The Steal Bottom

NBA D-League All-Star Game 2012...

2012-02-25T00:19:00.002-05:00

JamesOn Curry, Jeff Foote, Jerry Smith and L.D. Williams will be representing Springfield tomorrow for the NBA D-League's annual All-Star festivities, which coincide with the NBA's All-Star weekend in Orlando.

Curry, Foote and Smith were selected via fan voting and polling of the league's coaches to take part in the D-League All-Star game (the Armor are just one of two teams with three All-Stars) and Williams was selected to compete in the dunk contest, which will take place at halftime of the All-Star game.

All of the live action can be seen on NBA TV, starting at 2:00 PM tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 25th). Don't miss out on a terrific opportunity to see your favorite Armor players on national television!

At the All-Star break, the Armor are riding a franchise-best eight-game win streak and at 21-13 sit just one game back of the Iowa Energy for first place in the D-League's Eastern Conference. With six home games remaining in the 2011-12 regular season, there's still time to check out the Armor in the pursuit of their first-ever playoff appearance.

armorhoops.com

Armor Are Perfect in February...

2012-02-25T00:14:00.002-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor outscored the Bakersfield Jam 37-19 in the fourth quarter to capture a thrilling 114-101 come-from-behind victory tonight inside the MassMutual Center. The Armor end the month of February with a perfect 8-0 record and improve to 21-13 heading into the NBA D-League All-Star break.

            The Armor trailed 55-45 at halftime, their largest deficit since late January, but rallied to trim the deficit to five after three quarters. In the fourth, the Armor led 99-98 with three minutes to go before ripping off a 15-3 run to finish the game, punctuated by a JamesOn Curry three with less than a minute to play to push the advantage from seven to ten. The Armor used deft second-half foul shooting (21-24) to help put Bakersfield away in the waning stages of the game.

            Springfield’s starting five combined to score 100 of the team’s 114 points tonight, led by a trio of players who posted double-doubles. Jeff Foote put up a monster line with 21 points and 14 rebounds, Dennis Horner contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds and JamesOn Curry scored 16 points (14 in the second half) and dished out 10 assists to fuel the Armor. Jerry Smith added 24 points, 6 assists and 4 steals and L.D. Williams tossed in 18 points to round out the double figures scorers on the evening.

            The Armor forced the Jam into 20 turnovers, including 14 in the second half, and held Bakersfield to just 5-23 (.217) from three-point range. The Armor also out-rebounded Bakersfield 50-39 and scored 23 second chance points to the Jam’s 6.

            Bakersfield’s Osiris Eldridge scored a team-high 22 points off the Jam’s bench and Renaldo Major added 21 points (15 in the first half) to lead the Jam on the offensive end.

            Springfield will return to action on March 2nd when they travel to Maine to take on the rival Red Claws. The Armor will not return home to the MassMutual Center until March 8th when they host the Canton Charge for the first time this season.

armorhoops.com

Armor on a Historic Hot Streak...

2012-02-15T18:17:00.002-05:00

To say the Springfield Armor have been on a roll would be an understatement. To borrow a phrase from Dan Patrick in his early SportsCenter career, they have been simply “En fuego”. Coming off an outright dominating performance of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 118-87 Sunday, Springfield now sports a 5-game winning streak heading into their 2-game set with the Iowa Energy beginning Thursday night. The win on Sunday set a franchise record for consecutive victories, and the club looks to extend that streak by getting even more superb play out of their league-tying three D-League All-Stars.

JamesOn Curry, Jeff Foote and Jerry Smith will be representing the Armor in Orlando, Saturday February 25, and the trio has surely deserved the chance to showcase their skills to a larger than normal audience. The game will be broadcast live on NBA TV, but more importantly played on the same weekend where the NBA and it’s players are front and center. A great opportunity for the 20 overall players selected, having the ability to grab the attention of an onlooking NBA GM. All three players spent time in NBA team training camps, thus increasing the chances at a call-up building upon their All-Star recognitions.

This recent success is new to the young D-League franchise, but since adopting a hybrid affiliation with the New Jersey Nets, the Armor this season have taken their game both on the court, and off, to a whole new level. If they win their next two games over Iowa, they will have matched their combined win total as a franchise with 20 overall wins. Back on January 19, against the visiting Maine Red Claws, it was the Armor’s LD Williams who garnered a SportsCenter Top-10 spot with his put-back-game-winning dunk. Arguably the D-League’s most exciting moment this season. If the season were to end today, the Armor could look back on it with a sense of accomplishment, but this may only be the beginning.

The last time the Armor played the Eastern conference leading and reigning D-League champs, they got off to a horrible start trailing by 30 points at the half. Showing grit, they fought back in the contest outscoring the Energy 53-23 however, it was still not enough as the savvy Energy put the game away in the finals moments. That was then, and this is now. The Armor surely have a bad taste in their mouth leftover, and what better way to avenge a disappointing loss than to rip off two wins to build upon this amazing stretch that they are currently riding. D-League fans should definitely tune in when these two teams collide, in what should be one of the better two-game series of the season.

Gino Pilato dleaguedigest.com @ginoinboiseid

Armor Send 3 to All-Star Game

2012-02-08T22:06:00.001-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- JamesOn Curry, Jeff Foote and Jerry Smith were all selected to participate in the sixth annual NBA D-League All-Star Game Presented by 26 Seconds on Saturday, Feb. 25, on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session, it was announced today. The game will air live on NBA TV at 2 p.m. ET. The Armor tied with the Los Angeles D-Fenders for the league lead with three All-Stars.

            “I’m extremely happy for all three guys and for our organization,” said Armor head coach Bob MacKinnon. “This shows how hard they’ve worked and how supportive their teammates have been. We’re looking forward to continuing our season and hopefully making a strong run toward the playoffs.”

            Curry, the Armor’s longest tenured player, returned for his third season with the team this year and is averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 36.6 minutes per game. Curry is tied for second in the league in assists and tied for third in steals. He spent time in NBA training camp with the New Jersey Nets.

            Foote, who was acquired from the NBA D-League’s available player pool this season, is averaging 14.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 31.9 minutes per game. He has registered a team-high eight double-doubles and is sixth in the league in rebounding. Foote spent time in NBA training camp with the Portland Trail Blazers.

            Smith, who is the reigning NBA D-League Performer of the Week, returned for his second season in Springfield and is averaging a team-high 17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 33.6 minutes per game. He spent time in NBA training camp with the New Jersey Nets.

            A combination of voting by the league’s 16 head coaches and fan balloting on nba.com/dleague was used to select the 20 NBA D-League All-Stars, 10 from each conference. Players who have been selected must be on an active NBA D-League roster to compete in the NBA D-League All-Star Game.

armorhoops.com

Jerry Smith Named NBADL Player of the Week

2012-02-08T22:03:00.006-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- Jerry Smith was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Jan. 30-Feb. 5, when the Armor went 2-0.

Smith, a 6-2, 190-pound guard out of Louisville, averaged 26.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists, while shooting 60 percent from the floor last week. He recorded back-to-back double-doubles against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, recording 27 points and 11 rebounds on Feb. 2 and 26 points and 11 rebounds on Feb. 3.

For the season, Smith is averaging 17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 22 games for the Armor.

The Armor, winners of four of their last five games, will return to action on Thursday when they host the Texas Legends at 7:00 PM at the MassMutual Center. The Armor and Legends will meet once more on Saturday, Feb. 11, also at 7:00 PM.

armorhoops.com

Dennis Horner Returns to Springfield...

2012-01-21T01:01:00.004-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have reacquired forward Dennis Horner after he cleared NBA waivers this morning. To make room on the roster, the Armor waived David Akinyooye.

Horner returns to the Armor from the team’s NBA affiliate, the New Jersey Nets, after he earned a GATORADE NBA Call-Up to the Nets’ opening night roster. Horner appeared in five games off the bench with the Nets, scoring 4 points in 8 minutes in his NBA debut against the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 27. Prior to joining the Nets, Horner played in three games (all starts) with the Armor, averaging 15.0 points and 7.7 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game. The Armor selected Horner with the 47th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Development League Draft.

Akinyooye, a rookie out of Adelphi University, appeared in 18 games off the bench with the Armor, averaging 4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game.

Horner will be available tomorrow night when the Armor take on the Dakota Wizards at 8:00 PM EST at the Bismarck Civic Center.

armorhoops.com

LD Williams Buzzer Slam

2012-01-21T00:59:00.002-05:00

Espn's Sport Center featured this play at #2 on the Top 10 plays of the day for 1/19!!!!! Way to go LD!!!!

Armor Win at the Buzzer

2012-01-21T00:57:00.001-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- L.D. Williams slammed home a missed jump shot as the final horn sounded to break a tie game and vault the Armor to a stunning 93-91 victory over the Maine Red Claws tonight inside the MassMutual Center.

The Armor (11-10) led 91-88 before Maine’s (7-15) Dominic Calegari buried a three-pointer to tie the game 91-91 with 30.1 seconds to play in the fourth. After an Armor turnover, Calegari missed a midrange jumper that was snared by the Armor’s Damian Johnson, prompting a timeout with 2.0 seconds remaining in regulation. On the ensuing inbounds play, Lance Hurdle shot an air ball from the corner that was grabbed in mid-air by L.D. Williams and dunked emphatically as the buzzer sounded to cap a stirring fourth quarter rally.

The Armor trailed by as many as 11 points in the final period, but went on a 15-1 run to roar back into the game and set themselves up for L.D. Williams’ last-second heroics.

L.D. Williams finished the evening with his second double-double of the season, scoring 19 points and corralling 12 rebounds. Jerry Smith stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals and Damian Johnson (13 points, 9 rebounds), Jeff Foote (12 points, 8 rebounds) and Hurdle (10 points) all scored in double figures.

New Jersey Nets’ assignee Jordan Williams made his Armor debut tonight, posting a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes.

The Red Claws had five players score in double figures, led by Lawrence Hill’s 16-point, 10-rebound performance. Former Armor forward Morris Almond added 15 points and former Boston Celtic Ricky Davis scored 14 points.

The Armor out-rebounded the Red Claws 52-29, including a 17-5 edge on the offensive glass. Springfield has now defeated Maine in five of six meetings this season.

The Armor will take a two-game winning streak on the road when they travel to Bismarck, ND to take on the Dakota Wizards on Saturday. The Armor will return home on Thursday, Jan. 26 when they host former Boston Celtic Antoine Walker and the Idaho Stampede at 7:00 PM at the MassMutual Center.

armorhoops.com

Nets Assign Jordan Williams to the Armor...

2012-01-21T00:54:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The New Jersey Nets have assigned rookie forward Jordan Williams to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Springfield Armor, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Williams was selected 36th overall by New Jersey in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. The Maryland product has appeared in six games for the Nets, averaging 1.0 point and 1.5 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game. He has shot .333 (3-9) from the field.

Williams spent two seasons at Maryland, earned All-ACC first team honors after averaging 16.9 points and a conference-best 11.8 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game during his sophomore season. As a freshman, Williams averaged 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, earning All-ACC rookie team honors.Williams, a native of Torrington, Conn., is expected to be available tomorrow when the Armor host the Maine Red Claws at 7:00 PM at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

armorhoops.com

The Armor Crush The Claws...

