RimRockers Lose Close Contest to Austin

Published on February 6, 2007 under NBA G League (G League)
Arkansas RimRockers News Release


LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Feb. 6 - Roger Powell's team high 26 points and 14 rebounds weren't enough as the late comeback attempt by the Arkansas RimRockers came up short as they fell to the Austin Toros, 120-116, at Alltel Arena on Tuesday night.

Arkansas lost their second straight game sending their record to 7-19, while the Toros won their 8th consecutive game and continue to close the gap on the rest of the league. Arkansas and Austin hold the two longest losing streaks in D-League history. Austin set the record to start the season losing their first 12 games and then the RimRockers broke that with a 15 game skid that ended on the road last Friday to Fort Worth.

"We got our fight back tonight." said RimRockers Head Coach Andy Stoglin. "During the losing streak, once we started losing at the end of games, the guys didn't fight. But we did tonight; we had a chance to win tonight. I was really proud of the way the guys came back. They fought; they didn't give up, right to the end."

A close first half had the RimRockers on top at the end of the first period 35-34, but a 9-1 run early in the second gave the early advantage to the Toros. Austin guard and D-League All-Star BJ Elder scored 10 of his game high 35 points in the second stanza. The RimRockers would respond with a 6-0 run of their own to end the half sending the teams to the locker rooms in a 59-59 tie.

Elder again punished the RimRockers as he came out of the break on fire to score 13 points in the third on 6-7 shooting, putting the Toros up by six, 92-86, heading into the fourth quarter.

Arkansas fell even further in the fourth, trailing by as many as 12, before making their comeback attempt. They cut the lead to two points with 14.6 seconds remaining, but fell short as they were unable to overcome the deficit.

Olu Famutimi shined in the RimRockers more up-tempo game scoring 24 points, and grabbing 12 boards, and caused problems for the Toros offense with 4 steals and 2 blocks. Tyrone Sally and Brandon Dean also chipped in with 18 and 17 respectively.

Jamar Smith's 24 points and Justin Bowen's double-double, 15 and 11 boards, helped the Toros defeat the RimRockers.

"We were a little shorthanded," Stoglin said. "But under the circumstances, I'm happy. Now we just have to maintain this."

Clay Tucker, who was named to the Inaugural D-League All-Star game as a representative of the Eastern Division earlier in the day, was on the bench in street clothes; out with a hip flexor injury. His status for the RimRockers next game is questionable.

The RimRockers will host Sidney Moncrief and the Eastern Division leading Fort Worth Flyers in a weekend series starting on Friday night at Alltel Arena and the Austin Toros will head to Colorado to face the 14ers on Thursday night.



NBA G League Stories from February 6, 2007


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