G League Cleveland Charge

Charge Ousted in Eastern Conference Finals

Published on April 19, 2015 under NBA G League (G League)
Cleveland Charge News Release


The Canton Charge, presented by SecureData 365 and powered by the Cleveland Cavaliers, fell to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 103-85, in front of 2,794 Sunday night at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. With the series sweep of Canton, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants advance to the NBA D-League Finals to face the winner of the Santa Cruz-Austin matchup in the West.

Canton opened the game with a hot-shooting first quarter, hitting 13-of-22 shots (59%), led by Joe Harris' eight points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the field. Charge big man Alex Kirk added nine points and the Charge held a 29-25 lead after the first stanza.

Fort Wayne scratched-and-clawed their way back with Canton in the second quarter, as guard Jordan Crawford began to find his rhythm. The Xavier product tallied nine points on 4-of-6 shooting to keep his team in the game. The Mad Ants' defense held Canton to just 1-of-5 from behind the arc in the second quarter as they took a 47-46 advantage into the break over the home team.

Crawford continued his scoring tear in the third, as he added 10 points to his total on 4-of-6 shooting. His Mad Ants teammates followed suit as they posted 37 third quarter points on an impressive 58% from the field. The Mad Ants' offensive display carried over onto the defensive end as Fort Wayne forced seven Canton turnovers and held Canton to just 14 points in the period, giving them an 84-60 lead.

Turnovers proved too much for the Charge, as the Fort Wayne Mad Ants forced 22 total Charge miscues, resulting in 24 points for the Mad Ants. After a mild first half, the Mad Ants heated up to shoot 55% from the field in the second half, while their defense limited Canton to just 37%. A balanced attack on both ends of the floor saw the Mad Ants outscore Canton 56-39 in the second half, leading to a 103-85 series-clinching victory.

Cleveland Cavaliers' assignee Joe Harris poured in a team-high 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting while adding eight rebounds in 45 minutes. James Singleton posted his fourth double-double of the postseason with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes. Reserve guard Kevin Olekaibe provided a boost of energy off the bench, adding eight points and three rebounds in 13 minutes of relief.

Fort Wayne's Crawford led the visiting Mad Ants with a game-high 28 points on 11-of-23 shooting, adding five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 42 minutes. The Mad Ants' forward CJ Fair posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while adding three steals, in 27 minutes. All five Fort Wayne starters scored in double-digits.

For information on how to get locked in for the 2015-16 season, the latest news & video, and more, head to www.CantonCharge.com.

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NBA G League Stories from April 19, 2015


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