2012-01-16T15:13:00.002-05:00

The Armor are back at .500 at 10-10 following a blowout win over the Maine Red Claws in Portland Sunday and the team is crediting Bob MacKinnon Jr., the team's veteran coach.

"Coach (Bob MacKinnon) got us ready for this game," said Lance Hurdle, the ex-Miami guard who had 24 points on a team record eight three pointers. "He’s an excellent motivational speaker. We just fed off of his energy."

Hurdle was one of four Armor players with 20 or more points. He shot 8-for-16 from deep and 0-for-1 from inside the arc. The Armor played before a sellout crowd of 3.045 in Portland. Ricky Davis continued his comeback with 13 points.

By Net Income at netsdaily.com

Armor Win on Final Day of the Showcase...

2012-01-13T18:36:00.002-05:00

RENO, Nev. – Preston Knowles’ 3-pointer from the right corner with 5.6 seconds left capped a wild finish as the Springfield Armor closed out play in the NBA D-League Showcase in Reno with a thrilling 100-99 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Thursday night at the Reno Events Center.
The Armor controlled the game for the first 46:16, but a 3-pointer by Rio Grande Valley’s Kelvin Lewis (15 points) gave the Vipers their first lead at 97-95 with 1:14 to play.

“Wow, not the way I drew it up, but we will take it,” Armor coach Bob Mackinnon said.
Springfield led by as many as 15 points and withstood a couple of earlier Rio Grande Valley charges before the Lewis three.

The key play of the game also involved Lewis. With 15.9 left and the Vipers up 99-96, Springfield attempted to inbound the ball in the frontcourt and Lewis was called for a dead ball foul for holding Springfield’s Jerry Smith (12 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists). The result was one technical free throw by JamesOn Curry (13 points, 9 assists) to cut the lead to two with Springfield maintaining possession. Ten seconds later the Knowles (14 points) three sealed the deal.

“It was just one of those freak things,” MacKinnon said of the sequence. “After all we had given away, it just fell back in our laps.”

With the win, Springfield climbed back to .500 at 9-9 and sits third in the Eastern Conference.
The Armor came out hot from long range as they made seven first-quarter 3-pointers to build a 32-21 lead.

“We shot it well from behind the arc in the quarter,” MacKinnon said. “And we missed four or five lay-ups and tip-ins that could have put (us) over 40 points in the quarter.”

Springfield saw a double-digit third-quarter lead shrink to one when a dunk by Viper Greg Smith (13 points, 10 rebounds) cut the lead to 72-71. The run was primarily led by a parade to the free-throw line, with 13 points from the charity stripe in the period. For the game, Rio Grande Valley held a huge advantage, outscoring Springfield 36-18 at the line.

“The free-throw differential was huge,” MacKinnon agreed. “We seemed to get a little lazy and started reaching a lot in the third. That got them back in it, but we got a handle back on it in the fourth.”

The Armor had six players in double figures, led by 18 points from Damien Johnson. L.D. Williams had 17 and Jeff Foote added 16 and seven rebounds.

The Armor returns home to host Maine on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.

NOTES: In a quick visit during the halftime break, New Jersey Nets Director of Basketball Operations Milton Lee commented on the play of the Armor: “Bob (MacKinnon) is doing a great job of installing the concepts and style of play that Avery (Johnson) has with the Nets. I am very impressed each time I see Springfield play.”

Kyle Leath, The Republican

Armor Jet to Reno!

2012-01-08T18:15:00.001-05:00

The Springfield Armor landed in Reno, Nevada this afternoon. They will be joining the 15 other d-league teams for the annual Showcase. The Armor will play two games while in Reno. Game one is tomorrow Monday, January 9th at 3:45pm against the LA-Defenders (13-6). On the Defenders roster is ex-Celtic dunker Gerald Green. This game will be televised live on NBA TV.

The Showcase will be a great opportunity for players like: JamesOn Curry, Jerry Smith, Lance Hurdle, LD Williams, and Jeff Foote. In attendance all week will be NBA scouts and GMs looking for talent they can bring back to their respective organizations.

Game two will be played on Thursday, January 12th at 3:30pm against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This game can be watched online at NBA Futurecast.

Neil Donah @thestealbottom

Erie Outlasts Springfield...

2012-01-08T17:46:00.004-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- Jerry Smith scored a game-high 26 points, but a late run by the Erie BayHawks dropped the Armor 95-84 in front of 4,561 fans tonight inside the MassMutual Center.

For the second straight night, Springfield (8-8) and Erie (7-10) went toe to toe, with Smith’s 13 first-quarter points leading the Armor to a 22-20 advantage after one quarter. Though the Armor led by as many as 10 points in the first half, the BayHawks closed the gap late in the second quarter, trimming the deficit to 49-46 by halftime.

Smith led the Armor with 13 points in the first half, while Chris Daniels scored 5 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to pace the BayHawks.

In the third quarter, Erie outscored the Armor 24-21 to tie the game up at 70-70 at the end of three. The BayHawks made their move in the fourth, holding the Armor scoreless until a JamesOn Curry jumper more than four minutes into the frame to cut the lead to 76-72. The Armor and BayHawks battled back and forth, with Springfield coming as close as 82-79 on a Jeff Foote put-back with less than five minutes to play, but Erie followed with a 6-0 run to put the game firmly out of reach.

Smith led the Armor with his first double-double of the season, adding 10 rebounds to his 26-point night. Foote also added a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds and Curry narrowly missed a triple-double with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

The BayHawks had seven players in double figures, led by Daniels’ 14-point, 18-rebound performance. Newly-acquired Mike James scored a team-high 17 points and Loren Stokes (13 points), D.J. Kennedy (12 points), Kyle Goldcamp (11 points), Kyle Spain (11 points) and Devin Green (10 points) also finished in double figures.

The Armor hit the road tomorrow when they head to Reno, NV for the annual NBA D-League Showcase. The Armor’s first of two games in Reno will take place at 3:45 PM EST when the Armor take on the Los Angeles D-Fenders. The game will be televised nationally on NBA TV.

armorhoops.com

Armor Stop Bayhawks in OT!!!

2012-01-07T00:33:00.003-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- JamesOn Curry scored 19 of his team-high 27 points after halftime as the Armor captured a thrilling 113-111 victory in overtime over the Erie BayHawks tonight inside the MassMutual Center.

Playing their first game in Springfield in three weeks, the Armor (8-7) treated the home crowd to an exciting, back-and-forth affair that featured 44 lead changes and ties.

The BayHawks (6-10) got off to a strong start in the first quarter, taking a 29-25 lead fueled by 13 of Devin Green’s game-high 34 points. The Armor played Erie evenly in the second, with Jerry Smith scoring 13 of his 20 points to keep the deficit at just four, 54-50, at halftime.

The Armor roared out of the gate in the third and despite trading leads with Erie 15 times in the quarter, Springfield outscored the BayHawks 34-26 to take an 84-80 lead. In the fourth, the BayHawks whittled away at the Armor’s advantage to eventually tie the game with less than 15 seconds to go. In a frenzied final sequence that saw both teams commit turnovers rather than attempt a game-winning shot, the Armor and BayHawks found themselves knotted at 108-108 at the end of regulation.

In overtime, the Armor scored the first five points of the period to open up a 113-108 lead. A three-pointer by Erie’s Kyle Spain cut the lead to 113-111 and after the Armor lost a jump-ball with 13 seconds to play, the BayHawks held for the final shot. On the last possession, Erie’s Green was smothered by L.D. Williams, who forced Green into an off-balance three pointer that barely grazed iron to seal the Armor victory.

Jeff Foote scored a season-high 24 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Armor tonight. Curry (27 points), Smith (20 points), Lance Hurdle (17 points) and Williams (15 points) also scored in double figures for the Armor.

Green led the BayHawks with 34 points and 9 rebounds. Spain added 20 points, Chris Daniels scored 14 and D.J. Kennedy poured in 12.

The Armor and BayHawks will do battle again on Saturday evening at 7:00 PM inside the MassMutual Center. Saturday’s game will be the Armor’s second ‘Read to Achieve’ night of the season, as well as ‘Steal’s Birthday Bash’, the Armor’s annual mascot birthday celebration.

armorhoops.com

Curry Still Following His Dream...

2012-01-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

The best player on the Armor this season is not Dennis Horner. He made the big club but the team's top player is someone who's still toiling up in Springfield, JamesOn Curry. Curry spent a week training with the Nets before being sent back to the Armor.

For the season, Curry, a 6'4" combo guard, is averaging 18 points, six assists and six rebounds while shooting better than 40% from deep. He's doing even better since being sent back down.

He talks to Scott Schroeder about his past, which includes a marijuana arrest; his decision to forego a $200,000 contract to play in South America for a chance with the Nets; how he cried when he realized he had no chance of making the team, and how he spent the training camp money he received from the Nets -- buying gifts for a family in Springfield. The headline for Schroeder's story says it all, "How JamesOn Curry Taught Me Not To Judge A Book By Its Cover."

By: Net Income @netsdaily.com

How JamesOn Curry Taught Me Not To Judge A Book By Its Cover - Scott Schroeder - Ridiculous Upside
JamesOn Curry Fighting To Revive His NBA Dream In D-League - Scott Schroeder - SB Nation

Armor Pick Up Damian Johnson

2012-01-04T20:24:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have acquired Damian Johnson from the NBA D-League’s available player pool. To make room on the roster, the Armor waived Alejo Rodriguez.

Johnson, a 6’7 forward, played in 11 games (four starts) with the Bakersfield Jam this season, averaging 2.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 20.0 minutes after joining the team via Bakersfield’s local player tryouts. Prior to joining the Jam, Johnson played for the Oita Heat Devils in Japan’s BJ League during the 2010-11 season, averaging 15.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 47 games (five starts). He also played for the Miami Heat’s summer league team during the summer of 2010.

Johnson spent four years at the University of Minnesota, where he averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 127 career games for the Golden Gophers. The Thibodaux, LA native graduated following the 2009-2010 season.

Rodriguez, whom the Armor waived, averaged 0.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 7.3 minutes in seven games for the team.

Johnson joined the Armor for practice today and will be available when the Armor host the Erie BayHawks on Thursday at 7:00 PM at the MassMutual Center.

Armorhoops.com

Dream Comes True for Dennis Horner...

2011-12-31T01:42:00.002-05:00

Watch Horner Video at NBA.Com

NEWARK, NJ -- It's a dollar-and-a-dream story.

Actually, it was more like $650 and a dream.

In June, Dennis Horner, a guy who played in Belgium and Cyprus last season, spent $650 (plus travel expenses) to try out for the NBA Development League. Six months later, Horner was making his NBA debut for the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center, just a two-hour drive from his home near Atlantic City.

It was a unique journey, and the dream of every guy that paid that $650. But Horner admits he really wasn't thinking this big when he made the trip to Louisville for the D-League tryout.

"I was just trying to impress the people that were there," he said, "taking baby steps."

Afterward, he felt good about how he played. He got positive feedback from the scouts that were in the gym, and his agent told him that he was going to be selected in the D-League draft. So there would be no return to Cyprus, which had to be a relief for the 23 year old.

"It was tough being away from my family," Horner said of his experience abroad. "I have a really close family. And being all the way over there was hard. It was hard on me and that's why I just wanted to pursue this."

