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chump do you go to most of the games
Toros Snap Record Losing Streak
Austin 94, Sioux Falls 86
Austin beats Sioux Falls 94-86
Toros pick up first victory of season
By William Wilkerson
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Friday, December 29, 2006
Justin Grier had the rim in his sights and another uncontested jam was one step away.
On another night, that might have been the case, but not Thursday night.
Justin Bowen raced down the floor, met Grier at rim level and swatted the ball toward the exits, right along with the Austin Toros' winless record.
Bowen made several hustling plays that went a long way toward helping the Toros defeat Sioux Falls 94-86 at the Austin Convention Center. The win came after the Toros opened the NBA Development League season with 12 straight losses.
"We really wanted to focus on doing the little things," Bowen said, "because in most of our games we have been close. But the little things have cost us."
All the things that coach Dennis Johnson had been looking for from his team began to surface during the latter part of the third quarter, about the time Austin began to chip away at a double-digit deficit.
Every loose ball had a Toros player flailing after it. Austin began to get into the passing lanes on defense, creating fast-break opportunities and easy buckets. The Toros were having fun.
"That's what the game of basketball is about, having fun," said Bowen, who had 16 points. "We really gelled as a team tonight. Hopefully we can continue to do the little things right."
A baseline layup by B.J. Elder, who had a game-high 25 points, sparked an 11-0 scoring run by Austin that stretched into the early part of the fourth quarter. Brock Gillespie hit a three-pointer with 3:53 to go that put Austin up 87-80.
"Things that we have been preaching all year just snapped in today," Johnson said.
The Toros built a first-quarter lead with solid play on both ends.
Two buckets each by Kris Clack and Elder helped Austin to a 9-4 lead. A couple of fierce blocks from Clack helped the Toros maintain the lead until the 4:00 mark, when Grier put the Skyforce up 16-15.
But Bowen came off the bench and reeled off several acrobatic plays to put the Toros back on top at the quarter's end 25-22. One of those plays came when the 6-foot-7-inch forward elevated above two taller Sioux Falls defenders for a dunk.
"Justin played extremely well," Johnson said. "That's the way he has to play."
Note: Toros guard Jay Williams did not play because of a groin injury. It was the fourth game this season he has missed because of the injury.
http://www.statesman.com/sports/cont...9/29toros.html
It was hilarious. Everyone was acting like we won a championship. The team president went over to the PA annnouncer and told him to say everyone who brings a ticket stub from this game will get in free Saturday.
Justin Bowen, formerly the last training camp cut, played his ass off. If he keeps it up, he may actually stay on the team when Jeff Hagen heals up.
The Toros are still extremely sloppy without a point guard, but they are finally running some plays and moving without the ball to make things happen. Got some great stops in the fourth and resulting easy baskets to go ahead.
Last edited by ChumpDumper; 12-29-2006 at 03:40 AM.
chump do you go to most of the games
Every game.
how much do tickets cost for a decent seat
They start from about $10 on the ends. We usually sit in the $19 seats five or six rows up in the stands. They are always having buy-one-get-one-free ticket promotions and the like. I'll see if I can find a list, but they often list them on their site and you can get on a mailing list.
Section 5 is the only one with bad sight lines. The place only holds about 3200 so it's nice and intimate.
thanks, im in sa for the holidays but live in austin. i wanted to check out White but the Spurs recalled him, did he do well
Did James White show off in the layup lines before the game? (when he was on the team)
His defense was more impressive than his offense, but he did pretty well. He got better every game; he might be sent down again when all the Spurs get healthy. The potential is definitely there, but don't expect him to play fmuch or the Spurs this season.
After Saturday, the Toros will be out of town until Jan. 19.
Not really. Just the occasional straight ahead dunk. I only saw one nice open court dunk in the two games he played.
I wasn't aware that there was a limit of three times you can send a player down to the DLeague in the same season. So I guess the next time the Spurs send White down, that'll be time number two.
I'm guessing they'll make sure the team recovers from this flu bug before deciding whether to send him down again or not.
his defense is impressive though, thats encouraging
i'll bet he is back once everyone is healthy
Yeah, if they are intent on keeping him close to home, there will be six out of seven games at home from Jan 19 to Feb 3.
...if they decide to keep him, of course. I can't say I saw any real reason to waive him.
i dont think there is any way they will waive him, i would think the Spurs are waiting for an extended toros homestand to send him back
Frome yesterday mailbag, it looks like Spurs won't cut White :
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....4e2ce602.html
Since NBA teams are allowed to assign first- and second-year players to the D-League up to three times each season, why didn't the Spurs wait till after these rare several days of practice to send James White down?
– Nick Landholt, Odessa
I initially wondered the same thing, but the Spurs had already seen White long enough to know two things:
1) They liked him enough to not cut him.
2) He needs to play somewhere and he probably wasn't going to get that opportunity anytime soon with the Spurs.
And as the Spurs showed Tuesday, all it takes is one phone call to bring him back.
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