G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Vipers sneak past 66ers 107-103

Published on December 2, 2007 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


The Rio Grande Valley Vipers started out red hot and led by as many as 25 points but had to hold off a furious Tulsa 66er rally in the final moments to escape with the 107-103 victory on Sunday night at the Expo Square Pavilion. The win gives the Vipers a D-League leading fifth of the season and gives Rio Grande Valley three wins in their four games in five night stretch.

The Vipers for the second night in a row started out on furious 21-3 run holding the 66ers without a field goal for 8:04 of play after the first basket of the game that gave Tulsa a 2-0 lead. The Vipers ran out to a 60-40 halftime lead. The Vipers led by 25 at the 6:32 mark of the third quarter. But the 66ers would close out the quarter with a 19-5 run to pull to within 11.

CJ Watson scored 16 of his game high 33 points in the fourth quarter to help the Vipers hold off the 66ers. Steve Novak added 27 points including 4-9 shooting from behind the three point line. Jesse Smith chipped with 10 rebounds playing 26 minutes most of which were for the injured Kevin Bookout who left the game after the 3:11 mark of the first quarter with an eye injury.

"The most difficult thing to do in any level of basketball is win on the road, but its also the most fun thing to do," Vipers Head Coach Bob Hoffman said. "I am so thankful and grateful for the way our guys played tonight. It was a great win for us."

The Vipers will have a week off before their re-match with Tulsa next Sunday at Dodge Arena. The home game versus Tulsa is their first of four straight at Dodge Arena. Tip-off for Sunday is 5:00 pm.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are an expansion team in the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). The D-League is the official minor league of the National Basketball Association. Now in its seventh season, the D-league will have 14 teams that will play a 50 game schedule. The teams include Albuquerque Thunderbirds (NM), Anaheim Arsenal (CA), Austin Toros (TX), Bakersfield Jam (CA), Colorado 14ers (Broomfield), Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, ND), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (IN), Idaho Stampede (Boise), Iowa Energy (Des Moines), Los Angeles D- Fenders (CA), Sioux Falls Skyforce (SD) and Tulsa 66ers (OK) and Utah Flash (Orem). The Vipers NBA affiliates are the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and the New Orleans Hornets.

Check out the Rio Grande Valley Vipers Statistics

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NBA G League Stories from December 2, 2007


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