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Florida Flame Update

January 11, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Florida Flame News Release


The Flame return to action tomorrow night, Thursday, January 12 and Friday, January 13, 2006 as they face the Roanoke Dazzle in back-to-back games at Germain Arena. Tip-off for both contests is 7:05 p.m. ET. Thursday's game can be heard live on Sportsradio 770 ESPN with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. ET. Thursday's game will also be highlighted by a live halftime performance from the Miami Heat Xtreme Team. Friday's game can be heard live on Kingdom FM 91.5 with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. ET. For ticket information, visit the Germain Arena box office or call Ticketmaster at 1-800-4-NBA-TIX.

Florida (9-7) is currently tied for third place in the D-League standings with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (9-7). Both Florida and Albuquerque are one game out of first place, trailing Fort Worth (10-6) and Arkansas (10-6). In Thursday night's match-up with Roanoke, the Flame will look to snap a four-game losing streak, their longest of the season. Florida leads the season series with the Dazzle, 4-2.

Following Thursday's and Friday's contests, the Flame will travel to Fayetteville, N.C. for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Showcase, with back-to-back games against the Fayetteville Patriots on Sunday, January 15 at 5:00 p.m. ET and Arkansas RimRockers on Monday, January 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Flame Notes:

Wright Recalled by T-Wolves: On Tuesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves recalled guard Bracey Wright from the Flame. Wright was assigned to Florida on November 4, 2005 after being selected by the Timberwolves in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft (47th overall). The 6-3, rookie started 16 games for the Flame and currently ranks number three in the D-League in scoring at 21.1 points per contest. Wright also averaged 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists (17th D-League) while shooting 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range (12th D-League) and 77.8 percent from the foul line. The former Indiana Hoosier tallied 20+ points in 10 of 16 games and led Florida in scoring in 12 of 16 contests. Wright delivered a Flame season-high 33 points on December 2, 2005 at Roanoke, hitting on 11 of 17 shots from the field, to post the seventh-highest single-game scoring total in the D-League this season.

HEAT Assign Dorell Wright and Earl Barron to the Flame: Miami HEAT President Pat Riley announced on January 3 the team has assigned guard/forward Dorell Wright and center Earl Barron to the Florida Flame. Wright, a 6-8, 190-pound guard/forward was originally selected by the HEAT in the first round (19th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft. Wright has appeared in a total of 11 NBA games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, averaging 1.8 points and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 32% from the floor and 4-4 from the foul line. The 20 year-old from Los Angeles, Calif. has appeared in eight games with Miami in 2005-06, averaging 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game, while shooting 35.7% from the field and 3-3 from the foul line. Barron, a 7-0, 245-pound center has appeared in three games with the HEAT in 2005-06, averaging 0.7 pts and 0.7 rebounds in 1.7 minutes per game. Signed by the HEAT as a free agent on Aug. 8, 2005, Barron started all seven games for the HEAT's 2005 Summer League entry in the Southern California Summer Pro League, averaging 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 65% from the field and 83.7% from the foul line. A veteran of the NBA Development League, Barron appeared in 55 D-League games with the Huntsville Flight in 2003-04 and 2004-05, averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Losing Ground: Following Sunday's 107-105 loss to Austin, Florida is now tied for second place in the D-League standings along with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (9-7), one full game behind the Fort Worth Flyers (10-6) and Arkansas RimRockers (10-6) for first place.

Tough Streaks: The Flame have lost four in a row and five of their last six overall. Sunday night's loss to Austin marked the first time this season that Florida has suffered a four-game losing streak.

Losing Numbers: During the Flame's four-game losing skid, Florida's defense has struggled mightily as opponents are averaging 106.5 points per game, while shooting 48.6% from the field (157-323) and 44.8% from three-point range (26-58). The Flame are also averaging 18.3 turnovers per game while opponents are averaging only 13.3 turnovers per game during that span. Florida has been outscored by an average of 28.8 to 25.8 in the fourth quarter during the last four games as well.

Defensive Rankings: The Flame currently rank #1 in the D-League in blocked shots average (5.4) and rank #2 in field goal percentage defense (43.7%) and rebounding (46.1 pg). Florida also ranks #4 in scoring defense (97.1 ppg) and three-point field goal percentage defense (32.9%).

Seeing Double: Through the first 16 games of the 2005-06 D-League season, Florida forward/center Hiram Fuller is on pace to surpass his mark of 19 double-doubles during the 2004-05 campaign. Fuller has posted a total of eight double-doubles so far this season and currently ranks number two overall behind Arkansas' Pape Sow, who has tallied a league-best 11 double-doubles. Last season, Fuller finished second in the D-League in double-doubles behind Roanoke's James Thomas, who notched 22 overall.

Barrett : Flame point guard Andre Barrett is averaging 15.5 pts and 7.6 assists while shooting 52% FG (65-125) in Florida's last eleven games. The 5-11, point guard who was the #1 overall pick in the 2005 D-League Draft ranks #2 D-League in assists avg. (6.7) and #2 in total assists (107). Barrett also ranks second on club and 12th in the D-League in scoring (15.5) and has scored in double figures in 11 straight games. In Florida's last game on January 8, Barrett posted his fourth double-double with 16 points and a team-record tying 15 assists versus Austin. Barrett also poured in a season-high 26 pts on 9-15 shooting w/ eight assists at Fayetteville on December 22, and also posted a game and team-high 24 points at Fayetteville on December 31.

Not So Sweet Homecoming: After playing nine of their eleven games on the road during the month of December, Florida is now three games into a stretch of playing seven of nine at home. However, the Flame are 0-3 on this current homestand following three straight losses to Austin.

Turnaround: At 9-7 overall, the Flame have already exceeded their win total through the first 34 games of last season. Florida did not win its ninth game of the 2004-05 D-League campaign until March 5, 2005 when the Flame defeated Roanoke, 124-115.

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