The Springfield Armor selected Horner in the third round of the draft on Nov. 3. At 6-foot-9, he's billed as a "stretch four," a guy who can bang inside and shoot from the outside. Horner comes with ACC experience, but averaged just seven points and three rebounds in four years at NC State.

But over the next month, Armor general Milton Lee liked what he saw in Horner, enough to make him one of three Armor players invited to Nets camp in December. And from there, despite a limited amount of time to make an impression, Horner realized his NBA dream for four major reasons.

First, he benefitted from the Nets' new hybrid affiliation with the Armor. Lee doubles as the Nets' general manager for minor league operations. And because the Nets manage the Armor and plan on sending their own young players to Springfield, they have Armor coach Bob MacKinnon running Avery Johnson's system.

Second, Horner benefitted from the lockout, which delayed NBA training camps until after the D-League was well underway. So when Horner was invited to Nets camp, he was already in great shape (thanks to nearly two weeks of two-a-day practices in Springfield), had averages of 15 points and seven boards in three games, and had plenty of experience running Johnson's plays. No adjustment period. No learning curve.

Third, Horner benefitted from the dearth of forwards on the Nets' roster. General manager Billy King has his eyes set on Dwight Howard and wants the financial flexibility to acquire arguably the league's second-best player via trade or in free agency next summer. So King did not go on a spending spree when the lockout ended. He waived Travis Outlaw via the amnesty clause and held off on re-signing Kris Humphries until the Nets had already played a preseason game and Horner had already impressed them with a solid performance against the New York Knicks.

"At first, they didn't have any power forwards," Horner said. "So I felt like I was given the opportunity to show my abilities. From there, I just wanted to work hard and show them I really wanted to be here."
Most important, Horner is an NBA player because Johnson can trust him. When a coach looks down his bench, he doesn't want to see players who are going to give him gray hairs if he puts them in the game.

"He never screws up any plays," Johnson said of Horner. "He's always in the right place at the right time."
So while Horner benefitted from some unique circumstances, the Nets' final roster spot wasn't just handed to a local kid. He definitely earned it, impressing Johnson in practice and everybody else when the TV cameras were turned on.

Of the three camp invites, Horner clearly stood out in that first preseason game, filling the boxscore with four points, four rebounds, three assists and one emphatic block of Jared Jeffries in 18 minutes.

"He got open, made shots, made great passes," King said. "That's really what stood out to me. When you're in that position, you don't want to be somebody that is a clog in the wheel. You want to be smooth. And that's what he was when he was in the offense. If the shot came to him, he hit the open shot. If he had it, he made the right pass."

Nets center Brook Lopez broke his foot in the team's second preseason game. So when it came time to make their final roster cut on Dec. 23, frontline depth was a priority, and they waived veteran swingman Ime Udoka in favor of Horner, who will receive his first NBA paycheck on Jan. 1. As long as he's with the Nets, Horner will earn about $45,000 every two weeks, which is about twice as much as he would have earned all season in the D-League. And if he's still with the team on Feb. 10, his $474,000 salary will become fully guaranteed.

Horner saw his first real NBA action on Tuesday, shooting 1-for-3 in eight minutes of garbage time against the Atlanta Hawks. It wasn't quite Ricky Rubio's NBA debut, but it was a long way from that D-League tryout in June.

From New Jersey to Cyprus and back, Dennis Horner is in the right place at the right time, living out his NBA dream. And it only cost him $650, a payment which he calls "a good investment ... I guess."
It's amazing how far $650 can take you these days.

John Schuhmann is a staff writer for NBA.com.

Torros Sweep Armor

2011-12-31T01:37:00.000-05:00

CEDAR PARK, Texas -- The Austin Toros (9-3) defeated the Springfield Armor (7-7) 104-92 at Cedar Park Center for the second time in back-to-back games. The Toros Eric Dawson, who posted 17 points and 14 rebounds, recorded his fourth double-double of the season. Springfield jumped out to an early 9-0 lead, but after a quick Coach Jones timeout the Toros came out hot and never cooled off.

Austin led 53-38 at the half behind a stellar performance by forward Jamarr Sanders. He scored 11 first half points on 3-4 shooting behind the 3-point line, and also grabbed seven boards. Sanders finished with a double-double of 15 points, 10 rebounds and a team high six assists. Austin is now 6-0 this season when leading at halftime.

Three other Toros scored in double figures in tonight's victory. Player of the game Terrance Woodbury scored a game high 23 points on 8-14 shooting and chipped in six rebounds. Lead guard Justin Dentmon posted 21 points and eight rebounds, and Da'Sean Butler had a strong outing in his second game of the season with 13 points.

Springfield was led in scoring by forward JamesOn Curry, who totaled 22 points and tied for a team high five assists. Center Jeff Foote contributed a double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Guards L.D. Williams (18 points) and Jerry Smith (12 points) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Armor.

nba.com/dleague

Toros Top Armor

2011-12-31T01:35:00.004-05:00

CEDAR PARK, TX, Dec. 29, 2011 – The Austin Toros held on to defeat the Springfield Armor 105-100 at Cedar Park Center in an up-tempo battle that was tightly contested until the final seconds. The exciting matchup ended with 15 lead changes and 11 ties. Austin was led by Eric Dawson’s double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds, eight of which were on the offensive glass.

The Toros went into the half with a 60-57 lead behind strong starts by Dawson and Justin Dentmon, who poured in 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. Leo Lyons, in his first action this season, also contributed a solid effort with 14 points, all in the first half, and 7 rebounds. Forwards Terrence Woodbury (13 points) and Jamarr Sanders (10 points) had strong performances, bringing the total of Austin double-digit scorers to 5. Da’Sean Butler made his Toros debut in his first game in nearly two years. He contributed six points and five rebounds off the Austin bench.

Springfield was led by L.D. Williams’ double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. Armor guard JamesOn Curry also added 22 points on 8-14 shooting, and a team high five assists. Jeff Foote (17 points), Jerry Smith (17 points), and Lance Hurdle (15 points) rounded out the Springfield double digit scorers.

armorhoops.com

SkyForce Outlast Armor

2011-12-26T04:11:00.002-05:00

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Sioux Falls Skyforce defeated the Springfield Armor 103-99 in overtime Sunday night at the Sioux Falls Arena. Jerry Smith banked in a 3-pointer to force overtime but Sioux Falls outscored Springfield 14-10 in the extra session to improve to 12-10 all-time on Christmas.

Springfield (7-5) converted 14-of-24 field goals (58.3 percent) in the first quarter and led 35-21. Sioux Falls (5-7) held Springfield to 11 points in the second quarter and led 49-46 at halftime.

Dominique Coleman made a lay-up early in the final quarter to push the lead to 15 points (74-59) but Springfield would not go down without a fight and trailed by just one point (83-82) with 3:53 to go in the contest. Lance Hurdle missed a 3-pointer with 8.8 seconds to go that would have tied the game but JamesOn Curry secured the offensive rebound and found Smith for the game-tying shot with 4.7 seconds left. Charles Garcia missed two attempts in the final seconds and the game went into overtime.

Anthony Mason, Jr. scored six of his 22 points in overtime to help Sioux Falls improve to 4-3 at home.

Casey Mitchell scored a season-high 27 points while Garcia (22 points, 12 rebounds) and Mason, Jr. (22 points, 12 rebounds) each posted double-doubles.

Curry had a solid all-around game with 21 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Smith added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists in a reserve role.

nba.com/dleague

Armor Spoil Wizards Christmas

2011-12-24T00:42:00.000-05:00

BISMARCK, N.D. -- The visiting Springfield Armor shot 6 for 10 from behind the arc in the second quarter and 14 for 26 overall as they came away with the weekend sweep Friday night, winning 108-103 over the Dakota Wizards. Lance Hurdle was dialed in, connecting on 8 of his 10 three point attempts on his way to a game high 25 points.

The Wizards got off to a much better start Friday night as they welcomed Edwin Ubiles back to the team after attending the Golden State Warriors NBA training camp. Both teams were a bit sloppy in the first quarter and the Wizards found themselves down 2 heading into the second, 28-26. Springfield poured in 6 threes in the second quarter and the Wizards offense could not keep up as the Armor built an 11 point lead heading into the half.

Edwin Ubiles scored a quick 6 points to start the third as the Wizards cut the Armor lead to 3 at the 8:10 mark. The third quarter was a quarter of runs as the Armor built their lead back up 9 before Dakota responded with a 9-3 run to end the quarter down 3, 80-77. A Justin Johnson lay-up late in the fourth quarter gave the Wizards their first lead since early in the second, but the Armor would finish off the Wizards on free throws sealing a 108-103 victory.

Edwin Ubiles scored 24 points and snagged 7 rebounds to lead the Wizards. Curtis Withers recorded a double-double grabbing 10 boards to go along with 10 points.

Springfield had a balanced attack with 6 players in double figures. Eugene Spates recorded a double-double for the Armor tallying 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Springfield improves to 7-4 on the season while the Wizards drop to 4-6.

nba.com/dleague

Horner is a Net!!!

2011-12-23T17:47:00.000-05:00

The Nets have announced they've waived Ime Udoka, meaning Dennis Horner has made the team, at once becoming the first Armor player in the hybrid era to make the Nets' roster and likely the last (and 16th) New Jersey native to make the hometown club. The roster now appears set for Monday's opener with the Wizards.

Horner, a 6'9" product of Holy Spirit High School in Atlantic City and North Carolina State, is at 23, 11 years younger than Udoka. At 6'6" Udoka would have added to the Nets backcourt glut, while Horner can fill a gap up front. The Nets, with only two players 30 or over (DeShawn Stevenson and Mehmet Okur), are likely one of the youngest, if not the youngest, teams in the NBA.

Net Income, netsdaily.com

Armor Take Down Wizards...

2011-12-23T17:35:00.001-05:00

Bismarck, North Dakota -- With 3:35 left in the game, the Springfield Armor took the lead for the first time since late in the first quarter and outscored the Dakota Wizards 23-11 in the quarter to come away with a 98-94 victory over the home team. Newly re-acquired JamesOn Curry and Jerry Smith led the way for the Armor scoring 23 points apiece. Curry also dished out 11 assists on the night and Smith swiped 5 steals.

Dakota got off to a slow start getting behind 0-7, but quickly got back on track as the two teams ended the first quarter tied at 25. To start the second quarter, Justin Johnson rattled off a quick 6 of his 13 second quarter points to give the Wizards the lead as Dakota led 49-46 heading into the locker rooms.

Dakota would go up by as many as 10 points in the third quarter but their offense sputtered in the fourth and the Armor were able to chip away at the lead and shut down any chance of a comeback from the Wizards.

Mike Anderson led the Wizards with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots on the night. Anthony Goods chipped in with 18 points, Maurice Baker had 16, and Justin Johnson tallied 15.

Four other Armor players finished in double figures. Lance Hurdle finished with 14 points, Jeff Foote had 12 (11 rebounds), and both LD Williams and David Akinyooye pitched in 10.

