Vipers dominated by T-Birds in loss
February 5, 2010 - NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -The Albuquerque Thunderbirds never trailed and shot 51% from the field, as they knocked off the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the second straight game with a 108-93 victory Friday night at Tingley Coliseum. The loss evens the season series at four wins apiece.
Albuquerque began the game on a 15-0 run capped off by Carlos Powell's three-point bucket from the top of the key. The Thunderbirds outscored RGV in the quarter 31-20. Powell scored 11 points in the first for the T-birds. The Vipers shot just 27% in the period. The Vipers would fall behind by as many as 20 points in the second quarter and trailed 56-43 at halftime.
The Vipers attempted to chip away in the third quarter. They began the frame on a 7-0 run capped off by a Mike Harris jumper to cut the deficit down to five at 57-52. Albuquerque closed out the third quarter on an 11-3 run, which included two three point buckets from Antoine Agudio, to push their lead to 80-65 to start the final period.
The Vipers couldn't rally in the fourth either; in fact it was the T- birds that would put this game away early in the final period. Albuquerque's 8-0 run pushed the lead to 93-71, making the lead 21, the largest a game making the margin to much to overcome. During the fourth quarter run by Albuquerque, Mike Harris was ejected from the game after picking up his second technical foul. Both teams scored 28 points in the final period to close out the win for the T-birds.
The Vipers were led by Mike Harris who earned another double-double, his 13th of the season by scoring 20 points and pulling down 13 boards. Ernest Scott came off the bench to score 19 points while Craig Winder added 14 in a supporting role. Antonio Anderson scored 12 points and hauled in six rebounds to round out the Vipers double-digit scorers. The Vipers with just 12 team assists, their lowest assist total of the season.
Antoine Agudio led the scoring output for the T-birds by pouring in 24 points, including three three-pointers. Shane Edwards, who started for the first time in the series for the T-birds, scored 21 with eight rebounds. D-League All-star Carlos Powell scored 18 points and had just one rebound for Albuquerque. Former Viper Kurt Looby finished two rebounds shy of a double-double scoring 10 points.
The Vipers loss gives them consecutive defeats for just the second time this season. The Vipers will try to get back in the win column on Saturday night when they face the Reno Bighorns in a game that will be televised by VERSUS. Tip-off from State Farm Arena is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
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