# news 1/20



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*D-League Showcase Presented by adidas Concludes in Boise

*NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2008 - The 2008 D-League Showcase presented by adidas featured four days of exciting minor league basketball, culminating with the hometown Idaho Stampede notching its 11th straight win, a 117-93 victory over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Nearly 60 NBA scouts and executives were in attendance throughout the event, which featured 14 games, two apiece for each of the D-League's 14 teams.There were several memorable performances, highlighted by Rio Grande Valley Vipers guard Shannon Brown scoring 26 and 37 points, respectively, before he was recalled by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brown's back-to-back outings earned him a spot on the All D-League Showcase First Team presented by adidas. 
Brown was joined on the First Team by guard Maurice Baker of the Dakota Wizards, who netted 41 points in a victory over the Iowa Energy on Jan. 14; forward Kasib Powell, of the Sioux Falls Skyforce, who connected on 20 of 35 shots from the floor during his team's two games; center Lance Allred of the Stampede, who collected 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 93-89 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Jan. 15; and Ian Mahinmi, who shot 66.7 percent from the field in two games, a victory over Sioux Falls and a loss to Los Angeles. The 6-11 center Mahinmi is currently on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs.
The Second Team featured guard Andre Barrett from the Bakersfield Jam; a pair of Los Angeles D-Fenders, Devin Green and Sean Banks; and a duo of Colorado 14ers, Kaniel Dickens and Elton Brown. 
The All D-League Showcase Honorable Mention included Iowa's Dwayne Mitchell; Keith Langford of the Toros; the Colorado 14ers' Eddie Gill; Sammy Mejia and Walker Russell of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants; Idaho's Randy Livingston, Michael Cuffee from the Bakersfield Jam; James Lang of the Utah Flash; the Tulsa 66ers' Nick Fazekas; Stephane Lasme of the D-Fenders; and Trent Strickland from the Vipers. 
All D-League Showcase First Team Presented by adidas
Guard Shannon Brown, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Guard Maurice Baker, Dakota Wizards
Forward Kasib Powell, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Center Lance Allred, Idaho Stampede
Center Ian Mahinmi, Austin Toros
All D-League Showcase Second Team Presented by adidas
Guard Andre Barrett, Bakersfield Jam
Guard Devin Green, Los Angeles D-Fenders
Forward Sean Banks, Los Angeles D-Fenders
Forward Kaniel Dickens, Colorado 14ers
Forward Elton Brown, Colorado 14ers
All D-League Showcase Honorable Mention Presented by adidas
Guard Dwayne Mitchell, Iowa Energy
Guard Keith Langford, Austin Toros
Guard Eddie Gill, Colorado 14ers
Guard Sammy Mejia, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Guard Walker Russell, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Guard Randy Livingston, Idaho Stampede
Guard Michael Cuffee, Bakersfield Jam
Forward James Lang, Utah Flash
Forward Nick Fazekas, Tulsa 66ers 
Forward Stephane Lasme, L.A. D-Fenders
Forward Trent Strickland, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Stampede Exterminate Mad Ants*

BOISE, Idaho (January 17, 2008) - Seven players of the ten overall on the roster for the Idaho Stampede finished with double figures in the scoring column, as Idaho finished off the 2008 NBA D-League Showcase with a resounding 117-93 win over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. 
"I'm very proud of our effort and the way we defended the ball," said Stampede Head Coach Bryan Gates. "We had 17 turnovers in the first half, then we decided to take care of the ball after that and it showed. Every one of our guys rose to the occasion, and I'm very proud of them."

Idaho looked to squash the Mad Ants early in the game, finishing the first quarter up 30-19. Cory Violette paced the Stampede in the period with 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a three-pointer. Violette finished the game with 19 points, and pulled down six rebounds.

The teams played even through the middle two quarters, until the Stampede got red hot in the fourth quarter, shooting 17-for-24 (70.8%) and outscoring the Mad Ants 42-28 in the period. Mike Taylor scored 17 of his team-high 20 points off the bench in the final period, and also dished out six assists in the victory.

"We hung in there for a while. They hurt us on the inside some, so we tried to change up the way we play pick and rolls," said Fort Wayne Head Coach Kent Davison. "They hit a barrage of threes on us when we were already down by 10.and it sort of broke our back. (Idaho) played really well in the fourth quarter and it looked like we were a little tired. That's what happens when you've been on the road as much as we have, and you're playing the (host) team. They played very well."

Lance Allred finished with 15 points and seven rebounds for Idaho, while Mouhamed Sene, on an NBA assignment from the Seattle SuperSonics, added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Ernest Scott was 3-for-6 from three-point range and finished with 13 points. Randy Livingston added his twelfth double double of the season, putting in 12 points and dishing out 12 assists. Roberto Bergersen added 11 points in the win for the Stampede.

