Tri-State Basketball Fans Take Time For Bisons Game
February 5, 2009 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Kentucky Bisons News Release
Owensboro, KY - February 04 2009 - The ice storm from last week still has many area residents surviving without electricity, heat, and even water. That did not stop the local sports fans from taking a break from the disaster and enjoying some hoops Wednesday night. The fifth ranked Kentucky Bisons played host to the very tall and notable Beijing Olympians who are ranked third having lost only 3 games thus far. The Olympians, whose management and players consist mostly of residents from China, had fans showing up early to see the team. The Beijing team did have three players from the United States and Tobi Bailey former UCLA standout from the 1995 NCAA championship was one of them.
Fans behind them Kentucky was all business taking control of the tempo from the start jumping out to a 31-19 lead by the end of the 1st quarter. Mike Wells contributed 10 of the 31 points, which included two 3s. In the 2nd quarter coming off the bench Lamar Owen had 8 pts, Kenny Jones scored 8pts and ended the half with 14. Boris Siakam had 12pts, 2AST and 6R and the Bisons went to the locker room with a 12-point cushion leading 59-47.
In the second half Beijing determined to close the gap hit 4 3-pointers by four players. Jamie Staten was strong in the third quarter scoring 9 points and Zhang Songtao put up 7 for the Olympians. Jamie Jackson of Kentucky answered back with a couple of jumpers and a pair 3s. Kentucky ended the 3rd up by eight 76-84.
Beijing opened the last 12 minutes with Sheldon Pace and Huo Nan each hitting 3s cutting the lead to only one 83-84 forcing Coach Key of Kentucky to call a time-out. The Bisons never looked back.
Kentucky driven by SF Aubrey White who scored 11 of his 13 total points in the last 7 minutes, shut down the leagues No.3 team for their sixth straight win. The final score was 101-117 and added to Kentucky's impressive win record over top 10 teams.
"I felt our team responded well to the challenge of playing the best west coast team", said Jay Sills, owner of the Bisons. "We beat a quality basketball team tonight but we know it could have been Beijing getting the win". Our team has gone up against some of the best in the league and we can be a #1 team after it's all said and done".
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 February 5, 2009
- Tri-State Basketball Fans Take Time For Bisons Game - Kentucky Bisons
- Mustangs Win 15th Straight Game - Southeast Texas Mavericks
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