Mustangs Steal Game From Showboats
December 15, 2008 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Texas Fuel News Release
The South Texas Showboats hosted the Southeast Mustangs tonight in San Antonio and it was another battle between both teams. The (3)Showboats and (10)Mustangs stood side by side for most of the game going point for point and by halftime the Showboats showed great poise and held on to a 3 point lead 44-41.
The Mustangs came into the 3rd quarter holding the Showboats to only 12 points in the quarter. "This was a very bad game defensively. We were not allowed to play defense tonight. I say it like I see it" said Coach Mireles. The Showboats were in foul trouble by the end of halftime and had to rotate other players in order to bring in energy, defense and rebounding. "We should have just run tonight and put more pressure on them. My guys should not have to play any different than what they did defensively. They played good defense." I give credit to the Mustangs and their team. They did a great job taking the momentum from our team and they just wanted it more than us" said Mireles.
The Mustangs lead was 11 going into the 4th quarter 67-56. The Showboats tried to come back but foul trouble hurt the Showboats as they had a total of 40 fouls called on them compared to 21 against the Mustangs. "We cannot blame everything on the refs but when you have a game this lopsided with 40 fouls against one team in a game this important, you have to look at it. We play defense on the perimeter and that is how we play. The Mustangs got a lot of these calls and also got some FREE free throws as they were allowed to go to the line before the bonus should have been on.
"The fouls are to begin with every quarter not the half and the refs did not realize it. I could not argue the point with the official and the Mustangs went to the line with only 2 or 3 fouls called on us in the forth quarter so they actually had the 4th quarter or at least it was with about 9 minutes to go in the game. The refs have let us play basketball and they didn't let us tonight. We have to forget about this game learn from it and move on. I tell my players all the time, "You can never be a winner until you lose". said Mireles. The Mustangs finished it out and took this game on the road game as the final score was 104-89.
The Mustangs had strong performances by both Tim Pledger 26pts, and Deron Rutledge 23pts.
The Showboats leading scorer was Kenny Wilson with 26pts 4 ast, 5 reb, 1 blk along with Leonard Brown who chipped in with 23pts and 6 assist.
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 December 15, 2008
- Blazers Fall to Eastern Kentucky Miners in Inter-League Game - West Virginia Blazers
- 6"10 290 pounds Steven Bennett and 6"8 Jeremiah Tinch activated by the Gwizzlies - Georgia Gwizzlies
- Jersey Express To Meet Albany Patroons Saturday - Jersey Express
- Mustangs Dominating Weekend - Southeast Texas Mavericks
- Mustangs Steal Game From Showboats - Texas Fuel
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