Ron Howard, who finished with a game-high 23 points, and Walker Russell with 22 points and eight assists off the bench, paced Fort Wayne. Corey Minnifield added 14 points and seven rebounds and Sammy Mejia contributed 13 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

Idaho extends their winning streak to 11 games overall.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Mejia and Russell Earn D-League Showcase Honors*

After two impressive performances this week, Fort Wayne Mad Ants' forward Sammy Mejia and point guard Walker Russell Jr. were named to the 2008 NBA D-League Showcase Honorable Mention Team. Nearly 60 NBA scouts and executives were in attendance for the 2008 D-League Showcase presented by Adidas, which featured 14 games, two apiece for each of the D-League's 14 teams. The Mad Ants were held winless at the event as they took on two of the toughest teams in the league, the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Showcase hosts, the Idaho Stampede. 
In two games for the Mad Ants, Russell caught the eye of many scouts and onlookers, averaging 19.5 points and 9 assists in 30.5 minutes of play. Teammate, Mejia also turned some heads, averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds in 41.5 minutes of play. 
The showcase came at the tail end of a lengthy road trip this month on which they finished with a 2-4 record. They return to the Memorial Coliseum this Sunday, January 20 as they look to avenge their recent loss to the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Tip off for Sunday's game is scheduled for 1:00p.m.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Vipers can't find stroke*

Coming off an impressive win over the defending league champion Dakota Wizards at the D-League Showcase on Wednesday, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers were looking to build on that in their home match-up versus Anaheim. Unfortunately for the 5,395 in attendance at Dodge Arena, the Vipers could not keep their home fans happy after a 104-92 setback Thursday night in Hidalgo. The Vipers have now lost their last three home games and are two games below .500 for the second time this season. The Vipers were flat shooting the basketball all night finishing with just a 41% shooting percentage. The Vipers who came in with the best three-point shooting percentage in the league shot under 30% from behind the arc. The Arsenal outscored the Vipers 33-20 in the second quarter and took a 52-40 lead into the intermission before falling behind by as many as 19 in the second half. A late run by the Vipers pulled them to within nine in the fourth but could not drop the deficit any further. 
Rio Grande Valley's offense was paced by Trent Strickland's double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. It was Strickland's second straight 20+ point game. Four other Vipers finished in double figures including Stanley Asumnu's 15 points off the bench.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Wizards flash by Utah*

BISMARCK, N.D. January 18, 2008: The Central Division leading Dakota Wizards move to 14-8 after a comeback win over the Utah Flash 96-84 tonight at the Bismarck Civic Center. 
The Wizards jumped out early taking an 11-6 lead midway through the first quarter. The Wizards then went into a funk that gave the Flash the opportunity to go on a 28-5 run that leaked into the second quarter. Down by 18 the Wizards were sparked by the play of their reserves after Dakota's head coach Duane Ticknor replaced the entire starting crew. The five non-starters mounted a run of their own out scoring Utah 16-5 over the next 5:34 to eventually get to within six at the half 47-41.

"Our bench really stepped up tonight", said Wizards head coach Duane Ticknor. "We started slow so I decided to shake things up a bit with the bench and it turned out to be exactly what we needed".

Utah struggled from the field shooting just 39%, but the biggest stat on the final box score was the free throw attempts. The Flash connected on 14 of 18 free throw attempts, while the more aggressive Wizards practically lived at the line attempting 48 while connecting on 35 shots from the charity stripe.

Wizards guard Maurice Baker's driving lay-up with 3:38 remaining in the third quarter gave the Wizards a 60-58 lead and they never trailed again. Baker continued his strong play scoring all of 16 points in the second half. Center Kevin Lyde finished in style with 11 points to go with his game high 13 rebounds on the night. Wizards Guard Dontell Jefferson led all scores with 18 points.

The Flash, now 12-9 were led off the bench by forward Andre Ingram and center James Lang. Ingram who finished the disappointing loss with 16 points and Lang chipped in nine points to go with his team high 11 rebounds. Guard Brian Hamilton netted 14 points in the match up.

Dakota looks to keep up on their winning ways at home as they host the Albuquerque Thunderbirds tomorrow night at the Bismarck Civic Center. Tip Off scheduled for 7:00 CT. Utah hits the road tonight for a long cold bus trip to Sioux Falls to take on the Skyforce Saturday evening.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Big Second Half Propels Skyforce To Win*

