D-Fenders point guard Brian Chase had a standout performance at the
D-League All-Star game on Saturday, February 17 in Las Vegas. Chase came off the bench for the Western Division squad to score 15 points on 6-8 shooting. He hit 3 of his 5 three-point-attempts and grabbed 5 rebounds to go along with 3 assists in 27 minutes of play.

"I approached this opportunity as a business trip. I didn't go to Vegas to party or to gamble. I went to play hard and perform well. I knew this game could make a difference in being called-up to the next level and I wanted to set a tone for the rest of the season. Overall, it was a great opportunity and a great experience," said Chase.

Since returning from All-Star Weekend, Chase has averaged 22 points and connected on 14 three-pointers in 3 games. This included a double-overtime thriller in which he scored 17 of the team's 19 points in the second overtime to give the D-Fenders the victory.

Get to STAPLES Center early and experience twice the excitement of professional basketball with your Los Angeles D-Fenders playing prior to Lakers home games. Your Lakers ticket is your ticket to watch the D-Fenders. The D-League continues to develop talent from across all disciplines for the NBA's 30 teams and the entire NBA umbrella. There already have been 11 players to receive GATORADE Call-Ups from the D-League to the NBA this season. Nineteen NBA players have been assigned to 10 D-League affiliates so far during the 2006-07 season.

#20 DANIEL HORTON

 If you weren't a basketball player, what career would you like to have?

"I am really into cooking and one day I would like to be a chef. I used to cook for my friends and family in college and I still cook a lot for myself today. After my basketball career I plan on going to culinary school to pursue cooking as a career. My favorite dish to make is gumbo. It is the best thing that I make."

#6 JACKIE MANUEL

 What has been your worst travel experience?

"Back in college [North Carolina], we had just lost to UConn on the road. They must have beaten us by at least 10 points. It was snowing pretty badly as our plane took off. We hit some turbulence and everything was really shaky. The guys on our team were ready to throw up. Later in the flight, we were really close to some thunder and lightning. The plane took some dips and I really thought that was going to be the end of my life."

D-Fenders Spend Valentine's Day at the Ronald McDonald House

D-Fenders players Brian Chase, Jackie Manuel, and Chet Mason, as well as Assistant Coach Chucky Brown spent Valentine's Day at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. They brought valentines and candy for the kids and gave flowers to their mothers. In addition to delivering gifts, they played games, signed autographs and took photos with the families.

The Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House serves as a home-away-from-home for families that travel long distances for their children to undergo treatment for life threatening illnesses.