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Stempin Leads Riverdragons over Patriots

January 30, 2003 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., (Jan.30) - Greg Stempin, the Patriots leading scorer last season, hit three 3-pointers in a two-minute stretch late in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on the Riverdragons 94-90 come-from-behind victory in NBDL action Thursday night.

"In warm-ups I told coach Malone that I felt good and thought tonight could be the night I get rolling," said Stempin. "I got some easy shots there in the beginning and it really got my confidence going. Once I hit that first three my shot just really felt good."

Stempin, who was picked up as free agent by the Riverdragons in late December, came off the bench against his former team to score 12 of his game-high 22 points in the final quarter. Stempin has hit a sizzling 10-of-11 shots from behind the arc over his last five games.

Stempin's 3-pointer with 3:31 to play put Columbus ahead 76-73, giving Columbus its first lead since early in the first quarter. The Riverdragons had trailed by a many as 13-points in the third quarter.

Stempin drilled his third 3-pointer of the night to put the Riverdragons ahead 86-83 with 49 seconds left in regulation. Columbus (13-15) would not trail the rest of the way and held on to snap a 2-game losing streak.

"We had a great week of practice," said Riverdragons head coach Jeff Malone. "I know we're going to eventually do the right thing but unfortunately sometimes it takes me getting on them to do that. That's a habit we've got to break down the stretch. But this is a great win. I feel real good about this."

Riverdragons forward Tang Hamilton had 15 points and 11 rebounds to post his league-leading 13th double-double and tie the league record set by Mobile's Derek Hood last season. Hamilton has 22 games remianing to break Hood's mark.

The first-place Patriots (17-12)were lead by Devin Brown and Junie Sanders, who scored 17 points each. The Patriots bench enjoyed another strong performance, out-scoring the Columbus reserves 54-36. Point guard Omar Cook added 13 points and seven assists.

The Riverdragons have won all seven meetings with Fayetteville since the NBDL began play in November 2001. The loss snapped a 3-game win-streak for the Patriots and is the team's first loss this season under assistant coach Sam Worthen. Worthen is currently filling in for Fayetteville head coach Jeff Capel, who is recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

Fayetteville heads home to host the struggling Greenvile Groove this Saturday. The Riverdragons continue their current 3-game homestand against Roanoke on Sunday, February 2 at 6 p.m.

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