Patriots sizzle in their first game without the Cook
Published on February 8, 2004 under NBA G League (G League)
Fayetteville Patriots News Release
Fayetteville Patriots point guard Chudney Gray didn't want to be Omar Cook or put up Cook-type numbers. He just wanted to do what Cook did â make the best of the opportunity given. So far so good as Gray stepped in for Cook at the starting point guard spot and scored nine points, dished out assists and had just three turnovers to lead the Patriots to a 107-100 win over Charleston. Cook is on a 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
"Omar is a great player,'' Gray said. "I didn't even want to look for my shot tonight. I just wanted to run the team and pick up where he left off."
The Patriots played without Cook for the first time in 109 games, but still handled the ball pretty well and even shot at or above 50 percent from the floor for just the third time this season. It even appeared the Patriots were going to turn the tables on the Lowgators Saturday.
The Lowgators had won their three previous matchups with the Patriots by an average of 17.3 points. But with 6:44 remaining in the game, the Patriots led the Lowgators 92-74. A 7-0 Charleston run would quickly knock down that lead to 11. Over the next three minutes, the Patriots were able to get the lead to 17 on a Jason Capel jumper with 2:10 remaining.
Ime Udoka, who finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, scored five points in a 12-0 Charleston that cut the Patriots lead to five, 102-97.
After Patriots forward Bryan Lucas hit one of two free throws, Jason Miskiri raced down the lane and found Carl English in the corner for a 3-pointer to slice Fayetteville's lead to three. But Jason Collier would end any hopes of a miraculous comeback by nailing four consecutive free throws within 15 seconds to seal the win.
Junie Sanders led the Patriots with 23 points and six rebounds on 11-for-20 shooting. Jason Collier added 20 points and 11 boards and Darrell Johns was 9-for-11 from the floor and had 18.
"It's hard to single out one guy,'' Patriots coach Jeff Capel. "Charleston is a well-balanced team. Every time I look at one of its box scores, there's a lot of balance. We had to match that tonight and I think that's what we did."
Jason Miskiri led the way for the Lowgators with 18 points and five assists. The Lowgators were playing without Tierre Brown, who was also called up to the NBA.
The Patriots (13-12) snapped a three-game losing streak to the Lowgators (17-9) as they pulled to within 3 ½ games of the first-place Lowgators. Saturday marked the first time the Patriots have won on NBA TV. They are now 1-4.
To conclude their five-game homestand, the Patriots will host Columbus on Friday at the Crown Coliseum. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Lowgators travel to Asheville to play the Altitude on Tuesday. Game time is 7:15 p.m.
NBA G League Stories from February 8, 2004
- Undermanned Dazzle Wallop Riverdragons, 104-83 - Columbus Riverdragons
- Patriots sizzle in their first game without the Cook - Fayetteville Patriots
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
