Knights survive exciting night versus the Las Vegas Rattlers with a 125-120 win
Published on January 15, 2004 under American Basketball Association (ABA)
Kansas City Knights News Release
KANSAS CIY, Hale Arena -- The 1200 fans in attendance got their money's worth at Hale Arena as they watched their defending ABA Champion Knights fend off several runs by an athletic an entertaining Las Vegas Rattler's team 125 to 120. .
The show started even before tip-off, as the athletic Rattlers held their own slam dunk contest before the game even started. The Rattlers feature a pair of players from the exciting And One street basketball tour, in addition to rapper Master P. The Knights opened up with three consecutive three-pointers and didn't even attempt a two pointer for the game's first six minutes. And the Knights didn't stop there, as they knocked down a total of eight three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 28-24 lead.
The second quarter proved to be a chessmatch between the coaches, as Knights Head Coach cleared his bench and kept fresh legs in against Joe "Jellybean" Bryant's eight-man Las Vegas team. Vegas kept it tight, though, exchanging leads with the Knights, throughout the quarter. At the halfway point, the Knights held onto a three-point lead at 54 â 51.
The battle really kicked into gear as the teams took the floor for the second half. Bryant rarely used his chair, and Master P rarely rested his mouth. The Rattlers fought through a lead that had reached as many as nine and got to within a basket with 2:00 remaining in the quarter before the deeper Knights caught their breath and took an 88 â 81 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Rattlers tried to implode in the fourth, concentrating more on the officials and the crowd than they were on the game. The Knights took advantage and built a lead that reached a dozen, but just like the entire game, the Rattlers refused to go away. Behind the athletic John "Helicopter" Humphrey. Las Vegas pulled to within three with 3:15 left in the game and then knotted it at 111 with just over two minutes to go. Seven late points by the Knights Jamaal Davis proved to be the final dagger for the worn out Rattlers, and the Knights escaped by the final score of 125 â 120.
The Knights shot 45 percent for the night and were led by guard Joe Crispin 33, and Davis finished with 22. Las Vegas out-rebounded the Knights 57 to 48 with John Jones pulling down 13. Kevin Melson had 12 boards for the Knights. The Rattlers shot 46 percent for the game and had a big night from Ras Sala Huddin with 32 and Humphrey tossed in an exciting 29. Rap star Percy "Master P" Miller hit th Rattler's first three-pointer and finished with three points on the night.
With the win, the second-place Knights are keeping the pressure on Long Beach as they trail the Jam by only a half game at 13 and 5. The dangerous Rattlers fall to .500 at 7 and 7 for the year. The Knights are back at Hale in the American Royal Complex for a pair of games against the Fresno Heat on Monday, January 19 and again on Tuesday, January 20.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
American Basketball Association Stories from January 15, 2004
- Knights survive exciting night versus the Las Vegas Rattlers with a 125-120 win - Kansas City Knights
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