The same two teams square off tomorrow night at 7:00pm in the Bismarck Civic Center.

nba.com/dleague

Nets Waive Curry and Smith...Hang on to Horner

2011-12-20T19:17:00.001-05:00

With a loaded backcourt and a need for regular-season rotation to be tested, the Nets waived guards JamesOn Curry and Jerry Smith, who will return to the D-League affiliate Springfield Armor. The Nets hang on to Dennis Horner for the time being.

“They played really well," Avery Johnson said. "They were a boost for us in practice. They did some really good things. They have some areas in their games we want them to continue to work on, but (they're) really good kids. And they played awfully hard. Even though they were disappointed, we wanted to give them an idea of how really important it was for them to continue to play in our D-League program. "And it’s a long season. I’ve been in situations where the general manager or assistant coaches have told guys when they’re waived or cut. I like to do it myself, and give the guys something positive to hold on to. And when I met with them for an extended period of time last night, that’s what we did.”

Ben Couch
nba.com/nets

Foote Returns, Sturns Waived

2011-12-20T19:07:00.004-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have waived Michael Sturns to make room for the return of center Jeff Foote. The current Armor roster stands at 10.

Foote returns to the Armor after a stint in the Portland Trail Blazers’ training camp. Foote, who was acquired from the NBA D-League available player pool on Nov. 29, played in two games with the Armor (one start) and averaged 16.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 32.5 minutes. Foote will be available when the Armor travel to Bismarck, ND to take on the Dakota Wizards on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 9:00 PM EST.

Sturns was reacquired from the available player pool on Dec. 12 after being released by the Armor during training camp. He played in one game with the Armor totaling four minutes of action against the Tulsa 66ers on Dec. 17.

The Armor continue their longest road trip of the season when they play back-to-back nights against the Dakota Wizards on Thursday and Friday. The Armor do not return home until Jan. 5 when they host the Erie BayHawks at the MassMutual Center.

armorhoops.com

Armor Fall to 66ers in Tulsa

2011-12-18T04:04:00.000-05:00

Xavier Alexander scored a season-high 21 points, Billy Rush scored 15 and Nkem Ojougboh pitched in a team-high 10 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Tulsa 66ers (6-4) to an 87-76 win over the Springfield Armor (5-3) Saturday night inside the Tulsa Convention Center.

Tulsa’s defense held Springfield to 32-93 (.344) shooting from the floor and forced 18 turnovers. The 66ers defense also racked up seven steals, led by two thefts each from Rush and Alexander, and 10 blocked shots.

Also scoring in double figures for Tulsa was reserve LaDustin Williams with 11 points and Brady Morningstar and Curtis Sumpter with 10 each.

The 66ers recorded 16 assists, led by Morningstar with a season-high six dishes. Tulsa was also strong from 3-point range, connecting on 5-of-7 (.714) from long distance.

With the victory, Tulsa improved to 6-0 all-time against Springfield.

“Our players understand that this is a process,” 66ers head coach Dale Osbourne said. “We have to learn from every possible opportunity, and I think we responded well from last night’s game. Strong defense leads to good offense, and I was proud of our guys’ effort tonight. This was a win over a very good Springfield team.”

Springfield, who entered the contest in first place in the Eastern Conference, was led by Jamar Brown with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Eugene Spates also added a double-double for the squad with 10 points and 11 boards.

nba.com/dleague

Stats from the Nets Pre-Season Game...

2011-12-17T20:04:00.000-05:00

The Armor Trio suited up against the New York Knicks this afternoon in New Jersey. The Knicks won the first game of the pre-season rubber match 92-83. Dennis Horner saw the most minuets with 18:27. In that time Horner went 2 for 3 with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Curry and Smith entered in the fourth quarter of the pre-season match up. Curry went 1 for 1 with 2 points and a missed free-throw. While Smith went 1 for 2 on the line.

Neil Donah @thestealbottom

NBA D-League Spot Light Armor's Milton Lee

2011-12-17T01:42:00.000-05:00

Click Here to read the article about Milton Lee on NBA.com/dleague

Armor Fall to the BayHawks...

2011-12-17T01:39:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- L.D. Williams scored a career-high 33 points and seven Armor players scored in double figures, but the Erie BayHawks held on for a 123-117 overtime victory inside the MassMutual Center tonight.

The game featured 15 lead changes and 15 ties, as neither team was able to seize control during regulation. Despite Williams’ career night, which also included a career-high 10 rebounds, the Armor were unable to extend their franchise-best win streak to five.

Lance Hurdle scored the first basket of the overtime period, but a pair of Mike Gerrity free throws and a B.J. Jenkins three-pointer gave the BayHawks a lead they would never relinquish.Also scoring in double figures for the Armor tonight were Travis Cohn with 19 points Eugene Spates with 17, Hurdle added 16 points and dished out 8 assists, Johnny Thomas poured in 12 and Jamar Brown and David Akinyooye each contributed 10 points.

The Armor shot 55% from the field and buried 30-42 from the foul line. For the sixth consecutive game, the Armor out-rebounded their opponent with a 44-35 edge on the glass.

Erie was led tonight by Tirrell Baines, who scored a team-high 27 points on the heels of a 31-point effort last night. Gerrity added 22 points and 8 assists and D.J. Kennedy scored 21 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

The Eastern Conference-leading Armor (5-2) return to action Saturday when they take on the Tulsa 66ers (5-3) at 8:00 PM EST. The game will begin a seven-game, 16-day road trip for the Armor that will take them through five cities before returning home on New Year’s Eve. The Armor’s next home game will be Jan. 5 against the Maine Red Claws at 7:00 PM.

armorhoops.com

NBA Development League: NBA D-League Power Rankings: December 15, 2011

2011-12-15T22:56:00.000-05:00

ARMOR TAKE TOP SPOT IN POWER RANKINGS

Image from NBA.com

NBA Development League: NBA D-League Power Rankings: December 15, 2011

Armor Soar Past BayHawks

2011-12-14T23:12:00.002-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor led by as many as 24 points tonight and held off a late Erie rally to pull out a 114-107 victory inside the MassMutual Center. The Armor have now won a franchise-best four games in a row and improve their record to 5-1.

Lance Hurdle continued his recent scoring outburst tonight, connecting for 19 of his team-high 31 points in the first quarter. Hurdle has now averaged 28.6 points in his last three games.

Additionally, Jamar Brown scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, Johnny Thomas added a season-high 21 points and L.D. Williams chipped in with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Armor out-rebounded their sixth opponent in as many games, holding a 46-36 edge on the glass. The BayHawks scored the first two points of the game, but led for just 20 seconds before the Armor seized the lead and never looked back.

Erie was led by Tirrell Baines’ 31-point, 10-rebound effort. B.J. Jenkins added 22 points and Kyle Spain scored 15.

The Armor and BayHawks will do battle again tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM at the MassMutual Center. Tomorrow evening’s game will be the Armor’s final home game until Jan. 5 as the Armor will hit the road for a seven game, 16 day road trip.

armorhoops.com

Big Foote Sighting!

2011-12-14T15:28:00.001-05:00

Jeff Foote (tall white dude) of the Springfield Armor is seen here at practice with the Portland Trailblazers.

Armor-ed Encampment

2011-12-13T19:18:00.000-05:00

Though no acquisitions have yet been announced, there are three new faces in Nets camp: Jerry Smith, JamesOn Curry and Dennis Horner. The trio has been attending practice since Friday, along with Bob MacKinnon and Chris Carrawell, their coaches on the Nets' NBA Development League affiliate Springfield Armor.

In the first season of "hybrid" affiliation between the franchises (the Nets run the Armor's basketball operations while leaving the business side to the local ownership), especially with a small roster, Nets coach Avery Johnson is looking for the three players to drive camp into a higher gear. He's offering a chance to do what they do well, and do it consistently; they have responded thus far.

"All three of those guys are playing their hearts out," Johnson said. "They each have individual skills which make them potential pros. They really make our D-League team strong. They've come in with a lot of energy. Because we're running similar systems, basically, there was no drop-off for them when they came in. it's exciting to see. They play awfully hard, and they don't want to go back."

The most talented of the bunch is Curry, a 6-foot-2 guard who was drafted by the Bulls in 2007 (2nd Round, No. 51 overall). He's played parts of four seasons in the D-League, between limited European stints, and first joined the Armor in 2009, when the team selected him 14th in the D-League Draft.

Though he averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last season, Curry knows that scoring won't be enough to earn him regular time in the NBA, especially with Deron Williams and Brook Lopez on the roster.

"I've just got to knock down shots if the ball comes my way or I'm open, of course," Curry said. "But the main thing is defend. Because if you get on the court and defend, defend, defend; defend, defend, defend. Then your chances will come, opportunity will come and then maybe you can build up that trust, that continuity and maybe they think, 'We can call a play for him.'"

Joining him in the backcourt is Smith, who also returned to the Armor for a second season, following four years at Louisville. In 49 career games with the Armor (three this season), the 6-foot-2 point guard has averaged 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 25 minutes.

Known for his defense, Smith has four times logged six steals in a single game, and he's going to "hang his hat" on creating energy at that end of the floor. If Johnson's looking for each player to know their strengths, and play to them, Smith is ready to show and prove.

"Mine is going to be the defensive intensity," Smith said. "I'm going to bring it every day on the defensive end, and as far as the offensive goes, I'm going to try to learn from the veterans like Deron and Sundiata (Gaines) and Jordan (Farmar). I feel like I'm in a really good position here, and I want to come to work every day and work hard."

That attitude is shared (of course) by Horner, a 6-foot-9 forward who the Armor drafted in the third round this season, following an 11.6-PPG, 5.6-RPG showing with Hasapis Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus' Division A (13 games). Horner caught Williams' eye with his rebounding and penchant for making hustle plays, earning praise as "the kind of player you want on your team."

Having grown up in Linwood, N.J., Horner's enjoying strong family support playing close to home, though they're all South Jersey 76ers fans. Yet he welcomes the experience, and hopes the smooth transition from Springfield continues.

"It's great," Horner said. "It's a dream come true. It's something I've been looking forward to my whole life, getting to this level and playing with the best players in the world. It feels great."

By: Ben Couch nets.com

Armor Re-aquire Michael Sturns Roster Now at 10...

2011-12-12T23:35:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that Michael Sturns has been reacquired. The Armor’s active roster now stands at 10.

Sturns, a 6’5 swingman, was selected by the Armor with their seventh round pick, 111th overall, in this year’s NBA Development League Draft. He was one of the last two Armor players released prior to the conclusion of training camp on Nov. 23.

Sturns played collegiately at the University of North Texas for three years before finishing his college career at Division II Holy Family. In his senior season at Holy Family, Sturns led the nation in scoring, averaging 26.7 points in 35.2 minutes and was named the Central Collegiate Athletic Conference (CACC) Player of the Year.

The Armor improved their overall record to 4-1 on Friday with an overtime victory on the road over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The Armor have raced out to their best start in franchise history and currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.

armorhoops.com

Armor Get Win on the Road

2011-12-10T01:23:00.000-05:00

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Leave it to Lance Hurdle to stomp out a Mad Ant.

Hurdle, a second-year guard for the Springfield Armor, scored a basket with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to force overtime Friday night, then scored six points in overtime for a 94-91 Springfield victory over Fort Wayne at Allen County Memorial Coliseum.

Hurdle scored a team-high 27 points. He made his first three shots of the game, and more importantly, hit his last three.

