Slam lose pair of close weekend games in southern California
Published on February 26, 2006 under American Basketball Association (ABA)
Bellingham Slam News Release
MAYWOOD, Calif. -- The Bellingham Slam suffered a pair of three-point defeats this weekend as they played the final two regular season road games of their inaugural season. The Slam (17-14) fell by a score of 112-109 to the Southern California Legends in Azusa, Calif. on Saturday night, then dropped a 108-105 decision to the Aoshen Olympian in Maywood, Calif. on Sunday afternoon.
In Saturday's game, the Slam rallied from a 17-point fourth quarter defecit to pull within two, but Jacob Stevenson missed a game-tying shot with seven seconds to go. After the Legends made one of two free throws to go ahead by three points, the Slam turned the ball over with two seconds to play, giving Southern California the 112-109 victory. Stevenson finished the game with a season-high 28 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Caleb Gervin scored 19 points in limited action while still recovering from the flu, and Drew Langstraat added 15 points and 12 rebounds. For the Legends, Jerry Dupree led with 27 points, while All-Star Jimmy Miggins added 26.
On Sunday afternoon, The Slam let another one get away from them as they lost to the Beijing Aoshen Olympian, 108-105. The Slam, after letting an 11-point third quarter lead slip away, still led 75-71 going into the fourth quarter. But back-to-back three-pointers by former Seattle Sonics player Fred Vinson with 6:20 remaining put the Olympian up for good at 85-81. The Slam staged a bit of a comeback, however, as a Jacob Stevenson five-point play got Bellingham back within one with 5:40 left to play. Mike Parker stole the ball in the backcourt, resulting in a 3-D possession, before feeding Stevenson underneath the basket, who converted the shot and was fouled. The Slam later tied the game on a Parker put-back dunk, but Huang Hai Bei put Aoshen back on top with consecutive baskets. Vinson's two free throws with 18 seconds remaining put the Olympian lead at four at 107-103, before Brandon Hartley scored on the next possession to bring the margin back down to two. Forced to foul, Hai Bei was sent to the line with two seconds left, and he hit the first free throw but missed the second. Unfortunately for the Slam, they had no time outs remaining and were unable to corral the rebound and get off a shot attempt before time expired. The Slam were led in scoring by Caleb Gervin with 24 points, followed by Parker with 19. Vinson led all scorers with 41, thanks in part to hitting 6-of-9 three pointers. DeAngelo Collins added 11 points and 18 rebounds for the Olympian.
The Slam return home for their regular season finale on Friday, March 3 as they take on the Fresno Heatwave at 7 pm in a game rescheduled from February 28.
For more information, call the Slam at 734-SLAM or visit their website at www.bellinghamslam.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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