RENO, Nev.—- The Reno Bighorns (11-17) fell to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (17-12) 119-114 Friday night at the Reno Events Center.
Sacramento Kings Affiliate Player Lamar Patterson led the Bighorns with 39 points and seven rebounds while affiliate player Isiah Cousins notched 22 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Kings assignment player Georgios Papagiannis recorded his fourth double-double of the season 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Darius Morrris paced the Vipers with 27 points, five rebounds and five assists while Chinanu Onuaku had 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The opening quarter was a fast-paced, tightly contested play in which neither team led by more than six points. Patterson led all scorers in the first frame with 13 points, helping the Bighorns to a one-point advantage to start the second frame.
The head-to-head battle carried through to a high-scoring frame with Reno and Rio Grande Valley both scoring over 29 points. The Bighorns led by as many as eight points, despite the frame seeing eight lead changes and four ties. The Bighorns led the Vipers 61-57 at the half.
The Bighorns held a double-digit lead over at the 8:00 mark until the Vipers went on a late rally to leave the Bighorns trailing by one point to end the third period.
The Bighorns held the upper hand on the Vipers to open the final frame after six points from Patterson in the first minute and a half of play. The Vipers retook control of the lead after two lay-ups from Jarvis Threatt and a lay-up from Walker. Despite Patterson scoring 13 points in the final frame, the Vipers would not relinquish the lead.
The Bighorns will return to the Reno Events Center on Sunday, Jan. 29 to host the Salt Lake City Stars at 5 p.m. The Kings entertainment team will join the Bighorns for affiliate games in Reno during the January 29 contest. Kings Legends, Sacramento Kings Dancers, Mascot Slamson and more will be on hand to give fans in Reno an opportunity to connect directly with the Sacramento organization.
–bighorns—
About the Reno Bighorns:
The Reno Bighorns are a member of the NBA Development League, the official minor league of the NBA. The Bighorns are affiliated with the Sacramento Kings. Season tickets for the 2016-17 season are on sale now! For more information, call the Bighorns front office at 775-853-8220 or visit RenoBighorns.com. Follow us on Twitter @renobighorns and “like” the Bighorns on Facebook at facebook.com/bighornshoops. The NBA Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 22 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2016-17 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 38 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2015-16 season boasted NBA D-League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA D-League games on nbadleague.com.