# News 1/28



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Thunderbirds Stun Vipers 95 - 93

*Albuquerque, N.M., January 23, 2008 - The Albuquerque Thunderbirds defeated the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 95 - 93 rallying from 15 points down late in the third quarter. The win snaps the Thunderbirds four game losing streak and extends the Vipers losing streak to four straight. 
Desmon Farmer led all scorers in a losing effort with 30 on 8 of 21 shooting. Quin Humphrey was one of five Vipers who scored double digits, pitching in a double - double 15 points and 10 rebounds. Former UNM Lobo Kris Collins added 14 points off the bench for the Vipers. 

Ali Berdiel led the Thunderbirds in his first game back from injuries with 26 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Four other Thunderbirds scored in double digits including Elijah Ingram who scored 18 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. 

Farmer led all scorers in the first quarter pitching in 10 of the Vipers 23 first quarter points. Josh Gross added 9 points for the Thunderbirds on 4 of 6 shooting in the quarter. After one quarter of play both teams were deadlocked at 23 - 23. 

Rio Grande Valley opened the second quarter with a 9 - 4 run vaulting them into the lead. The Vipers went 7 for 7 from the free throw line in the quarter and used a late 12 - 2 run to help them to a 54 - 43 half time lead. 

The Vipers jumped out to a 15 point lead in the third quarter. The Thunderbirds rallied after the ejection of Head Coach Jeff Ruland with just three minutes remaining in the quarter. Albuquerque closed the quarter on an 11 - 2 run to close to 71 - 75 after three. 

Both teams struggled to gain an advantage in the fourth quarter until Daniel Horton hit a jumper in the lane with 18.5 seconds remaining, giving the Thunderbirds the lead for good. 

Both teams get back to action against one another Friday, January 25th at Tingley Coliseum; game time is set for 7:00 pm. Friday will be "Faith and Family Night" group tickets are available for any interested congregations and their families. 

Thunderbirds 2007-08 single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at abqtbirds.com, any Ticketmaster location or at the Thunderbirds front office at 111 Lomas Blvd. NE, Suite 240, Albuquerque, NM 87102. For premium or group seating call the Thunderbirds office at (505) 265-DUNK. 

The Thunderbirds stay focused on the community by participating in community events such as the Read to Achieve Program as well as D-League Cares. In the past two seasons the Thunderbirds have worked over 3,000 hours in the community, staying dedicated to Albuquerque and New Mexico.
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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Brown leads 14ers to win over Toros*

AUSTIN, TX - Elton Brown scored 23 points and Kaniel Dickens added 22 and the Colorado 14ers used red-hot shooting from behind the 3-point line in the first three quarters to beat the Austin Toros 118-104 on Wednesday night at the Austin Convention Center.The 14ers finished 12 of 27 from behind the 3-point line and led by as many 26 points early in the fourth quarter and shot 51 percent from the floor for the game.
The 14ers were 11 of 22 from behind the 3-point line at the end of three quarters.
Brown added 12 rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes for Colorado, who have won five of their past six games. Colorado had five players scoring in double figures including 20 points from Billy Thomas and 18 from Eddie Gill.
Austin was led in scoring by 24 points from Keith Langford and 18 from San Antonio Spurs assignee Ian Mahinmi. Justin Reed scored a season-high 17 points for Austin, who fell to 15-7 on the season.
Colorado improves to 14-9 and play the Toros tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Charlotte Bobcats Assign Jermareo Davidson to D-League's Sioux Falls Skyforce*

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2008 - The Charlotte Bobcats today assigned rookie forward Jermareo Davidson to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Davidson is the 26th player and the 32nd assignment to the D-League from the NBA this season, and is the first assignment from the Bobcats to the Skyforce. Davidson, 6-10, 230-pounds, has appeared in 16 games for Charlotte this season, averaging 2.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.2 minutes. In seven preseason games for the Bobcats, Davidson averaged 7.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.6 minutes. 
Originally selected in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft (36th overall) by the Golden State Warriors, Davidson was acquired by the Bobcats in a draft night trade with the Warriors. A four-year starter at the University of Alabama, Davidson finished his collegiate career averaging 10.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 126 games. During his senior season, Davidson averaged 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 30 games. Davidson was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Second Team in 2006-07 by the coaches and earned Honorable Mention All-SEC accolades by the Associated Press. 
Davidson will join the Skyforce in Orem, Utah when Sioux Falls travels to face off against the Utah Flash on Friday, Jan. 25.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Bulls Recall Curry From D-League; Rookie To Undergo Left Thumb Surgery*

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has recalled JamesOn Curry from the D-League's Iowa Energy. He was most recently assigned to the Energy on Jan. 7, his second tour of duty with the Bulls' D-League affiliate. He was also on assignment with the Energy from Nov. 15 - Dec. 17, 2007. Upon being recalled, Curry is scheduled to undergo left thumb surgery. 
Curry (6-3, 190) has not appeared in a regular season game with the Bulls since Chicago selected him in the second round (51st overall) of NBA Draft 2007. In 13 D-League games this season, he averaged 20.2 ppg, 5.6 apg, 3.2 rpg and 1.08 spg in 39.7 mpg. He also shot .463 from the floor, including .377 from three-point range, and .719 from the free throw line.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Langford leads Toros over 14ers*

AUSTIN, TX - Keith Langford scored 24 points and Justin Reed added 23 and eight rebounds helping lead the Toros to a 102-93 victory over the Colorado 14ers on Thursday night. Austin snapped a three-game home losing streak and avenged their Wednesday loss to the 14ers.San Antonio Spurs assignee Ian Mahinmi added 19 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Carldell Johnson dished out a team-high six assists and three steals. The Toros dominated the 14ers in the paint 44-26 and had a 26-11 advantage on fast break points.
Kaniel Dickens scored a team-high 27 points and Eddie Gill added 23. Dickens also led the team in rebounds with 12 and had three steals.
The Toros improved to 17-7 on the season and first in the Southwest Division. Colorado, who have won five of their past six games, fell to 14-11.
Austin travels to Tulsa to take on the 66ers on Saturday and Colorado goes home to take on Dakota on Sunday.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*66ers Cast Cold Spell On Wizards*

