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Patriots Topple Riverdragons 86-79

January 19, 2004 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


The Fayetteville Patriots held back a resurgent Riverdragons club in the fourth quarter to take an 86-79 win in front of 3,727 at the Columbus Civic Center on Monday afternoon. Junie Sanders led the Patriots with 22 points, with Bryan Lucas contributing 15 points and Jason Collier posting his fifth double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kevin Lyde led four Riverdragons in double-digits with 19 points. Erron Maxey and Adam Harrington put up 15 points apiece while Terence Morris posted 10 points and 9 rebounds. The Patriots rise to 11-10 with the win and the Riverdragons fall to 5-15.

The Patriots opened up the game with a 13-3 run over the first 5:56. Britton Johnsen and Collier combined for 8 points during the run, including back-to-back lay-ups from Collier along with a fast break dunk and a trey from Johnsen. Plagued by 31.6% shooting from the field, the Riverdragons were held to single digits until 2:29 in the quarter, when a Lyde jump shot gave the Dragons 10 points. Lyde added a jump hook and Tai Crutchfield a 19 foot jumper to finish the quarter with 14 points. A pair of free throws from Cook and a Sanders fast break lay-up gave Fayetteville a 22014 lead at the end of one quarter.

The Patriots opened the second quarter with another run, this time posting 13-4 spurt over the first 3:30 of the period to up the advantage to 35-18 with 8:30 to play in the half. Collier sank two free throws to begin the streak, Williams added a trey and driving lay-up, and Sanders followed with a lay-up and free throws for nine points. The shooting woes continued for the Riverdragons as their field goal percentage dropped to a dismal 22.2%. Only four players scored during this quarter, led by Lyde with 6. Terence Morris and Jeff Myers each contributed 4 points. The Patriots outscored the Dragons 29-15 in the quarter, taking a 51-29 lead at the half.

Columbus battled back to make a game of it in the third quarter. Harrington's lay-up and subsequent free throw finished off a 25-5 run to pull the Riverdragons within two at 56-54 with 3:03 remaining. Lyde, Maxey, Zimmerman, and Harrington combined for 21 of the Dragons 25 points in the spurt. The Columbus defense was just as prolific as the offense in that stretch, holding the Patriots to two field goals over the first 9:05 of the stanza. But Lucas and Sanders managed to fend off the Columbus burst, combining for eight points over the final 2:55 of the period to boost the Fayetteville advantage back to six points, 64-58, at the end of the third quarter. In all, the Dragons outscored Fayetteville 29-13 in the period.

Regaining their composure in the fourth quarter, the Patriots, led by Sanders and Collier, put the game away. Up by four, at 72-68, with 7:09 to play, Sanders hit back to back 18-foot jumpers, then knocked down three of four free throws to propel Fayetteville to an 11-5 spurt that brought the lead back to double digits at 83-73 with 2:42 remaining. suppressed the Columbus comeback. Sanders' 9 points in the quarter and Collier posted 6 points to seal the win.

The Riverdragons return to action this Friday, January 23 on the road against the Roanoke Dazzle at the Roanoke Civic Center. Game time is 7:00 p.m.. The Patriots return home to face Asheville on Friday at the Crown Coliseum. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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NBA G League Stories from January 19, 2004


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