By Craig Ellenport
Rarely – in any sport — has a trade paid dividends as quickly as the move made Thursday by Trilogy. Just one day after trading with 3’s Company to acquire Derrick Byars, the defending champs got their first victory of the season, a 52-39 win over the Killer 3s in Game 1 of Friday night’s action at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Byars scored 13 points, and his third 3-pointer was the game-winning shot.
Here’s a rundown of the Week 4 action:
TRILOGY 52, KILLER 3s 39
“Oh-and-three don’t mean nothin’,” said Trilogy’s Rashad McCants before the game began. McCants returned to action after missing Week 3 and finished with 5 points. The catalyst for Trilogy was co-captain Al Harrington, who opened the game with a 3-pointer and hit another to give Trilogy a 25-22 lead at halftime. Not long after Harrington’s first bucket gave Trilogy that 3-0 lead, BIG3 history was made – the first player ejection. Upset about a non-call, Killer 3s co-captain Metta World Peace punted the basketball into the crowd. He was subsequently sent to the locker room.
Byars, who averaged 13.4 points per game last season with the Ball Hogs but had yet to play this season as a member of 3’s Company, came off the bench for Trilogy midway through the first half and immediately hit a jumper to give Trilogy a 15-11 lead.
The Killer 3s kept it close throughout and even took a lead midway through the second half. Three players finished in double figures for the Killer 3s – Josh Powell with 14, co-captain Stephen Jackson with 11 and Alan Anderson with 10. But after a Harrington bucket put Trilogy back up, 38-37, the defending champs pulled away. Byars hit a 3-pointer to make it 49-39, then hit another to end it. Harrington led Trilogy with 19 points, including three 3-pointers. James White added 12, with a team-best 6 rebounds.
Trilogy is 1-3; the Killer 3s are 1-3
3’S COMPANY 50, BALL HOGS 40
After Byars hit the game-winning shot in Game 1, the player he was traded for – Dahntay Jones – sank the game-winning free throw to give 3’s Company the victory in Game 2. But 3’s Company had other heroes in this contest. These teams played a tight back-and-forth first half that ended when a 3-pointer by Baron Davis gave 3’s Company a 27-24 halftime lead. Davis had a team-best 8 at the half and he finished with 10 – but he suffered a right quad injury midway through the second half that sidelined him the rest of the way.
Jermaine Taylor (14 points) and DeShawn Stevenson (11) kept the Ball Hogs in the thick of it – and they actually led 31-29 when Davis left the game. That’s when 3’s Company captain DerMarr Johnson made his presence felt. Johnson had his best game of the season, hitting a pair of quick threes and leading 3’s Company on a 10-0 run that helped his squad pull away. Johnson finished with a game-high 15 points and 7 rebounds. Andre Emmett finished with 10 and Jason Maxiell had 9.
3’s Company improves to 3-1; the Ball Hogs are 1-3
3-HEADED MONSTERS 50, TRI-STATE 48
The heavyweight battle of the night lived up to expectations, as the last two undefeated teams in the BIG3 played down to the wire. Nate Robinson hit a 4-pointer to send Tri-State into halftime with a 25-17 lead. The shot capped a 12-2 run for Tri-State and gave Robinson 12 points at halftime. Turned out that be the final basket of the night for Robinson.
The 3-Headed Monsters went on a 10-4 run of their own to open the second half, with Reggie Evans leading a very physical attack. Evans and Bonzi Wells were in each other’s face much of the second half. But Robinson made a beautiful spin move and dished to Amar’e Stoudemire for a one-handed jam that gave Tri-State a 29-26 lead. The teams went back and forth after that. Qyntel Woods hit a 3-pointer that brought the Monsters within 1, but then David Hawkins score four straight. With Tri-State up 41-40, Reggie Evans grabbed a Tri-State air ball and put it in to give the 3-Headed Monsters a 42-41 lead.
That’s when Robinson got upset about a foul call and drew his second technical of the game – resulting in ejection. Even with Robinson out, Tri-State fought back to 46-45. Woods made a jumper to give the 3-Headed Monsters a 48-45 lead, but then Robert Hite hit a 3-pointer for Tri-State to tie it at 48. Next basket would win it.
Gary Payton called a timeout to get Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf back in the game. Abdul-Rauf, who hit the game-winner for the Monsters in Week 3, had 14 points here and everyone expected him to be set up for another game-winning shot. So with Tri-State all over Abdul-Rauf, he found a wide-open Woods – who had a clear path down the middle of the court for a game-winning dunk. Woods finished with 10, while Evans was the game’s leading scorer and rebounder with his second double-double of the season (18, 12). Stoudemire led Tri-State with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Hawkins had 13.
The 3-Headed Monsters arte 4-0; Tri-State is 3-1
POWER 50, GHOST BALLERS 45
The Ghost Ballers continued their reputation of playing tough but losing close games. They led this one at halftime, 25-20, on the heels of Ricky Davis, who led all players at the half with 12 points. Davis would finish with 16. Carlos Boozer had another strong game, finishing with 15 points and 16 rebounds – his second straight double-double. But Power went on an 11-2 run to start the second half, led by another strong effort from BIG3 scoring leader Corey Maggette. Power built a 39-32 lead but the Ghost Ballers fought back. Boozer powered in for a bucket that capped a 12-4 run and tied the game at 43.
After Power scored to make it 45-43, Glen “Big Baby” Davis shocked the Ghost Ballers with a 3-pointer that put Power with two of the game. The Ghost Ballers closed to within 48-45, but that’s when Cuttino Mobley drove to the hoop for the game-winner. Maggette led all scorers with 19, Davis had 11 and Mobley had 9. Maggette, Davis and Mobley each had 7 boards to control the action.
Power improves to 3-1; the Ghost Ballers are 0-4
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The BIG3 heads south to American Airlines Arena in Miami for Week 5. Here’s the schedule:
Ball Hogs vs. Killer 3s
Ghost Ballers vs. Tri-State
3-Headed Monsters vs. 3’s Company
Power vs. Trilogy
