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Postell Propels Altitude To Victory Over Riverdragons, 92-89

March 16, 2004 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga.—Lavor Postell poured in 21 points, including a key basket with 8.9 seconds to play, to lift the Asheville Altitude to a 92-89 win over the Columbus Riverdragons on Tuesday night at the Columbus Civic Center. The win was the seventh in eight games and fifteenth in the last 19 games for the Altitude (21-16), who stayed within a half game of league leading Charleston. The loss dropped Columbus (13-24) five and a half games out of fourth place and the final NBDL playoff spot with nine games to play.

Behind six first quarter points from Postell, the Altitude jumped out to the early 10-7 lead with 8:42 to go in the period. Up one at 12-11 with 6:20 remaining in the opening quarter, Asheville limited the Dragons to one field goal the rest of the period, going on a 9-2 run over final 5:28 of the quarter to grab a 21-14 edge. The Altitude held Columbus to 6-20 shooting in the period and tallied four steals in taking the early advantage.

The Riverdragons responded in the second quarter behind the play of their bench. Down nine, at 25-16 with 11:03 left, Columbus received a boost from Terence Morris, whose six points in a 9-0 run tied the game at 25 apiece with 7:08 to go. After the Altitude built the advantage back up to six on a Postell 16-foot jumper with 5:18 on the clock, a Morris three-ball and Courtney James dunk finished off a 6-0 spurt to tie it up again, this time at 31-31. One minute later, a Kris Lang layup ended a 5-0 spurt for Asheville, but Columbus would reel off a 10-1 run behind five points from Jeff Myers, and the Riverdragons grabbed a four point advantage, 41-37 with 1:07 to go in the half. Free throws from Postell and Desmond Penigar got the Altitude back within one at the break, 41-40.

Asheville took control in the third quarter, as a 14-2 run to open the period built the Altitude lead to 54-43 with 8:18 left. Brandin Knight and Antonio Meeking came alive, combining for nine points in the spurt to boost the lead to double digits for the first time. Knight would score six of the next eight points for Asheville after a Columbus timeout, on his way to 15 points in the period. Up by eight, 66-58, the Altitude ran off a 9-2 run over the final 3:44 of the period to claim a 75-60 advantage heading into the fourth. Along with Knight's point production, Asheville received eight points in the stanza from Meeking and held the Riverdragons to 5-16 shooting from the field in the quarter.

The Dragons weren't done, however, responding with a late rally in the fourth quarter to make things interesting down the stretch. Desmond Penigar's free throw with 8:24 to go, built the Altitude's advantage to a game-high seventeen, at 83-66. But, a Sedric Webber lay-up and two James lay-ins brought Columbus within 11 at 83-72. Derrick Zimmerman and Morris would then combine for 11 points over the next 3:45 as the Dragons trimmed the Asheville advantage to just four, at 89-85 with 2:30 remaining. Following a Brandon Kurtz turnover, Sedric Webber hit a four-foot runner in the lane to get the Dragons within two. But Postell made the play of the night on the next Altitude possession, setting up Myers with a textbook up-and-under move and a 13-foot jumper that made it a two-possession game at 91-87 with 8.9 seconds on the clock. Two Myers free throws kept the Dragons within two, at 91-89 with 7.1 seconds to go, and Columbus got a break when Rusty LaRue was fouled and made only one of two free throws with 6.7 left. But Morris misfired on a three-point attempt and Adam Harrington's desperation heave at the horn was too late, allowing the Altitude to escape with the victory.

Four players scored in double figures for Asheville. Knight supplemented Postell's output with fifteen points, all of which came in the third quarter. Meeking and Lang provided 12 and 11 points respectively. Columbus received another solid performance from its bench as the reserves tallied 55 of the Dragons 89 points. Sedric Webber led the Dragons in scoring for the third straight game, tallying 18 points. Morris recorded his sixth double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Courtney James earned his tenth double-double of the season, posting 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Riverdragons return to action Thursday, March 18 at the Crown Coliseum against the Fayetteville Patriots at 7:30 p.m.. The Altitude continue their road swing this Friday against the Huntsville Flight. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. EST. For more information log onto nbdl.com.



NBA G League Stories from March 16, 2004


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