TULSA, Okla., January 24, 2008 - The Tulsa 66ers snapped Central Division leaders, the Dakota Wizards, three game win streak with a 110-100 win on Thursday night at the Expo Square Pavilion. Undeniably, it was a see-saw battle, as the 66ers and the Wizards found themselves tied eight times with 11 lead changes. Nick Fazekas, on assignment from the Dallas Mavericks, scored 16 points and Ramon Sessions added 15 points in the first half as Tulsa took a two-point lead into intermission, 57-55. Carlos Powell scored 19 points and Kevin Lyde added 10 points in the first half for Dakota.
The second half was just as close, with Tulsa and Dakota trading baskets to tie the score 94-94 with less than 4 minutes to play. Ramon Sessions continued with a hot second half, as he scored 20 points in the final two quarters, and finished with a career-high 35 points for the game. 

Nick Fazekas (20 points), Adam Harrington (19 points), Scott Merritt (14 points) and David Noel, recently assigned by the Milwaukee Bucks who finished with 15 points, also finished in double-figures.

The Wizards (16-9) were led in scoring by Carlos Powell who finished with 32 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Blake Ahearn poured in 21 points, Will Frisby added 12 points, and Kevin Lyde finished with 12 points. 

Tulsa will host Austin on Saturday night. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Expo Square Pavilion.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Livingston, Taylor Lead Idaho Over D-Fenders*

BOISE, Idaho (January 24, 2008) - The Idaho Stampede were able to extend their winning streak to 13 games by defeating the Los Angeles D- Fenders, 97-90 Thursday night in Boise. The victory also continues the Stampede's dominance at home, breaking the D-League record for home wins in a row at 12 games. 
Idaho guard Randy Livingston fell just three rebounds shy of a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Mike Taylor provided a spark off the bench with a team-high 24 points, and Josh McRoberts, on an NBA assignment from the Portland Trail Blazers, added 11 points. Brent Petway, while held scoreless, pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds for the Stampede in the win.

In a seesaw battle the entire night, Los Angeles looked to pull away early, going on a 10-2 run to start the game. Idaho answered right back with a 6-0 run of their own, which cut the lead to two points after a Cory Violette lay up. The Stampede shot nearly 58% in the quarter, but Sean Banks' 11 points in the period helped to secure a 26-23 advantage for Los Angeles heading into the second quarter. Both teams shot 9-for-20 in the second quarter to go into halftime with the D-Fenders leading 52-51.

Banks led the D-Fenders in the third period as well, scoring 10 points as both teams struggled from the field. Idaho shot 6-for-21 and Los Angeles shot 4-for-18 in the quarter. Neither team scored over 15 points total, and only after a Devin Green three-pointer with 3.4 seconds remaining, did Los Angeles hold on to a 67-65 lead heading into the final period.

Taylor scored 16 of his points in the final quarter, as Idaho rallied to a 92-83 lead after a Livingston three-pointer with 2:21 remaining in the game. A 7-0 run by the D-Fenders, capped by two lay ups by Green and Jelani McCoy, cut Idaho's lead to just two points with 33 seconds remaining. But Livingston dished to Taylor on the right wing, and he buried a three-pointer with 22 seconds left to put the game out of reach. 

Los Angeles (15-7) drops to two and half games behind Idaho in the Western Division. The D-Fenders were led by Banks, who finished with a game-high 27 points, 13 of which came from the foul line. Green grabbed 11 rebounds, while L.A.'s bench contributed with Cecil Brown adding 16 points, and Stephane Lasme and McCoy each scoring 10 points.

Both teams will battle again on Saturday in Boise at 7 p.m. mountain standard time.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Utah Jazz Re-Assign Morris Almond to D-League Affiliate Utah Flash*

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2008 - The Utah Jazz today re-assigned rookie guard Morris Almond to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Utah Flash. Almond was first assigned to the Flash on Dec. 6, before being recalled by the Jazz on Jan. 8. Almond, 6-6, 225-pounds, has appeared in six regular season games for the Jazz. During his first stint with the Flash, Almond played in 10 games and averaged a league-leading 29.8 points, to go with 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 37.6 minutes per game. Almond was named D-League.com Performer of the Week for games played during the week of Dec. 17 after averaging 43.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals while shooting 47 percent from the field. On Dec. 21, Almond scored a D-League record-tying 51 points in a win over the Austin Toros. 
Selected by the Jazz in the first round (25th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, Almond was a four-year contributor at Rice University, where he averaged 15.1 points and 3.5 rebounds over the course of his career and was named Conference USA Player of the Year as a senior after setting single-season conference records for points average (26.4 ppg), points scored (884) and free throws made (241). Additionally, Almond earned First Team All-Conference USA honors during his junior and senior seasons and finished his career as Rice's fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,825 points. 
Jazz fans can stay in step with Almond and Fesenko during their time with the Flash by logging onto http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/dleague_webcasts.html to watch all D-League games streamed live for free.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Vipers Acquire Kyle Davis*

McAllen, Texas, January 12, 2008 - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers today announced the acquisition of center Kyle Davis. Davis, a 6-10 center from Auburn University, the all-time leader in Auburn history, second in SEC history, and 24th in NCAA history with 360 career blocked shots. In 2004 Davis signed a two year deal with the New Jersey Nets, but was released a few months later in November 2004. Since then he has spent time in the USBL, and was in the Indiana Pacers Summer League. Davis is expected to play tonight when the Vipers face the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the fourth game in a six game road swing. The Vipers return home to face the Utah Flash on February 3rd at 1:00 PM. 
Entering its seventh season, the NBA Development League - the NBA's minor league established to develop talent across all disciplines for the NBA - has relocated its headquarters from Greenville, S.C. to New York City to help foster the D-League's continued growth by giving it direct access to the support and resources of the NBA and WNBA. During the 2006-07 season, 19 NBA teams assigned 24 players to D-League rosters, and 14 NBA teams called-up 16 players ('Gatorade Call-ups') while 31 D-League alumni participated in the NBA Playoffs. Additionally, every referee hired the NBA since 2002 has worked in the D-League, while coaches, athletic trainers and front office executives are also being developed. The 2007-08 NBA season will also include the first-ever D-League coach to be promoted to the NBA with Sam Vincent taking over head coaching duties for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the D-League offers NBA-quality basketball and fun, family entertainment at affordable prices. 
For more information on the NBA Development League or tryouts with other D-League teams, visit www.d-league.com.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Vipers drop fifth straight in New Mexico*

