Duty's Career Night Propels Slam in Orlando
Published on May 4, 2012 under International Basketball League (IBL)
Bellingham Slam News Release
WINTER PARK, Fla. -A big third quarter from forward Michael Duty helped spark the Bellingham Slam in a come-from-behind 135-125 win over the Orlando Venom in an International Basketball League contest at the Winter Park Community Center on Friday.
Duty scored 15 points in the third quarter as the Slam turned a 56-52 halftime deficit into a 94-86 lead going into the fourth quarter. He finished with a team-high 27 points, including an impressive 13-for-13 mark from the free throw line.
Despite a long day of travel as the team arrived in Orlando on Thursday evening, the team didn't show any signs of fatigue early in the game, playing the Venom tough in a first half that featured ten lead changes.
The Slam came out of the halftime break with increased focus, and used a 12-2 run in the middle stages of the third quarter to build up a 13-point lead, at 89-76.
But the Venom answered with a run of their own in the fourth quarter to bring the margin back down to five, at 106-101, with 7:33 left. The Slam then responded with some clutch shooting of their own to weather the storm, and got the lead up to 15, at 123-108, on a driving lay-in by guard Drew Ready with 3:27 left. Ready finished the game by scoring six of the game's final ten points to secure the victory.
The win for the Slam (3-1) was their first in the Eastern time zone since a victory over the Pittsburgh Xplosion on March 16, 2006 when the team was a member of the American Basketball Association.
Duty's 27-point night was closely followed by Ready and guard Paul Hafford, who both finished with 24. The totals by Duty and Ready were career highs for the former Western Washington products. Center Blake Poole finished with another double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds.
The outcome spoiled several solid individual efforts for Orlando (0-3), which received 33 and 32 points, respectively, from guards Miles Taylor and D.J. Ferguson. Ferguson also finished with a game-high 11 assists.
The two teams play again in a rematch on Saturday, with a 7 p.m. Tip-off set at the Winter Park Community Center.
For more information, contact the Slam at (360) 734-SLAM or visit their website at www.bellinghamslam.com.
International Basketball League Stories from May 4, 2012
- Duty's Career Night Propels Slam in Orlando - Bellingham Slam
- Get to Know the Stars of the IBL: Terrence Hundley, Chehales Tapscott, Gio Woods - IBL
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