Recap
GREENVILLE, TX – The Potawatomi Fire got win lucky number 13 on Saturday evening as they beat the Texas 7ers 142-124.
It wasn’t an easy win as the Fire had to battle back from an early 10-0 hole, but they kept their composure and showed why they are the only remaining undefeated team in The Basketball League. The Fire not only erased that 10-0 lead but led by seven (33-26) after the first quarter. They would then extend their lead in the second quarter and eventually led by as many as 25.
The 142 points scored on Saturday is tied for fourth most in a single game in Fire history. They also scored 142 points against the 7ers on March 29, 2023.
“I was proud of the way our guys played tonight,” said Fire head coach Mark Dannhoff. “We didn’t get off to a good start, but our guys kept their cool and didn’t panic. We have a lot of experience and that showed tonight. This is a good 7ers team. Coach Bryson has his guys playing really well and we had to fight to get the win tonight.”
The bench powered the Fire to the victory scoring 68 of the team’s 142 points. Isaiah Wade led the effort for the reserves with 28 points and eight rebounds. He hit 11 of 17 shots from the field, two of his four three-point attempts and four of his six free throws. Ricky Artis II also had a big game off the bench, bolstering his case to win TBL’s Sixth Man of the Year. Artis finished with 25 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks. Ruston Hayward also had a solid performance off the bench with 15 points and five rebounds.
“I thought our bench was the difference in this one,” said Dannhoff. “They came in a brought a lot of energy early in the game when we were struggling. They sparked us tonight and then kept it going throughout the game. Ricky did what he does. Ruston came in a gave us solid minutes and Isaiah really showed the type of player he can be as he gets more comfortable in his role.”
While the bench might have led the effort for the Fire tonight, the starters certainly did their part. K.D. Moore led all scorers with 35 points on 15 of 20 shooting. He also had 7 rebounds and three blocks before fouling out. Deshawn Munson recorded his sixth double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He also had eight assists and a pair of steals. Chuck Guy had a fairly quiet night by his standards finishing with 12 points, nine assists, and two steals.
A full box score is available here.
With the win, the Fire upped their perfect record to 13-0. Up next, the Fire will travel north to take on the Wichita Skykings (1-10) on Friday, May 3rd. That game will take place at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. Tip is scheduled for 7 PM. You can watch a live stream of the game on TBL TV or listen to the game on KGFF Radio (100.9 FM/1450 AM/KGFF.com).
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Story by Chris Cox / Photos by Kent Bush and Garret Fisbeck