Armor Stave off Late Rally for 98-90 Win in Maine
January 4, 2014 - NBA G League (G League)
Springfield Armor News Release
PORTLAND, Maine - Six players reached double figures as the Springfield Armor (4-11), presented by MGM Springfield, held off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by the Maine Red Claws (7-7) for a 98-90 victory at the Portland Expo Saturday night.
Darius Johnson-Odom led the way with 20 points as the Armor picked up their third win over their last five games.
Backed by Willie Reed's 11 points, the Armor started the game by establishing a presence in the paint as Springfield pulled ahead by as many as six in the opening frame. Reed finished the quarter 5-of-7 from the field, while the Armor defense was almost flawless, committing its first foul with less than a minute to play in the period. Maine's touch from the outside helped the Red Claws chip away at Springfield's lead as a pair of Frank Gaines treys and a long jumper from Damen Bell-Holter in the period's final stages pulled the Red Claws within one at 26-25.
Lance Hurdle caught fire in the second, leading the Armor attack with 10 points over the quarter's first five minutes as Springfield used a 16-0 run to open up a 42-25 lead, holding Maine scoreless until the 7:06 mark. The Armor continued to hold the Red Claws in a double figure deficit, outscoring Maine 29-13 in the second quarter for a 55-38 halftime edge.
Reed led all scorers at the break with 15 points and grabbed 11 boards for a first half double-double. Hurdle knocked down 12 off the bench, while Bruce Massey connected for a season-high 11 points over the game's first 24 minutes. The Armor outrebounded the Red Claws 28-22 and 14-10 on the offensive glass, while forcing 10 turnovers with the help of six steals.
Maine started hot in the third, using a 16-6 run over the first half of the frame to trim Springfield's advantage back down to single digits at 61-54. Maine's Romero Osby contributed 11 of the 16 points over the first seven minutes of the third, while Chris Wright added four. The Red Claws cut Springfield's lead down to as little as five in the quarter, but the Armor responded and with the help of a pair of late free throws from Johnson-Odom, opened up a nine-point lead heading into the fourth at 74-65.
The Red Claws mounted yet another rally in the fourth, pulling within two with just five minutes remaining in regulation as Maine's defense held Springfield to eight points in seven minutes. The Armor continued to cling to a slim lead over the final stages of the game, but a three from Dennis Horner with just over a minute left, his first in three tries on the night, put Springfield ahead by seven. A few key defensive stops down the game's final stretch enabled the Armor to hang on for the 98-90 victory.
Reed's night ended with 17 points and 16 rebounds including 10 on the offensive end. Hurdle scored just three points in the second half, but tied his season-high with 15 on the night on 6-of-8 shooting and a 3-of-5 effort from beyond the arc.
The Armor connected on 25 free throws and turned the ball over just 10 times en route to their second straight win over the Red Claws, the first time Springfield has beaten Maine in back-to-back meetings since January 15 and 19, 2012.
Springfield will now travel to Reno, Nevada for the NBA Development League Showcase to take on the host Reno Bighorns on Wednesday, January 8 at 10:00 p.m. EST. For more information on the Armor, visit www.ArmorHoops.com or call (413) 746-3263. Keep up with the Armor on Facebook and Twitter !
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