Slam End Regular Season with 139-137 Overtime Loss to Vancouver
June 23, 2014 - International Basketball League (IBL)
Bellingham Slam News Release
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - It took nine years, but Bellingham Slam fans were finally treated to an overtime contest at Whatcom Pavilion as the Slam came from behind but fell to the Vancouver Volcanoes, 139-137, in an International Basketball League thriller on Sunday.
With the number one playoff seed already locked up, the Slam had little to play for and the Volcanoes took full advantage, building up a double-digit lead late in the second quarter, at 59-47. But Bellingham responded brief run to close the half, trimming the deficit to four at 65-61.
A 9-0 run by Vancouver midway through the third quarter re-established a double-digit lead, at 97-83, but just like the second, the Slam closed the quarter with another run to trail by three, at 99-96.
The Volcanoes and Slam showed why they are rivals as the two sides had a brief skirmish following a hard foul by Cory Largent on Rico Wilkins early in the fourth quarter, however no ejections resulted.
Perhaps spurred on by the clash, the Slam went on to take the lead for the first time since early in the second quarter and pushed the margin to six, at 117-111, on a Nick Moore jumper before Vancouver put together a game-saving 11-0 run to take a 122-117 lead with 1:37 left.
Moore came up big for Bellingham again late, closing the game with a three-pointer sandwiched between a successful trip to the free throw line and an off-balance conversion from Vancouver's Andre Murray to give the Volcanoes a 124-122 lead. But with the ball back in Bellingham's hands, Moore added two more free-throws to knot the score at 124-124. Both teams had good chances in the final seconds to take the win, but neither was successful.
In a thrilling finish, the overtime session featured six lead changes with neither side able to go up by more than three. After a bucket by Murray put Vancouver up 137-134 with 1:53 left, Moore drained another three for the Slam to tie the game up once more.
After the teams traded empty possessions, the game seemed destined for double overtime before Vancouver's Calvin Hampton was successful on a putback with under a second left to go up by two and leave the Slam without sufficient time to respond.
The win was the Volcanoes first in Bellingham since the Slam joined the IBL in 2008. The result also snapped a 12-game win streak for the Slam, which had tied a franchise record. Bellingham fell to 0-4 all-time in overtime contests.
Morris Anderson wrapped up an outstanding regular season with 30 points and a game-high 13 assists. Rico Wilkins and Jacob Stevenson and 25 and 23 points, respectively, while Moore finished a superb game with 21 points, 14 of which came after halftime.
Vancouver was led by the 37 points of Andre Murray, while Calvin Hampton finished with 29, including the game winner.
Despite the loss, the Slam finish the regular season with a 13-3 record and advances to the IBL Championship Tournament as the top seed next weekend in Vancouver. The team's next action will be a semi-final playoff game against either the Seattle Flight or Salem Sabres on June 28. A 7:30 p.m. tip-off is scheduled at the O'Connell Sports Complex at Clark College.
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International Basketball League Stories from June 23, 2014
- Slam End Regular Season with 139-137 Overtime Loss to Vancouver - Bellingham Slam
- Big Win on the Road Make It Six Straight for the Volcanoes - Vancouver Volcanoes
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