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An Instant Classic

January 7, 2007 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Strong Island Sound News Release


Selden, NY- "Missed it by that much." The famous catch phrase by Don Adams in the classic television series "Get Smart" was appropriate on Saturday night at Suffolk Community College. A battle of two first-place teams was all it was hyped up to be, and then some. The Vermont Frost Heaves survived literally by inches when a Shawn Simpson tip-in attempt with 0.5 seconds remaining in the game fell off the front of the rim With the 96-94 win, Vermont improved to 16-3 while Strong Island had its three-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 11-7.

The event s that led to the nail-biting ending were incredible in their own rite. Strong Island led by a score of 90-89 with 1:49 left in the game when a full-court press by Vermont caused a 7-second violation turnover. With the 3D Rule in effect, Aaron Cook hit a jumper from downtown, good for four points and a 93-89 advantage for the visitors. Cook was the game high scorer with 29 points.

The Sound had trouble converting from the free throw line and failed to take advantage of Vermont being in the penalty with 3:53 to go. For the game, Strong Island shot only 47 percent as a team from the charity stripe. This would come back to haunt them.

Simpson missed two foul shots with 47.2 left and the Sound trailing 94-90. Vermont committed a five-second violation and on the ensuing possession, Abdul Mills (16 points, 9 rebounds) it one of two to make it a three-point game with 24.6 remaining. Strong Island needed to keep fouling, and Tyrone Levett made them pay by making both for a 96-91 lead. Raphael Edwards (18 points, 7 rebounds) cut it to 96-94 after hitting a three-point shot with 4.7 left.

Antonio Burks was fouled with 0.7 left, and missed both. Perhaps the Frost Heaves' strategy was for him to intentionally miss the second, hoping that time would expire as the ball bounced off the rim. But Noah Coughlin timed the rebound perfectly and called time-out with 0.5 showing on the game clock.

"We called the play in the huddle for Raph (Raphael Edwards) to throw it up and have our tallest and best athletes there to try to tip it in, "stated Sound head coach Dytanya Mixson. "We had Shawn (Simpson) and Miguel (Millem) there ready for it, but we came up just short."

Edwards made a full-court overhand pass to Simpson at the top of the key, who went up and caught the ball and shot a reverse underhand in one fluid motion. The ball hit the front of the rim, but did not have enough on it to roll back in.

"It was a called play to throw it up and try to tip it in," stated an exhausted Simpson in the locker room following the game. It was the second productive game in a row for the man nicknamed 'Murder,' who finished with a double-double (14 points and 11 rebounds).

This was a game that was close from the opening tip. Vermont led by a single point after the first quarter. The highlight reel had an entry from the early going when Brian Woodward fed Edwards on an alley-oop pass in the final minute.

Vermont had a good second quarter and were able to convert from the outside with regularity. They capped the first half off when Levett hit a three as the shot cock expired with 10 seconds left and a 55-46 lead.

The Sound came out of the break hot and Mills helped by hitting two from downtown and two of three from the line after being fouled with the 3D light on. Strong Island took a 60-59 led after Greg Plummer (19 points, 7 rebounds) hit a jumper with 6:30 remaining I the third quarter. Both teams were trading baskets at a good pace, scoring practically on every possession. The Sound outscored their opponent by eight, but still trailed 78-77 heading into the fourth quarter.

Plummer had the hot hand during the first minute of the final stanza. He had a block, made the steal, and fed Woodward for a bucket and a 79-78 lead. It was just one of Strong Island's nine team blocks on the game compared to two for Vermont.

As the quarter continued, both teams started tightening up on defense. Hoops were hard to come by, and the score remained close throughout the rest of the game, setting up the classic ending.

Although a deflating loss, Mixson chose to take some positives out of this game. "I still say that we're the team to beat. Once we find that chemistry, it's scary what we'll be at the end of the season."

Vermont Frost Heaves owner Alexander Wolff, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has been with the publication for over 20 years, witnessed a game that has to be considered the best of the season so far, and possibly the ABA's greatest regular season contest.

The Sound will take their game to the road and will not be back at home until February 10th against the Richmond Ballerz. Strong Island makes the short trip to Newark this Saturday to face the 1-8 Express. The game can be heard live or via podcast by logging on to www.strongislandsond.com. Play-by-play by Dave Greenwald on Audio Sports Online.

For ticket information, please visit www.strongislandsound.com .

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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