G League Grand Rapids Drive

Grand Rapids Tops Erie, 99-95

Published on January 2, 2016 under NBA G League (G League)
Grand Rapids Drive News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Lorenzo Brown didn't look rusty coming off a nine-day break over the holidays.

He had a game-high 24 points as the Grand Rapids Drive beat the Erie Bayhawks 99-95 on Saturday night at the DeltaPlex Arena.

Brown and Erie guard Keith Appling didn't do much in the first half, combining for just five points. They went toe-to-toe in the second half, seemingly trading baskets. Appling, a point guard out of Michigan State, finished with 23 points and seven assists.

Grand Rapids, the affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, wins its third-straight game to improve to 8-8. Erie, whose parent team is the Orlando Magic, falls to 5-11.

Devin Ebanks finished with 22 points for Grand Rapids. He was followed by Ryan Boatright (20), Dahntay Jones (13) and Henry Sims, who had a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds. His rebound total is the most by a Drive player this season, topping his own mark of 16.

Devyn Marble scored all 15 of his points in the first half for Erie. He was followed by Melvin Ejim (13), Alex Davis (12) and Jordan Sibert (11). Nnanna Egwu had six points and eight rebounds.

Brown, a 6-foot-5 guard out of North Carolina State, had a quiet first half with just two points, but he was a one-man show in the third quarter. He scored nine points to help Grand Rapids go on a 14-1 run and take a 67-56 lead during the middle of the third.

Jones stole a pass and went the other way for a layup to cap the first half with both teams deadlocked at 46-46. But the first half was the Marble show. The 6-foot-7 guard out of Iowa had 15 points in the half, including three 3-pointers. Ebanks had 14 points at half for the Drive.

Grand Rapids trailed by three points after the first quarter, but they went on an 14-4 run, thanks to seven points by Boatright during the streak, to take a 33-25 lead.

Appling had a nice lob pass to Ejim, who scored on a bank shot with 6 minutes left in the first half.

Erie next plays against the Austin Spurs at 8 p.m. EST on Jan. 8 at the D-League Showcase in Santa Cruz, Calif. Grand Rapids' next game also is at the Showcase. It will play Oklahoma on Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. EST.

Check out the Grand Rapids Drive Statistics

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