G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Stampede Get Smushed, 102-97

Published on December 8, 2008 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


Smush Parker scored 24 points and dished out a season high 14 assists and hit four big free throws in the final minute and led the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to their 102-97 victory over the defending champion Idaho Stampede Sunday night at Dodge Arena. The win for the Vipers ends a two game losing skid and also gives Idaho their first loss of the season.

The Vipers took the lead from Idaho with 57 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a Kendal Dartez lay-up which made the score 24-23. The Vipers closed out the first quarter on a 13-3 run and led 29-23. Rio Grande Valley pushed the lead to twelve at halftime as they led 54-42 at the intermission.

The Stampede came out strong in the second half to chip away at the Vipers lead, but didn't break through until late in the fourth quarter as a Coby Karl nailed a three-pointer with 2:05 remaining in the game to give the Stampede a 95-94 lead, their first since the opening quarter. Parker then banked in a 12-footer to give the Vipers a 96-95 advantage, a lead they would not surrender. The Stampede would have a chance to tie down three with 14.5 seconds on the clock, but Stanley Asumnu intercepted the Brent Petway pass and a free throw from Trent Strickland help put the game on ice.

Alpha Bangura had a breakout game for Rio Grande Valley as he tallied 22 points and hauled in five rebounds off the bench. Strickland and Dartez were each a rebound away from a double-double as they scored 17 and 16 points respectively. Parker's 14 assists were one away from CJ Watson's franchise record of 15 set on December 22, 2007.

Coby Karl scored 23 points to lead four Stampede players in double figures. Lance Allred and Jermareo Davidson each posted double-doubles for Idaho. Allred scored 22 and hauled in 14 boards, while Davidson scored 15 and brought down 11 in the Stampede loss.

The Vipers continue their season opening eight game homestand on Tuesday night when they host the 2-0, and Southwest Division rival Colorado 14ers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm at Dodge Arena

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a professional basketball team in the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA's official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams. The league has produced 15 percent of the players on 2007-08 end-of-season NBA rosters and continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast. The Vipers NBA affiliates are the Houston Rockets, and the New Orleans Hornets.

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NBA G League Stories from December 8, 2008


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