“That’s the kind of player he is,” Armor coach Bob Mackinnon said. “He’s that kind of player.”

The victory broke an Armor slump against Fort Wayne that had lasted two seasons. In 15 previous meetings over three seasons, the Armor had only a win in the 2009-10 season, a statistic that most of the Armor players and Mackinnon didn’t realize.

“That’s crazy,” Hurdle said. “It’s just good to get a road win.”

The victory kept the Armor atop the NBA Development League’s East Conference with a 4-1 record. It is the best start to a season in franchise history. Its only loss was to Fort Wayne on Dec. 2.

Hurdle, who is averaging 27.5 points over his last two games, scored two baskets in the overtime period, then sank two free throws with 12 seconds left to finish off the Ants. He hit 10 of 23 shots and two of six 3-pointers, and had six of Springfield’s 10 points in overtime.

On a night when both Armor and Mad Ants were missing four starting players because they were in NBA preseason camps, Mackinnon pondered that maybe Hurdle belonged there, too.

“He’s the kind of guy that should be in someone’s camp right now,” Mackinnon said. “We were fortunate to have four guys in camps, and he could have been five or six.”

Hurdle’s dramatic scoring late in the game and in overtime rescued the Armor from a night in which they once trailed by 10 points and still trailed by five points with 1:35 left in regulation.

“We gutted it out, made tough plays,” Mackinnon said. “We were resilient in the second half.”

Jonathan Thomas, a rookie from Marshall, had his first career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. But what really sent ooohs through the crowd of 2,359 were his six blocks. Fort Wayne’s entire team had just one block.

Fort Wayne’s Corey Allmond scored a game-high 32 points, drilling eight 3-point shots.

For the fifth consecutive game, the Armor outrebounded their opponents, 48-39. In addition to the 10 by Thomas, Jamar Brown had eight rebounds and Hurdle had six.

While Fort Wayne was without four starters who were called into various NBA camps, the Armor also were without four starters, including leading scorers Jerry Smith and JamesOn Curry, who were called into the New Jersey Nets camp.

An impressive third quarter turned a seven-point deficit for the Armor into a three-point lead by the end of the period. A 15-5 run that included two baskets by Thomas pulled the Armor to within one point, 60-59 with five minutes left. The Armor scored the last four points of the quarter to take a 68-65 lead, completing a 13-point turnaround that began late in the second quarter.

Until then, the Armor struggled with turnovers. Springfield had eight in the first quarter when it made 60 percent of its shots, then the Armor turned the ball over three times in the opening 1:12 of the second quarter on a shot-clock violation, traveling call and an errant pass.

A steady menu of traveling, double dribble and backcourt violations so frustrated Mackinnon that he was hit with a technical foul in the fourth quarter after shouting his disagreement from the bench.

masslive.com

Armor Crush the Claws...

2011-12-09T20:18:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- Lance Hurdle led six players in double figures with a season-high 28 points as the Armor defeated the Maine Red Claws 97-89 tonight at the MassMutual Center. The Armor improve to 3-1 and currently sit atop the NBA D-League’s Eastern Conference standings.

The Armor got off to a slow start tonight and trailed the Red Claws by as many as nine in the first quarter before closing the gap to 24-18 by the end of the first.

In the second quarter, the Armor burst out of the gate on an 8-2 run, fueled by consecutive baskets from Travis Cohn, David Akinyooye and the newly-acquired Marcus Hill. The rest of the second quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with the Armor pulling to within two, 45-43, at the half on a buzzer-beating tip-in by Jamar Brown.

The third quarter proved to be as competitive as the second, but the Armor grabbed their largest lead of the game, 68-60, on a driving layup by David Akinyooye with less than a minute to go in the quarter. The Red Claws quickly cut the deficit down to 70-67 before Cohn buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer from way beyond the arc to give the Armor a 73-67 lead through three.

The Armor seized momentum to open the fourth quarter as they capped an 11-4 run with a Brown jumper to give the Armor their largest lead of the night, 84-71, with less than nine minutes to play. Although the game featured four lead changes and seven ties, Maine never got closer than seven points in the fourth as the Armor topped the Red Claws for the third straight time this season.

Hurdle led the Armor tonight, knocking down 11-17 from the field for a team-high 28 points. Brown was a force on the glass, recording his second double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Cohn, Akinyooye and Johnny Thomas chipped in with a combined 34 points. The trio had combined for 11 points in the previous three games.

The Red Claws, who fell to 1-4 tonight, were led by Durrell Summers’ game-high 30 points. Recently-acquired Domenic Calegari added a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Armor hit the road tomorrow to head to Fort Wayne to take on the Mad Ants before returning home for back-to-back games against the Erie BayHawks on Wednesday, Dec. 14 and Thursday, Dec. 15.

armorhoops.com

Armor Re-Acquire Alejo Rodriguez

2011-12-08T18:01:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have reacquired forward Alejo Rodriguez. Rodriguez was with the Armor in training camp, but was waived due to injury on Nov. 22.

Rodriguez, a 6’8 rookie who played collegiately at Iona College, averaged 6.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 24.8 minutes per game during his redshirt senior season in 2010-11. As a redshirt junior, Rodriguez averaged 9.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game.

Rodriguez will wear jersey No. 42 and will be available for tonight’s 7:00 PM game against the Maine Red Claws at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

armorhoops.com

Foote Going Camping in Portland...

2011-12-08T14:33:00.004-05:00

It was confirmed today that Big Man, Jeff Foote, is going to Portland Trail Blazers training camp. Jeff Foote tweeted this morning,

“Portland for training camp Friday, it’s right there...”

This will leave the Armor with 8 players, once players leave for training camp.

Neil Donah @thestealbottom

Armor Players Going to Camp...

2011-12-07T22:29:00.000-05:00

A source close to the situation has reported that JamesOn Curry, Dennis Horner, and Jerry Smith have been invited to the New Jersey Nets training camp next week.

If you have been following the Armor, you have witnessed Curry playing “lights out”. That invite was a no brainer for the Nets. Curry tweeted:

“Just got out da lab putting in extra work.....it will pay off one day!!”

Horner and Smith, both playing with heart every night, deserve an invite as well. Still no word on big man Jeff Foote, but he should be a shoe in come Friday.

The Armor takes on the Maine Red Claws tomorrow night at 7:00pm in Springfield. With a full 12 man roster, Coach MacKinnon will have an interesting time fitting everyone into the rotation. The Armor is 2-0 against the Red Claws this season and will be looking to make it 3-0 come tomorrow.

By: Neil Donah @thestealbottom

NBA Labor Agreement and the DLeague

2011-12-07T19:16:00.000-05:00

The NBA Development League has needed new assignment rules ever since they made it possible for the D-League to receive its big league brethren during the last NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Those changes have been made, too, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger.

The current rule had been that first and second-year players were eligible to be assigned to a team's D-League affiliate up to three times each season. The new rules, though, allow for unlimited D-League assignments within the first three seasons of a players career (though Berger reports the NBA wanted five years instead of three).

The bigger move, however, is that veterans will now be able to be assigned to the D-League with their consent, thereby allowing the possibility of injury rehab stints as players work their way back toward 100 percent.

Rehab assignments have long been pined for as a step toward making the D-League a more legitimate NBA minor league, a la Major League Baseball. Not only will it help as far as attendance and exposure is concerned when a name-brand player shows up for a pair of games at the Bismarck Civic Center, but it will also help the veterans looking to get back into game shape.

www.ridiculousupside.com

Armor's Curry and Foote Might Get a Look

2011-12-04T02:20:00.006-05:00

Due to the recent acquisition of point guard Marcus E. Hill, the Armor’s roster will reach the new league maximum of 12 players.

During an interview last week Coach MacKinnon commented,

“With the NBA starting training camp, we may lose a couple of guys to camp, so things happen,” MacKinnon said. “We’re always on the lookout for good players.”

In the same article written by Jeff Thomas of The Republican, Thomas writes,

“MacKinnon said there are no plans in place to add a 12th player, but if the right player presents himself the Armor would certainly take advantage of this window for expansion.”

This brings up an interesting scenario with the NBA’s training camp rosters needing to be filled up next week. The Armor bringing in another point guard, makes you wonder if the New Jersey Nets have already been in contact with Springfield about dipping into their “minor” league teams’ roster.

This leads me to believe that the Nets will call-up JamesOn Curry for training camp on December 9th. With Curry putting up big numbers the past two games: 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists against Fort Wayne on Friday and 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists against Maine on Saturday. Curry who was called up last season for the LA Clippers and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls knows what it takes to be a pro.

With Curry gone, you will see more of LD Williams and Lance Hurdle in the two guard spot. Marcus Hill will be backing up Smith at the point and getting minuets, when Smith needs a breather.

Another player that has caught the eyes of scouts is Jeff Foote. Foote, the newly acquired 7 foot middle man has been dominating in the paint since putting on an Armor uniform. If New Jersey doesn’t sign him to their training camp roster, rumor has it, the Portland Trail Blazers are looking at him as well.

Written by: Neil Donah, @thestealbottom

Armor Rally Past the Red Claws...

2011-12-04T01:27:00.003-05:00

PORTLAND, Maine – For the third time in three games the Springfield Armor weren’t the sharpest shooting team on the court. But for the second time this season they managed to emerge victorious.

Jerry Smith led a late rally with 12 points of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Armor came from behind to top the Maine Red Claws 112-104 in front of 3,042 at the Portland Expo.

The Armor shot well below 50 percent in the first three quarters but found their groove when it mattered most. Springfield outscored the Red Claws 26-14 in the final 7 ½ minutes of the game for their second victory over Maine this season. They also beat the Red Claws with a sub-par shooting performance in their season opener on Sept. 25 at the MassMutual Center.

The late charge was spirited by a 13-0 run midway through the final period that featured four of the 9 three-pointers the Armor had in the game. Smith, with 2, Dennis Horner and L.D. Williams all hit from long range that led to victory.

The Armor improved to 2-1, while Maine dropped to 0-3, the worst start in franchise history.

Springfield featured another balanced attack as four players reached double figured. Lance Hurdle led the Armor with 16 points.

Chris Wright scored a game-high 23 for Maine.

The Red Claws gained the upper hand in the third quarter as they put together a 10-4 run in the half of the period to take a 66-65 lead. Maine increased their advantage to a game-high 8 points with a 13-2 run later in the quarter but a late rally by the Armor left the Claws ahead 80-76 going into the final 12 minutes.

The two teams played through an evenly played opening quarter and a strong defensive stand by the Armor at the end of the period denied the Red Claws a chance to lead. Springfield held a 22-21 lead, despite struggling to find their range as they shot only 8 for 21 from the field and 2 for 7 from 3-point distance.

The Armor seemed to gain control three minutes into in the second quarter, outscoring the Red Claws 12-6 to grab a 34-27 advantage. And the margin could have been a wider if not for a non-call on Horner going to the hoop, which had the Armor bench up in arms. The play led to five straight Maine points, one of which came as a result of a technical called against Springfield, and allowed the Red Claws to get back to within two, down 34-32.

Undaunted, the Armor reeled off the next six points to build their largest lead of the half, 40-32.

The Claws refused to go away quietly and pushed right back with a 10-2 run to make it a one-point game, 42-41, with just under five minutes remaining in the half.

