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Vipers drop high-scoring affair to Energy
HIDALGO — Chicago Bulls assignee James Johnson scored a game-high 31 points to lead the Iowa Energy to a 136-127 victory over the Vipers on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena.
Johnson, the Bulls’ No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA draft (16th overall) also had 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. Teammates Courtney Sims (23 points, 12 rebounds) and Marqus Blakely (15 points, 11 rebounds) also had double-doubles while Curtis Stinson recorded a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists) to help power the Energy (21-9).
Iowa opened the game on a 12-0 run, hitting 5-of-6 shots. The Vipers (19-9) got on the board for the first time at the 8:18 mark when Houston Rockets assignee Ish Smith drove the lane for a lay-up.
The Vipers opened the second quarter on a 16-5 run, during which Mouhammad Faye hit a 3-pointer at the 8:56 mark of the to give the Vipers their first lead at 42-41. Smith followed by converting a three-point play to give the Vipers a 45-41 lead. The Energy outscored the Vipers 23-12 over the rest of the quarter to take 64-57 halftime lead.
The Vipers opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run, capped by a Jerel McNeal basket to take the lead back at 77-76 with 8:47 remaining. Two minutes later, the game was tied at 83-83 after Terrel Harris hit a jumper, at which point the Energy went on a 13-1 run to take a 96-84 lead that they did not relinquish.
Harris scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-9 from behind the arc to go with five rebounds, two assists and a career-high tying four steals. Jeff Adrien recorded his 14th double-double in 19 games with 17 points and 14 rebounds while Smith picked up his second double-double with 12 points and 12 assists.
The Vipers shot 17-of-46 (37 percent) from behind the arc, setting new franchise records in both makes and attempts. The Vipers also attempted a franchise-record 111 field goals, hitting 49 of them (44.1 percent).
The Vipers hit the road for 10 days to play five games in three states, starting Friday against the New Mexico Thunderbirds in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, at the Santa Ana Center at 8:30 p.m.
