|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
T |
| Marvels (0-3) |
21 |
26 |
21 |
16 |
84 |
| Express (4-0) |
20 |
27 |
32 |
20 |
99 |
EAST ORANGE – Jordan Fowler scored 26 points running the season opening win streak to four for the Jersey Express (4-0) after defeating the Maryland Marvels 99-84 in American Basketball Association (ABA) action.
Fowler exploded for 16 third quarter points as the Express opened an 11-point bulge in the decisive quarter.
“I found my flow in my shot, my first three games I struggled with my shot,” Fowler said, after the game. “It felt good.”
Fowler’s explosion came at the right time, as the Express had trouble containing Marvels forward, Curtis Massey. Massey had a monster game with 29 points and 15 rebounds, doing most of his damage in the first half.
“The Marvels played well tonight, when we went down there (last week) it was there first game, they were a little off,” Express forward Samar Battle said. “Tonight, they were on point. They even played our style, running up and down and that surprised us.”
Battle, pitched in 25 points and fought for 11 rebounds for the Express, but pointed toward the bench for the real difference makers in the game.
“I think the Marvels were a little tired, our bench sort of wore them down a little bit, and when the starters came back in we finished the job,” Battle said.
Lost in the stat sheet is the contribution of Express forward Devin Davis. Davis finished with six points and three rebounds in his short stint, but he brought what was missing in the Express’ demeanor.
“We just are not playing good basketball right now,” Express coach Quaasim Austin said at halftime, before deciding to insert Davis into the lineup.
Davis entered the game in the third period with the score tied and infused energy into a previously lethargic Express team. Behind Davis’ hustle, the Express went on a 6-2 run to pull out to a 66-61 lead they would never relinquish.
“Devin is a great role player. He can score the ball, he runs the court well, and he crashes the boards,” Austin said. “He has no choice but to step up, because we have nine rookies on our roster.”
Tonight, Davis accepted his role and did the things the starters did not do in the opening half.
“We had to focus on hustling, getting back on offense, hustling on defense, and rebounding,” Davis said.
Now at 4-0 Austin sees the slow starts as a little troubling, but is anxious to see his squad responds in their first back-to-back.
“Hopefully tonight's second half play carries over,” Austin said.
If it carries over, the Express would increase their early division lead with all five wins coming in the division. The next game will be Sunday at 2 p.m. when the New York City Thunder visiting East Orange for the second time. The Express outlasted the Thunder in a thriller on opening night.
|
Marvels |
2PA |
2PM |
3PA |
3PM |
FTA |
FTM |
R |
A |
S |
B |
P |
|
Davis |
13 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
12 |
|
Moore |
11 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
|
Bigby |
9 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
11 |
|
Massey |
16 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
15 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
29 |
|
Wallace |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
|
Gant |
11 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
|
White |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Inge |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sullivan |
2 |
1 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
|
Totals |
74 |
32 |
17 |
3 |
20 |
11 |
45 |
11 |
13 |
7 |
84 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Express |
2PA |
2PM |
3PA |
3PM |
FTA |
FTM |
R |
A |
S |
B |
P |
|
Goodman |
22 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
16 |
|
Howell |
9 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
|
Battle |
17 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
11 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
25 |
|
Thorpe |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Fowler |
14 |
6 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
26 |
|
Morgano |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Sanders |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Davis |
7 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
|
Allen |
8 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Ailey |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Totals |
80 |
40 |
16 |
3 |
17 |
10 |
38 |
14 |
9 |
4 |
99 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
stats are unofficial |
|
|
|
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