Vipers Take Game 1 Thriller in Overtime

HIDALGO, TEXAS –Terrel Harris hit a three-pointer with 11.4 seconds left in overtime tolift the defending NBA Development League champion and third-seeded Rio GrandeValley Vipers past the second-seeded Reno Bighorns 98-96 in Game 1 of theSemifinals on Sunday at State Farm Arena in front of a crowd of 5,239.

The Vipers (3-1)take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series and can secure a berth in theFinals for the second year in a row with a win on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. at theReno Events Center.

The Vipers led88-79 with 6:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Bighorns (2-2) scoredthe next 12 points, including a three-point play by Donald Sloan with 4:19 remaining to give the Bighorns their firstlead since the first quarter, and a driving lay-up with 3:37 remaining to putthe Bighorns up 91-88.

Patrick Sullivan hit a lay-up with 2:43 remaining tobring the Vipers back within one and JonScheyer hit a lay-up with 1:00 remaining to give the Vipers a 92-91 lead. Mo Charlo hit one of two free throwswith 44.5 seconds remaining to tie the game and force overtime.

Charlo hit ajumper with 1:43 left in overtime to give the Bighorns the lead. Harris missedhis first try at responding, but got a rebound and put the ball back in thebasket 21 seconds left to tie the game. AnthonyRichardson hit a basket the next time down the court, but missed a freethrow as the Bighorns went up 96-94. MouhammadFaye hit 1-of-2 free throws to bring the Vipers within one. In the Vipers’final possession Jerel McNeal droveinside, and as the defense collapsed, he passed the ball to Harris to set-uphis only three-pointer of the game. Charlo missed a jumper in an attempt to tiethe game at the buzzer.

McNeal led theVipers in scoring four the fourth-straight game with 31 points. Scheyer scored20, Sullivan finished with 17 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks while Harrisscored 10 points with 12 rebounds.

Richardson andSloan led the Bighorns in scoring with 21 points each.

McNeal hit apair of jumpers, including one from behind the arc as the Vipers jumped out toa 9-2 lead. The Bighorns came back to take the lead at 14-13 on a lay-up by Andre Emmett with 5:33 remaining in thefirst quarter. Scheyer hit a three-pointer to give the Vipers the lead back,but Emmett tied it with a lay-up. RichardRoby followed with a baseline drive that led to a reverse lay-up to givethe Vipers an 18-16 lead at the 3:47 mark.

Emmettrecorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bighornsopened the third quarter on a 12-6 run to pull within 56-54 on a three-pointerby Marcus Landry at the 8:58 mark,but the Vipers responded with a 14-0 run punctuated by a reverse-layup from Sullivanat the 4:27 mark to make it 70-54.