Maine kept the pressure on and grabbed their first and only lead of the second quarter, a one-point advantage (45-44) with 3 1/2 minutes left in the period but the Armor hit the half on the strength of a 15-10 run to carry a 59-55 lead into the second half.

Hurdle paced the Armor in the opening half going 6 of 7 from the field for 14 points. Horner and JamesOn Curry, who both totaled double digits for the third straight game, added 11 each as Springfield improved their shooting percentages. Springfield finished the half 22 for 45 from the floor and 5 of 12 from outside the arc.

By: Mark Jeanneret, The Republican

Armor Re-Sign Marcus Hill...

2011-12-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

The end of the NBA Lockout brings more than just news of their season beginning, it also opens doors for some of the countries greatest basketball players to settle into an NBA or an NBA minor League team. One such athlete walking through that door, is point guard Marcus E. Hill from Brookylyn Park, MN.

After being a 6th round draft pick, the MSU-Mankato standout was regretfully cut from the Springfield Armor, the New Jersey Nets minor league team, at the end of training camp; they only had room to select 10 players out of the 15 they invited down before their season opener on November 25th.

Hill was sent home thinking that his opportunity with Springfield was over, but little did he know, the end of the lockout would become his ticket.

With the lockout over, the Springfield Armor had a spot open up on their team. Having stayed on the mind of Coach Bob MacKinnon and General Manager Milton Lee, Hill was called back immediately and officially signed to the Armor on Friday, December 2, 2011 as their newest Point Guard.

www.theevolutionofmarcushill.com

Armor Likely To Fill Out Nets Roster

2011-12-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Nets won't have to announce their training camp roster until next week but when they do, expect a couple of Armor players will join them in East Rutherford. On Monday, the D-League permitted each of its teams to add two players through December 16.

On Friday, two Armor players looked ready for camp: the team's only NBA veteran, JamesOn Curry, and Jeff Foote, the former Cornell center. In a tight loss to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the 6'4" Curry had 28 points and 10 rebounds. The seven-foot Foote also had a double-double, 13 points and 12 rebounds in less than 30 minutes. The Nets, of course, don't have to limit themselves to the Armor, being able to call up any D-Leaguer for camp.

By: Net Income, netsdaily.com

Armor Fall Short to Mad Ants...

2011-12-03T00:13:00.002-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor made a spirited run late in the fourth quarter, but came up just short in a 118-110 loss to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in front of 3,620 fans at the MassMutual Center tonight.

The Armor came out firing in the early going as JamesOn Curry scored 11 of his team-high 28 points in the first quarter. The difference in the game proved to be the second quarter, as the Mad Ants came roaring back, outscoring the Armor 36-21 to take a 61-51 lead into halftime.

The Mad Ants built a 12-point lead through three quarters, but the Armor made their move in the fourth.

After falling behind by 14 early in the quarter, the Armor battled back to as close as one after a frenzied sequence started by recent Armor acquisition, Jeff Foote. Foote knocked down a jumper in the paint and moments later, the Armor’s full-court press created a Curry steal that led to a Jerry Smith three-pointer to trim the deficit to 104-103 with 1:09 remaining. A string of Fort Wayne free throws derailed the Armor’s comeback bid as the Mad Ants shot 19-20 (95%) from the foul line in the fourth and 31-34 (91.2%) for the game to seal the victory.

The Armor picked up double-doubles from Curry, who finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Foote, who scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Smith (22 points), L.D. Williams (16 points) and Dennis Horner (10 points) also scored in double figures.

Springfield out-rebounded the Mad Ants 48-35, including a 21-10 edge on the offensive glass.
Fort Wayne was led by rookie Cameron Jones, who scored a game-high 31 points. Walker Russell, Jr. chipped in with 24 points and 14 assists and Corey Allmond added 19 points.

The Armor (1-1) hit the road tomorrow as they take on the Maine Red Claws (0-2) at the Portland Expo at 7:00 PM. The Armor will return home to Springfield for a 7:00 PM showdown against the Red Claws on Thursday, Dec. 8th at the MassMutual Center.

armorhoops.com

Tomorow Night is Superhero Night at the Mass Mutual Center...

2011-12-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow night is Superhero night at the Mass Mutual Center. The Armor take on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at 7:00pm in Springfield, Ma. If you dress up as a Superhero, you are eligible to win prizes through out the night. In other news, the Armor has teamed up with K-Mart for a toy drive. If you bring an unopened toy to tomorrow nights game you will receive two free tickets to the January 7th game against the Erie Bayhawks.

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

@Genespates Rap battle between me (Gene Bean tha Don) and @j_brown33 aka Luck looch.. BARS comin soon!!!

Armor Acquire Jeff Foote...

2011-11-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have acquired 7’0 center Jeff Foote from the NBA Development League’s Available Player Pool.

“We are excited to be having Jeff join our organization,” said Armor head coach Bob MacKinnon. “He has tremendous upside, both for the D-League, and potentially the NBA. Jeff is also the kind of player that fits in well with our style of play.

”Foote, 24, was a three-time All-Ivy League selection during his three seasons at Cornell University. After redshirting a year at St. Bonaventure University and transferring to Cornell, Foote earned second team All-Ivy honors during his sophomore season in 2007-08, averaging 7.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22 games.

As a junior, Foote earned second team All-Ivy honors again, averaging 11.8 points while starting 30 of the Big Red’s 31 games. Foote was also the Ivy League’s leading rebounder (7.2) and shot blocker (2.1) and captured the first Defensive Player of the Year award in Ivy League history.

In his senior season, Foote was a unanimous first team All-Ivy pick and earned the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award for the second straight year. Foote averaged 12.4 points while starting all 34 games and was the conference’s leader in field goal percentage (.633), rebounding (8.1) and the second-leading shot blocker (1.9). Foote also served as a team tri-captain.

During his three seasons at Cornell, Foote helped lead the Big Red to three straight Ivy League titles, as well as three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Prior to this league domination, Cornell had captured one Ivy League title since 1956.

Cornell was eliminated in the first round of the 2008 and 2009 NCAA tournaments, but as a 12th seed in the 2010 tournament, the Big Red upset fifth seeded Temple and fourth seeded Wisconsin for the first NCAA Tournament victories in program history. Cornell was eliminated in the Sweet 16 by number one seed Kentucky. In the 2010 tournament, Foote averaged 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 33 minutes per game, while shooting 65% from the field.

After graduating from Cornell, Foote signed a contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in June 2010. In November 2010, Foote was sent on a one-year loan to Melilla Baloncesto of the Spanish Basketball League’s second division. In August 2011, Foote signed a deal with Zastal Zielona Gora in Poland’s top division.

Foote, a native of Lockwood, NY, joined the Armor for practice yesterday and will be available for the Armor’s game on Friday, December 2 at 7:00 PM against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

armorhoops.com

Coach Mac...A New Era Begins...

2011-11-28T19:17:00.000-05:00

youtube.com

Post Game Coverage...

2011-11-28T19:15:00.000-05:00

youtube.com

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

@armorhoops Thanks 2 all the fans who came out tonite! Big 94-87 win to kick off the season over @maineredclaws. The Coach Mac era has begun #armorhoops

Armor Storm Past Red Claws on Opening Night...

2011-11-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor opened the 2011-12 season in grand fashion with a hard-fought 94-87 victory over the Maine Red Claws at the MassMutual Center tonight.

The win marked a sparkling debut for the Armor’s new coaching staff, led by head coach Bob MacKinnon and assistant coach Chris Carrawell.

Springfield shot just 32.9% from the field (28-85), but the Armor compensated for their rough night from the field by shooting 32-39 from the foul line (82.1%) and forcing 24 turnovers.

The Armor led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but the Red Claws managed to cut the deficit to three with 17.5 seconds to play before Jerry Smith sank four clutch free throws to ice the victory.

Smith, one of six Armor players to return from the 2010-11 season, led a balanced scoring attack with 22 points. All five Armor starters scored in double figures, including double-doubles from veteran Jamar Brown (12 points, 10 rebounds) and newcomer Dennis Horner (15 points, 10 rebounds).

LD Williams added 17 points, JamesOn Curry chipped in with 11 (all in the second half) and former Red Claw, Eugene Spates, contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

J.R. Reynolds led Maine with 22 points, while rookies Durrell Summers and Chris Wright scored 16 points apiece in the losing effort.

The Armor have now won two straight against the rival Red Claws.
The Armor (1-0) will have a week off before returning to the court on Friday, December 2 when they take on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (1-0) at 7:00 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.

armorhoops.com

Opening Night is Tonight at 7:00pm!!!

2011-11-25T12:01:00.000-05:00

Come out to the Mass Mutual Center Tonight November 25th at 7:00pm to see the Springfield Armor take on the Maine Red Claws on Black Friday. LD Williams, Jerry Smith, and JamesOn Curry are familiar faces that are ready to play. It will be an exciting game to watch since both teams are coached for fast paced offences and hard man to man defences. Hope to see you there!!!

Armor Opening Night Roster Announced!!!

2011-11-23T15:13:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today their 10-man roster for the season opener on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the MassMutual Center against the Maine Red Claws. The Armor’s opening night roster features six returning players, two players selected in the 2011 NBA Development League Draft and two players who were acquired through the team’s local player tryouts.

Following is a list of players on the opening night roster:

Name                 Pos    Ht     Wt          From                              How Acquired

David Akinyooye* F    6’6     205         Adelphi                           Local Tryout

Jamar Brown         F/C  6’10 235         Colorado State-Pueblo     2009 Expansion Draft

Travis Cohn*          G    6’2     170         Jacksonville                      Local Tryout

JamesOn Curry       G    6’4    200          Oklahoma State              2009 1st Round, 14th overall

Dennis Horner         F 6’9 230         NC State                          2011 3rd Round, 47th overall

Lance Hurdle          G    6’2    195          Miami (FL)                     Trade with Idaho

Jerry Smith            G     6’2    190       Louisville                        2010 5th Round, 69th overall

Eugene Spates        F     6’7    220         Northeastern                    Trade with Maine

Jonathan Thomas* G/F 6’6    210         Marshall                         2011 2nd Round, 17th overall

LD Williams          G   6’4      215        Wake Forest                    2010 2nd Round, 28th overall

*-Rookie

armorhoops.com

1 on 1 with Armor Guard Jerry Smith...

2011-11-23T08:50:00.003-05:00

At 6’2 and 190 pounds, Springfield Armor guard Jerry Smith plays with devotion and fire. A combo-guard, Smith played for Coach Rick Pitino for four years at the University of Louisville. From there, Smith played in the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League for the Milwaukee Bucks squad. Then, in 2010, Smith was drafted by the Springfield Armor in the fifth round.

“This is where the game originated, so what better place to represent and play.”

Now in his second season with the Armor, Smith is anxiously awaiting for opening night. Smith has been very busy this off season. He told The Steal Bottom, “I worked really hard on my ball handling skills and being able to read different pick-and-roll situations as a point guard.” Smith also traveled overseas to New Zealand to play ball for the Waikato Pistons.

“My time in New Zealand was amazing! I feel like I learned a ton over there and it also gave me a chance to really work on parts of my game”.

