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Flight Takes Down Columbus in Fourth

December 24, 2002 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., (Dec. 24) - Bakari Hendrix had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Huntsville Flight rallied late in the fourth quarter to defeat the Columbus Riverdragons, 69-66, in a Christmas Eve NBDL matinee at the Columbus Civic Center.

The Flight trailed by five, 66-61 with 1:36 remaining in regulation.. Lonnie Harrell answered by hitting five consecutive free throws to push the Flight to a three-point lead with 22 seconds to play. On the ensuing possession, Nate Green's three-pointer fell short and was rebounded by Huntsville sealing the Flight victory. The Flight out-scored Columbus 13-4 over the final five minutes of play.

First-place Huntsville (10-7) is the first NBDL team to post ten wins this season. The Flight picked up the victory dressing just eight players. Flight point guard Mike Wilks was called up by the Atlanta Hawks prior to today's game.

The Riverdragons (7-8) were led by Nate Johnson, the league's leading scorer, with 16 points. Johnson, however, struggled with eight turnovers, committing three in the final quarter.

Johnson was also called for a technical foul with 1:02 to play in the fourth quarter. Harrell hit the resulting free throw to give Huntsville the lead, 66-65. The Riverdragons, who committed eight turnovers in the fourth quarter alone, would fail to regain the lead before time expired.

"In the fourth quarter the turnovers killed us," said Riverdragons head coach Jeff Malone. "We didn't handle the basketball well. We just kept tuning the ball over and gave them a lot of opportunities. We had too many bonehead plays down the stretch. We need to get back to work and get better."

Both teams will take Christmas Day off. The Riverdragons will need the break. When they return from the holidays, Columbus will play three straight games (Dec. 29-30) for the first time in team history.. The Flight hit the court Friday, December 27 when they host Mobile at the Von Braun Center.

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