Daredevils repeat against Krunk
By Bruce Sayler - 12/23/2007
Link: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2007/12/23/sports_semipro/hjjcihhgjigdjb.txt
Saturday night’s 108-104 Butte win over the Atlanta Krunk was difficult enough in Continental Basketball Association play.
The next one for the Daredevils might come even tougher.
Two players were erased from the Butte roster on Saturday, one before the game in the Civic Center and one after.
Six-foot-eight power forward Lionel Davis was released outright in a CBA transaction, and 6-10 starting center Jason Miller was signed away by Team Jena, a German club that plays in the European League Division I level.
“I’m going to ask Santa for a couple of bigs,” Daredevils head coach Pat O’Herron mused after the game. “Hopefully, we get three or four days to see what we can bring in. I don’t know if we can replace Jason. Guys like him are usually already playing somewhere. I’ll have to call Santa and see what he’s got.
“We need to bring in a couple guys who can rebound. We’re getting killed on the offensive boards.” Maybe too fittingly, Miller’s last game as a Daredevil was also his best. The Oklahoma State product scored 29 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, dealt four assists, blocked a shot and stole the ball from Atlanta once.
“Tonight was his best game,” O’Herron agreed. “He was rebounding, posting up hitting shots ... This is great for him. That’s what we’re about here. He put in the time, got the work done and put up the numbers.” The European League is one of the highest-paying leagues in the world.
Saturday’s game itself was See DAREDEVILS, Page B6 another foul-fest, similar to Friday’s, but with a closer score than the 117-92 drubbing Butte drummed on the Krunk.
Miller’s two free throws with 2.6 seconds left sealed teh victory. Steven Thomas has made two foul shots, the 51st and 52nd ones awarded Atlanta on the night, at the 4-second mark to pull the Krunk to within 106-104.
Miller was then fouled by Thomas and put on the line.
After Miller netted his tries that not only iced the victory, but also nudged the Daredevils back ahead in the quarter score, Atlanta called a timeout to try to set up a winning play.
The Krunk had to do so without head coach Kenny Anderson, who was ejected with two technical fouls in the first half after comments to the officials.
Andre Owens inbounded the ball for the Krunk, sailing a crosscourt pass to Terrance Hunter with less than a second left on the clock.
Hunter tried the long 3-point shot, but it fell way short of the basket. The buzzer sounded with the launch still in the air.
Aaron Cook scored 25 points for Butte, and Jibril Hodges tallied 22, including six 3-point baskets. Also, Benson Callier scored 11 points and Marcus Jefferson 10.
Atlanta put four players in the 20s. Owens scored 25 points, Thomas 23, Hunter 22 and Zack Marbury 21.
Hunter just missed a CBA record when he went to the foul line for 17 free throws, one short of the mark.
“We’ve been holding teams to about 17 free throws a game,” O’Herron said, “and now we’re giving up 50? We’re not that bad of a defensive team.” Butte looked like it might cruise again, but the Daredevils were finding the hoop as well as they had the night before.
However, the springy 6-6 Callier did sport a couple of more acrobatic dunks for the crowd’s approval. One was a hard, two-handed jam, and another was a reverse two-handed slammer behind his neck.
The Daredevils led 28-19 after the first quarter, taking the elad at 15-13 on a Miller jumper from the free throw line during a 12-2 run.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Hodges and Miller closed the quarter.
Atlanta, however, played tough the rest of the way.
The Krunk closed to 57-50 on a steal and layup by Renaldo Johnson. Miller hit from about 12 feet three seconds before halftime for a 59-50 difference at intermission.
The Krunk battled back into the game in the third quarter, using rebounding and foul shooting. They stil struggled trying to connect from the field.
But a three-point play by Thomas with 48 seconds left in the third quarter knotted the score at 76-all. Hodges retaliated with a trey and Butte had a three-point lead going into the last frame.
Atlanta tied the score at 90-all on two Owens free throws, and again at 93-all on a Marbury foul shot, but never got the lead back. A free throw by Callier broke the 90-all tie, and a driving basket by Jefferson fractured the one at 93.
Jefferson’s drive triggered a 9-0 run, capped by two Miller jumpers from just inside the 3-point arc.
Atlanta came back, setting up the fretting last few seconds of play before the Daredevils captured their 10th win in their last 12 games. They will next play on Saturday, Dec. 29 at home against the Oklahoma Cavalry.
O’Herron said Davis was cut because the club is looking to “strengthen the position.” Davis missed Friday’s game, reportedly with an ailing back.
Miller said he will leave Butte on Sunday, go home for Christmas and then head to Germany the day after.
“When I came here, I didn’t plan on it being for a short time,” Miller while signing autographs and between posing for pictures for and with fans after the game. “But all of our goals here are to get to the next level. Coach is fine with that. He preaches getting to the next level.” Miller played in China last year, and then for the Kansas Cagerz of the United States Basketball League during the summer. One of his Cagerz teammates was Anthony Richardson, an all-star on last year’s Daredevils.
O’Herron said earlier that Richardson told Miller he needed to play with the Daredevils this season.
“I loved it,” Miller said. “We were welcomed here. People fed us in their homes. To all of you in Butte who read this paper, thanks, and thanks for the memories.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to come back someday.” ATLANTA (6-10) Terrance Hunter 5-14 12-17 22, Renaldo Johnson 3-8 0-0 7, Steven Thomas 8-12 7-9 23, Andre Owens 8-19 9-9 25, Zack Marbury 4-14 12-15 21, Grayson Boucher 2-6 0-2 4, Bilal Simmons 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 31-77 40-52 104.
BUTTE (11-7) Odell Bradley 3-14 2-3 9, Jason Miller 12-23 4-5 29, Benson Callier 4-10 2-4 11, Aaron Cook 9-11 4-5 25, Marcus Jefferson 3-10 4-4 10 Jibril Hodges 6-14 4-4 22, Martane Freeman 0-2 0-0 0, Blake Sholberg 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 38-86 20-25 108.
Atlanta 19 31 26 28 — 104 Butte 28 31 20 29 — 108 League points — Butte 5.5, Atlanta 1.5. 3-point goals — Atlanta 2-12 (Johnson 1-2, Marbury 1-5, Owens 0-2, Boucher 1-3), Butte 12-22 (Bradley 1-3, Miller 1-2, Callier 1-2, Cook 3-5, Hodges 6-9, Freeman 0-1). Total fouls — Atlanta 18, Butte 32. Technicals — Atlanta coach Anderson 2 (ejected), Bradley, Butte coach O’Herron. Rebounds — Atlanta 51 (Thomas 18, Hunter 13), Butte 45 (Miller 15). Blocks — Atlanta 4 (Thomas 2), Butte 3 (Freeman 2). Assists — Atlanta 13 (Marbury 4), Butte 22 (Bradley 5, Cook 5, Jefferson 5). Steals — Atlanta 5 (Johnson 3), Butte 5 (Bradley 1, Miller 1, Jefferson 1, Hodges 1, Freeman 1). Turnovers — Atlanta 13, Butte 17. A — 800.