A Look Back At The 2009 Showcase
by Matthew Brennan, D-League.com
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Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images/NBAE |
Top Teams: Albuquerque, Bakersfield, Idaho, Reno, Utah
Two of the league's top teams came into to Utah and won both of their games, but the week was also notable because two teams at the bottom of the standings also emerged undefeated at the Showcase. The Reno Bighorns, who snapped an 11-game losing streak the day before the Showcase, came in and won both of their games, while Albuquerque won twice after compiling only three wins heading in. The Bakersfield Jam snapped a three-game losing streak in their Showcase opener and won twice to improve to 12-5, while the Idaho Stampede extended their current winning streak to five games at the Showcase. The Utah Flash kept the home fans happy by winning both of their games at the McKay Events Center.
Marquee Matchup: Austin vs. Colorado
The best of the Southwest Division met on Monday, with each team boasting NBA-assigned players in the lineup and a combined record of 20-6. The Toros ended up winning by a 95-91 margin to increase their lead in the division, which currently stands at one game. Malik Hairston, on assignment from the Spurs, led Austin with 23 points while GATORADE Call-Up candidate Marcus Williams scored 22 points and grabbed ten rebounds. Sonny Weems scored 21 points for the 14ers in his final game before being recalled to the Denver Nuggets.
Top Assigned Player: Malik Hairston, Austin Toros
Hairston, who has gone from Spur to Toro to Spur to Toro during the 2008-09 season, was consistently consistent at the Showcase. Over the two games he averaged 20.5 points and shot .483 (15-31) from the field. The 6-6 Hairston is an elite player on the NBA D-League level, but it is still to be seen if he will be a contributor to the Spurs' cause this season.
Top Big Man: Courtney Sims, Iowa Energy
The beat went on for Sims at the Showcase, with the big man from Michigan adding two double-doubles to his league-leading total. His numbers were a notch below than his normal level of production this season, but a notch below for Sims is 21.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 17-30 shooting. Sims, listed at 6-11,230, seemed to tower over the rest of the players at the Showcase and definitely has NBA size. The buzz is that he could be on an NBA roster by as early as this weekend.
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Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images/NBAE |
Karl has been having a solid season for the Stampede, but he kicked things up a notch at the Showcase, missing a triple-double by one assist in his first game before erupting for 30 points in Thursday's win over Tulsa. Karl can flat-out shoot the ball, connecting on 7-10 from three-point range on Thursday and 18-32 from the field at the Showcase . He also has good size for someone who can play both guard positions at 6-5, 215, and showed his passing skills with 13 assists in Tuesday's game.
Top Scorer: James White, Anaheim Arsenal
The man they call "Flight" White topped the 30-point mark in both of his games at the Showcase, scoring 31 on Tuesday and returning to go for 33 against the 14ers on Thursday. Although White's Arsenal team was not able to come up with a victory in Orem, the 6-7 guard-forward did plenty to convince NBA teams to give him a shot. The reigning NBA D-League Performer of the Week is averaging 22.9 points per game, ranking second in the NBA D-League. Honorable mention has to go to Bakersfield's Trey Johnson, who averaged 30.0 points per game at the Showcase and has scored 32 points or better in three of his last six games.
Best Comeback: Idaho Stampede, Tuesday
Missing Luke Jackson and call-up Jermareo Davidson, the Stampede looked to be outmanned and outgunned on Tuesday by a Fort Wayne Mad Ants team that featured two Detroit Pistons in the lineup. The Stampede trailed 64-39 a minute into the second half, but outscored the Mad Ants 60-32 the rest of the way to emerge with an unprobable 99-96 victory. Ernest Scott's three-pointer with 1:39 left broke a 96-96 tie and proved the difference as Idaho came back from 25 down.
Best Dunk(s): Patrick Ewing Jr., Reno Bighorns
There were many impessive dunks during the Showcase, but Ewing Jr. had two of the best during the Bighorns' two victories in Utah. In the finale on Monday, Ewing drove baseline and finished with a 360-degee jam. He then returned on Wednesday and threw down a breakaway windmill slam that got the crowd out of their seats.