Smith is looking forward to the upcoming NBA D-League season, which is right around the corner. With a new coaching staff and some new faces on the team, the Armor is looking to contend this season.

“I am extremely excited about this year. [Coach] Mack is without a doubt a players’ coach and I love that. He wants us to get after people on the defensive end, and that is one of my favorite things to do. His system reminds me a lot of Coach Pitino’s style, which I am very familiar with. It’s not only a fun style of basketball to watch, but an even more to play.”

Smith plays hard every game. He plays for his mother, Kimberly Smith, who has survived breast cancer twice in her lifetime. Mrs. Smith watches every game on the internet and then calls Jerry to talk about them.

“My mother always told me when things seem to get rough, life is 90/10. 10% what happens to you and 90% the way you respond. I strongly believe in that because of her.”

The passion Smith puts out on the court can be seen in every game, and now we know it is for good reason.

When Smith is not playing in a game, you can catch him in the gym listening to his music, which he says “gets him through his days."

“I listen to some of the hottest in the game right now: Drake, J. Cole, and Wale.”

You can see Jerry play on November 25th at 7:00pm, when the Springfield Armor takes on the Maine Red Claws in the season opener at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA.

Written By: Neil Donah, 11-23-11, @thestealbottom

The Armor Giving Back Today...

2011-11-23T08:41:00.001-05:00

The Armor will be out in the community Wednesday, first stopping to help serve lunch at Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen on Chestnut Street in Springfield, followed by a visit to the Baystate Children’s Hospital.

“Hopefully that’s just the start of us getting out in the community,” MacKinnon said. “I think it’s important for us to become a part of the community, and more than that I think it’s important for the people in this community to realize we are their team and we are here to serve them.”

Armor Waive Chris Taft...

2011-11-22T21:28:00.002-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have waived forwards Chris Taft and Alejo Rodriguez due to injury and center James Smith outright. Per NBA Development League policy, the Armor retain the rights to both Taft and Rodriguez.

The Armor’s training camp roster now stands at 12. The Armor will need to submit their final 10-man roster for opening night by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 23.

Taft, who was a second round selection of the Golden State Warriors in the 2005 NBA Draft and the 2004 Big East Rookie of the Year at Pittsburgh, was the Armor’s fourth round pick in this year’s draft.

Rodriguez, who played collegiately at Iona, and Smith, who played collegiately at Marist, were both invited to camp from the Armor’s local player tryouts.

The Armor open the regular season on November 25 as they host the Maine Red Claws at 7:00 PM at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Burger King Friends and Family packages, which include four tickets to the game, four Burger King meal vouchers and four Armor baseball caps for as little as $24.99. Packages for opening night can be purchased through 5:00 PM Wednesday by calling (413) 746-3263.

armorhoops.com

Getting Ready for Opening Night!!!

2011-11-22T07:17:00.000-05:00

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-21T00:32:00.000-05:00

@1Tunnel_Vision Don't make no sense how cold it b gettin in Mass. Smh sheesh

Update on NBA D-League Proprosal...

2011-11-20T01:27:00.000-05:00

The current plan, at least at this point, is for the owners and players to figure out all of the major issues before moving back to discuss less important issues. The relationship between the NBA and its official minor league are currently lumped together with the secondary issues.

One option that has at least been discussed, sources tell SB Nation, would be to allow NBA teams to sign two "development" players at $100,000 salaries -- nearly four times higher than the current D-League maximum -- to allow for a sort of NFL practice squad-type relationship between the NBA and D-League team. It remains to be seen if those two players would count against the 15-man roster.

Ultimately, the D-League portion of the CBA is not going to make or break the deal -- both sides know that. If the players and owners are able to agree on the major issues, the D-League will be discussed and changes will more than likely be implemented, but not to the extent that it would cause the players to make it a sticking point.

By: Scott Schroeder of SB Nation

Armor's draft class are graded a D by RidiculousUpside.com

2011-11-20T01:21:00.000-05:00

Springfield Armor: The Armor actually got a potential steal in former NBA big man Chris Taft with the 48th overall pick in the draft, but the rest of their draft consisted of players that seemed like reaches. In fact, their selection of Marshall's Jonathan Thomas with their first pick drew quite a bit of befuddlement from rival coaches talking to Ridiculous Upside.

Thomas might end up being a solid pick, but quite a few were skeptical considering he had to attend the D-League's National Tryout in Kentucky just to get the D-League to offer him a contract. He'll more than likely be the team's opening-day starter at small forward, but it's assumed Springfield could have had him at least one round later while using their first round selection on someone with more potential.

The New Jersey Nets probably know what they're doing, but Milton Lee has started off on an interesting foot for now.

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-19T01:19:00.000-05:00

@LD_Williams_4 shoutout to the homies grinding thru camp with me...@jsmith_8 @j_brown33
@Oskie_24 @1Tunnel_Vision...we gettin it done over here @armorhoops

Pic From Armor Training Camp...

2011-11-17T19:16:00.000-05:00

Armor Host Open Practice TONIGHT!!!

2011-11-17T14:15:00.000-05:00

The Springfield Armor are hosting an open practice tonight, Thursday Nov. 17, from 6-8pm. It will be conducted at the Springfield YMCA. All Fans are welcome to check it out. Players and Coaches will be available after practice. Coach Mac will also be holding a Free Clinic from 8-9pm in the same gym.

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-16T22:17:00.000-05:00

@Oskie_24 Thank u God for another day!! Time to go to work! Lace up da J's and do justice!!!

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-15T23:27:00.001-05:00

@j_brown33

A lakeshow at the Hall of Fame...

No challenge too tough for Springfeld Armor hopeful Marcus Hill to climb

2011-11-15T23:01:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD - For Hill, it's a mountain.
But don't expect Marcus Hill to back down from any challenge.

Hill is one of 15 hopefuls vying for the final 10 spots on the Springfield Armor's NBA Developmental League basketball roster.

The third-year team spent Tuesday afternoon hosting a Media Day on Centre Court at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"This is the second highest level of basketball in the world and we have so many quality players here,'' Armor first-year head coach Bob MacKinnon said. "Marcus is a high-energy player, a natural leader and someone who has to learn the pro game very quickly.''

Hill, at 5 foot 6, 165 pounds, appears to have the deck stacked against him, trying to make the final roster in less than 10 days.

The sixth-round D-League Draft pick is an undersized player, from a Division II college program and a professional rookie.

But don't think he hasn't seen challenges.
The Republican file photoMarcus Hill, as a senior point guard for Minnesota State-Mankato, played in Springfield at the Division II national championships last March,

"In high school, my whole life . . . people have said I am too small, but I think my game speaks for itself,'' said Hill, who starred at Minnesota State-Mankato.

MacKinnon said Hill brings energy, enthusiasm and leadership among his attributes to an uptempo system.

"And he is just an irritating defense player,'' MacKinnon said. "He gets under people and he's strong enough to hold his position. But he's still learning the pro game. At this level, guys who are 6-9 are just as quick as 6-1 guys at other (lower) levels.''

Hill returns to Springfield eight months after his collegiate career ended here in the Division II national semifinals at the MassMutual Center.

"It's bittersweet, we won our first game, made it to the Final Four, then lost,'' Hill said. "It was a great experience and it really is good to be back in Springfield. I was pretty excited, knowing I'd be coming back. Being familiar with Springfield really helped me with this.''

Hill's game caught the eye of the team's NBA parent franchise New Jersey Nets, as well as MacKinnon.

"Marcus is a great competitor, a proto-typical point guard,'' Nets' general manager of minor league operations Milton Lee said. "He has a presence, and what he lacks in height, he makes up in intangibles.

"And we put him right into the fire here.''

By: Russ Held, The Republican

Coach MacKinnon and Marcus Hill at Media Day

2011-11-15T22:45:00.003-05:00

Click on the link to Mass Live:

http://video-embed.masslive.com/services/player/bcpid619299311001?bctid=1277421588001

Armor Waive Two Players...

2011-11-15T22:13:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Springfield Armor announced today that they have waived forward Brandon Bush and guard Akeem Bennett in the team’s first round of cuts. The current training camp roster now stands at 15.

Bush (6’7, 205, Texas State) was the Armor’s fifth round draft choice in the 2011 NBA Development League Draft.

Bennett (6’3, 180, St. Francis) was the Armor’s eighth round pick in this year’s draft.

All NBA Development League teams must submit their 10-man opening night roster by 5:00 p.m. on November 23. The Armor will open the 2011-12 NBA D-League season on Friday, November 25 when they host the Maine Red Claws at 7:00 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

JamesOn Curry excited about his third training camp with the Springfield Armor

2011-11-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD – This may be the third Springfield Armor training camp for JamesOn Curry, but he’s experiencing it like it was the first time.

The veteran guard from Oklahoma State says that despite the lack of winning the last two years, he believes good things are ahead for the Armor.

“Call me the veteran, but I’m learning every day like these rookies,” Curry said Monday after the team finished its sixth practice in three days at the YMCA.

Curry is one of six players returning from last year’s Armor squad that won 13 games. A lot has changed since then.

The Armor have a new coach in Bob MacKinnon, Jr., who replaces Dee Brown who coached the team in its first two seasons. The Armor also are now in a hybrid affiliation with the New Jersey Nets.

For Curry, the only Armor player to receive an NBA call-up, the changes have renewed his commitment to the Armor. Curry said he’s not criticizing Brown and his coaching methods, he just feels more comfortable under MacKinnon.

“Every day I wake up feeling like a winner even though we haven’t w
on crap here,” Curry said. “I wake up knowing I’m going toward that spot of being a winner because of the attitude he brings.”

Curry said MacKinnon explains everything he asks the players to do on the court, which gives the players a better understanding of the job he needs to do.

“Coach Mac’s an NBA coach, point blank,” Curry said. “I’m not going to say I don’t know why he’s here. It’s like having an NBA player in the D-League and asking why is he in the D-League. I don’t know, but he’s an NBA coach.

“Everything with coach Mac has an explanation. He doesn’t tell you to go some where on the court without telling you why you’re going there, why we’re in this offense, why you shouldn’t take that shot,” Curry added. “Everything he does he breaks down to why it’s important.”

MacKinnon said the key to Curry’s success has to do with consistency.

“He’s been terrific and his work ethic so far has been great,” MacKinnon said. “We’ve talked about it and the thing that I believe is important for him is consistency. The people that are scouting him are looking for a consistent approach day in and day out and I think he’s at the point in his life that he’s understanding that now.”
By: Jeff Thomas, The Republican

Destination: Springfield Ep. 4

2011-11-14T21:48:00.000-05:00

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-14T20:44:00.002-05:00

@therealTwill It's just a real SAD day in BASKETBALL for FANS,VALET WORKERS,RESTAURANTS,CONCESSIONS, everything can't do nothing but put my head down.

Inside the Armor's War Room...

2011-11-14T01:54:00.000-05:00

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-14T01:11:00.000-05:00

@stevenovak20 Hey David Stern, anyone who gains over $3B in a negotiation and threatens to demand more should be very careful who they call "greedy!"

Rebounding with Chris Taft...

2011-11-13T23:58:00.005-05:00

With their fourth round pick in the NBDL draft, the Springfield Armor selected Chris Taft. Taft also drafted 42nd overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Even though Taft’s rookie season was cut short by a back injury, he showed that he has what it takes to play in the pros.

