After a tightly played first quarter that resulted in a 21-21 tie, the Bakersfield Jam (6-3) failed in its attempt to make a game of it the rest of the way, and lost to the D-Fenders (8-4) 96-68 Saturday night at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. Poor shooting throughout the contest was the biggest deciding factor, after finishing the game with an abysmal 32.9% from the field, and a meager season-low 16.7% from the 3-point range.
The second quarter started with the two teams exchanging baskets, and the Jam grabbed a 26-25 lead at the 9:16 mark, but in less than two minutes, Los Angeles moved ahead on a 9-0 run to forge a 34-26 lead with 7:29 left before halftime. It was a lead they would not relinquish, and a lead that grew to 15 points, with a 53-38 D-Fenders advantage at the intermission. The Jam was outscored 32-17 in the second period, as Los Angeles took control of the game.
The second half started the same way the first half ended, as Los Angeles carried that momentum through to the end of the game. By the end of the third period, the D-Fenders extended to a 25 point edge, indicated by the 76-51 score. The Jam scored only 13 points in the quarter, and did not fare much better in the fourth, with only 17 more. After a memorable and exiting game to remember on Friday night in Bakersfield, this one was the polar opposite, one to forget.
Making his debut for the D-Fenders, 2nd round Lakers draft pick Andrew Goudelock led Los Angeles with 24 points, four rebounds, and seven assists plus two steals. In the game and in control, he seemed to highly justify the selection, with an auspicious debut.
For the game, the Jam had few bright spots, but David Palmer recorded his fifth straight double-double for the Jam, all since becoming the starting center. He finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while continuing to show a steady consistency.
The Jam visit the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for a pair of back-to-back games on December 22 and 23, before returning home to play another set of back-to-backs against Reno on December 29 and 30, and that will finish the 2011 portion of the season.
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