Jam storms back
| Wednesday, Mar 25 2009 02:11 AM
Last Updated Monday, Mar 30 2009 04:23 PM
Images
The Jam's Terrell Everett goes to the inside of a towering Steve Newman during Tuesday's Bakersfield-Iowa game at Rabobank Arena.
Jam coach Scott Roth knew he didn't have to say much. Trailing by 10 points at halftime Tuesday night, Roth calmly addressed his players and then sent them back out to the floor.
It turned out to be the calm before the storm.
Down by 61-48 early in the third quarter, the Jam scored 38 of the game's next 48 points to pull ahead by 15 and coast to a 98-85 victory over the Iowa Energy in front of an announced crowd of 1,955 at Rabobank Arena.
"The screaming and hollering and making a fool of myself; those days are kind of over with," Roth said. "They knew what they had to do."
Mateen Cleaves had 21 points and 12 assists and Justin Reed added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Jam (25-19) which won its fourth straight.
It was the first time Trey Johnson, who finished with 20 points and seven assists, didn't lead the team in scoring since he returned from a prolonged stint with the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers eight games ago.
Reed, who began the night 0-of-5 from the floor got the Jam going on offense driving hard to the hoop for four straight baskets to start the huge run.
"I saw that the young guys were kind of down and needed a boost," Reed said. "That's kind of my role to give us a boost when we need a boost with my energy. I was able to get to the basket and get us going offensively."
Reed made nine of his next 11 shots and finished 9-of-17.
Othyus Jeffers had 18 points and 16 rebounds to lead Central Division leading Iowa (25-17) in both categories.
Bakersfield held the Energy to 31 points in the second half.
The victory helps the Jam maintain the sixth best record in the D-League with just six games remaining on its regular season schedule. Eight teams qualify for the playoffs.
Iowa extended its lead to 13 at the 7:46 mark of the third quarter on a jumper deep in the right corner Mark Tyndale.
Reed answered with four quick baskets to cut the Jam deficit to five before Trey Johnson buried a 3-point from the right corner make it a three-point game. With 47.4 seconds left in the period Johnson drove hard to the hole for a layup and in the process drew a foul that led to a game-tying free throw.
The momentum continued over to the fourth quarter as the Jam scored the first 15 points of the period.
"Midway through that third we just kicked it in," Roth said. "It started with Mateen's defense and just got fire under everyone else. We created a lot of turnovers and a lot of easy baskets for us."
Iowa led 54-44 at halftime after building a double digit lead late in the first quarter.
The Energy's advantage fluctuated from eight to 12 points throughout the second quarter as the Jam struggled to find its offensive rhythm.
"They were a step slow," Roth said of his team. "They weren't playing very well. I don't know if we could have played a worse first half than we did. I knew they weren't going to play that bad in the second half."
Bakersfield shot 36.4-percent (16-of-44) from the field in the first half including 1-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Iowa made 51-percent (23-of-45) of its first half field goal attempts and had four players reach in double figures in scoring by the break.
Despite making just two of its first 12 field goal attempts, the Jam broke out to a 7-4 lead. But Iowa, which also struggled early with its shooting, caught fire midway through the first quarter and went on a 20-4 run to jump ahead 26-15 with 46 seconds left in the period.
