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Austin 106, Florida 102

Toros Rally to Top Flame

ESTERO, Fla., Jan. 5 – For the second straight game, the Florida Flame could not hold on to a late lead as the Austin Toros finished the fourth quarter with a 13-4 spurt to earn a 106-102 win on Thursday night at Germain Arena.

Austin improved to 6-7 overall and moved into sole possession of fifth place in the NBA Development League standings. Florida (9-6) fell out of a three-way tie for first place with the loss, dropping its third straight and fourth in the last five games.

Ramel Curry continued his hot shooting, hitting eight of 16 shots for a team-high 21 points for the Toros. Bracey Wright led all scorers with a game-high 32 points in the loss for the Flame, the twelfth time in 15 games that the rookie shooting guard has led Florida in scoring.

Trailing 98-93 following a Hiram Fuller jumper with 3:34 to go, the Toros turned to the trio of Marcus Fizer, Jamar Smith, and Ezra Williams to lead the comeback. Fizer’s short jumper opened the rally and Smith was fouled on a lay-up and hit the free throw with 2:53 on the clock to tie the score at 98-apiece. Curry’s lay-in put the Toros in front with 2:07 remaining and Williams followed with a lay-up of his own to give Austin a 102-98 advantage.

Wright pulled the Flame within two points on a lay-in with 46.6 seconds left, but Williams and Fizer put the final touches on the Toros victory. Williams hit a 23-foot jumper with 36.3 seconds and Fizer hit two clutch free throws with 8.9 seconds remaining to give Austin a two-possession lead and seal the game.

The Toros had six players in double figures. Along with Curry’s 21, Smith tallied 19 points, Andre Emmett and Alex Scales scored 16 apiece, Fizer connected for 15 points, and Williams finished with 13 in the win.

Florida had five players in double figures. Along with Wright’s 32, Hiram Fuller posted his seventh double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Theron Smith notched 13 points while Dorell Wright, in his first game with Florida after being assigned to the D-League on Tuesday from the Miami HEAT, hit for 11 points. Andre Barrett rounded out the double figure scorers for Florida with 10 points and nine assists.

The Flame and Toros will return to action and round out their three-game series on Sunday, January 8 with a 7:00 p.m. EST tip-off at Germain Arena.