ChumpDumper
12-21-2008, 09:55 PM
Box Score (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/boxscore.jsp?gameId=2020800076)
Toros Run Away From Vipers For Sixth Straight Win
AUSTIN, TX, Dec. 21 -- Malik Hairston and Andre Brown each posted 22 points as the Austin Toros erased a 15-point third-quarter deficit and notched their sixth straight win with Sunday's 102-89 victory over the visiting Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Sunday.
Austin went on an 11-0 run late in the third and then outscored Rio Grande Valley by 18 in the final frame to cruise to the win.
Marcus Williams contributed with 21 points, while Brown added 14 rebounds and two blocks to his stellar statistical afternoon.
Smush Parker paced the Vipers, who have lost two straight, with a game-high 23 points and Trent Strickland chipped in with 19. The two combined to bury six 3-pointers.
The Toros controlled a major advantage on the glass (55-38) and a small, but significant, gap on steals (10-7).
"We did a great job in the second half defensively that carried over to the offensive end," Toros head coach Quin Snyder said. "It was a tough game to have before Christmas but now we can enjoy the holidays."
Austin will seek its seventh consecutive triumph when it hosts Tulsa on Friday, while Rio Grande Valley will hope for a rebound performance when it hosts Los Angeles that same night.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20081221/RGVAUS/recap.html
The Toros looked like complete crap in the first half -- especially when Squeaky Johnson went out with his third foul. Quin is still trying to find someone to back him up, but both Robert McKiver and Tack Minor were yanked after a few ineffective minutes. Hairston and Ezra Williams were bringing up the ball when Squeaky was out, but I can't really say they were playing point guard. Ezra especially was taken out of his offensive game while handling the ball. He was only 1-12 from the field, though he was a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line and grabbed 10 boards.
The major players' roles seem to be more clearly defined now that Ahearn and Tolliver are gone.
Marcus Williams: Manly a jump shooter on offense, primary perimeter defender and fireman when someone on the opposing team gets hot. He started out guarding Smush Parker and was switched to Stanley Asumnu and Alpha Bangura when they got hot.
Malik Hairston: Attacks the basket on offense, though he breaks out his three pointer later in games when defenders back off him a bit. That has helped keep his 3pt percentage at a ridiculous 60%. Gets to the line a lot due to his penetrations. Defense can be a little streaky, as can his foul totals, but he can be counted on for an athletic block almost every game.
Andre Brown: Primary post scorer. Good in the low or high post, but not much range beyond about 10-12 feet. Not an NBA shot blocker, but at least keeps his arms up on D. Excellent rebounder. Strong, but had a little trouble with the much heaver Alton Ford tonight. The Toros even started sending Brown some help covering him before Ford fouled out.
Charles Gaines: Becoming a bit more of a garbage man since Brown gets more touches and defensive attention, but that hasn't lowered his effort lever at all. Decent athlete but undersized. Streaky rebounder. Runs the floor very well.
Ezra Williams and Serge Angounou are as good as a D-League team without NBA players can hope to have in sixth and seventh men. There is still a huge hole at backup point that needs to be filled.
The Toros' record is a little deceiving since they just game off a three game stint against the basket case Albuquerque Thunderbirds -- whom they only squeaked by twice after the first dominating win with NBA players on the roster. They still need to work on their defense, as they will have to rely on it more than they have scoring with Ahearn and Tolliver. Still, their first place in the division is well-deserved.
Toros Run Away From Vipers For Sixth Straight Win
AUSTIN, TX, Dec. 21 -- Malik Hairston and Andre Brown each posted 22 points as the Austin Toros erased a 15-point third-quarter deficit and notched their sixth straight win with Sunday's 102-89 victory over the visiting Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Sunday.
Austin went on an 11-0 run late in the third and then outscored Rio Grande Valley by 18 in the final frame to cruise to the win.
Marcus Williams contributed with 21 points, while Brown added 14 rebounds and two blocks to his stellar statistical afternoon.
Smush Parker paced the Vipers, who have lost two straight, with a game-high 23 points and Trent Strickland chipped in with 19. The two combined to bury six 3-pointers.
The Toros controlled a major advantage on the glass (55-38) and a small, but significant, gap on steals (10-7).
"We did a great job in the second half defensively that carried over to the offensive end," Toros head coach Quin Snyder said. "It was a tough game to have before Christmas but now we can enjoy the holidays."
Austin will seek its seventh consecutive triumph when it hosts Tulsa on Friday, while Rio Grande Valley will hope for a rebound performance when it hosts Los Angeles that same night.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20081221/RGVAUS/recap.html
The Toros looked like complete crap in the first half -- especially when Squeaky Johnson went out with his third foul. Quin is still trying to find someone to back him up, but both Robert McKiver and Tack Minor were yanked after a few ineffective minutes. Hairston and Ezra Williams were bringing up the ball when Squeaky was out, but I can't really say they were playing point guard. Ezra especially was taken out of his offensive game while handling the ball. He was only 1-12 from the field, though he was a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line and grabbed 10 boards.
The major players' roles seem to be more clearly defined now that Ahearn and Tolliver are gone.
Marcus Williams: Manly a jump shooter on offense, primary perimeter defender and fireman when someone on the opposing team gets hot. He started out guarding Smush Parker and was switched to Stanley Asumnu and Alpha Bangura when they got hot.
Malik Hairston: Attacks the basket on offense, though he breaks out his three pointer later in games when defenders back off him a bit. That has helped keep his 3pt percentage at a ridiculous 60%. Gets to the line a lot due to his penetrations. Defense can be a little streaky, as can his foul totals, but he can be counted on for an athletic block almost every game.
Andre Brown: Primary post scorer. Good in the low or high post, but not much range beyond about 10-12 feet. Not an NBA shot blocker, but at least keeps his arms up on D. Excellent rebounder. Strong, but had a little trouble with the much heaver Alton Ford tonight. The Toros even started sending Brown some help covering him before Ford fouled out.
Charles Gaines: Becoming a bit more of a garbage man since Brown gets more touches and defensive attention, but that hasn't lowered his effort lever at all. Decent athlete but undersized. Streaky rebounder. Runs the floor very well.
Ezra Williams and Serge Angounou are as good as a D-League team without NBA players can hope to have in sixth and seventh men. There is still a huge hole at backup point that needs to be filled.
The Toros' record is a little deceiving since they just game off a three game stint against the basket case Albuquerque Thunderbirds -- whom they only squeaked by twice after the first dominating win with NBA players on the roster. They still need to work on their defense, as they will have to rely on it more than they have scoring with Ahearn and Tolliver. Still, their first place in the division is well-deserved.