EDINBURG, Texas — On Friday night at the Bert Ogden Arena the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (12-23) made a comeback in the third quarter to grasp a 132-124 win against Texas Legends (19-18).
As the first quarter tipped off, the Vipers jumped to a 4-0 lead over the Legends. With six minutes remaining in the quarter, Texas went on an 14-7 run which resulted 14-11 in favor of the Legends. Texas maintained its lead and closed the quarter 31-24.
Texas maintained its lead throughout the second quarter to close off the half 62-53.
At halftime Houston Rockets assignee Chris Clemons led the game with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists. Cameron Payne led the Texas Legends with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Dakota Mathias scored 10 points meanwhile Portland Blazers two-way player, Moses Brown, reached a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Legends continued to extend their lead in the third quarter, but the Vipers were ready to change that lead. With 2:10 remaining in the quarter Brandon Sampson shot a 3-pointer which minimized the lead of Texas 80-79. As the clock reached 1:43 Jabari Brown would become responsible of giving RGV an 81-80 lead. Texas would come back to tie the game 83-83, but with just 30 seconds remaining on the clock, Sampson came back and gave the Vipers an 86-83 lead.
RGV had the lead but Texas was right behind. With 10:10 remaining in the fourth quarter Texas tied the game 88-88, but 15 seconds later Rockets two-way player, William Howard,changed the game. After scoring a layup Howard gave the Vipers a 90-88 lead. As the quarter progressed, RGV extended its lead even further which resulted in a 132-124 win for the Vipers.
The top scorer of the night was Texas Legends Cameron Payne with 33 points (seven rebounds and six assists), Dakota Mathias tallied up 18 points (three rebounds and six assists), Dallas Mavericks two-way player, Josh Reaves, contributed 13 points (three rebounds and five assists), Brown reached a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Dallas Mavericks two-way player Antonius Cleveland also had 12 points along with eight rebounds. Aric Holman put up 11 points and six rebounds. Brandon Fields closed off the double-digits in scoring for the Legends with 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Five players for the Vipers held double-digits in scoring with Clemons leading the way with 27 points, four rebounds and five assists. Two-way player Michael Frazier contributed 26 points, five rebounds and four assists. Houston Rockets assignee Isaiah Hartenstein reached a double-double with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Sampson racked up 20 points and seven rebounds. Isaiah Taylor closed off the double figures in scoring with 12 points and four rebounds.