Jam steals victory from Vipers
| Sunday, Feb 22 2009 02:09 AM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:22 PM
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Bakersfield forward Terrance Thomas drives on Rio Grande Valley's Marcus Hubbard in the first quarter Saturday.
Derrick Byars scored 24 points including a layup with 6.4 seconds remaining to lift the Bakersfield Jam to a thrilling 107-106 victory over the Rio Grande Vipers Saturday night at Rabobank Arena.
Terrance Thomas tied a season high with 25 points and made the steal that led to Byars’ game-winning basket.
Jawad Williams had 24 points and Jared Jordan added 23 for the Vipers (10-21), which lost for the sixth straight time.
The Jam (19-14) held a five-point lead early in the final quarter.
But a two-handed dunk by Marcus Hubbard trimmed the Bakersfield advantage to 92-89 with 8:23 remaining in the game. Just moments later, the 6-foot-8 forward out of Angelo State tied the game with a three-point play.
The remainder of the game was nip-and-tuck.
The Jam led 59-53 after a wild first half that produced 15 lead changes and was full of run-and-gun action Neither team could establish control until Jam reserve guard Terrell Everrett capped off a late first-quarter surge with a long jumper that gave Bakersfield the lead until early in the fourth quarter.
Bakersfield, which shot 49 percent from the field in the half, eventually stretched its advantage to 10 before Jordan scored six straight points to close the gap to six by the break.
