SALT LAKE CITY, July 21 -- The Charlotte Bobcats broke open a close game early in the fourth quarter and improved to 4-1 in the Rocky Mountain Revue with an 87-76 win against Dallas on Wednesday night. Charlotte is now 9-1 record in summer league play in two tournaments.

“We played hard the whole game and wore them down with our pressure. We came out strong in fourth quarter with tough defense and forced difficult shots after we let down a bit at the end of the third quarter and allowed them back in the game,” said Gary Kloppenburg, the team’s coach for the game. “Melvin Ely keyed everything tonight. We kept going to him because they couldn’t stop him.”

Melvin Ely was a force on the low block and finished with a game-best 21 points on 10-13 shooting from the field.

Both teams started off shooting the ball well from the field as the Mavs hit seven of their first nine attempts and Charlotte was 8-14 (.571) from the field at the start. Charlotte overturned a 15-10 deficit by scoring 11-straight points late in the quarter and the Bobcats held a 21-17 lead at the end of the first quarter. Jason Kapono tallied eight points to pace all scorers.

The hot shooting in the opening quarter was not present in the second period as Dallas began 1-14 (.071) from the field. Charlotte took advantage by scoring the first three points of the second quarter and then jumped ahead by 12 points at 32-20. Dallas then hit four-straight shots from the field and closed within 38-31 at halftime. Ely scored six points in the second quarter and had 10 points in the opening half.

Charlotte scored the first four points of the third period for an 11-point advantage but Dallas whittled its deficit down to 58-56 in the final minute of the quarter as the Mavs shot 10-18 (.556) from the field. The Bobcats scored the final basket of the period for a 60-56 lead entering the final period.

The Bobcats opened the fourth quarter with a 16-3 run over the first 4:30 and built their advantage up to 17 points at 76-59. Charlotte was never threatened from that point. Maurice Carter scored 10 points in the quarter to pace the way.

Kapono finished with 14 points, Carter added 12 points and Keith Carter scored nine points. Olumide Oyedeji paced the club with 10 rebounds and Bernard Robinson posted nine points and six assists.

Charlotte played without centers Loren Woods, who missed his third-straight game due to a right thigh contusion, and Primoz Brezec, who missed the game after undergoing dental work.