Turnabout is Fair Play: Big Third Quarter Leads Vipers Past Energy in Game 2

DES MOINES, IOWA –After struggling in the third quarter and losing Game 1, and trailing 74-70early in the third quarter of Game 2 of the best of three Finals, the defendingNBA Development League champion and third-seeded Rio Grande Valley Vipers outscored the top-seeded Iowa Energy 34-to-10 over the next six and a half minutesto pull away and even up the best of three Finals with a 141-122 victory overthe top-seeded Iowa Energy on Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Vipers (5-2)and Energy (5-2) play a decisive Game 3 for the championship on Friday at 7:00p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. Vipers fans can watch the game together during awatch party at Pepper’s at Uptown. The game will be televised on VERSUS, whichcan be found on Time Warner Cable channel 314 (SD)/1314 (HD), Dish Network channel151 and DirecTV channel 603.

The Vipers arenow 6-0 all-time in elimination games.

The Vipers rantheir lead up to 104-84 with 29 seconds left in the third quarter, but Moses Ehambe scored six points to fuelan 11-2 run as the Energy closed with 106-95 with 10:44 remaining in the game.  RichardRoby hit a pair of free throws to break the run, Jerel McNeal followed with a three-point play, and after Ehambe hita jumper, Roby hit a three and PatrickSullivan converted a three-point play to put the Vipers up 117-97 and putthe game out of reach.

McNeal led theVipers with 37 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Roby scored 28 pointswith five rebounds and three assists. Sullivan recorded a double-double with 14points and 10 rebounds, as did MouhammadFaye, with 16 points and 12 rebounds. TerrelHarris finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and threesteals.

Curtis Stinson recorded his second-straighttriple-double for the Energy with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Ehambeled the Energy in scoring with 33 points.

The Vipers jumpedout to an 8-3 in the opening three minutes thanks in-part to a pair of basketsby Sullivan. The Energy came right back to tie the game at 10-10 and the leadfluctuated back and forth for the rest of the quarter, with neither team leadingby more than three points.

The Viperswere within 31-29 after a Jon Scheyer lay-upin the opening seconds of the second quarter, but Shy Ely hit back-to-back threes to put the Energy up eight. TheVipers went on a 9-2 run to pull within 39-38 at the 8:40 mark. The Viperstrailed 45-43 when they hit five of their next eight three pointers to build a62-51 lead with 3:12 remaining. The Energy scored the next nine points,including five points on two baskets by Ehambe, to pull within 63-60.

The Viperstrailed 74-70 after Ely made a three-pointer with 7:09 remaining in the thirdquarter, but the Vipers went on a 22-7 run over the next 2:38