News release from the Mad Ants:
Mad Ants Fuel Comeback to Take Down the Energy
(January 2, 2016) – The Mad Ants, sponsored by Lutheran Health Network, came from depths of up to 20 to rally back and beat the Iowa Energy 107-105 Saturday, January 2nd at Allen Co. War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.
The Energy utilized their 54.5% hot shooting in the first half to build leads of up to 20 against the Mad Ants, sending the home team into the locker room at the half down 61-49. Stephan Hicks, lead the Mad Ants at the half with 12 points. The Mad Ants wasted no time checking themselves back into the game, locking it at a 63-63 tie just five minutes into the third quarter. As the final quarter opened, Mad Ant’s Walter Lemon Jr. had just 10 points; after scoring 16 fourth quarter points, to finish the night with a game leading 26 points, Lemon put the exclamation point on his night’s performance with a vicious dunk with under two minutes remaining. Iowa got the ball back with just under six seconds left in regulation, but the Mad Ants held the Energy to a missed three point attempt to earn the hard fought 107-105 victory.
Behind Lemon, Hicks finished the night with 19 points and Shayne Whittington recorded a double-double good for 16 points and 15 rebounds.
For the Energy, James Ennis finished with 22 points and Joel Wright followed with 19 points and 7 rebounds.
The Mad Ants move to 11-7 on the season, while the Energy fall to 7-10.
The Mad Ants will travel out to Santa Cruz, California to partake in the 2016 NBA D-League Showcase, beginning with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Thursday, January 7th at 1:00 p.m. and conclude with the Idaho Stampede Saturday, January 9th at 3:30 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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