Feb 18, 2008 - 04:05:34 CST
The Dakota Wizards and Sioux Falls Skyforce were both missing critical people Sunday, but the teams couldn't have responded more differently.Sioux Falls head coach Nate Tibbetts missed the game because his father, Fred, passed away Sunday morning after a battle with cancer. In Tibbetts' absence the Skyforce pulled together and scored an easy 112-100 victory over the Wizards.
Fred Tibbetts was the most successful coach of girls high school basketball in the history of South Dakota, guiding his teams to 551 victories and 11 state titles.
Former Wizard Kasib Powell, who led all scorers with 25 points, said the win was a tribute for the Tibbetts family.
"We knew (Nate) wasn't going to be here, so we wanted to pull together and play for his father and him," Powell said. "We know he's going through rough times right now. He's not here, but he's really still here with us."
Skyforce assistant Tony Fritz, who took the reins on Sunday, echoed Powell's sentiments.
"I have to commend our guys for really coming together," Fritz said. "They're battling for their head coach. This is just a reflection of what they think of Nate, and Nate's family, and how they just banded together and played hard."
As for the Wizards, they had neither one of their all-stars - Carlos Powell and Rod Benson - in the lineup, and played like it.
Powell, who has a tryout scheduled with the Phoenix Suns this week, sat out with an injured toe. Benson missed his flight and didn't arrive at the Civic Center until the fourth quarter.
The Wizards, who have now lost four in a row, responded with a lackluster performance. Dakota trailed by as many 22 and were never closer than 12 after the first quarter.
With the victory, the Skyforce (17-16) closed to within two games of the Central Division-leading Wizards (18-13).
"That was an embarrassment," Wizards coach Duane Ticknor said. "It's more important to Sioux Falls right now than it is to us.
"It showed by effort level, it showed by focus, and it showed on the scoreboard."
Things started off well enough for Dakota. The Wizards started the game by getting the ball to center Kevin Lyde and having him directly attack former Wizard Chris Alexander. The result was five straight buckets by Lyde to start the game, and a 10-8 lead for Dakota.
After that it was all Sioux Falls. The Skyforce rained down jumpers on Dakota, shooting a torrid 14 for 22 (63.6 percent) on 3-pointers. The prime culprit was Elton Nesbitt, who was 7-for-10 from beyond the arc and finished with 21. David Bailey and Powell also had the hot hand for the Skyforce.
"I actually told our guys at halftime, 'If you're open, keep shooting, but let's not fall in love with the jump shot. Let's get to the rim,' " Fritz said. "Because normally if you shoot well one half, you don't shoot very well in the second. But we did."
Fritz credited Powell - who also played in Saturday's D-League all-star game in New Orleans - with setting the tone for the Skyforce.
Powell said he liked the way Sioux Falls is playing right now.
"We've got guys who can do a lot of different things," Powell said. "We've got guys who can defend, guys who can score. Right now we're meshing real well together."
Lyde paced the Wizards with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Wil Frisby, pressed into a starting role had 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Sioux Falls 36 62 85 112
Wizards 25 43 68 100
SIOUXFALLS (112):Kasib Powell 7-10 9-12 25, Michael Joiner 3-8 0-0 6, Chris Alexander 6-10 3-4 15, Elton Nesbitt 7-11 0-0 21, David Bailey 6-13 1-2 15, Bobby Jones 1-4 0-0 2, J.C. Mathis 0-2 1-2 1, Carl Elliott 8-15 2-2 19, Jahsha Bluntt 2-4 2-2 8. Totals 40-77 18-24 112.
WIZARDS(100):David Palmer 1-4 3-3 5, Wil Frisby 7-14 4-8 18, Kevin Lyde 10-17 0-0 20, Blake Ahearn 4-13 8-8 19, Dontell Jefferson 2-8 2-2 6, Perrin Johnson 6-7 0-0 12, Kibwe Trim 4-7 2-4 10, Tony Gipson 3-8 3-4 10. Totals 37-78 23-30 100.
3-pointers:SF 14-22 (Nesbitt 7-10, Powell 2-2, Bluntt 2-3, Bailey 2-3, Elliott 1-1, Joiner 0-3), W 3-14 (Ahearn 3-5, Palmer 0-3, Jefferson 0-3, Gipson 0-3). Rebounds:SF 33 (Alexander 7, Bailey 7), W 42 (Lyde 14, Frisby 11). Assists:SF 22 (Bailey 9), W 23 (Jefferson 6). Fouls:SF 23, W 23. Steals:SF 10 (Bailey 3), W 10 (Frisby 3, Jefferson 3). Turnovers:SF 14, W 19. Blocked shots:SF 3 (Powell 1, Alexander 1, Elliott 1), W 2 (Lyde 1, Johnson 1).
A: 3,951.
Records:SF 17-16, W 18-13.
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