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers could not find an offensive rhythm after the first quarter and could not hold back a roaring Albuquerque Thunderbird offense in the final three periods as they dropped their fifth consecutive game 99-76 at Tingley Coliseum. The Vipers have dropped their last nine in a row on the road and 10 in a row within the division. The Vipers were without forward Stanley Asumnu for the second straight game who is out with flu-like symptoms.Rio Grande Valley started off slow falling behind 10-0 after a pair of Ali Berdiel free-throws. The Vipers fought back to take a 22-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was not kind to the Vipers as the Thunderbirds went on a 15-5-run to take a 17 point lead at the end of the first half. Albuquerque outscored Rio Grande Valley 32-14 in the second.
"We just didn't play all that well tonight like we had been playing," Vipers head coach Bob Hoffmann said. "Give credit to (Albuquerque) they shot the ball well and we didn't."
The Vipers attempted to close the gap in the third quarter. A Quin Humphrey 20-footer at the 5:45 mark in the third frame closed the deficit to 10. However, the Vipers would never see the gap closer than that in the remainder of the game. The Vipers fell behind by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter and produced their lowest scoring output of the season of 76 points. Their previous low was 79 last Sunday in Colorado.
Trent Strickland had a double-double and led all scorers with 21 points and 10 boards. Kris Collins added 14 points of the bench and Quannas White tied his season high with 10 points. Desmon Farmer would not make a shot from the field in 11 attempts and scored just four points. New back-up center Kyle Davis scored eight points and blocked a shot in his Viper debut. Josh Gross led all Thunderbird scorers with 20 points off the bench.
The Vipers will continue their current six game road swing in Bakersfield, California on Sunday afternoon for a 6:00 pm CST tip-off. Rio Grande Valley.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Backcourt Leads Sioux Falls To Victory Over Flash*

OREM, Utah, Jan. 25, 2008- Elton Nesbitt, David Bailey and Carl Elliot combined for 57 points as the Sioux Falls Skyforce defeated the Utah Flash, 101-97, in NBA Development League action Friday at the McKay Events Center. 
Nesbitt led all scorers with 20 points, including 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point line. Bailey added 18 points and Elliot contributed 19 points off the Skyforce bench. 

"We probably start the smallest backcourt in the D-League, and anytime you can get that kind of production from those guys (Nesbitt, Bailey and Elliot), you are going to win a lot of games." Sioux Falls head coach Nate Tibbetts said. 

Sioux Falls improves to 11-14 on the season and heads to Albuquerque to take on the Thunderbirds Saturday at Tingley Coliseum. The Flash fall to 13-11 and head to Los Angeles to take on the D-Fenders on Sunday in the first of a six-game road trip. 

The Skyforce set the tone early with a 34-point first quarter and then took advantage of the 22 Utah turnovers to send a McKay Events Center crowd of 5,594 home disappointed. 

"They set the tone early by coming out and hitting a bunch of shots while our guys just kind of stood around." Flash coach Brad Jones said. "I didn't think we came out and let them know that they were in for a fight."

All five Utah starters scored in double-digits. Kevin Kruger was an assist shy of a double-double and scored 18 points. Britton Johnsen chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively. Brian Jackson and Kyrylo Fesenko each finished with 11 points. 

"Utah is a very well coached team and we knew that they would battle for the full 48-minutes." Tibbetts said. "We knew we wanted to get off to a really quick start and for some reason we did that tonight."

Kasib Powell finished with 16 points for the Skyforce and Michael Joiner recorded 10.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Thunderbirds Cruise Past Vipers*

Albuquerque, N.M., January 25, 2008 - The Albuquerque Thunderbirds dominated the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 97 - 74. Josh Gross led all scorers with 20 points for Albuquerque followed by teammate Daniel Horton with 18. Ali Berdiel picked up where he left off last game for the Thunderbirds, posting solid all around statistics with 16 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds. 
Trent Strickland was the lone bright spot for the Vipers, scoring 21 points on 6 for 9 shooting and hitting on 9 of 12 free throws. Kris Collins chipped in 14 for Rio Grande Valley off the bench for the struggling Vipers who dropped their fifth straight game. 

The game was a low scoring affair for Rio Grande Valley, they managed only 36 points in the first half, shooting a dismal 28.6% from the floor. Nearly half the Vipers points came from the free throw line as they made 16 out of 22 attempts.

After starting the game cold, the Vipers turned a 10 - 0 deficit into a 22 - 21 lead by the end of the first quarter. Rio Grande Valley capitalized on 8 Thunderbirds turnovers in the quarter. The Thunderbirds answered in the second quarter with timely shooting and tough defensive rebounding, helping them to a 63 - 36 halftime lead. 

Things only got worse for Rio Grande Valley in the second half as the Thunderbirds opened up their biggest lead at 27 points despite committing 22 turnovers. Albuquerque won the battle of the boards, grabbing 47 to just 34 by the Vipers. They trailed only once in the game, at the end of the first quarter. 

The Albuquerque Thunderbirds will face the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Saturday, January 26th at Tingley Coliseum; game time is set for 7:00 pm. Saturday will be "Spirit Night" featuring the Cheerleading 101 Camp presented by Team Athletic Supply. 

