Having lost three of their last four games, including three straight, the Texas Legends were in dire need of some skid-stopping home cooking. As it turned out, they stopped their streak at three, and earned a split of their two-game set with the Central Division leading Rio Grand Valley Vipers.
W Texas Legends (15-12) Vs. Rio Grande Valley Vipers (20-8)—125-118
After the first quarter saw the Legends trailing 38-29 it appeared as though their defensive woes had returned and a season-high four-game losing streak would be all but a certainty.
But from the second quarter on, the Legends righted the ship and outscored RGV by 16 points to hold on to the skid-snapping 125-118 victory. Thanks to a combined 50 pts from SG P.J. Hairston and Devin Ebanks, the Legends were able to out pace the D-League’s top-scoring Vipers.
Ebanks, coming off the bench, notched a double-double as he added 13 rebounds to his 25 pts. PG Mickey McConnell added a deuce to his ledger with 12 assists and 16 pts. F Marcus Hubbard made the most of his start as he nabbed a game-high 17 boards while knocking down a baker’s dozen in points.
L Texas Legends (15-13) Vs. Rio Grande Valley Vipers (21-8)—113-123
Despite a combined 57 points from the Legends two leading scorers—Hairston (30pts), Ebanks (27pts)—the Vipers used a punishing second-half push to earn a split of the two-game series at The Dr. Pepper Arena on Saturday night.
The Legends had no answer for the Vipers’ C, Tim Ohlbrecht. One of the best big men in the D-League, Ohlbrecht cleaned the glass with 20 rebounds, and knocked down 29 points to pace the red-hot Vipers offense.
Marcus Hubbard had another big game for the Legends, as he netted 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Ricky Ledo came in off the bench to contribute 15 points.
Player(s) Spotlight: Melvin Ely and Devin Ebanks named D-League All-Stars
The eighth annual NBA D-League All-Star Game will feature two familiar Frisco faces on its roster this February 15 in New Orleans.
F Devin Ebanks, the former 2010 second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, has been a top-three D-League Prospect all season long, and has led the Legends in PPG with 24.5, which was also good for second in the D-League. The 24-year-old out of West Virginia is sure to see time with the Dallas Mavericks at some point during the 2013-2014 season.
F/C Melvin Ely, a 2002 first-round (12th pick) of the L.A. Clippers, has spent parts of eight seasons in the NBA with six different teams. The 35-year-old Fresno State product has seen a career revival with the Legends this season, averaging 16.6 PPG. Despite being undersized for a center, Ely has led the team in blocked shots per game with 1.6.
Upcoming Legends Games
The Texas Legends hit the road for a three-game set starting off with a trip to Boise, Idaho to take on D-League Top Prospect Pierre Jackson and his Idaho Stampede. The tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM (CST) tonight, at CenturyLink Arena.
Next, it’s a trip to the warmer West Coast, for a two-game series with the Bakersfield Jam. Game one is scheduled for 8:00 PM (CST) Friday night, with Game two’s tipoff at 8:00 (CST) as well. All games will be broadcast live via the Texas Legends’ official YouTube Channel.
