Vipers Erase 16 Point Deficit to Sweep Erie Series
Published on November 27, 2011 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release
HIDALGO, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers were able to erase a 14 point halftime deficit, rallying from as many as 16 points down to knock off the Erie Bayhawks 119-112 Saturday night at the State Farm Arena. The victory over the Bayhawks (0-2) gives the Vipers (2-0) the season series win over Erie and second win of the season opening four game home-stand.
The Vipers appeared to pick up where they left off in the season opening win, as they began the game on an 8-0 run prompting a Bayhawk timeout. Erie would rally back and score the next seven point to pull within one.
The Bayhawks closed out the first half on a 15-2 run, including a monster slam dunk by Erie point guard Donald Sloan. Erie led 69-55 going into the halftime break.
The Vipers fought hard in the third quarter but the Bayhawks kept them at an arms length until the final minute. The Vipers trailed by 10 points with 1:16 left but tallied with five straight points to close out the third trailing 90-85. The Vipers continued their 13-2 run into the fourth quarter taking their first lead since the first quarter at 93-92 on a Marshall Brown lay-up.
The Bayhawks and Vipers would trade the lead seven times in the fourth quarter but RGV took the lead for good when Marshall Brown's finger-roll lay-up with 2:10 remaining gave the Vipers a 111-110 advantage. The Vipers finished the fourth quarter on a 12-2 run to clinch the victory.
Sloan had another spectacular night for the Bayhawks as he tallied his second consecutive double-double with 34 points and 10 assists. Chris Daniels and Mychel Thompson also added double-doubles for Erie. Daniels scored 17 with a game high 17 boards. Thompson added 15 points with 10 rebounds and 3 assists.
The Vipers spread the ball around for the second straight night as seven Rio Grande players scored in double figures. The Vipers also tallied 29 assists as a team with eight players dishing out at least two assists.
Coleman and and Johnson each scored 18 to lead the offensive output for RGV. Coleman added five rebounds. Josh Tarver scored 13 points and dished out a team high six assists while Terrell Harris scored 15 with five rebounds and four assists.
The Vipers will continue their season opening four game home-stand on Wednesday morning when they host the defending NBA D-League Champion Iowa Energy for the first of a two-game series. The Wednesday match-up is scheduled for a 10:30 AM tip-off for the annual kids-day extravaganza. Thursday's match-up between the two clubs will tip-off at the normal 7:00 PM start time.
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