Thunderbirds 2007-08 single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at abqtbirds.com, any Ticketmaster location or at the Thunderbirds front office at 111 Lomas Blvd. NE, Suite 240, Albuquerque, NM 87102. For premium or group seating call the Thunderbirds office at (505) 265-DUNK. 

The Thunderbirds stay focused on the community by participating in community events such as the Read to Achieve Program as well as D-League Cares. In the past two seasons the Thunderbirds have worked over 3,000 hours in the community, staying dedicated to Albuquerque and New Mexico.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Seven Players Score in Rage's 7-1 Win*

Youngstown, Ohio - Seven different players scored goals and goaltender Terry Dunbar made 43 saves as the Rocky Mountain Rage defeated the Youngstown SteelHounds, 7-1, at the Chevrolet Centre. Two hard-working goals off rebounds staked Rocky Mountain to a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes. First David Morelli found the back of the net at 11:23 before Nathan Rosychuk also scored a garbage goal at 16:42.
The Rage then broke the game open in the second half of the middle period. Clay Plume scored on the power play at 10:07, which was followed by Daymen Rycroft's league-leading 33rd of the season at 17:00. Rycroft's tally extended his CHL season-high goal-scoring streak to nine straight games.
Youngstown spoiled Dunbar's shutout bid soon thereafter, though, when Kevin Jarman fired home a one-timer from the slot on the power play at 17:35. Rocky Mountain was not content to take a 4-1 lead into the third and struck twice more in the final minute of the second. Simon Watson cashed in a feed from Rosychuk at 19:04, and Scott Wray was sprung behind the ‘Hounds defense for his 23rd of the season at 19:54 to give the visitors a 6-1 lead through 40 minutes.
Brent Cullaton, who leads the CHL with now 54 assists, set-up Trevor Weisgerber for his 18th of the campaign at 17:23 of the third for the final margin.
The Rage now have a record of 28-6-3 with 59 points and still have yet to lose two straight games in regulation this season as they avenged last night's 5-3 loss to Youngstown. 
The rubber match in the three-game set is tomorrow afternoon, which can be heard live on The New ESPN Radio 1600 beginning with the pre-game show at 1:55 p.m. MST. Fans can also catch live audio and video of tomorrow's tilt online via www.rockymountainrage.com. 
Rocky Mountain then continues its longest road trip of the season with games in Laredo (Jan. 30), Corpus Christi (Feb. 1), Rio Grande Valley (Feb. 2), and Tulsa (Feb. 5) before finally returning home to Broomfield Event Center on Feb. 8 and 9 against the Arizona Sundogs and Odessa Jackalopes, respectively. 
Single-game tickets for the remainder of the 2007-08 regular season are available with prices ranging from $18 - $43 per seat (parking included). Fans can purchase tickets at Broomfield Event Center's box office or through Ticketmaster by logging-on to www.Ticketmaster.com, calling (303) 830-TIXS, or visiting any Ticketmaster retail outlet. 
For group ticket information, please call the Rage at (303) 439-RAGE or visit www.rockymountainrage.com.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Thunderbirds Nipped by Skyforce*

Albuquerque, N.M., January 26, 2008 - The Sioux Falls Skyforce got a tip basket from Chris Alexander with 3.2 seconds remaining giving them a 103 - 102 victory over the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. Josh Gross had a game high 23 points and teammate Daniel Horton scored 19 for Albuquerque. 
The tip by Alexander, who had an impressive outing with 17 points and 17 rebounds, saved the Skyforce from an amazing comeback by the Thunderbirds, who managed to outscore Sioux Falls 10 - 2 in the final two minutes of the game. A three point make by Horton with just 24 seconds remaining in the game gave Albuquerque their first lead, 103 - 102, since the opening basket of the game.

The Thunderbirds played the entire game from behind; overcoming double digit deficits only to have them balloon back up again. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Skyforce led by 13 points. 

It was a physical game from the opening tip for both teams-Albuquerque committed 27 fouls compared to 21 by Sioux Falls. Two missed free throws by Darvin Ham with 9.7 seconds left in the game left the door open for the Skyforce

Six different Thunderbirds players reached double figures in scoring compared to five Skyforce players. Kasib Powell led Sioux Falls with 18 points and three players including Alexander added 17 apiece. 

The Skyforce held their largest lead of the game, 14 points, midway through the second quarter. Albuquerque managed to keep it within striking distance and stole momentum going into halftime with a 3 pointer by Elijah Ingram and buzzer beating bucket by Ham which cut the Sky Force lead to 57 - 52. 

The Albuquerque Thunderbirds get back to action against the Dakota Wizards on Friday, February 1st at Tingley Coliseum; game time is set for 7:00 pm. The game will be themed "Public Safety Night" and feature a basketball game between firefighters and police officers following the Thunderbirds game. 

Thunderbirds 2007-08 single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at abqtbirds.com, any Ticketmaster location or at the Thunderbirds front office at 111 Lomas Blvd. NE, Suite 240, Albuquerque, NM 87102. For premium or group seating call the Thunderbirds office at (505) 265-DUNK. 

The Thunderbirds stay focused on the community by participating in community events such as the Read to Achieve Program as well as D-League Cares. In the past two seasons the Thunderbirds have worked over 3,000 hours in the community, staying dedicated to Albuquerque and New Mexico.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Stampede Overcome Brown's 41 Points For 14th Straight*

OISE, Idaho (January 26, 2008) - Cecil Brown scored 41 points on 14-for-18 shooting for Los Angeles, but the D-Fenders fell for the second straight game to the Idaho Stampede 100-99 on Saturday. The win for Idaho over their Western Division rivals secures their 14th straight overall win, and sets a franchise and NBA D-League record 13th straight home win. Two free throws in the final seconds by Idaho's Mike Taylor gave the Stampede the win, on his way to a team-high 21 points and 10 assists off the bench. 
"We fought off a very good team tonight," said Stampede Head Coach Bryan Gates. "Our crowd was in a frenzy all game long and they really helped us pull out the win."

