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Anaheim wins in OT with 4 players

Anaheim wins in OT with 4 players
Dec 23, 2007, 03:42 am
The Anaheim Arsenal (4-8) of the NBA Development League defeated the Colorado 14ers (8-4) 133-130 in overtime with only four players on the floor.

With 1:10 remaining in overtime, Anaheim’s Kedrick Brown fouled out with no additional players available to play due to three players fouling out, one ejection and one injury. Will Blalock was the lone starter left for Anaheim who held on to their six point lead for the remarkable victory.

“It was just a fantastic win,” said Anaheim coach Reggie Geary. “But more importantly, it was just really great to see a team win, where everybody contributed - the bench was energized and we had great fan support tonight.”

The game would not have gone to overtime had it not been for a frantic fourth quarter Arsenal rally. They scored 27 points in the final 6:44 to erase a 14 point deficit and were down three points when Blalock stepped to the free throw line with 3 seconds left.

Blalock hit the first and intentionally missed the second allowing Jamaal Thomas to swoop in from the three-point line and tip the ball in to tie the game.

“Coach told him to miss, and he told me and Kedrick Brown to criss-cross and get up there and get it,” said Thomas. “I know I can out-jump most of the guys on their team, so I saw it come off and I went straight for the ball.”

Steven Smith led the Arsenal with 29 points before fouling out with 1:51 left in overtime. “It was unbelievable, to finish with four guys, and the tip in we had off the free throw miss, unbelievable. Everything fell our way,” said Smith.

The Arsenal had two other players with 20 points. Kedrick Brown was 10-of-16 from the field and finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. And, Will Blalock, in only his third game with Anaheim, finished with 20 points.

Colorado had four players with 20 points led by Elton Brown who had 28 points and 13 rebounds. Eddie Gill (27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), Kaniel Dickens (22 points) and Mo Charlo (22 points and 9 rebounds) rounded out the foursome.

With the foul troubles mounting, Anaheim’s bench came up huge. Marquis Webb scored all five of his points in overtime and Yuta Tabuse did not even enter the game until overtime. Thomas was the other player left on the floor for Anaheim during the final couple minutes.

The Arsenal now have a week off to savor the win.

“Even though we were fortunate to win, we were always in the ball game,” said Geary. “I’m just so proud of the guys. What a great present for the holidays.”



- Jamaal Thomas recalled playing in a game where each team had four players. “In the Dominican Republic we played four on four. First it was fights, then it was technical fouls. So by the time the end of the game rolled around, it was four on five and then they fouled and it was four on four. And that’s the way we had to finish the game.”

- Steven Smith recalled a crazy game from when he was at La Salle. “I had a four overtime game my senior year in college. Darnell Harris got fouled with 1/10 of a second left. Fortunately one camera had the angle with the shot and the clock in it. He hit two free throws and we won by one.” Smith had a career best 41 points in that game against Central Connecticut State in 2005.

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