Energy splits weekend with Bellingham Slam

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BELLINGHAM SLAM 141 - EDMONTON ENERGY 121

Defending IBL league champions, The Bellingham Slam rode the hot shooting of Ira Graham to split the weekends double header and come out ahead of the defeated the Edmonton Energy, 141-121.

The game started out at a much slower pace than Friday’s contest, as both teams combined for just 52 points in the first quarter, one more than the Slam’s first quarter output the night before. Bellingham used a 16-3 burst in the game’s opening minutes to establish a lead they would not relinquish, 16-7. J.R. Patrick led Edmonton in the scoring column for the second straight game with 24 points. Skousen Harker posted a double-double with 24 points and ten rebounds.

The second quarter saw the Slam blow the game wide open, outscoring the Energy by a 43-22 margin to take a 73-44 lead into halftime. Graham had 23 of his game-high 40 points at the break.

After a third quarter that saw Bellingham extend their lead to 32, 113-81, the Energy came out on fire in the fourth, using a sustained attack and a 18-1 run to get the deficit all the way down to eight, 127-119, with 3:11 to play. A converted three-point play by Jake Linton with 2:57 left put the Slam back up by 11 and proved to be the dagger for the Energy. Bellingham held Edmonton to just two points in the final 2:45 to secure the victory.

Graham’s 40-point night led six Slam players in double figures. Linton finished with 29 points on 8-for-12 three-point shooting while Jacob Stevenson added 24 points and 11 rebounds.

The game was a chippy affair, with both teams combining for 58 fouls.