News release from the Mad Ants:
Mad Ants Fall at home to Division Leading Skyforce
(December 27, 2016) – The Mad Ants, sponsored by Lutheran Health Network, fell to the Sioux Falls Skyforce 106-101 Sunday, December 27th at Allen Co. War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.
Assigned to the Mad Ants from the Pacers a few hours before the game, Joe Young hit a deep half court shot at the buzzer going into half to give the Mad Ants the 55-50 advantage over the Skyforce. Young helped lead the Mad Ants come back late in the second quarter; he finished the first half with 14 points. CJ Fair and Glenn Robinson III, also on assignment from the Pacers, concluded the first half with 9 points apiece.
The Skyforce pulled ahead early in the third, taking a quick double figured lead, but an offensive attack by Young and Walter Lemon Jr. closed the gap to four with under two minutes left in regulation. The Mad Ants couldn’t complete the comeback, falling by five in the end.
Young led all scorers with 29 points and 5 rebounds. Lemon Jr. followed with 21 points and Fair finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds.
For the Skyforce, Keith Benson finished with 19 points and Jarnell Stokes followed with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Mad Ants fall to 9-7 on the season, while the Skyforce move to 11-3.
The Mad Ants will conclude their December schedule with a trip to Erie on Wednesday, December 30th to play the BayHawks for a 7:00 p.m. matchup. The team kicks off their 2016 slate with one final game before the D-League Showcase as they host the Iowa Energy on Saturday, January 2nd; tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Fans can purchase their Mad Ants tickets anytime, which start at just $6, at the Memorial Coliseum Box Office, by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
About the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and the NBA Development League
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants, presented by Lutheran Health Network, are the NBA Development affiliate of the NBA Indiana Pacers. Established in 2007, the Mad Ants have marked their success in back-to-back Championship appearances, coming out on top in 2014 and returning to the Championship series in 2015. The 2014-2015 season also named the Mad Ants as the NBA Development League Development Champions, which recognizes the team that best embodies the NBA D-League’s goals of developing NBA-caliber basketball talent through call-ups and assignments. The NBA Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 19 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2015-16 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 38 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2014-15 season boasted NBA D-League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA D-League games on fortwayne.gleague.nba.com.
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