Vipers Fall to D-Fenders 105-94
Published on March 23, 2012 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release
Hidalgo, TEXAS - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers dropped a 105-94 decision to the Los Angeles D-Fenders Saturday evening at State Farm Arena. Marshall Brown led the Vipers with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Mardy Collins led the D-Fenders with 19 points.
Damian Saunders put the Vipers on the board with a driving layup and was fouled by Los Angeles' Malcolm Thomas to bank one from the line, 3-0. The Vipers held the lead until a free throw from Jamario Moon gave the D-Fenders their first lead of the night, 10-9. A jump shot and free throw by Vance Cooksey tied the game at 12 points. Elijah Millsap made a 15' jump shot to take the 15-13 lead for Los Angeles, but Cooksey knocked down a shot from behind the arc, followed by a jump shot to put Rio Grande Valley up 18-15 at the end of the first quarter.
Greg Smith started the second quarter with a hook shot to give the Vipers a 20-15 advantage. Then, a layup from Millsap put the D-Fenders on top 23-22. Los Angeles fought to hold the lead, but a layup from Smith tied the score at 27 points with 6:00 left in the first half. A free throw from Smith and a layup by Brown gave the Vipers the 30-27 lead. Los Angeles would not back down and tied the score three more times before taking the 45-42 lead heading into halftime.
Los Angeles began to break away at the start of the third quarter taking the 51-44 lead on a fade away jump shot by Zach Andrews. However, Jermaine Taylor responded with a slam dunk and Tyren Johnson followed with a 3-point shot to cut the Vipers' deficit to 51-49. Another 3-point shot from Brown put the Vipers within 1 point, 53-52, but Moon responded with a shot from behind the arc that sent Los Angeles on an offensive run to take the 67-57 lead with 2:29 remaining in the third quarter. Rio Grande Valley inched back within reach of the D-Fenders and closed the gap to 74-71 on two shots from the line by Cooksey at the end of the quarter.
A tip shot from Moon put the D-Fenders up 76-71 to start the fourth quarter. Los Angeles refused to relinquish their lead and held their largest advantage of the night 94-80 with 5:00 remaining in the game. Back-to-back shots from Will Conroy and two shots from the line by Brown brought Rio Grande Valley back within 7 points, 94-87, but it was not enough to clinch the win. Los Angeles claimed the game 105-94.
The Vipers were led by Brown's double-double 25 points, 11 rebounds. Cooksey tallied 22 points, and Smith notched 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Los Angeles was led by Collins with 19 points and Moon with 18 points, 11 rebounds. Millsap recorded 17 points and Thomas contributed 12 rebounds.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are back in action next weekend when they host the Tulsa 66ers March 30 and 31 at 7 p.m. at State Farm Arena. Join the RGV Vipers and the Cancer Center at Renaissance for Hoops for a Cure Saturday, March 31 at State Farm Arena. For more information about the event, visit www.rgvipers.com.
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