The D-Fenders looked for revenge for Thursday's loss to Idaho, extending to a 12-point lead midway through the second quarter on two Brian Chase jumpers and two Stephane Lasme lay ups. Five turnovers in the latter half of the second quarter by Los Angeles helped Idaho make a 19-10 run, cutting the D-Fenders lead to 55-52 at halftime. Both teams shot well during the second period, as Idaho shot 14-for-20 from the field and Los Angeles shot 11-for-17 in the quarter.

The Stampede tied the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter at 76 apiece, on a Roberto Bergersen jump shot from just inside the three-point arc. Then, with 1:55 remaining in the game, Randy Livingston hit a 20-foot jumper from the left wing to put Idaho ahead 98-91. Los Angeles rattled off eight straight points to take a 99-98 lead with 18.4 seconds remaining, after a Brown lay up and free throw following a foul by Idaho's Lance Allred on the shot. Taylor then drove toward the basket, drawing the foul on Brian Chase, which led to the final two free throws that sealed the win for the Stampede.

Idaho overcame a 26-to-9 advantage in made free throws for the D-Fenders, by shooting 55% from the field and having a 60-to-32 advantage scoring in the paint during the contest.

Including Taylor, Idaho had five players score in double figures. Bergersen finished with 17 points; Allred added 15 points and eight rebounds and Josh McRoberts finished with 14 points. Mouhamed Sene contributed 10 points and six rebounds, and Livingston dished out 13 assists. 

Led by Brown, who also shot 11-for-11 from the free throw stripe, Brian Chase scored 23 points and Lasme pitched in 13 points for Los Angeles in defeat. The loss is the fourth straight for Los Angeles (15-8), as they head back home to face the Utah Flash for two games.

The victory gives Idaho (18-5) a 10-0 record against their Western Division foes, as they will play the Bakersfield Jam next Friday before heading to Anaheim for a two game series against the Arsenal.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*66ers Pull Out Close Game Against Toros*

TULSA, Okla., January 26, 2008 - The Tulsa 66ers faced off against the Austin Toros Saturday night at the Expo Square Pavilion. An intense game in front of an enthusiastic crowd resulted with a close win for the 66ers as they beat the Toros by seven with a final score of 114 - 107. 
Tulsa built its lead to as many as 13 points, but could not pull away as Austin cut the lead down to one with 1:23 to play. At that point, Hall answered, hitting a jump shot to broaden the gap, sealing the victory for the 66ers.

"To go (0-4) against the number one team in our division and get this win tonight is big time," said 66ers assistant head coach Aaron Swinson. "Tomorrow is going to be a battle, so we have to be prepared for whatever the Toros bring."

Tulsa placed six players in double figures. Ramon Sessions led the way and finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists for his first triple-double of the season. Nick Fazekas, on assignment from the Dallas Mavericks, added 21 points and 14 rebounds for the only double-double of the night, Mike Hall finished with 19 points, David Noel from the Milwaukee Bucks, chipped in with 16 points, Adam Harrington added 15 points, and Jason Fontenet finished with a game-high of 12 points. 

"We played an awesome team who had our number for the last four times, so to be able to come out and get a win was a great feeling," said Ramon Sessions. "On behalf of the triple-double, I could not have done it without my teammates; it was a good overall win."

The Toros were led with 27 points from Forward Justin Reed. Keith Langford (25 points), DerMarr Johnson (17 points), Ian Mahinmi, on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, (14 points) and Carldell Johnson (10 points) also scored double-digits.

The 66ers will take on the Austin Toros again Sunday afternoon at Expo Square Pavilion. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. as Tulsa teams up with KOTV for Project Warmth.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Arsenal Beat Jam 102-93*

Anaheim, Calif., January 26, 2008 - The last time the Anaheim Arsenal and the Bakersfield Jam met was a week ago at the NBA Development League Showcase, in Boise, Idaho. The Jam came away with the victory 98-76. Jam center James Peters then led the team with 20 points and 3 rebounds, but last night it was Anaheim forward Steven Smith who helped push the Arsenal to victory with 25 points and 5 assists. 
After the game Steven Smith said, "It was a much needed victory. The team played well. Everyone stepped up and was ready to play, but more importantly it was a fun game." 

In the first half the Arsenal and the Jam traded both points and turnovers. The Arsenal racked up 7 turnovers to the Jam's 6. Arsenal play was ignited when guard Yuta Tabuse drove to the basket, flying by two Jam defenders. His quick play and passing energized the Arsenal as they took a 42-35 lead with 6:18 left in the half. 

It was the three-point shooting by the Arsenal that put them ahead by seven points going into halftime. The Arsenal were five for eight from the three-point line, and the Jam made both of their two attempted three-pointers.

The Arsenal led at half time 57-50, and shot 57.5% from the field in the first half. Andre Barrett led the Jam in scoring in the first half with 10 points while Will Blalock led the Arsenal with 15 points. 

Commenting on the game, Will Blalock said, "Everyone played well, and we really needed the win. We executed well and that's why we won." 

The Jam came out of halftime with quick play forcing Arsenal turnovers and outscored the Arsenal in the third quarter 27-22. But the Arsenal kept the lead with big shots by Steven Smith and Kedrick Brown. Yuta Tabuse sparked the Arsenal by spreading the ball around allowing Ivan Johnson and Steven Smith to pick up easy jumpers. New Arsenal player Mo Charlo picked up a three pointer with 10:06 left in the game giving the Arsenal the 87-79 lead. 

After being in foul trouble for most of the game, center Marcus Campbell took the ball to the hoop off a no look pass from Yuta Tabuse, and picked up an easy two points. Steven Smith was fouled on a drive to the lane with 8:11 left in the game and went two for two at the line, bringing the score to 93-79. 

