Anderson, Vipers one win away from D-League title

Former Lynn Tech/Memphis standout Antonio Anderson scored 17 points as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers defeated the Tulsa 66ers, 124-107, in Game One of the NBA Development League Finals at the Tulsa Convention Center on Sunday.This was the first Finals win in franchise history for the Vipers, who are making their first trip to the NBA D-League postseason.Anderson, a forward, played over 44 minutes. He made seven of 12 shots and all three of his free throws. He added four rebounds, all coming on defense, and nine assists. He was one of six Vipers to finish in double figures.Game Two of the finals will take place at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Game Three will also take place in Hidalgo, if necessary. Both games will air on the VERSUS television network.Ironically, Anderson had earned a GATORADE Call-Up this season to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which owns the 66ers. The Thunder are currently tied at two games apiece with the Los Angeles Lakers in their NBA first-round playoff series.Rio Grande Valley’s win on Sunday came despite league MVP Mike Harris spending much of three quarters on the bench. Harris, who finished with a game-high 24 points, only received 14 minutes of floor time during that span after picking up four quick fouls.Tulsa kept the matchup close through the first half, even building a 10-point lead in the remaining minutes. Rio Grande Valley strung together a 14-4 run to tie the game at 54. Then, with 1.8 seconds left in the half, and Tulsa holding a one-point advantage, Rio Grande Valley’s Will Conroy threw up a three-point shot from near half-court, which went in as the buzzer sounded. That basket gave the Vipers a 59-58 lead heading into the locker rooms.The Vipers began to pull away at the end of the third on Ernest Scott’s three-pointer, which put them up by 14. Rio Grande Valley led by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter.Rio Grande Valley also received a strong performance by center Julian Sensley, who had 21 points and seven rebounds. Conroy added a triple-double with 14 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists, while guard Craig Winder put up 18 points off the bench.