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G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

McNeal Returns to Vipers

March 19, 2011 - NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


MCALLEN, TEXAS - The defending NBA Development League champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced Saturday that they have re-acquired guard Jerel McNeal (6-3, 200, Marquette) who had earned a GATORADE Call-Up and signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Hornets on March 9.

In a corresponding move, the Vipers waived guard Jason Horton (6-2, 190, Missouri).

The only member of the Vipers to start each of the first 40 games of the season, McNeal is averaging 19.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 45.3% from the field, 36.1% from behind the arc and 81.3% from the foul line. Over his last five games, McNeal posted a 33-to-13 assist-to-turnover ratio while averaging 23.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He recorded his first double-double with 14 points and a career-high 10 assists at Springfield on February 26 and a career-high five steals at Bakersfield on March 4. A Western Conference All-Star, McNeal scored a career-high 40 points, the fifth-highest individual total in the NBA Development League this season and the highest by a Vipers player on December 11 at Reno.

McNeal did not see any action with the Hornets.

"He's been a bit of a missing piece for us. Not being able to have a guy go to the rim, create contact, get fouled and stop a run was tough. We're happy to have him. I'm sure he'll be a little bit rusty since he hasn't played a whole lot during his call up, but the other thing is he's really excited to get back here," Vipers head coach Chris Finch said.

Horton scored three points with four rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes over the course of three games off the bench after joining the Vipers to replace McNeal on March 9.

The Vipers roster stands at 10.

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. College

9 Jon Scheyer PG 6-5 190 Duke

10 Terrel Harris SG 6-5 190 Oklahoma State

11 Jerel McNeal PG 6-3 200 Marquette

15 Patrick Sullivan C 6-9 215 S.E. Louisiana

19 Kelvin Lewis SG 6-4 195 Houston

21 Richard Roby SF 6-6 210 Colorado

22 Marquis Gilstrap SF 6-7 215 Iowa State

32 Mouhammad Faye PF 6-10 210 SMU

34 Connor Atchley PF 6-10 225 Texas

41 Arinze Onuaku C 6-9 261 Syracuse

Head Coach Chris Finch (Franklin & Marshall)

Assistant Coaches Paul Mokeski (Kansas)

Jai Steadman (Nebraska)

Johan Roijakkers (ELE College)

Ath. Trainer/Strength & Conditioning Coach Joe Resendez (UT-Pan American)

Check out the Rio Grande Valley Vipers Statistics



NBA G League Stories from March 19, 2011


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