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HomeNewsArchivesGuidance Holds Off Upset-Minded Rockers, 63-55

Guidance Holds Off Upset-Minded Rockers, 63-55

July 8, 2008 — In Continental Basketball Association summer league play, Guidance staved off an upset bid by the Rockers Monday night, outlasting them 63-55 in a game that turned out to be the lowest scoring contest to date in the league.
The game was easily the Rockers' best chance of leaving the ranks of the league’s winless teams, but a plethora of turnovers and missed free throws was too much for them to overcome. Even Guidance, supposedly one of the league’s elite teams, failed to play up to their lofty status as they also were burned by the turnover bug.
The difference was Guidance making more of their free throws, especially down the stretch. The Rockers were a paltry 10 of 19 from the line.
From the opening moments of the game, the Rockets raced to a 6-0 lead. But Guidance turned up the defensive pressure with a full court press that forced the Rockers into numerous turnovers. The pressure also enabled Guidance to go on a 10-4 run to knot the game at 10 with two minutes left in the quarter.
A three-pointer by the Rockers' Paul Jones to open the second quarter gave his team a brief lead at 16-15. Guidance however responded with an 8-2 run highlighted by a couple of threes from Nigel Bridgewater and Luis Lopez to lead 23-16 with 5:15 left in the half. With the score at 27-20 in favor of Guidance, the Rockers went on a 9-2 run to go into the locker room with the score knotted at 29 and in the thick of things.
Careless ball handling continued to plague both teams at the start of the second half. The Rockers emerged with a 37-36 lead with 4:46 left in the third but it would be their last lead of the game. They continued to put up a good fight and they only trailed by two at 45-43 after three quarters. Bridgewater almost single-handedly kept his team out front with an eight-point third as his team also had a hard time holding on to the ball.
The fourth quarter was not much different from the previous three. Again both teams took a while to get on the board.
It was also another low scoring quarter and with four minutes left in the quarter Guidance only had a two point lead at 51-49. A three by Bridgewater extended that lead to five at 54-49. The Rockers responded with a two by Ronald Osborne to get to within three at 54-51 with 2:57 left.
Highlighted by another three-pointer by Bridgewater and four of six free-throws shooting by Richard Isles, Guidance was able to outscore the Rockers 9-4 down the stretch for the final margin of victory, 63-55.
Isles, who was a monster on the boards for Guidance, finished with game highs in points, 17, and nine rebounds. His teammate Bridgewater shared game-high points honors as he also netted 17.
For the Rockers, Olani Vanterpool and Patrick Price netted 11 points each.

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