Wednesday, March 22, 2000
Stuff 92, Baltimore 85
Samake leads comeback victory
BY PETE HOLTERMANN
Enquirer contributor
Soumaila Samake made the difference as the Stuff defeated Baltimore 92-85 Tuesday at the Firstar Center.
Samake recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 15 rebounds and set an IBL record with eight blocks in the game.
“He won the game for us tonight,” Stuff forward Tremaine Fowlkes said. Fowlkes added his 23rd double-double of the year with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds.
“(Samake and Fowlkes) are both quick and athletic. They both can shoot and take the ball to the basket,” Cincinnati coach Joby Wright said. “They're a very difficult matchup for anyone in this league.”
Cincinnati needed a fourth-quarter comeback to down the Bayrunners; the Stuff outscored Baltimore 28-17 in the final period.
The Stuff (32-13) trailed Baltimore 80-76 with six minutes left to play, but an 8-0 run gave Cincinnati the win.
The Stuff regained the lead for the first time in the final period on a wild shot by Samake. Moo Moo Blakney brought the ball down the court and threw and alley-oop pass to Samake. The lob fell short, and Samake grabbed the ball as it hit the rim.
The 7-foot-2 center regained control of the ball on the ground but had it knocked away from him as he went up for a dunk. The ball hit high off the glass as Samake grabbed the rim, and then fell through, giving the Stuff an 82-80 advantage.
“That play typifies how far he's come,” Wright said. “And then he came down and got two big rebounds.
“If he keeps playing like he played tonight, who knows how high he'll go in the (NBA) draft.”
BALTIMORE (85) — Tucker 3-7 0-0 6, Elliott 3-8 3-4 12, Blount 2-7 3-4 7, Harrell 6-18 6-6 21, Rogers 0-4 2-2 2, Lee 4-13 0-0 9, Wilson 6-12 1-2 14, Goodrich 6-8 2-5 14. Totals: 30-77 17-22 92
CINCINNATI (92) — Fowlkes 10-19 4-5 24, Sanders 4-9 0-0 8, Samake 7-13 4-7 18, Turner 8-14 0-0 18, Blakney 2-5 7-8 11, Kingsbury 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 2-10 202 7, Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Edwards 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor 3-7 0-0 6. Totals: 36-80 17-22 92
Baltimore ....... 18 26 23 17—85
Cincinnati ....... 26 19 19 28—92
3-point field goals: Baltimore 8-20 (Elliott 3-4, Harrell 3-7, Lee 1-5, Wilson 1-4); Cincinnati 3-13 (Fowlkes 0-2, Sanders 0-1, Turner 2-2, Blakney 0-2, Brown 1-5, Edward 0-1). Rebounds: Baltimore 48 (Harrell 11); Cincinnati 48 (Samake 15). Assists: Baltimore 21 (Lee 6); Cincinnati 22 (Blakney 8). Att: 1,388.
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