Bakersfield Survives D-Fenders Late Rally for Win
February 26, 2009 - NBA G League (G League)
Los Angeles D-Fenders News Release
EL SEGUNDO, CA - The Bakersfield Jam withstood a fourth-quarter rally by the Los Angeles D-Fenders to pull away with a 106-100 victory at STAPLES Center on Thursday.
Los Angeles (10-23) used an 11-0 spurt to begin the final quarter to re-take the lead 87-86, but was unable to hold on as Bakersfield won their 3rd straight game, improving their record to 20-14 on the season.
"We fought back in the second half, but we just came up a little short;" D-Fenders guard Joe Crawford said. "Our defense allowed us to get back in the game in the fourth (quarter). We just need to put that same intensity into an entire game."
Dwayne Mitchell led the D-Fenders with 29 points, while Crawford continued to fill-up the basket scoring 25 points on 10 of 15 shooting. Gabriel Hughes played well inside posting a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Derrick Byars drained six 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 29 points for the Jam. Veteran point guard, Mateen Cleaves, led his team to victory dishing out 13 assists and 11 points. Nick Lewis (17), Terrance Thomas (14), Justin Reed (13) and Herbert Hill (10) rounded out the six players in double-figures for the Jam.
Bakersfield capitalized on four D-Fenders turnovers in the final minutes of the first half to put together a 15-1 run, giving them a 62-48 lead heading into the locker rooms. Hill came off the bench to score all 10 of his points in the second quarter.
The D-Fenders and Jam travel back to Bakersfield to complete a home-and-home on Friday night.
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