watch RimRockers top Tycoons
BY CHRIS GIVENS ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
It was a big night for the Arkansas RimRockers.
There were celebrities in attendance, a record crowd and three former NBA players on the court at the same time.
Everything was big, from the size of the crowd to the size of the players.
And in the end it was a big victory for the surging RimRockers.
Arkansas beat Texas 111-100 before an American Basketball Association-record crowd of 9,497 at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock on Tuesday night.
"Yeah, we really do have it going on here," Arkansas RimRockers Coach Joe Harge said.
Arkansas (12-2) used a 17-3 run in the third quarter to open an 80-60 lead and had enough cushion to withstand a late Tycoons run.
But before the game even started there was plenty of buildup for this matchup of Central Division foes.
Fans waited in line for almost three hours before the game to get their picture taken with NASCAR driver and Batesville native Mark Martin. Security had to keep fans from hounding boxer Jermain Taylor of Little Rock at his courtside seat.
And "Big O," former Arkansas Razorbacks star and 10-year NBA veteran Oliver Miller, made his return to the state as a member of the Tycoons. Miller, all 330-plus pounds of him, received a standing ovation when he was introduced with the starting lineup and then showed the praise was deserved by leading Texas (8-4) with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Jimmy King, who also played in the NBA, added 15 points for the Tycoons.
"What can I say?" Miller said. "God first, but without this university [Arkansas] and the fans I wouldn’t be here today. Arkansas fans stay faithful and stay loyal.
"I wish everyone had fans like those in Arkansas. I appreciate coming back. This feels good."
So everything was in place, and then Harge threw a curveball. To start the game, he benched former Razorbacks Scotty Thurman, Todd Day and Kareem Reid, who have started nearly every previous game.
"It’s a family issue," Reid said when asked about the change. "Coach wanted to shake up the lineup, and there was no letdown. We have 12 guys that could start on any team in the ABA."
With three players who had been coming off the bench in the starting lineup — Gee Gervin Jr., Marco Cole and Daryan Selvy — Arkansas jumped out to a 13-4 lead, capped by Gervin’s layup with 7:51 left in the first quarter. "We got the nod we would start right before the game," said Gervin, who made his first start. "We wanted to bring some energy. We thought we would set the tone. We took it upon ourselves to move the ball and get some easy shots."
Thurman was the first of the regular starters to check in, and he immediately scored nine consecutive points for Arkansas, which led 57-49 at halftime.
The starting five started the third quarter, but Harge started substituting again when Texas cut the lead to 63-57 on a layup by Miller.
A 3D layup by Reid with 3:59 left in the quarter put Arkansas ahead 80-60.
"They just attacked us in transition and we didn’t do a very good job getting back," Texas Coach Steve Tucker said. "They attacked us and got some easy baskets to extend the lead. [That run] was the difference in the basketball game."
The Tycoons were within 93-85 with 6:02 left, but once again Arkansas extended its lead with fast-break offense.
"I was excited about the way the first group came out. I was even more excited about way the second group came in," Harge said. "It doesn’t matter who starts. It’s how we finish."
Reid led Arkansas with 19 points, and Thurman had 16. Day, the RimRockers’ former NBA player, had seven. Selvy and Gervin had 13 points each.
For the first time this season, fans were sitting in Alltel Arena’s upper deck, and the atmosphere wasn’t lost, even on the Tycoons.
"It was tremendous," Tucker said. "I hope they filmed it and took pictures. It was great to be a part of it and great for the league. I hope the fans come back and give support. It’s a compliment to [RimRockers owner] Larry Crane and the coaching staff and, most importantly, the players."
9,497 watch RimRockers top Tycoons
BY CHRIS GIVENS ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
It was a big night for the Arkansas RimRockers.
There were celebrities in attendance, a record crowd and three former NBA players on the court at the same time.
Everything was big, from the size of the crowd to the size of the players.
And in the end it was a big victory for the surging RimRockers.
Arkansas beat Texas 111-100 before an American Basketball Association-record crowd of 9,497 at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock on Tuesday night.
"Yeah, we really do have it going on here," Arkansas RimRockers Coach Joe Harge said.
Arkansas (12-2) used a 17-3 run in the third quarter to open an 80-60 lead and had enough cushion to withstand a late Tycoons run.
But before the game even started there was plenty of buildup for this matchup of Central Division foes.
Fans waited in line for almost three hours before the game to get their picture taken with NASCAR driver and Batesville native Mark Martin. Security had to keep fans from hounding boxer Jermain Taylor of Little Rock at his courtside seat.
And "Big O," former Arkansas Razorbacks star and 10-year NBA veteran Oliver Miller, made his return to the state as a member of the Tycoons. Miller, all 330-plus pounds of him, received a standing ovation when he was introduced with the starting lineup and then showed the praise was deserved by leading Texas (8-4) with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Jimmy King, who also played in the NBA, added 15 points for the Tycoons.
"What can I say?" Miller said. "God first, but without this university [Arkansas] and the fans I wouldn’t be here today. Arkansas fans stay faithful and stay loyal.
"I wish everyone had fans like those in Arkansas. I appreciate coming back. This feels good."
So everything was in place, and then Harge threw a curveball. To start the game, he benched former Razorbacks Scotty Thurman, Todd Day and Kareem Reid, who have started nearly every previous game.
"It’s a family issue," Reid said when asked about the change. "Coach wanted to shake up the lineup, and there was no letdown. We have 12 guys that could start on any team in the ABA."
With three players who had been coming off the bench in the starting lineup — Gee Gervin Jr., Marco Cole and Daryan Selvy — Arkansas jumped out to a 13-4 lead, capped by Gervin’s layup with 7:51 left in the first quarter. "We got the nod we would start right before the game," said Gervin, who made his first start. "We wanted to bring some energy. We thought we would set the tone. We took it upon ourselves to move the ball and get some easy shots."
Thurman was the first of the regular starters to check in, and he immediately scored nine consecutive points for Arkansas, which led 57-49 at halftime.
The starting five started the third quarter, but Harge started substituting again when Texas cut the lead to 63-57 on a layup by Miller.
A 3D layup by Reid with 3:59 left in the quarter put Arkansas ahead 80-60.
"They just attacked us in transition and we didn’t do a very good job getting back," Texas Coach Steve Tucker said. "They attacked us and got some easy baskets to extend the lead. [That run] was the difference in the basketball game."
The Tycoons were within 93-85 with 6:02 left, but once again Arkansas extended its lead with fast-break offense.
"I was excited about the way the first group came out. I was even more excited about way the second group came in," Harge said. "It doesn’t matter who starts. It’s how we finish."
Reid led Arkansas with 19 points, and Thurman had 16. Day, the RimRockers’ former NBA player, had seven. Selvy and Gervin had 13 points each.
For the first time this season, fans were sitting in Alltel Arena’s upper deck, and the atmosphere wasn’t lost, even on the Tycoons.
"It was tremendous," Tucker said. "I hope they filmed it and took pictures. It was great to be a part of it and great for the league. I hope the fans come back and give support. It’s a compliment to [RimRockers owner] Larry Crane and the coaching staff and, most importantly, the players."