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G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Vipers skid hits seven straight

February 1, 2008 - NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


The Vipers were looking for a spark to start their upcoming five game home stand beginning on Sunday night and a win versus Tulsa would have been that. However after trading the lead in the third quarter, the Vipers were outscored 32-24 in the fourth quarter and fell to the Tulsa 66ers 113-100 on Friday night at Expo Square Pavilion. The Vipers have now lost seven in a row overall and 11 in a row on the road.

The Vipers started the game skittish as they scored just 19 first quarter points and shot just 37 percent from the field. The second quarter helped turn things around for the Vipers as they were able to gain the lead at the 2:27 mark after a Trent Strickland lay-up making the score 43-42 Vipers. Rio Grande Valley trailed by only six at halftime 51-45. In the third quarter the Vipers regained the lead once more after a Desmon Farmer lay-up with 6:43 remaining. But after the Keith Closs lay-up with 4:34 remaining in the third, the Vipers would not see the lead again.

The fourth quarter was once again unkind for the Vipers. After closing the deficit to 84-80 with 9:21 remaining on a Stanley Asumnu lay-up, Tulsa would shoot out to a 21-6 run and increase their lead to 19 their largest of the game at he 3:36 mark of the fourth period.

Farmer scored a season high 32 points in the loss for Rio Grande Valley. Strickland and Jesse Smith also had double-digit nights from the floor. Strickland was a rebound shy of a double-double as he chipped in with 24 points. Smith scored 13, added 11 boards, and three blocks. The double-double was Smith's sixth of the season. Quannas White also added a season high 12 assists in the RGV loss.

Tulsa, who has now won five in a row and 10 out of their last 11, had five players in double figures including a career high 34 points from Dallas Mavericks assignee Nick Fazekas. Milwaukee assignee David Noel added 28 points, including a perfect night from beyond the arc (4-4), and eight rebounds. David Fontenet tallied 14 and dished out 11 assists in the 66er win.

Rio Grande Valley will begin their five-game home stand on Sunday afternoon versus the Utah Flash. The Vipers have moved up the start time of their game to 1:00 pm to accommodate fans that wish to watch professional football's championship game later in the day. The game versus Utah also marks Kevin Kruger's return to the Rio Grande Valley. The former Arizona State/UNLV star's was born in McAllen when his father Lon was the coach of the University of Texas Pan American (Pan American University). Lon Kruger is now the head coach at UNLV and is the former coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

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