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Myers miracle saves Riverdragons

March 5, 2004 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga.—Down four points with 12.2 seconds remaining in regulation, the slim playoff hopes of the Columbus Riverdragons appeared to be over. But veteran point guard Jeff Myers kept the Dragons alive, getting fouled by Marque Perry and hitting a desperation, off balance three pointer with 11.3 seconds to go. The subsequent free throw tied it at 99 apiece and sent the contest into overtime, where Columbus earned its first extra session victory of the season, 114-109, over the Roanoke Dazzle on Friday night at the Columbus Civic Center. The win was the Riverdragons (12-21) second in a row and helped Columbus stay within four and a half games of the final NBDL playoff spot. The loss dropped the Dazzle (18-15) two games behind league-leading Charleston. Myers led Columbus with a season-high and team-high 30 points, while Josh Asselin tied his season best with a game-high 35 points in the loss.

Columbus opened the contest with a 7-0 run keyed by five points from Erron Maxey. The Dragons lead held steady as Columbus led 17-10 with 2:25 left in the period following two free throws from Sedric Webber. The Dazzle would manage to close the gap at the end of the quarter on two Matt Carroll free throws that brought Roanoke within four, 22-18, after one. Asselin led all scorers in the period with 12 points on 4-6 shooting and 4-4 from the foul line.

Columbus built the lead to double digits in the second quarter as a Webber lay-in upped the Dragons lead to ten, at 43-33 with 4:17 remaining. Two Courtney James free throws made it a twelve point margin, 45-33, with 3:36 left, but George Williams and Perry combined for nine points in an 11-3 run over the final 3:19 to bring Roanoke back within four points at the break, 48-44.

Derrick Zimmerman scored six points over the first 3:24 of the third period on a pair of layups and a short jumper to give Columbus an eight point advantage at 58-50, but again the Dazzle answered. Asselin capped a 13-2 run over the next 4:23 with a turnaround jumper that earned Roanoke a 63-60 lead. The Dragons came right back an 18-9 spurt over the final 3:57 of the quarter, keyed by the play of Myers whose eight points in the run helped build the margin back to six, 78-72 heading into the fourth.

Columbus opened the lead up to nine points, at 84-75, on a Myers lay-in with 9:14 remaining in the game, but yet again the Dazzle weren't done. Carroll hit a pair of threes and George Williams delivered a lay-up with 4:53 to go, capping off a 13-2 run that put Roanoke back in front, 88-86. Kevin Lyde scored the next four points as Columbus took the lead back, but Mike King ran off four straight points of his own to power the Dazzle back in front, 92-90, with 2:53 left. The two teams traded the lead four times over the next 2:22 before Carroll was fouled by Morris on a lay-in with 31.9 to go. Carroll hit the foul shot and then knocked down two more with 12.2 remaining to make it a four-point game at 99-95. Off the subsequent inbounds play, Myers, after receiving the pass from Webber, stumbled, got bumped by Perry, and in desperation heaved the three-point attempt towards the basket. The shot ricocheted off the glass and went down, while Perry was whistled for the foul with 11.3 seconds left. Myers free throw knotted it at 99 apiece. The Dazzle had a chance to win it in regulation but came up empty.

Myers continued his scoring spree in overtime, hitting a three on the Dragons first possession. Following a Lyde hook shot that gave Columbus a 104-101 advantage, Asselin kept the Dazzle in it with a lay-in following a Lyde foul. But Asselin missed the ensuing free throw and a chance to tie it up. A Nick Sheppard turnaround in the lane boosted Columbus back up to a four point advantage at 109-105 with 2:34 left in the extra period, but yet again the Dazzle rallied. George Williams and King recorded back-to-back layups to tie it at 109 apiece, but that would be it for Roanoke. Sheppard's lay-in with 31.9 remaining put the Dragons back in front and two Myers free throws with 18.9 to go ended all hopes for the Dazzle.

Columbus received another solid performance from its bench as the reserves tallied 75 of the Dragons 114 points. Morris finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Webber and Nick Sheppard posted 13 and nine points respectively. Derrick Bird, in his first start, notched 10 points. The Dazzle finished with five players in double figures. Carroll tallied a season-high 27 points with Perry and Williams each scoring 15 points in the losing effort.

The Riverdragons return to action Sunday, March 7 at the North Charleston Coliseum against the first-place Charleston Lowgators at 5:00 p.m.. The Dazzle continue their road swing with a match up against the Huntsville Flight tomorrow night at the Von Braun Center. For more information log onto nbdl.com.

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