Chris Taft was never injured before in his basketball career. He had a tough time dealing with his back injury. But Taft was determined to make his way back to the NBA. In 2008, after about a year and a half of not playing professionally, Taft returned to the game. This time in the NBDL with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, but after 8 games, Taft was sidelined again with a dislocated ankle.

Now after three years, Chris Taft is attempting another comeback to this pro career. Taft, a very healthy 260 pounds, standing at 6’10, will be a force down low for the Armor.

The Armor are excited to take a gamble on Taft with his rebounding and shot blocking ability. Taft told Warriors insider Benjamin Cruz,

“Injuries are behind me. It’s been a couple of years now and I haven’t had any issues and I’m very, very grateful for that. I really feel like it’s behind me right now and I just feel like the best way for me to show that is just me being out there on the court again”.

The humble Chris Taft is now practicing twice a day during the Springfield Armor’s training camp. Don’t be surprised if you see him in a Net’s jersey by the end of the season.

Written By: Neil Donah @thestealbottom November 13, 2011

Armor Pre-season Underway...

2011-11-12T18:12:00.000-05:00

The 17 players that make up the current Armor roster are already in Springfield, with the official start of training camp Saturday. Players arrived Wednesday and Thursday with physicals stretched out over two days, starting Thursday. No reports of any problems. The team's first meeting will be Friday with Bob MacKinnon and assistant Chris Carrawell.

Then on Tuesday, the team will gather at the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame for its annual media day, which will include a training session open to the media.

Final rosters are set November 23, two days before the Armor's home opener against the Maine Red Claws. D-League rosters are limited to 10 players.

The Armor roster includes two former NBA players: Chris Taft who played 17 games for the Warriors before being injured in 2005 and JamesOn Curry, who played one game after being called up by the Clippers in 2010.

Written by: Net Income
www.netsdaily.com

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-12T17:59:00.000-05:00

@AkeemOBennett Basketball is the most important thing.. Can't worry bout anything else.

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-11T18:14:00.000-05:00

@j_brown33 My mom couldn't afford 2 buy me a class ring so I said F it and won a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RING!!!

New D-League Proposal...

2011-11-11T16:09:00.000-05:00

Once NBA players digest all the details of the owners' new proposal -- including a clause opening the way for more player demotions to the D-League -- it's hard to imagine even those desperate to play would be willing to ratify it, sources who have seen the proposal told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

The D-League clause, which had not previously been disclosed, is one of several elements in the owners' proposal to the league's locked-out players that prompted one agent to describe the proposal as "draconian."

The clause would give teams the right to send a player down to the NBA Development League at any time during his first five years and pay him a severely-reduced contract while he's there, a source that has examined the proposal told Bucher.

Any player sent down to the D-League would be paid at a pro-rated scale of $75,000 a season, which is slightly above the current D-League maximum but roughly one-sixth of the NBA minimum, the source said.

The owners' new proposal would also prohibit luxury tax-paying teams from sign-and-trade deals after a two-year "phase-in" period, according to sources.

Non-tax-paying teams also would be prohibited from using the mid-level exception if doing so would take them over the salary cap, sources said.

"They don't want to do a deal," one agent said of the proposals. "And what they've underestimated is the resolve of the players."

NBA commissioner David Stern on Thursday offered players a deal that would, if approved, allow for 72-game season that would start Dec. 15.

espn.com

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

@LD_Williams_4 So I left Springfield n January n my locker is EXACTLY how I left it...#goodsign

Meet Marcus E. Hill...Armor's 6th Round Pick

2011-11-10T14:03:00.000-05:00

Former Minnesota State guard Marcus Hill was drafted with the first pick in the sixth round – and 81st overall – in tonight’s National Basketball Development League draft by the Springfield Armor.

Hill, who played in 125 games as a Maverick, earning 39 starts, averaged 10.5 points per game in his career at MSU while shooting 44.5 percent from the floor, 42.5 percent from the three-point line and 88.2 percent from the free throw line. He also passed out 407 assists in his career and is one of 34 Mavericks to have scored 1,000 points in his career, finishing his career with 1,317 points.

Hill is an electrifying Point Guard with abilities far beyond his physical stature. At 5'9” Hill is the gold standard for the pure point guard. Hill is an intelligent, well-conditioned competitor. Uniquely skilled, Hill can create havoc inside among the 'Bigs' while setting a tone from the arch with high percentage shooting. With the heart of a champion he is a crucial component on any roster.

Last season, Hill was a First-Team All-NSIC selection after averaging 16.4 points and passing out 169 assists.

“I am very proud of Marcus,” said head coach Matt Margenthaler. “This isn’t surprising because when Marcus puts his mind to something he gets it. The Armor are getting a great player but a better person.”

Ironically, Hill was drafted by the team that plays its home games on the same court where he played his final game, the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. The MassMutual Center had been the home of the NCAA Elite Eight for the past six years.

Should Hill appear in a NBDL game, he would become the third Maverick to appear in the NBDL and the first since Luke Anderson (2002-07) did so in 2007-08 when he appeared in 16 games with the Colorado 14ers and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Former Maverick Atila Santos also played in 20 games with the Bakersfield Jam during the 2009-10 season.

Msumavericks.com
Marcushillbasketball.com

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-09T18:06:00.000-05:00

@blessedtaft Excited about my comeback to basketball starting in Springfield this weekend its been years since I've been in training camp and I'm excited

Exclusive Interview with Armor Guard JamesOn Curry...

2011-11-09T13:39:00.004-05:00

He is no newcomer to professional basketball. Drafted in 2007 in the 2nd round by the Chicago Bulls after forgoing his senior year at Oklahoma State University, he was then assigned to the NBDL’s Iowa Energy. From there, he went overseas for two seasons, before returning to the states to play for the Springfield Armor. He goes by the name of JamesOn Curry.

Curry, the first draft pick in Armor history in 2009, is now in his third season with the Springfield Armor. He averaged 15.5 PPG and 3.5 APG with a 44.6 FG% in last season’s action.

When asked about playing in Springfield, he replied “I just love the fans. It’s the home of the Hall of Fame. Who wouldn’t love it?”
We’d have to agree…

JamesOn stayed busy this off season. Between his conditioning and practice sessions, he even put away time in his busy schedule to dabble in the arts and travel abroad.

“I recorded hip hop songs, played ball for a month in Venezuela, and worked out in North Carolina and Oklahoma.”

Curry was caught in two earthquakes this off season, one in NC and other in OK.
“Everyone in the house was looking around confused and I screamed EARTHQUAKE! It was actually the second earthquake I felt, one in NC during the summer and then one last week in OK. I think OSU’s win and Blackmon’s touchdown reception that made the stadium get so crunk…it literally shook the whole state!” He’s jokingly referring to Justin Blackmon’s game winning touchdown against Kansas State.

Curry is not only a leader on the court but a father of two off the court.
“I enjoy every second of missed time with my family. I am very excited that my family will be with me in Springfield this season.”

JamesOn is looking forward to the upcoming season, especially as the most experienced player on the team. When asked about having a new coach and his thoughts on the draft, he said “Coach MacKinnon loves the game and the new picks will be great additions to our roster.”

I asked JamesOn if he feels any extra pressure this year to make the playoffs or bring home a championship, and he responded “I personally don’t feel any pressure but if it is pressure, I feel the pressure is a privilege”.

Rest assured, JamesOn Curry will be back in action on November 25th at 7:00 pm. The Springfield Armor will hold their home opener against the Maine Red Claws at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA.

Written by: Neil Donah @thestealbottom November 8, 2011

Tweet of the Day...

2011-11-08T17:48:00.002-05:00

@Oskie_24: Listening to Ginuine with the Wifey on this long journey to Springfield. Youngins are in the back singing to each other. TOO FUNNY!!

5th Round Draft Pick Brandon Bush

2011-11-07T19:15:00.000-05:00

Former Texas State men's hoops player Brandon Bush was selected in the fifth round of the National Basketball D-League Draft Thursday night by the Springfield Armor; an affiliate of the New Jersey Nets.

When asked about his selection, Bush simply stated, “Never give up the dream. Anything is possible. Bobcat Nation!”

Bush played for the Bobcats from 2005-09 and was named the team's MVP each of his last three seasons. A two-time All-Southland pick, Bush currently ranks fourth all-time in the Texas State career charts in points (1,569) and 10th in rebounds with 671.

Since graduation from Texas State, Bush has been playing professionally overseas; most recently in Iceland.

Txstatebobcats.com

Akeem Bennett 8th Round Pick for the Armor

2011-11-06T18:29:00.000-05:00

Akeem Bennett, the 2010-2011 Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year was selected by the Springfield Armor in last night's NBA-D-League Draft. Bennett, who averaged 14.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season, becomes the first Terrier to be drafted into the league.

"I'm extremely proud of Akeem and we wish him the best of luck as he starts his professional career," said Terriers' head coach Glenn Braica. "Akeem is an extremely hard worker and I know he will continue to work on his game so that he can become the best player he can possibly be."

Sfcathletics.com

The Armor Welome Johnny Thomas

2011-11-06T01:10:00.003-04:00

Johnny Thomas, who played for the Thundering Herd during the 2010-11 season after transferring from NC State, was drafted by the Springfield Armor with the first pick of the second round (17th overall). Thomas averaged 9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as a junior before choosing to forego his senior season to pursue a professional basketball career overseas.

Thomas is an extremely explosive guard/wing with unlimited athletic ability. Thomas’ strong points are taking his defender off of the dribble and finishing at the rim. Also, he is exceptional with a one to two dribble pull up in the lane. Thomas is a high volume scorer with his ability to pull up for the three and finish mid-range jumper. He also uses his athletic ability on the defensive end as well as rebounding. Thomas is a very confident player on the court and looks to create for others. He also stands out from other players with his ability to finish above the rim with his 44 inch vertical.

Usbasket.com
Herdzone.com

Destination: Springfield Part 3

2011-11-05T17:15:00.000-04:00

Destination: Springfield Part 2

2011-11-05T05:23:00.000-04:00

Destination: Springfield Part 1

2011-11-05T02:53:00.000-04:00

Returning Players From Last Season

2011-11-05T00:18:00.000-04:00

Jamar Brown F 6'10 235 Colorado State-Pueblo
JamesOn Curry G 6'4 200 Oklahoma State
Lance Hurdle G 6'2 195 Miami (FL)
Jerry Smith G 6'2 190 Louisville
Eugene Spates F 6'7 220 Northeastern
LD Williams G 6'4 215 Wake Forest

6th Round Draft Pick Marcus Hill

2011-11-04T23:27:00.000-04:00

Draft Day

2011-11-04T20:00:00.000-04:00

Last night was the third draft in the history for the Springfield Armor. Here are the results.

Rd 2 Jonathan Thomas G/F 6'6 210 Marshall
Rd 3 Dennis Horner F 6'9 230 NC State
Rd 4 Chris Taft F 6'10 265 Pitt
Rd 5 Brandon Bush F 6'7 205 Texas St.
Rd 6 Marcus E. Hill G 5'9 165 Minn. St.
Rd 7 Michael Sturns G 6'5 205 Holy Family
Rd 8 Akeem Bennett G 6'3 180 St. Francis