Slam edged by Hollywood, 122-120, in home opener

November 17, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA) News Release


Bellingham, Wash. - Michael Parker scored 45 points, but it was not quite enough as the Bellingham Slam lost their home opener, 122-120, to the Hollywood Fame Thursday night in front of a nearly sold out crowd at Whatcom Pavilion.

Parker's 45 points are a new career best, beating a high of 35 points accomplished just five days earlier in the Slam's season-opening 108-96 victory at King County.

Poor free-throw shooting by Hollywood kept Bellingham in the game, with the team connecting on 50 percent of their charity shots for the game, and just 38 percent in the second half.

The Slam (1-1) started off hot and appeared to be on their way to victory, racing to a 12-2 lead after the first three minutes. But the Fame responded and trailed the Slam by only six, 72-66, at halftime. Parker led both teams with 29 points in the first half.

A strong third quarter gave Hollywood (1-1) momentum, outscoring Bellingham 28-20 to give the team a two-point cushion going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Slam kept the Fame in check, and eventually took the lead with 1:06 remaining, at 114-113, on a Jacob Stevenson steal and lay-in. Hollywood then scored the next six points to nearly put the game out of reach with 38 seconds left, but the Fame went just 2-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final minute to give the Slam a chance to win. Trailing by two, Scott Freymond launched a three-point attempt at the buzzer, but drew the front of the rim.

The Slam received double-digit scoring efforts from four players, including Jacob Stevenson, who scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting and connected on his only three-point attempt. The Fame were paced by Tyler Newton and Billy Knight, who scored 26 and 21 points, respectively.

The Slam packed nearly 1,000 fans into Whatcom Pavilion for their home opener Thursday. It was the second-largest crowd to see a Slam game in the team's history, just short of the nearly 1,100 fans who came to see Dennis Rodman play back in February.

The Slam will have a shot at revenge as the two teams play again Friday night at Whatcom Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The Fame have announced that former Major League baseball player and Baltimore Oriole Brady Anderson will be arriving in Bellingham tomorrow to play in the game for Hollywood.

For more information on the Slam, please call 734-SLAM or visit WNW.Blenheim's.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.



American Basketball Association Stories from November 17, 2006


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