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Riverdragons Earn Crucial Victory

March 14, 2003 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., (March 14) - Nate Johnson scored a game-high 28 points as the Riverdragons snapped their seven-game losing streak against the Revelers. With the victory, the Riverdragons keep their playoff hopes alive, inching within 2.5 games of the fourth and final playoff spot with four games to play.

"It's great to get a win against Mobile," said Riverdragons head coach Jeff Malone. "We've lost seven games in a row to them. I look at them as our true rival. To get the better of them, win at home and stay alive and breathing is a great feeling. They're not going to pull the plug on us yet."

Johnson hit a 15-foot jump shot to put Columbus ahead 79-78 with 1:38 remaining in regulation. The Riverdragons (21-25) would not trail the rest of the way. Johnson has reached the 20-point plateau and led the Riverdragons in scoring in nine of his last ten games.

Rookie Kitwana Rhymer hit two free throws with under ten seconds to play to seal the Riverdragons first win over Mobile (23-22) since the second game of the season played last November.

Tang Hamilton had 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to notch his league-leading 24th double-double. Earlier in the day, Hamilton was selected to the All-NBDL first team. Johnson, the league's leading scorer, represented Columbus on the All-NBDL second team.

Reserve forward Greg Stempin came off the bench to contribute 20 points, including a clutch 3-pointer to extend the Riverdragons slim lead to three with 1:02 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Cedric Henderson led the Revelers with 17 points and five rebounds. Isaac Fontaine added 14 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Derek Hood fell one point shy of a double-double posting nine points and 12 rebounds.

The Riverdragons out-scored Mobile 26-16 in the second quarter and led 46-40 at the half. The Revelers opened the second half on a 10-3 run capped by a reverse lay-up by Fontaine to take the lead back, 50-49, with 5:29 to go in the third quarter. Columbus regained the lead, 62-61, heading into the dramatic fourth quarter.

Both Mobile and Columbus play Saturday night on the road. The Riverdragons head to Asheville to face the Altitude while Mobile makes a trip to Huntsville to match up with the Flight.

Mobile returns to Columbus Wednesday for the teams' tenth and final meeting of the regular season.

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