The Jam picked away at the Arsenal bringing them within four points with 3:44 left in the game. The Jam pushed the ball up the court when Ivan Johnson blocked a 14-foot shot by Trey Johnson. Steven Smith scored two points off his own rebound making the score 100-91 with two minutes left in the game. Will Blalock went on a fast break off a jump ball and threw down slam dunk, giving the Arsenal a 102-91 lead with one minute left in the game. Andre Barrett then scored on a lay up giving the Jam two more points, but it was too little too late, as the Arsenal walked away with the win 102-93.

Arsenal Head Coach Reggie Geary said after the game, "It was a good win. I felt like it was a good concentrated effort by the team. Will & Yuta did an excellent job and Steven gave that offensive punch. It was a great defensive performance especially against such an explosive team as Bakersfield."

Jam point guard Andre Barrett led the Bakersfield Jam with 26 points to go along with 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Nick Lewis, out of the University of San Diego, played well for the Jam turning in 18 points and 5 rebounds.

A total of 25% of NBA draft choices have played in the D-League over the past two seasons. During the 2006-2007 season 24 NBA players were assigned to play in the D-League since the creation of the affiliation system in 2005. Assigned players have included 2006 lottery picks Patrick O'Bryant (Ninth overall selection by Golden State, assigned to Bakersfield Jam) and Mouhamed Sene (10th overall pick by Seattle, assigned to Idaho Stampede). Many of the players utilized their time in the D-League to work on various aspects of their game which needed improvement, and then returned to the NBA where they made an impact. Gerald Green, for example averaged 5.2 points per game with the Boston Celtics during his rookie season of 2005-2006. During that season he was sent to the D-League twice, where the high-flier worked on his outside shot, his ball handling and other skills which the club felt needed seasoning. Green utilized the D-League to improve his game drastically, and the result was evident the following year when he posted averages of 10.4 points and 2.6 rebounds, which doubled his output from his rookie campaign.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Tulsa tops the Toros*

TULSA, Okla., January 27, 2008 - Tulsa (13-11) trailed by as many as 26 in the first half, but made a valiant comeback to top the visiting Austin Toros (16-8) 120-119 at Expo Square Pavilion Sunday afternoon. 
Tulsa guard Jason Fontenet scored 23 points off the bench assisting the 66ers to its fourth straight win and second straight over Austin, the top-ranked team in the Southwest division. The 66ers improve to 13-11 while the Toros drop 16-9.

"This game was special," said Tulsa head coach Joey Meyer. "When you are down 26 you can easily fold, these guys didn't do that and they fought."

Austin led by 13 points early in the second half, but the 66ers pulled even at 111-111 on Ramon Sessions' free-throw with 2:51 left.

After the Toros missed a 3-pointer, Sessions hit one foul shot with less than 1 minute left and Tulsa never trailed again.

Tulsa guard Ramon Sessions, from the Milwaukee Bucks, scored 18 of his team-high 28 points in the second half; Jason Fontenet netted seven of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to help the home team secure the win. The 66ers shot 58 percent for the game, compared to Austin's 46 percent.

Joining Sessions and Fontenet in double-digit scoring were Nick Fazekas, from the Dallas Mavericks, who finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, Mike Hall finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and David Noel, on assignment from the Milwaukee Bucks, with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Austin was led by Ian Mahinmi's 32 points. DerMarr Johnson joined in for 25 points, Keith Langford, who was fouled out in the fourth quarter, finished with 19 points. Justin Reed finished the contest with 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds and former 66er, Cheyne Gadson, finished with 15 points and five assists.

On February 1st, Tulsa will face the Rio Grande Valley Vipers at Expo Square Pavilion. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*D-Fenders Surge Past Flash*

EL SEGUNDO, CA - The Los Angeles D-Fenders jumped out to a 13-0 lead and never looked back as they cruised to a 95-71 victory over the Utah Flash Sunday at STAPLES Center. 
Los Angeles (16-8) enjoyed their return home as they broke a four game losing streak, all on the road. The game was delayed 30 minutes due to a stoppage during the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game beforehand; however, Cecil Brown did not cool off during the wait. After scoring 41 points the night before at Idaho, Brown dropped in 21 points in the first half of tonight's game, giving the D-Fenders a comfortable 51-41 lead at the break.

"I thought the difference tonight was our defense. We turned our defense up in order to get off the losing streak that we were on." said D-Fenders Assistant Coach Chucky Brown. "We made a concentrated effort to help each other out on defense."

Los Angeles used a 22-2 run to begin the fourth quarter, extending their lead to 38 with 4:52 remaining in the contest. Utah fell to 13-12 on the season with the loss.

Brown and D-Fenders forward Sean Banks finished with a game high 24 points. Banks' other major contributions came on the defensive end of the court with 11 rebounds and 3 steals, while holding Morris Almond, a Utah Jazz assigned player, to 8 points on 3-14 shooting.

"Los Angeles really came out and made some shots in the fourth quarter," said Flash Head Coach Brad Jones. "They started the quarter on a run and they took the life out of us. They were the aggressors all night long and at the end, that is what did us in."

Utah was led by Kevin Kruger and James Lang who scored 10 and 11, respectively. As a team, Utah was held to just 30.9% shooting. 

Los Angeles and Utah will square off again Tuesday, with a 3:30 p.m. scheduled tip-off at STAPLES Center.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Dakota Hangs on to Win at Colorado*

DENVER - Jan. 27, 2008 - After building a 24 point first-half lead, the Dakota Wizards held off a late Colorado rally to beat the 14ers 113-109 in Broomfield on Sunday night. With the win Dakota improves its Central Division leading mark to 17-9 on the season. Colorado falls to 14-11 on the year and remains two games behind Austin in the Southwest Division.

The Wizards used 29-19 advantage in the second quarter to take a 57-41 lead to the locker room at the half. Carlos Powell helped break the game open with 11 of his game-high 30 points in the period. Dakota led by as many as 24 in the first half before Colorado mounted a fourth quarter comeback.

"I thought we played really well defensively. We got the stops when we needed to down the stretch," said Wizards Head Coach Duane Ticknor. "It's tough to win on the road in this league, and to get out of here with a win tonight is really a tribute to our guys and the way they came ready to play."

