Skyrockets shoot down Talons

Published on February 23, 2006 under American Basketball Association (ABA)
Minot Skyrockets News Release


Gallup, NM. The #5 ranked San Jose Skyrockets (24-5) put their 8-game winning streak on the line as they faced the #4 ranked Gallup Talons (16-4) in a highly-touted rematch of Tuesday night's contest. Anticipating yet another streaky shooting byu Gallup, San Jose came into the game focused on two key aspects of the game: offensive boards and defense. San Jose did just that and kep Gallup at bay throughout the contest, winning 146-112.

The Skyrockets came out swinging in the first quarter with Matt Luiedtke's three consecutive 3-pointers, giving San Jose a 9-3 lead at the 10:36 mark. The lead grew to as much as 13 points in the second quarter, but the Talons kept close at the half, 69-59.

Although the Skyrockets did not force as many turnovers as the night before, San Jose kept Gallup from dominating on the offensive glass, reducing their ability to have multiple shots per trip down the floor. Gallup had 19 offensive boards on Tuesday night, but was cut down to 15 tonight. Also, their efficiency from beyond the arc was reduce significantly. These factors helped the Skyrockets increase their lead in the second half, ultimately winning with a 34-point margin.

San Jose featured 9 players in double figures, with 3-point specialists Luedtke and Darius Pope leading the team with 19 points each. Lamar Castile and Jason Smith contributed 17 and 16 points, respectively. Anwar Ferguson chipped in 15 and defensive specialist Jamar Howard continued to improve on the offensive end with 13 pionts. Center Solomon Hughes scored 11 while Rock Winston and Anthony Lumpkin finished with 10 points.

For Gallup, Lewis Richardson led all scorers with 36 points, while Larry Marinia and Broussard contributed 16 and 17 points respectively. Malcolm Conner finished with 10 points for the Talons.

The Skyrockets will return home to play against the Orange County Buzz on Feb 25 and 26, and then finish the season against the visiting Gallup Talons on Mar 3 and 5. The Skyrockets will then enter the ABA playoffs for the ABA championship. For tickets and more information, please visit www.sjskyrockets.com or call 408 293 3788 or visit www.abalive.com.

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.

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American Basketball Association Stories from February 23, 2006


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