Dakota Beats Iowa in Overtime Thriller
March 8, 2009 - NBA G League (G League)
Dakota Wizards News Release
Bismarck, N.D. March 8, 2009: "It was a must Win", said Wizards guard Maurice Baker after he help lead the Wizards to an Overtime victory versus Central Division leader the Iowa Energy today at the Bismarck Civic Center 123-116.
Baker, who scored 14 of his 30 points (13 rebounds on the day) in the fourth quarter, had none bigger than his lay-up with .51 seconds left in the game to tie it at 112 a piece. Iowa leading nearly all game and at one point by as many as 16 points struggled down the stretch due to foul trouble with guards Curtis Stinson and JamesOn Curry.
Overtime was a back and forth battle until Wizards forward Renaldo Major went to work scoring five of his 24 points in the extra stanza while creating havoc for the Energy defense, forcing Stinson and D-League All-Star center Courtney Sims to foul out of the contest early in the overtime match.
"We started pretty slow today", said Wizards head coach Duane Ticknor. "We had a few opportunities and we let them get away early, but that is what I like about my guys, they never quit playing and it showed today".
Dakota, now 21-16 on the season, played well in the fourth thanks to nearly 4,400 fans behind them. Center Will Frisby showed his strength in the paint with a double double 25 points (9-14 from the field) and 14 rebounds, while guard Blake Ahearn nailed 19 points and five assists.
Iowa, drops to 21-14 in the Central Division race but had five players finish in double figures, four of them with 20 plus points, Led by big man Courtney Sims with 25 points. Forward Othyus Jeffers dropped 24 points, while guard Curtis Stinson hit 21 points to go with his 14 rebounds and eight assists. Former Wizards guard Denham Brown played his first game back in the Civic Center in a different uniform scoring 20 points after being released by Dakota due to injury.
Dakota hits the road for two divisional games, one in Erie and the other in Fort Wayne before heading back the Civic Center vs. Iowa on February 17th. Iowa now heads to Albuquerque and then to Tulsa before returning home on the 15th to face Erie.
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