Augusta Maintains Division Lead with Win in Detroit
January 24, 2009 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Augusta Groove News Release
The Detroit Panthers just didn't have enough answers for the highest scoring team in the PBL Saturday night.
The Augusta Groove, averaging 120 points through their first five games, easily bettered that mark as they raced to a convincing 131-115 victory over the Panthers before an enthusiastic crowd at Birmingham Groves High School.
Seven players reached double figures - led by a 29-point performance from the PBL's leading scorer AJ Millien - as the Groove improved to 4-0 on the season.
"All our players are jelling,'' Groove defensive head coach Gary Perry said. "We're coming together and everybody knows the system and what we expect and everybody plays their role.''
Much of that role consisted of draining long-range threes and working hard on the offensive glass. Augusta finished 14-of-29 from outside the 3-point arc and posted a decisive 54-41 edge on the boards.
It was a 45-point third quarter that swayed the game Augusta's way as time after time Groove players shredded the Panthers' defense with drives to the bucket and open looks from downtown.
"Forty-five points is unacceptable,'' Panthers head coach C. Bill Jones said. "We come out and get a six-point lead (in the third quarter) and after that it all goes down hill. You can't blame nobody but the coach for that. We just got to give a better effort and find out where we want to be.''
The Panthers, who were looking to draw even on the season with a victory, came out looking like the highest scoring team in the league as Brian Woodland sparked an attack that saw the hosts grab a 35-28 lead after one period. The Panthers maintained the advantage throughout the second period before settling on just a 59-57 lead at halftime.
But in the third quarter, Millien, Howard Demetrius and Donielle Davis lit up the Panthers with trey after trey, and when the period ended, the Groove had turned a two-point deficit into a 102-93 lead.
The Panthers could get no closer than seven points in the final quarter and fell for the fourth time in six games.
"They went out there and showed why they're they highest scoring team,'' Jones said.
"They brought good offense, good players and they made tough shots.''
To go along with his game-high total in scoring, Millien also grabbed 18 rebounds and collected three blocks.
Howard chipped in 28 points, including a 6-for-11 showing from 3-point land, and Davis finished with 16.
Stane's Bufford and Willie Mitchelll did their best to keep the Panthers in the game, scoring 27 and 26 points, respectively. Mitchell also snared a team-high 10 rebounds and Bufford grabbed nine. Chuck Bailey turned in a strong showing with 18 points and six rebounds and Woodland was the fourth Panther in double digits with 13 points.
"I'll tell you what, we're getting outworked all six games,'' Jones said. "It's the coach's fault. He's got to get his players prepared to come out and play 100 percent, and when they don't, you got to look at the coach. I take full responsibility.
"That's been our problem all year - playing with a sense of urgency. Every team that we have played this year has outworked us.''
• Discuss this story on the Premier Basketball League message board...
Premier Basketball League Stories from January 24, 2009
- Battle Creek Prevails in OT, Improves to 6-0 - Battle Creek Knights
- Frost Heaves back on winning track - Vermont Frost Heaves
- Augusta Maintains Division Lead with Win in Detroit - Augusta Groove
- Halifax Comes From Behind to Beat Buffalo - Halifax Rainmen
- Rochester Dominates in Chicago, Win 112-83 - Rochester RazorSharks
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.
