FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Walter Lemon Jr. poured in 26 points, and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants bench helped the team recover from a 20-point deficit to earn a 107-105 victory over the Iowa Energy.
Iowa pushed its early lead to 60-40 with 2:00 remaining in the second quarter, but Fort Wayne ripped off a 25-3 run over the next seven minutes.
Stephan Hicks, who hadn’t scored more than nine points in game this season, had already tallied 12 at halftime. Hicks, Lemon and C.J. Fair played a significant role in the comeback.
“When we’re down 20 points, we’ve gotta change something up,” Mad Ants coach Steve Gansey said. “Putting those guys in — getting some new bodies and some fresh energy — it worked for us.”
Then during the fourth quarter, Lemon took over.
He scored 16 of his game-best 26, including a thunderous slam over Memphis Grizzlies assignee James Ennis. Lemon landed on his back and stayed on the floor for a couple minutes before making a free throw to give Fort Wayne a 104-100 advantage.
Iowa had twice beaten Fort Wayne earlier this season, and it appeared the Energy would notch a third victory because of their more physical play.
“It was a battle game,” said Lemon, who had only scored 12 points in 26 previous minutes against the Energy. “This team had beaten us twice in a row, and we didn’t want it to be three times in a row. We know they’re tough to beat. That’s a tough team we just beat.”
“The main thing was we had to play with toughness and play with some guts out there. Guys, at first, were playing a little bit soft, and we came into the locker room (at halftime) and got it together.”
The Mad Ants posted a 58-44 advantage during the second half.
Hicks scored a season-best 19 points, while Fair netted 12 and dished four assists.
Ennis recorded 22 points and eight rebounds for Iowa, but he airmailed a last-second potential game-winning 3-pointer. Jarell Martin and Alex Stepheson added 16 each. Andrew Harrison chipped in 14 points and seven assists.
Fort Wayne improved to 11-7, while Iowa dropped to 7-10.
Quick Hit
It’s been mentioned before on U&M, but Lemon’s quickness is elite for the D-League. Gansey compared Lemon’s acrobatic layups and finishing ability to a Cleveland Cavaliers star.
“Walt is the quickest guy in the D-League,” Gansey said. “Put him on a track, and I’ll put money on him against anybody. You can really see it on the floor. Some of the layups he makes are unbelievable — they’re Kyrie Irving-esque.”
Observations
Shayne Whittington: Not a tremendous night from the Indiana Pacers assignee but a constant presence with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Most effective and seemingly most comfortable as a 3-point shooter from the right wing. Attacks cutting lanes well but has to finish better at the rim and through contact.
Walter Lemon Jr.: D-League teams are headed to the annual showcase, and don’t be surprised if you hear Lemon’s name pop up a couple times. Personally, I will focus on Lemon’s one-on-one defending before declaring him a legitimate NBA prospect, but he’s rapidly developed on offense.
Rakeem Christmas: Best way to describe Christmas’ game — not his attitude — right now is “stubborn.” On multiple occasions, he received the ball in the post, made a move and flailed toward the basket. Second straight home contest with shaky play on the blocks.
Stephan Hicks: He’s not going to “wow” you, but Hicks has played his way into the rotation. Gansey confirmed as much. Though Hicks needs to improve his shooting range, the rookie guard was constantly moving and creating wide-open looks.
James Ennis: Although Ennis wasn’t dominant, he was clearly an NBA-caliber talent. More active, aggressive and fundamentally sound than his teammates. Want to see more from him as a shooter.
Jarell Martin: Also on assignment from the Grizzlies, Jarell Martin is a perfect example of production not matching potential. The offensive skills are obvious and well-rounded but far from refined. Defensively, Martin is a disaster. Whittington regularly blew by Martin with or without the ball for shots at the rim and rebounds.
Andrew Harrison: Simply didn’t do much on the offensive end other than pass. Love his quick release, but Harrison is inconsistent from beyond the arc. Until that changes, expect plenty of D-League action for the Kentucky product.