– Alabama Native Jamario Moon and UAB Alum Robert Vaden Make Return
to Their Sweet Home –
– Big Men Greg Oden & Amar’e Stoudemire Dominate the Paint –
– Tri State and Aliens Grab First Wins on Season, as 3’s Company and
Ball Hogs Still Playing for Wins –
Birmingham, Ala. – July 6, 2019
Highlights:
· Amar’e Stoudemire looked NBA-ready, putting on a dominant display (22 pts, 9-of-15 shooting and 9 reb) and leading Tri State to its first win.
· 2019 expansion team Aliens cruised to their first BIG3 victory behind impressive, physical play from big men Greg Oden and Ryan Hollins.
· Craig Smith leads all scorers on the day with 23 points, propelling Enemies to their second win on the season.
· Rap artist Ugly Money Niche performed live at halftime.
· Attendance tonight inside Legacy Arena (BJCC) was 8,351.
· In Week 4, BIG3 will make stops in Rhode Island on Saturday (Dunkin Donuts Center, beginning at 5:00 PM ET) Brooklyn on Sunday (Barclays Center, beginning at 12:00 PM ET) as Amar’e Stoudemire (Tri State), Nate Robinson (Tri State) and Coach Kenyon Martin (Trilogy) will make their returns to the area.
Game Recaps:
Tri-State 50 (1-2) vs 3’s Company 44 (0-3)
The opening game at the Legacy Arena featured two teams searching for their first win of the season. Tri-State held a slim halftime lead at 25-22, capitalizing off 14 first half points from Amar’e Stoudemire.
Not surprisingly, this game was very physical, but both teams struggled from the free throw line. The second half saw Tri-State jump out to a 12-0 run, featuring a 4-point shot from Nate Robinson. Late in the game, with 3’s Company mounting a comeback, Tri-State put together a couple of defensive stands to hold on for their first victory.
Top Performers:
Tri State 3’s Company
Amar’e Stoudamire: 22 pts, 9 reb Andre Emmett: 21 pts, 13 rebs
Jason Richardson: 14pts, 9 reb Jason Maxwell: 10 pts, 6 reb
Nate Robinson: 10 pts (one 4-point), 4 reb, 3 ast
Tri State improves to (1-2); 3’s Company falls to (0-3)
Ball Hogs 39 (0-3) vs Aliens 51 (1-2)
2019 Expansion team Aliens got their first BIG3 victory on Saturday. Former No. 1 NBA Draft pick Greg Oden proved to be a matchup problem for the Ball Hogs as he powered his way to 18 points.
Nate Archibald’s Aliens team looked hungry to finish this week after surrendering two large leads in the first weeks of the season. The Ball Hogs, despite 20 points from Deshawn Stevenson and a second half surge, could not finish the comeback.
Top Performers:
Aliens Ball Hogs
Greg Oden 18 pts, 4 reb Deshawn Stevenson 20 pts, 8 reb
Brandon Rush 13 pts, 12 reb Will McDonald 10 pts, 9 reb
Aliens improve to (1-2); Ball Hogs stay winless at (0-3)
Ghost Ballers 35 (2-1) vs Enemies 51 (2-1)
The final matchup of the evening started off with fireworks as both teams traded early game runs. Rick Mahorn’s star-laden Enemies were able to pull away just before the half playing “old school” ball with 20 points in the paint, including14 from Craig Smith.
After looking like the second half was going to be a blowout, Ghost Ballers’ Ricky Davis dazzled with some impressive isolation drives and Mike Taylor nailed two 4-point attempts – refusing to let their team go down without a fight. “Agent Zero” Gilbert Arenas got the hibachi cooking, knocking down four 3-point shots in the second half to defeat the Ghost Ballers.
Top Performers:
Ghost Ballers Enemies
Ricky Davis: 13 pts, 4 reb Craig Smith: 23 pts, 8 reb
Mike Taylor: 10 pts, 5 reb Gilbert Arenas: 12 pts, 5 reb
Ghost Ballers slip to (2-1); Enemies move to (2-1)
– For more information and to sign up for news updates, visit www.BIG3.com. –
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ABOUT BIG3:BIG3 (BIG3.com) is where basketball superstars play. The premier half-court, 3-on-3 basketball league, BIG3 features many of the greatest, most popular and skilled NBA players of all time. Founded by producer, actor and music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, the BIG3 combines highly competitive, physical, fast basketball and incredible fan experiences.
