Jeffers Propels Energy to Road Victory
February 21, 2009 - NBA G League (G League)
Utah Flash News Release
OREM, Utah - Othyus Jeffers scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Iowa Energy en route to a 107-96 NBA Development League road victory over the Utah Flash Saturday night at the McKay Events Center.
Jeffers, who knocked down 11 of his points in the fourth quarter, combined with teammates Curtis Stinson and Demetris Nichols for 72 of the Energy's 107 points. Nichols notched 23 points in the victory, while Stinson contributed 22.
"He's (Jeffers) awesome." Energy head coach Nick Nurse said. "They call a lot of players warriors, but I have not seen one like him. He is unbelievable from a competitive standpoint. I have never coached a kid as competitive as him."
The Energy (19-10)returns home Monday for a showdown with the Erie Bayhawks, while the Flash (18-12) travel to Idaho for back-to-back games against the Stampede on Friday and Saturday for leadership in the NBADL West Division.
Anthony Tolliver knocked down a jumper to cap an Energy 15-2 run at the mid-point of the first quarter that gave Iowa an early 15-4 lead. The Flash got a James Lang dunk to cap off a 19-7 run and cut the Energy lead to two points with just over one minute remaining in the first half, but a Tolliver three-pointer lifted Iowa to a 6-2 run to close out the first half.
The Energy converted 9-of-23 (39-percent) shots from beyond the three-point arc in the winning effort.
"I think when we started banging in some three point shots that really stretched Utah a little bit." Nurse said.
Utah opened up the final quarter on an 8-0 run that brought the game to a 77-77 tie. But the Energy recorded seven straight points in just over a minute and a half to pull away for good.
The aggressive Iowa offense benefited from a 20-of-23 (87-percent) shooting night from the free-throw line-including connecting on a perfect 12-of-12 from the charity strip in the fourth quarter.
"They (Iowa) did get to the free-throw line a lot." Flash head coach Brad Jones said. "They were the aggressors, and they were feeling good about themselves."
Tolliver added 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Energy winning effort.
Ronald Dupree led all Flash scorers with 22 points and Andre Ingram dropped in 20. Dontell Jefferson and Bennet Davis added 19 and 11, respectively, for the Flash.
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