Despite an 86-71 deficit to start the fourth quarter, Colorado rallied on their home court to tie the game at 108 with 36 seconds remaining. Powell knocked down a pair of free throws to give Dakota a 2-point lead, and the 14ers failed to answer when Brian Greene missed one out of two from the free throw line on the ensuing possession with 17 seconds remaining. Rod Benson added two more clutch free throws for Dakota, and Kaniel Dickens 3-point attempt to tie it for Colorado fell short with one second left.

Dontell Jefferson added 22 points and five assists in the win, while Benson and Kevin Lyde also posted double-doubles in points and rebounds for the Wizards. 

Dickens led the 14ers with 27 points on the night. Eddie Gill added 19 points and 14 assists in the Colorado loss.

Dakota continues on the road Friday night when they will visit the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. Colorado will host the Iowa Energy in Broomfield on Friday night.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Vipers Lose Heartbreaker In Bakersfield 101-99*

Trent Strickland missed two potentially game tying free throws with .2 seconds remaining in regulation as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers fell to the Bakersfield Jam 101-99 Sunday night at Rabobank Arena. The Vipers losing streak has reached six games including 10 straight setbacks outside Dodge Arena. The win for Bakersfield was just their second in their last 10 games.The Vipers had the lead for the majority of the game and started the game on a 22-6 run to reach their largest lead of the game at 16. Desmon Farmer had 12 first quarter points as the Vipers led by nine at the first quarter break 25-16. The Vipers increased their lead to 11 points at halftime as they narrowly outscored the Jam 24-22 in the second. 
The Jam would take their first lead of the game at the 25.5-second mark of the third quarter on an Andre Barrett free throw. The Vipers regained the lead on a Jesse Smith lay-up on their next possession to take a 70-69 lead into the fourth quarter. The Vipers led by 92-82 with 4:21 remaining in regulation after a Quannas White jumper. The Jam would proceed on a 17-5 run, capped off by two Sccoter McFadgon free throws to take a 99-97 lead with 18.2 seconds remaining. The Vipers tied it on their next possession on a Jesse Smith lay-up to make the score 99-99 with a chance to take lead as Jam forward Michael Cuffee fouled Smith on his way up. A missed Smith free throw and a foul by Kris Collins sent Scooter McFadgon to the foul line to shoot the clinching free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining. 
Farmer, who did not convert a field goal in Friday's loss to Albuquerque, led all scorers with 28 points but fouled out with 18.2 seconds remaining. Four additional Vipers tallied double-figures in the loss including Jesse Smith's double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Quannas White scored 10 for the second straight night while dishing out 10 assists. James Peters scored 26 points to lead the way for the Jam who had six players reach double-figures. Nick Lewis scored 21 and was a rebound shy of a double-double, and point guard Andre Barrett was a rebound and an assist shy of a triple-double after finishing with 18 points.
The Vipers will return home and practice at the Summit Sports Club in Pharr before playing their final road game of their current six straight away from Dodge Arena at Tulsa on Friday. Game time at Expo Square Pavilion is 7:00 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.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*14ers Weekly Update*

LAST WEEK'S GAMES 
Jan. 20 vs. Rio Grande Valley - The 14ers winning streak reached three games with a 102-79 rout of the Vipers in Broomfield. Colorado outscored Rio Grande Valley 71-41 in the second half, as Elton Brown had another big game with 16 points and 15 rebounds.

Jan. 21 vs. Rio Grande Valley - Colorado scored a season-high 75 second half points to come from behind and beat the Vipers 112-108. Elton Brown poured in 22 points and pulled down 18 rebounds, while Kaniel Dickens scored a game-high 28 points. Eddie Gill chipped in 16 points and 14 assists in the victory.

Jan. 23 at Austin - Colorado built a 14 point first half lead and held on to win 118-104 on the road against the Southwest Division leading Toros. Elton Brown led the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Kaniel Dickens knocked down four of seven 3-point attempts and finished with 22 points in the win.

Jan. 24 at Austin - The 14ers were outscored by 11 points in the second half in suffering a 102-93 defeat at the Austin Convention Center. Kaniel Dickens had another big game in the loss, putting up a game-high 27 points and 12 rebounds for Colorado.

Jan. 27 vs. Dakota - The Wizards took a 24 point first half lead on the road and held off a late Colorado rally to take a 113-109 win. Six of the nine Dakota players scored in double figures led by Carlos Powell's 30 points. Kaniel Dickens pumped in 27 for the 14ers, while Eddie Gill added 19 points and 14 assists in the loss.

UPCOMING GAMES 

Friday, Feb. 1 vs. Iowa Energy, Broomfield Event Center at 7:00 p.m. MST 
Radio: KRKS 990 AM and KSXT 1570 AM
Live video streaming is available at www.14ershoops.com and www.nba.com/dleague

Tuesday, Feb. 5 vs. Utah Flash, Broomfield Event Center at 7:00 p.m. MST 
Radio: KCKK 1510 AM and KSXT 1570 AM
Live video streaming is available at www.14ershoops.com and www.nba.com/dleague

NOTES

Elton Brown's 17 double-doubles this season leads the D-League. 
Brown's 11.1 rebounds per contest ranks second in the D-League. 
Kaniel Dickens 22.0 points per game ranks fourth in the D-League, and his 33.2 points per 48 minutes is the second highest total in the league. 
Eddie Gill is averaging 7.4 assists per game, fourth in the D-League. 
Gill and Billy Thomas continue to rank first and second in the league in steals, combining for over five per game. 
Rookie Justin Cage is shooting .591 from the field, the fifth best field goal percentage in the D-League. 
Voting for the 2nd Annual D-League All-Star Game continues online at www.nba.com/dleague. 14ers players Elton Brown, Kaniel Dickens, Eddie Gill, Justin Cage, Terrence Crawford, Brian Greene, Damien Lolar, Eric Osmundson, Roderick Riley, and Billy Thomas are all on the All-Star ballot.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Flash Pick Up Sweetwyne*

