|
Points
|
1
I.Fontaine, Mobile 17.4
2 G.Muoneke, Columb. 17.1
3 T.Fowlkes, Columbus 16.7
4 G.Stempin, Fayett. 15.7
5 T.McIntyre, Fayett. 15.3 |
|
Rebounds
|
1 T.Hamilton, Greenv. 9.4
2 S.Clark, Huntsville 8.8
3 D.Hood, Mobile 8.7
4 K.Poole, Columbus 7.6
5 A.Smith, Fayetteville 7.2 |
|
Assists
|
|
1 O.Cook, Fayetteville 7.8
2 S.Penn, Asheville 5.0
3 T.McIntyre, Fayettev.4.9
4 N.Green, N.Charleston 4.1
5 C.Garner, Columbus 4.1
|
Greenville is the champion of NBDL in their inauguration
season. (Photo: NBA.com) |
|
NBDL first season Final recap – April 15, 2002
The Greenville Groove defeated the North Charleston Lowgators 76-68 in
Game Two of the NBDL Finals last night at the North Charleston Coliseum
to win the league's first-ever championship. The Groove, led by head
coach Milton Barnes and assistant coach Stephanie Ready, swept the
best-of-three game series 2-0.
Billy Thomas, an All-NBDL First Team selection and former standout at
Kansas, led the Groove's surge to the title averaging 24.0 ppg in five
playoff games. Thomas shot .556 from three-point range knocking down
25-45 3PT FGA throughout the playoffs. He scored a playoff-high 34
points (12-24 FGA including 10-17 3PT FGA) in Game Two of the NBDL
Semifinals at Columbus and poured in a game-high 28 points (7-15 FGA,
4-4 from Downtown and 10-13 FTA) in Game Two of the Finals sealing the
win over North Charleston.
Jeff Myers, the Groove's captain and NBDL's Defensive Player of the
Year, chipped in with 12.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.4 apg and 2.80 spg during
Greenville's championship run. Rookie forward Kimani Ffriend averaged
17.0 ppg on .700 (14-20 FGA) shooting along with 8.5 rpg and 2.5 bpg
after Coach Barnes inserted him into the starting lineup for Game One of
the NBDL Finals.
Barnes, who has over 20 years of coaching experience, and Ready, the
first woman to coach in men's professional sports, guided the Groove to
four straight playoff wins after losing the NBDL's MVP, Ansu Sesay, to a
call-up from the Seattle SuperSonics following Game One of the
semifinals.
During this NBDL inaugural season, seven NBDL players were called up to
the NBA. Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically
and internationally, the NBDL serves as a source of on-court talent for
the NBA's 29 teams and as a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and
its teams by training employees in management, operations, public
relations, sales and marketing positions in each NBDL city.
NBDL
PLAYOFFS Semifinal Round
(1) North Charleston vs. (4) Mobile
Game One Sun, March 24 Mobile 78 at North Charleston 75 (Mobile leads
1-0)
Game Two Wed, April 3 North Charleston 77 at Mobile 70 (Series tied
1-1)
Game Three Sat, April 6 Mobile 78 at North Charleston 80 (N. Char. Wins
2-1)
(2) Greenville vs. (3) Columbus
Game One Thur, March 28 Columbus 81 at Greenville 78 (Columbus leads
1-0)
Game Two Fri, March 29 Greenville 96 at Columbus 78 (Series tied 1-1)
Game Three Sat, April 6 Columbus 78 at Greenville 79 (Greenville wins
2-1)
NBDL FINALS
(1) North Charleston vs. (2) Greenville
Game One Mon, April 8 N. Charleston 63 at Greenville 81 (Greenville
leads 1-0)
Game Two Wed, April 10 Greenville 76 at N. Charleston 68 (Greenville
wins 2-0)
Season
Awards 2001-02
2001-02 All-NBDL First Team
Forward Tremaine Fowlkes Columbus Riverdragons
Forward Ansu Sesay Greenville Groove (MVP)
Center Thomas Hamilton Greenville Groove
Guard Isaac Fontaine Mobile Revelers
Guard Billy Thomas Greenville Groove
2001-02 All-NBDL Second Team
Forward Derek Hood Mobile Revelers
Forward Sedric Webber North Charleston Lowgators
Center Paul Grant Asheville Altitude
Guard Omar Cook Fayetteville Patriots
Guard Terrell McIntyre Fayetteville Patriots
2001-02 All-NBDL Honorable Mention
Forward Nate Johnson Columbus Riverdragons
Forward Rahim Lockhart Greenville Groove
Forward Gabe Muoneke Columbus Riverdragons
Forward Greg Stempin Fayetteville Patriots
Center Jeff Aubry Fayetteville Patriots
Center Eric Chenowith Huntsville Flight
Guard Nate Green North Charleston Lowgators
Guard Artie Griffin Roanoke Dazzle
Guard Fred House North Charleston Lowgators
Guard Jimmie "Snap" Hunter Huntsville Flight
Guard Jeff Myers Greenville Groove
Rookie of the Year: guard Fred House
All-Rookie Team:
Fred House, Lee Scruggs, Omar Cook, Greg Stempin, Rahim Lockhart, Mike
Wilks
Defensive Player of the Year: Jeff Myers
All-Defensive Team:
Jeff Myers, Lee Scruggs, Derek Hood, Fred House, Neil Edwards, Marshall
Phillips
|
