Vipers Defeat Austin Spurs in OT After Heroic Comeback
April 6, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros News Release
EDINBURG, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers defeated the Austin Spurs in overtime, 136-133, in game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. The Vipers now lead 1-0 in the beast-of-three series.
The Vipers were able to take the game to overtime in heroic fashion thanks to a Denzel Livingston 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left in clock. The RGV Vipers came back from a 25-point deficit to send the game to extra minutes. Will Cummings lead the team with 32 points, including 3 in overtime.
The RGV Vipers started the game well. The Vipers finished the quarter with a three-point lead over the Spurs, 35-32. The Austin Spurs would then take the lead in the second quarter with a Deshaun Thomas layup with 5:03 minutes left. It was the first lead change in the game. The Spurs kept their lead through the first half, 66 to 72. The Austin Spurs shot at 67.5%in the half. Deshaun Thomas led the Austin Spurs in scoring with 15 points. For the Vipers, Denzel Livingston lead in scoring with 19 points, going 3-from-4 beyond the arc.
The Austin Spurs would then keep extending their lead in the third quarter. The Spur's lead grew to 25 points behind Deshaun Thomas's seven points and Keifer Sykes' 12 points in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers bounced back. The Vipers scored 40 points in the fourth quarter to catch up and send the game to overtime. Joshua Smith scored nine points in the quarter and Will Cummings added 10 more. However, It was Denzel Livingston's three-pointer that sent the game to extra minutes.
The RGV Vipers secured the win in the overtime with Walker's free throw, Joshua Smith's two points, and Cummings' three points. Will Cummings netted 32 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Denzel Livingston finished with 27 points after having a hot hand in the first half. Joshua Smith added 26 points. Jarvis Threatt scored 25 points and went 13-of-14 at the line. Chris Walker had 13 rebounds.
The RGV Vipers will now travel to Austin for the second game of playoffs, in a best-of-three series.The game will tipoff on Thursday, April 7 at 7:30p.m. at the Cedar Park Center.
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