PROVO, Utah, Jan. 28, 2008 - The Utah Flash has acquired guard Kevin Sweetwyne and waived center Aristide Sawadogo, general manager David Fredman announced today. 
Sweetwyne (6-3, 215) played collegiately at Idaho State, averaging 17.3 points and 4.1 rebounds as a junior, 16.3 points and 5.6 rebounds as a senior between 1998 and 2000. He played two seasons in the CBA with the Michigan Mayhem and in IBL last season with the Battle Creek Knights. Sweetwyne averaged 12.8 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Mayhem in 2004-05, 9.3 points, 2.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 2005-06.
"Kevin is a hard-nosed veteran who brings an element of toughness to our team," Fredman said. "With the addition of Kevin and Garry Hill-Thomas over the last week, we hopefully alter the personality of our club heading into a tough stretch of road games."
Acquired by Utah on Dec. 14, Sawadogo played in eight games for the Flash, averaging 5.0 minutes, 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds. His top game was nine points and five rebounds in 19 minutes against Austin on Dec. 21.
Sweetwyne is expected to be in uniform when the Flash plays at Los Angeles on Tuesday. He will wear jersey #18.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Spurs Recall Ian Mahinmi*

SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have recalled Ian Mahinmi from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League (D-League). 
In 24 games with the Toros, Mahinmi averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.20 blocks in 30.4 minutes. He is leading the D-League in field goal percentage, shooting .644 (154-239) from the field. He set career-highs with 32 points and 17 rebounds in a 90-79 win at Utah on 12/21. Mahinmi tied his points-high with 32 points at Tulsa on 1/27. 

The 6-11, 230-pound Mahinmi appeared in six games for the Spurs this season, averaging 3.5 points in 3.8 minutes per contest. He finished with a season-high 12 points and two blocks in 12 minutes of action vs. Milwaukee on Nov. 11. He was assigned to Austin on 11/21.

Originally selected by the Spurs in the first round (28th overall selection) of the 2005 NBA Draft, Mahinmi signed with the Silver and Black on Aug. 23, 2007. He has spent the past four seasons playing in the French A League. Last season he played for Pau-Orthez, appearing in 33 French League games, averaging 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game. He also saw action in 18 EuroLeague games, averaging 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per contest.

Mahinmi is the first player the Spurs have assigned to the Toros since Spurs Sports & Entertainment purchased the Austin franchise on June 28, 2007. The Spurs join the L.A. Lakers as the second NBA team to own a D-League team (the Lakers own the L.A. Defenders). Austin is led by first-year head coach Quin Snyder.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Tulsa's Ramon Sessions Named D-League.com Performer of the Week*

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2008 - Ramon Sessions of the Tulsa 66ers was today named D-League.com Performer of the Week for games played during the week of Jan. 21. Sessions averaged 29.6 points, 12.3 assists and 8.0 rebounds leading the 66ers to a 3-0 record. Sessions becomes the first D-League player to earn Performer of the Week honors twice during the 2007-08 season, having garnered the award for the week of Nov. 26. Sessions, a 6-3 guard on assignment from the Milwaukee Bucks, began the week on Thursday, scoring a season-high 35 points to go with 11 assists and seven rebounds in a win over the Dakota Wizards. On Saturday, Sessions posted the fifth triple-double in the D-League this season with 26 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds in a win over the Austin Toros. On Sunday, Sessions closed out the week with 28 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in a second win over Austin. 
A three-year product of Nevada, Sessions averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists during his final season with the Wolf Pack, scoring 20 or more points five times during the season and earning Second Team All-WAC honors. For his college career, Sessions averaged 8.8 points, 4.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds. He ranked second in Nevada history in assists (478) and ninth in steals (113) at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season. 
Other top performers in the D-League last week included Bakersfield's Andre Barrett, who averaged 22.0 points, 9.0 assists and 8.0 rebounds in two games for the Jam; Los Angeles' Cecil Brown who averaged 23.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in four games, including a 41-point game on Jan. 26; Kaniel Dickens, who averaged 26.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists in four games for Colorado; Nick Fazekas, who averaged 21.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists for Tulsa while on assignment from the Dallas Mavericks; Austin's Keith Langford, who finished with 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in for games for the Toros; and Dakota's Carlos Powell, who averaged 29.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in three games for the Wizards.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Timberwolves Assign Chris Richard to Sioux Falls Skyforce*

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2008 - The Minnesota Timberwolves today assigned rookie forward Chris Richard to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Richard, who is the 27th NBA player assigned to the D-League this season, is the first Timberwolves player to be assigned to the Skyforce. Richard, 6-9, 255-pounds, has appeared in 24 games for the Timberwolves, averaging 1.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.2 minutes, including a 10-point performance against Seattle on Dec. 14. Richard averaged 3.5 points and 4.8 rebounds, while shooting 54 percent from the field, in four games at the 2007 Toshiba Vegas Summer League. 
"Sioux Falls and the D-League will provide Chris with a great opportunity to play and gain valuable experience," said Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale. "Chris is a player that we really like and we think has a bright future. With the current schedule in Sioux Falls, he'll be able to have a few days of practice with the team before playing in several upcoming games." 
Selected in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft (41st overall), Richard was a four-year contributor at the University of Florida and finished his college career averaging 4.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 141 games. Richard's best season came during his senior year when he averaged 6.2 points and 3.7 rebounds and was named 2007 SEC Sixth Man of the Year. Additionally, Richards holds the title of winningest player in Florida history, having been a part of 112 wins, three SEC Tournament titles, an SEC East title, an SEC regular season title and two national titles in his four years in Gainesville. 
Timberwolves fans can stay in step with Richard during his time with the Skyforce, beginning on Friday, Feb. 1, when the Skyforce hosts the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, by logging onto http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/dleague_webcasts.html to watch all D-League games streamed live for free.


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