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Jan. 18 - The Sioux Falls Skyforce used a dominating second-half performance to extend their home winning streak to five games with a 104-95 win over the Albuquerque Thunderbirds Friday night. Carl Elliot led the way for the Skyforce as he posted a season-high 27 points."I just went out and played with confidence," said Elliot. "The atmosphere of our home crowd really helps us."
"(Elliot) has been a good player for us when he stays aggressive," said Skyforce head coach Nate Tibbetts. "He's been playing a lot better since we moved him to (point guard)."
After a hard fought back-and-forth first half of play, the Skyforce (9-14) came out of the locker room energized and didn't look back. Sioux Falls outscored the Thunderbirds 32-18 in the third quarter, and held on to a large lead throughout the fourth. 
Kasib Powell also played well offensively for Sioux Falls as he had 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting. However, his defensive effort was probably more impressive. Powell held Phoenix Suns assignee Alando Tucker to 19 points on 5-of-17 shooting. Tucker is the D-Leauge's second leading scorer averaging 27 points per game.
"We told Kasib to go out there and not let (Tucker) score points, and that's what he did," said Elliot.
Tucker still, however, led the Thunderbirds (8-11) in scoring while Cory Underwood added 18 points and five rebounds for Albuquerque. 
Sioux Falls will remain at home tomorrow for a 7 p.m. game against Utah. Albuquerque will also play tomorrow as they travel to Bismarck to play the Wizards at 7 p.m.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Dakota flies by Thunderbirds*

BISMARCK, N.D.: Wizards forward Carlos Powell scored 27 points to help Dakota move to 15-8 on the season with a win over the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 104 - 84 tonight at the Bismarck Civic Center. 
The trend continued at home as the Wizards relied on their dominating defense and skilled rebounding to secure the win. D-League leading rebounder forward Rod Benson pulled down a game high 17 rebounds to help control the boards for Dakota as the Wizards out rebounded the Thunderbirds 48-34. 

Dakota's Pressure defense stymied the Thunderbirds into shooting only 39% from the floor on the evening. Forward Alando Tucker on assignment from the Phoenix Suns scored a game high 29 points, but only connecting on 11-28 attempts from the field. 

"I'm really proud of our guys", said Wizards head coach Duane Ticknor. "Playing our seventh game in eleven days isn't easy, and our guys are showing what kind of players they really are". 

Wizards guard Dontell Jefferson followed up his 18 point performance on Friday against the Utah Flash with 21 points and six assists. Center Kevin Lyde recorded his third consecutive double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Wizards look to extend their home winning streak to ten when they face the West Division power LA D-Fenders on Tuesday, with tip off scheduled for 7:00 CT. The Thunderbirds travel home to face the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Wednesday the 23rd.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Tulsa eases past Anaheim*

TULSA, Okla. - Tulsa snapped back after a loss on Thursday night, topping the visiting Anaheim Arsenal Saturday night at Expo Square Pavilion. The big win came down to one big shot. Mike Hall blew by the Arsenal defense to score a layup and tie the game at 93, and Ramon Sessions canned a free throw with 1.2 seconds left and the 66ers survived to notch a hard-fought 94-93 victory over the Arsenal. 
"This was a good win for us," said Tulsa head coach Joey Meyer. "We played with confidence and pretty good intensity."
Tulsa guard Adam Harrington led the way with 24 points. Nick Fazekas notched his seventh double-double of the season with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Ramon Sessions added 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Mike Hall netted 11 points and added seven rebounds.
Five of the Arsenal's players scored in double figures, led by forward Kedrick Brown who finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. Davin White (18), Marcus Campbell with (15), Ivan Johnson (15) was the team's only double-double with (14) rebounds. Steven Smith (11) also scored in double figures.
Tulsa will play the Dakota Wizards on Thursday night at Expo Square Pavilion. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. A preliminary wheelchair game between the Tulsa Rollin' Roustabouts and the OSU wheelchair team will begin at 5:30 p.m.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Milwaukee Bucks Assign David Noel to D-League's Tulsa 66ers*

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2008 - The Milwaukee Bucks have assigned guard/forward David Noel to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers, Bucks General Manager Larry Harris announced today. Noel is the 24th NBA player assigned to the D-League this season and will join Milwaukee's Ramon Sessions who has been on assignment in Tulsa since November 2007.The 6-6, 230-pound guard/forward is currently in his second season with the Bucks, and has appeared in five games during the 2007-08 preseason, where he averaged 4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game before suffering a wrist injury. Noel has not appeared in a regular season game this season. During his rookie season with the Bucks, Noel appeared in 68 games and averaged 2.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists.
"This is an opportunity for David to see regular minutes in game conditions that he wouldn't necessarily receive in Milwaukee," said Harris. "We are encouraged with how well Ramon has performed in Tulsa and are looking forward to seeing David's continued progress in the D-League, too."
The 39th overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft, Noel was a four year product of North Carolina, and finished his career as a Tar Heel with 880 points, 549 rebounds, 247 assists, 137 steals and 60 blocks. He started in 51 of 127 games and scored in double figures 35 times. During his senior season, Noel earned All-ACC Second Team and ACC All-Defensive Team honors, as well as being a USBWA All-District selection and won the Slam Dunk Contest at 2006 NCAA Final Four.


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