Friday, March 10, 2000
Las Vegas 95, Stuff 88
Cincinnati loses for second time in 21 home games
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
“Give the ball to 40,” the Stuff fan yelled during his team's second-quarter possession. He wasn't talking about a Cincinnati player.
He was referring to Las Vegas forward Rocky Walls, who had accidentally tipped in a missed free throw by Cincinnati's Tremaine Fowlkes.
That was typical of the bizarre game that ended in a rocky, 95-88 loss for the Stuff before a crowd of 1,842 at the Firstar Center. The loss was Cincinnati's second in 21 home games, both to the Silver Bandits, who were on a four-game road losing streak. The Stuff fell to 1-4 against Las Vegas this season.
“We allow them to get into positions where they feel like they have an advantage,” Stuff coach Joby Wright said. “We play them three more times. We better work it out.”
J.R. Henderson, the IBL's leading scorer, used an array of inside moves to score a game-high 26 points. The Bandits outscored the Stuff 10-2 over the final 3:44.
Las Vegas opened up an early seven-point lead, but the Stuff fought back with help from three Silver Bandit technical fouls, including a disqualifying two on assistant coach Barry Hecker, and Walls' embarrassing miscue.
Fowlkes led the Stuff with 21 points and 15 rebounds despite fouling out with 1:37 left in the game. Cincinnati, which had a .347 3-point percentage going into the game, hit just 5-of-23 (.217) against Las Vegas.
“This is a game where we were not ready to play,” Wright said. “For whatever reason, we never had the defensive intensity you need against a qualify opponent like Las Vegas.”
LEVETT RELEASED: Stuff president John Kirchofer announced before the game that the team and guard Melvin Levett had agreed on his release. The University of Cincinnati product had averaged 7.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 15 of Cincinnati's 27 games since signing. Levett has accepted an offer from the Golden State Warriors to play for their NBA Summer League team.
LAS VEGAS (95) — Schraeder 3-6 2-2 11, Henderson 8-15 10-12 26, Walls 2-11 8-9 12, Martin 2-10 0-0 5, Burton 4-11 7-12 16, Wade 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 1-2 0-0 3, Ellis 6-10 1-2 13, Liberty 4-7 0-0 9. Totals: 30-72 28-37 95.
CINCINNATI (88) — Fowlkes 8-13 3-3 21, Sanders 8-17 1-2 18, Samake 6-8 0-2 12, Turner 6-15 0-0 12, Edwards 0-4 0-2 0, Blakney 3-8 6-9 14, Brown 0-7 1-2 1, Taylor 4-5 2-2 10. Totals: 35-77 13-22 88.
Las Vegas ....... 25 20 25 25-95
Cincinnati ....... 20 28 25 15-88
3-pointers — Las Vegas 7-21 (Schraeder 3-5, Henderson 0-1, Walls 0-1, Martin 1-5, Burton 1-5, Johnson 1-2, Ellis 0-1, Liberty 1-1), Cincinnati 5-23 (Fowlkes 2-4, Sanders 1-7, Turner 0-4, Edwards 0-2, Blakney 2-4, Brown 0-2). Fouled out — Fowlkes, Samake (Cincinnati). Rebounds — Las Vegas 44 (Walls 17), Cincinnati 47 (Fowlkes 15). Assists — Las Vegas 18 (Burton 9), Cincinnati — 21 (Turner 9). Total fouls — Las Vegas 20, Cincinnati 29. Technical fouls — Las Vegas 3 (bench 2, Burton). A — 1,842.
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