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Altitude soar over Patriots in MLK Showcase

January 17, 2005 - NBA G League (G League)
Asheville Altitude News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., January 17-2004 – Asheville forward Antonio Meeking avenged a sub-par shooting performance in Sunday's win over Columbus to lead the Altitude with 29 points Monday in an 84-74 win over the Fayetteville Patriots in the Martin Luther King Jr. Showcase at the Columbus Civic Center.

Meeking, who was 11-of-18 from the field, also added six rebounds. David Young led the Patriots with 19 points while Omar Cook fell three rebounds shy of a triple double finishing with 10 points and 10 assists to go with seven rebounds.

In three meetings this week, Asheville holds a 2-1 advantage over Fayetteville.

"I just told him to relax," said Altitude head coach Joey Meyer. "(Sunday), I noticed he was leaning when he was taking his shots. We just wanted him not to rush things and play his style of basketball."

Meeking had the hottest hand of the game, but it was a tough fourth-quarter shot by Altitude forward Ron Slay and some solid defense late that helped keep the Patriots (3-16) from mounting a run.

With Asheville leading by only three points (77-74) with 40 seconds left in the game, Slay made a driving lay-up with the shot clock winding down to extend Asheville's lead back to five points. Altitude point guard Timmy Bowers then stole the ball from Fayetteville's George Williams as he was attempting to cut into the Altitude lead with a three-point attempt from the corner.

"Turnovers were the difference today," said Fayetteville head coach Mike Brown. "We were up seven in the third and we had three turnovers in a row. Unforced errors and poor judgement really hurt us."

Trailing by one going into the fourth quarter, Asheville outscored Fayetteville by 11 points (26-15). Meeking (eight) and Slay (seven) were huge in the final stanza combining for 15 of the Altitude's 26 fourth quarter points. Fayetteville, on the other hand, couldn't buy a bucket in the fourth going just 4-of-15 from the field.

Fayetteville also shot just 55.6 percent (10-for-18) from the free-throw line while Asheville shot 75 percent (24-for-32) from the charity stripe.

Asheville's Lenny Stokes filled in nicely for former point guard Brandin Knight (NBA call-up) dishing out eight assists to go with 18 points.

"I was surprised at the way Stokes play at the point guard position," said Meyer. "He maintained controlled and was solid. I'm going to be evaluating him even more now at that position."

The Altitude will head back to Asheville to take on the Florida Flame Friday night at the Asheville Civic Center beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Patriots will host the Huntsville Flight at Crown Coliseum in their next outing beginning at 7:00 p.m.

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