Navigators return to win column with 151-128 victory over Blackhawks
Published on December 24, 2005 under American Basketball Association (ABA)
Tacoma Navigators News Release
(TACOMA, WA)-The Tacoma Navigators professional basketball team returned to the win column Friday night with a breathtaking 151-128 victory over its rival, the defending Western Conference Champion Bellevue Blackhawks at Mt. Tahoma High School. Nav's star shooting guard, Tim Ellis, a Rainier Beach High School alum, collected game-high scoring honors for the 14th-time in his ABA career with 39 points. Ellis' two-night total is 76 after his 37-point performance Thursday night against the San Jose Skyrockets. Ellis, who was the ABA Player of the Week just two weeks ago, pushed his season per-game scoring average to 32.5.
Power forward Dontay Harris, a member of the 2004-05 ABA runner-up Bellevue Blackhawks, made his Tacoma Navigators debut after returning from playing professionally in Luxembourg and China, and tallied 34 points and 12 boards and stunned the enthusiastic crowd with a trio of jaw-dropping passes that showcased his talent as a complete basketball player. Guards Jim Rainwater, Rashaad Powell and Jamal Miller each brought gasps from the fans with their specialties: Rainwater drained five 3-pointers for a total of 26 points, Powell played spectacular defense while adding 19, and Miller tossed in 21, including three from long range. The Navigators fell behind early, 10-5, then slowly geared up head coach Vincent's Askew's high-octane offense and took an impressive 69-57 advantage into the locker room at the halfway mark.
Bellevue got an incredible performance from its starting five led by former Washington Huskies sensation Donald Watts' 36-point, 12-rebound night, and Justin Murray's 35-point, 10 rebound effort, including two rimrocking dunks in the second half. Shooting guard Jermaine Slider shot lights out from 3-point range with 7 bombs and 28 total points, while point guard Antoine Jones distributed 12 assists and chipped in with 13 points. Bellevue head coach, Rick Turner, the 2004-05 ABA Coach of the Year, was missing two of his key players who were home for the holidays. Bellevue fell to 1-6 on the season while Tacoma improved to 6-3, just one game behind division-leader San Jose.
The Navigators continue their current home stand with back-to-back games with Ron Boone Division foe the Bellingham Slam Monday and Tuesday night at Mt. Tahoma High School. Tickets may be purchased online at www.abalive.com or at www.TacomaNavigators.com.
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 24, 2005
- ABA adds West Palm Beach for 2006 season - ABA
- Navigators return to win column with 151-128 victory over Blackhawks - Tacoma Navigators
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