Vipers Top 100,000 Mark in Attendance for Second-Straight Season

HIDALGO, TEXAS –The defending NBA Development League champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers fellto the Idaho Stampede 115-92 on Wednesday at State Farm Arena in front of a selloutcrowd of 5,605, bringing the Vipers’ season attendance total to 104,755 on theseason.

The Vipersalso pass the Iowa Energy for first place in the NBA Development League inattendance. The Energy do not have any home games left. The Vipers, who areaveraging a league-best and franchise-record 4,762 fans per game this season,have two home games remaining. It is the second year in a row that the Vipershave broken the 100,000 mark in total attendance. The Vipers welcomed 113,077fans through the doors during the regular season last year, an average of 4,712per game.

“We can’tthank our fans enough for the incredible support that they show night afternight. To not only lead the league in attendance two years in a row, but showan increase as well, is a testament to the success of the team both on and offthe court,” Vipers President Bert Garciasaid.

The Vipers(30-16) jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the opening 2:23 on baskets by Jon Scheyer, Mouhammad Faye and JerelMcNeal. The Stampede (20-25) scored the next six points to take a 9-8 leadjust over one minute later, but the Vipers followed with a 14-2 run to take a21-10 lead when Scheyer nailed a three-pointer with 5:30 remaining in the firstquarter.

The Vipers ledthroughout most of the rest of the first half, but the Stampede went on a 20-4run over the final 6:50 of the second quarter to take a 48-45 lead.

The Stampedescored the first eight points of the third quarter, thanks in-part to athree-pointer and a jumper from AntoineWalker. McNeal hit a three-pointer at the 8:26 mark, but Tony Bobbitt hit back-to-backthree-pointers to give the Stampede a 64-48 lead with 7:45 remaining.

Bobbittfinished 8-for-10 from behind the arc while scoring a team-high 26 points to gowith eight rebounds. Walker recorded his second-straight double-double with 24points and 13 rebounds.

The Viperspulled within 86-77 on a McNeal three-pointer with 8:39 left in the fourthquarter, but Walker hit a pair of baskets as the Stampede went on a 9-0 run totake a 95-77 lead and put the game out of reach.

McNeal led theVipers with a game-high 29 points.

The Vipers returnto action on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. when they face the Tulsa 66ers at the TulsaConvention Center. With a win, the Vipers will clinch the season series and thetiebreaker with the 66ers should they finish tied in the Western Conferencestandings.