Flash Defeat Colorado Twice on Friday
April 10, 2009 - NBA G League (G League)
Utah Flash News Release
OREM, Utah, April 10, 2009 - Six Utah Flash players scored in double-figures and the Flash shot 62.9-percent (44-of-70) from the field en route to a 124-112 NBA Development League victory over the visiting Colorado 14ers Friday night at the McKay Events Center.
The Flash victory came on the heels of a 104-102 victory earlier in the evening over the 14ers in the resumption of the final 25.2 seconds of a suspended game from December 26.
"Our guys really came in focused tonight." Flash head coach Brad Jones said. "We walked through the 25-second game plan in this morning's shoot-around, and we were terrific in executing our game plan in the second game."
With two wins in one night, the Flash improves to 31-18 and is host to the Idaho Stampede, also 31-18, Saturday with the West Division title spot on the line-the winner gaining a second seed in the NBA Development League playoffs and a host spot in the first round. Colorado (34-15) heads to Reno for a matchup with the Bighorns Saturday before entering the playoffs as the number one overall seed and home court advantage throughout.
Utah took a seven-point lead into the second quarter; before a John Lucas free-throw capped a 14ers 9-3 run and brought the game to a 53-53 tie with 1:53 remaining in the half. Utah finished the half on a modest 4-0 run to take a 57-53 lead into the break.
Lucas picked up 11 of his 17 total points in the third quarter alone for a Colorado squad that entered the evening averaging 119.2 points per game on nearly fifty-percent shooting from the field.
Kevin Kruger connected on a lay-up, stole the subsequent Colorado inbound pass, and then knocked down a three-pointer to cap a Flash 12-2 run that gave the Flash a 74-64 lead with 5:19 left in the third quarter.
Kruger notched 21 points for the Flash on 6-of-9 shooting-including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.
A Gavin Grant free-throw with 27.2 seconds in the third gave the Flash a 93-78 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The 14ers cut the Flash lead to nine points twice in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, but were unable to draw within single digits down the stretch.
"We toughed ourselves up, challenged Colorado defensively, and took our time to execute on offense," Flash guard Ronald Dupree said.
Boston Celtics assignee dropped in 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Flash-who knocked down 8-of-9 (88.9-percent) shots from beyond the three-point arc. Jazz assignee Kosta Koufos chipped in 16 points, while Dupree added 18. Carlos Wheeler and Andre Ingram added 10 and 13 points respectively.
Denver Nuggets assignee Sonny Weems dropped in 21 points off the 14ers bench, and Trey Gilder added 10 in a reserve role. Dominique Coleman scored 11 points. Joe Dabbert and Josh Davis added 16 and 10 points, respectively.
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