Asheville 91, Roanoke 83
March 15, 2002 - NBA G League (G League)
Roanoke Dazzle News Release
ROANOKE, Va., March 14, 2002 â The Asheville Altitude was short everywhere but on the scoreboard Thursday night at the Roanoke Civic Center.
The Altitude's 10-man roster was diminished by Scoonie Penn's suspension and Paul Grant's second-quarter ejection, but Coach Joey Meyer's club still had plenty to erase an 18-point Roanoke lead and roll to a 91-83 NBDL victory over the Dazzle.
The Altitude roared to 42 points in the fourth quarter â a National Basketball Development League record for a period â outscoring the Dazzle by 20 in the final 10 minutes and sending Roanoke (18-33) into last place and to its club-record sixth consecutive loss. The Dazzle has lost 10 times when it has led at the end of three quarters.
Asheville also tied its own league record for points in a half, matching the 61 it posted in the second half on December 9 against Fayetteville. The Altitude's .903 free-throw percentage -- 28-for-31 -- also was a season best for Meyer's team.
Asheville (23-29) got a team-record 28 points from guard Jimmy King â the former Michigan Fab Fiver. Roanoke played without injured guards Artie Griffin and Andre McCollum â the usual starters â and wasted an 18-point third-quarter lead, its biggest advantage that became a loss this season.
"It all starts with what we're doing at the defensive end," Dazzle Coach Kent Davison said. "In the fourth quarter, Asheville had way too many wide open looks that we didn't give them in the three previous quarters.
"I don't know what it is. We didn't move in the zone the way we did in the first three quarters. And, like I told our guys before the game â we've just got to start to shoot the ball better (than Roanoke's .398 percentage).."
The Dazzle has hit less than 41 percent 11 times in bthe last 16 games. The record in those games is 3-13. Since Griffin went down with a left knee sprain on February 21, the Dazzle is 1-10.
Asheville wasn't exactly torching the twine â hitting .384 for the game â but the Altitude was 10-for-16 from the floor in the fourth quarter, and perfect on 18 free throws, as the Dazzle had to foul. From a 61-49 deficit at the end of three quarters, Asheville scored the first 12 points of the fourth period to tie the score in only 2:33.
"We were awful the first half," Meyer said. "We were lucky to be down 13 (43-30) at halftime. We settled down, hit some shots, defended a little better. In the second half, we played basketball.
"Jimmy King has been playing really well for us. He knows how to play the game. He's not great at this or that, but he can rebound, defend â a lot of good things. I'm hoping the NBA will get a look at him. I think he deserves it."
King, who also had game highs of seven assists and four steals to go with his game-high scoring, said the Altitude hasn't "been able to close games all year. We might play 35 good minutes but not close out the game, but we were able to concentrate and do that today. I felt good out there. My teammates were looking for me and getting me good passes. It was just a good night."
Roanoke native Derrick Hines made his first start at point guard, replacing McCollum, for the Dazzle â using its 16th different lineup of the season. Davison was worried about the Altitude posting up the 5-foot-10 Hines, so he went to the zone. Marshall Phillips led the backcourt-strapped Dazzle with 20 points, but Johnny Taylor, impressive in his first seven Roanoke games, was only 3-for-17 from the floor.
Taylor and Lorenzo Coleman had 10 rebounds for Roanoke â the latter getting his third double-double of the season. Center John Coker had a double-double for the winners, with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
"Kent is a good friend, and I feel bad for him," Meyer said. "We went through a losing streak when we weren't exactly lighting them up ourselves. He's lost a lot of people, and Roanoke is not quite the same team. We've got four games left (two with Roanoke) and we're just going to try and play the best we can each time out."
The Dazzle headed to Fayetteville after the game, where the Patriots will entertain Roanoke on Friday night and Sunday afternoon at the Crown Center. The Dazzle returns home Monday night to again face the Altitude. Asheville is idle until that final Star City visit.
NBA G League Stories from March 15, 2002
- LOWGATORS CLINCH NBDL PLAYOFF SPOT - Charleston Lowgators
- RIVERDRAGONS TURN TO FANS FOR 6TH MAN ADVANTAGE IN NBDL PLAYOFFS - Columbus Riverdragons
- Asheville 91, Roanoke 83 - Roanoke Dazzle
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