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G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Vipers Fall to Toros in Front of Yao Ming

March 10, 2010 - NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


HIDALGO, TEXAS - Playing in front of Houston Rockets six-time All-Star center Yao Ming, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers fell to the Austin Toros 95-90 tonight at State Farm Arena in front of a crowd of 5,124.

The Vipers (28-12) finish the regular season with a 5-2 record against the Toros (24-14).

Following a pre-game embrace and chat with Yao, his former teammate with the Rockets, Mike Harris scored the first four points of the game and seven of the Vipers' first 10 as the Vipers jumped out to a 10-3 lead.

The Vipers either held the lead or were tied with the Toros until Dominique Coleman hit a three-pointer to make it 50-49 Toros with 7:25 remaining in the third quarter. The Vipers responded with a 19-4 run, capped off by a Harris driving lay-up with 1:01 left in the quarter to take a 68-54 lead.

The Toros didn't go away, though, as Eddie Basden hit a three-pointer, Lewis Clinch hit back-to-back treys and Michael Joiner hit a jumper to bring the Toros within 68-65. After adidas Player of the Game Stanley Asumnu hit a free throw, Dwaynes Jones hit a lay-up to bring the Toros within 69-67 with 8:29 remaining.

Two minutes later, Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson hit a three-pointer to tie the game 74-74. After the Toros took the lead back on a Curtis Jerrells driving lay-up, Ernest Scott hit a three-pointer to give the Vipers an 80-78 lead, but Joiner hit a three-pointer of his own with 3:27 remaining to make it 81-80 Toros. After a Jonathan Wallace turnover, Joiner converted a three-point play to make it 84-80. Harris hit back-to-back buckets to tie the game, but Johnson responded with a three-pointer with 1:50 left.

Down 91-87 with 24.6 seconds left, Julian Sensley drove into the lane for a lay-up and drew a foul. After missing the free throw, Sensley picked up the offensive rebound and missed a lay-up attempt, but Harris grabbed the offensive rebound and got fouled while attempting to hit a lay-up with 16.4 seconds left. Harris hit the first free throw, but missed the second. Jones grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Scott. Jones hit both free throws and the Vipers took a 20-second timeout with 14.6 seconds left. After the inbounds pass, Sensley threw the ball out of bounds to give the Toros the ball back. Harris fouled Joiner with 9.0 seconds left, and he hit both free throws to make it 95-90. After Harris missed a three-pointer, Scott fouled Jerrells, who missed both free throws, but the Vipers ran out of time.

The Vipers' four-game home stand continues on Saturday when they host the Tulsa 66ers at 7:30 p.m. at Dodge Arena. It will be the second of three nationally televised home games on VERSUS (channel 314 (SD)/1314 (HD) on Time Warner Cable and channel 151 on Dish Network), presented by Papa John's Pizza. It's Hoops for the Cure Night. The first 1,000 fans will receive Jersey Backpacks, courtesy of Delta DME. Acrodunk will perform at halftime. Doors open at 6:30.

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