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MOBILE MOVES AHEAD IN PLAYOFF RACE

March 18, 2002 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


REVELERS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT THEN TAKE CARE OF COLUMBUS, 92-77

COLUMBUS, Ga., March.18, 2002-First team All-NBDL selection Isaac Fontaine, playing in his third game since completing a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, scored an efficient 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor to push the playoff-bound Mobile Revelers into third place with a 92-77 victory over the also playoff-bound Columbus Riverdragons at the Columbus Civic Center on Monday.

"Getting Isaac back was big for us," said Revelers head coach Sam Vincent. "Not only does he lead us in scoring but he brings a lot of energy as well. Getting him back was like getting a member of our family back. We are glad to have him back for the stretch run and the playoffs."

The Revelers shot a league season-best 59.7% from the floor knocking down 37-of-62 field goals, including 4-of-6 shots from 3-point range. The Riverdragons also were on fire from beyond the arc hitting 8-of-14 (57.1%) 3-point field goal attempts.

The Riverdragons were lead by Tang Hamilton who posted his first double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds over 29 minutes in his first start of the season.

The Revelers (29-25) clinched the NBDL's fourth and final playoff earlier this afternoon before ever taking the court thanks to the N. Charleston Lowgators 96-91 victory over the Huntsville Flight - eliminating Huntsville from the playoff picture. The Riverdragons (29-25) clinched a playoff berth last Thursday following the Flight's 77-76 loss to the Greenville Groove.

Although they share the same record at 29-25, the Revelers currently own third place in the NBDL Standings. With tonight's victory, the Revelers have clinched the playoff tie-breaker by taking a 6-3 lead in the season-series with one game remaining against Columbus. The Revelers magic number to clinch the three seed in the playoffs is now two.

The Revelers took control in the second quarter behind the hot hand of Fontaine who scored 12 points in the first half on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor. Fontaine drained his first of two 3-pointers in the half with 3:01 to play in the second quarter, to give Mobile a nine point lead, 40-31. Fontaine knocked down his second trey in the final minute of the second quarter as the Revelers would lead 47-38 at the half.

Mobile continued to roll in the second half, beginning the third quarter on a 18-6 run over the first four minutes of the third quarter to build a 21-point lead, 65-44. The Revelers went ahead by a game-high 22 points (82-64) on lay-up by Eugene Edgerson with 4:30 to play in regulation. The Riverdragons would not get closer than the 16 points before suffering their third straight loss.

The Revelers can now clinch the three seed on Friday with a win against Huntsville coupled with a loss by the Riverdragons to Fayetteville on the same day. If the Revelers lose on Friday, the three seed would be decided in the teams' final regular season game this Saturday, March 23 at Mobile on Fox Sports Net-South. The first-place Greenville Groove and the second-place Lowgators have clinched home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs which tip-off March 24.

QUOTE SHEET

MOBILE 92 COLUMBUS 77

March 18, 2002

COLUMBUS CIVIC CENTER

RIVERDRAGONS QUOTES:

HEAD COACH JEFF MALONE:

We tried to look at some different things tonight. I saw a lot of things tonight that I have been looking for. Now we have to break down the things we saw tonight on tape and get ready for the playoffs. We played without Nate and that hurt us some. Mobile is a pretty good team. We did not defend all night. We were to relaxed after clinching a spot in the playoffs. We are gonna work on a lot of different things in practice and try to get ready for playoff basketball.

HEAD COACH SAM VINCENT:

On clinching a playoff berth prior to the game tonight:

We knew that Huntsville had lost before the game tonight but we tried to put that out of our minds and get ready for Columbus. We needed the win tonight because we are both jockeying for that 3rd spot in the playoffs. We are starting to get into playoff mode and tonight we played with playoff type intensity. Tonight was a total team effort.

On getting Isaac Fontaine back from his NBA stint:

Getting Isaac back was big for us because not only does he lead us in scoring. He also leads the league, but he brings a lot of energy as well. Getting him back was like getting a member of our family back. We are glad to have him back for the stretch run and the playoffs.

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