G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Vipers Drop High-Scoring Affair to Energy

February 2, 2011 - NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


HIDALGO, TEXAS - The defending NBA Development League champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers fell to the Iowa Energy 136-127 on Wednesday at State Farm Arena in front of a crowd of 4,664.

The Energy (21-9) opened the game on a 12-0 run, hitting 5-of-6 shots. The Vipers (19-9) got on the board for the first time at the 8:18 mark when Houston Rockets-assignee Ish Smith drove the lane for a lay-up.

The Vipers opened the second quarter on a 16-5 run, during which Mouhammad Faye hit a three-pointer at the 8:56 mark of the to give the Vipers their first lead at 42-41. Smith followed by converting a three-point play to give the Vipers a 45-41 lead. The Energy outscored the Vipers 23-12 over the rest of the quarter to take 64-57 halftime lead.

The Vipers opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run, capped by a Jerel McNeal basket to take the lead back at 77-76 with 8:47 remaining. Two minutes later, the game was tied at 83-83 after Terrel Harris hit a jumper, at which point the Energy went on a 13-1 run to take a 96-84 lead that they did not relinquish.

Harris scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-9 from behind the arc to go with five rebounds, two assists and a career-high tying four steals. Jeff Adrien recorded his 14th double-double in 19 games with 17 points and 14 rebounds while Smith picked up his second double-double with 12 points and 12 assists.

The Vipers shot 17-of-46 (37%) from behind the arc, setting new franchise records in both makes and attempts. The Vipers also attempted a franchise-record 111 field goals, hitting 49 of them (44.1%).

The Energy were led by Chicago Bulls-assignee James Johnson, who scored a game-high 31 points with 14 rebounds and six blocks. Curtis Stinson recorded a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists, Courtney Sims had a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Marqus Blakely also had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Vipers hit the road for 10 days to play five games in three states, starting Friday against the New Mexico Thunderbirds in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, at the Santa Ana Center at 8:30 p.m.

Check out the Rio Grande Valley Vipers Statistics



NBA G League Stories from February 2, 2011


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