Skyforce Put Clamps on Mad Ants Secure First Win of the Year

In the end it was bittersweet for both teams as Sioux Falls and Fort Wayne played game one of the new NBA Development League season.  Victory came to the Skyforce in the form of a 77-70 rumble in front of 5,129 gathered at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night.   

Raising the 2014 NBADL Championship banner before tipoff proved sweet for the Mad Ants.  Shooting 31 percent from the floor not to mention 5-23 from downtown and 50 percent at the foul line proved bitter.

For the Skyforce the shooting touch was a little sour hitting 33 percent overall, but the free throw line was friendlier for the visitors at 74 percent.  Getting a road win against the defending champs and holding the Mad Ants scoreless over the final 3 minutes was very sweet.

Chris Allen scored 7 of his 19 points in the final stanza with Shawn Jones putting up 13 points and pulling down 19 rebounds in his professional debut.  Rookie Tyler Johnson also posted a double-double for Sioux Falls (12 points, 10 rebounds).  See the clips below to get the scoop on Jones and Johnson.

Fort Wayne was led by veteran guard Andre Emmett who tallied 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals while C.J. Fair scored 14 with 7 boards.

The 70 points allowed by Sioux Falls is the lowest total by an opponent since holding Erie to 67 on December 5, 2008.  Last season, Reno mustered only 73 in a loss on November 24, 2013.

Sioux Falls will wait a week to play their next contest which will be at home against the Iowa Energy while Fort Wayne will need to regroup quickly for a date against the Maine Red Claws in less than 24 hours on Sunday.