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CT PRIDE ARE 1999 CBA CHAMPS!!
Griffin's 29 leads Connecticut;
Jones hits game-winner with 5.3 seconds left
1999.04.27
Lamont Jones grabbed the second rebound after misses by Bull Martin and Ira Bowman and hit a fall away jumper with 5.3 seconds to go to give the Pride a 105-103 victory in the fifth and deciding game of the 1999 CBA Championship series at Sioux Falls Tuesday.
Connecticut, which finished 47-21 on the year including a 10-2 mark in the playoffs, rode a 29-point performance from CBA MVP Adrian Griffin. Griffin was 10-of-20 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line, dished out four assists and made four steals.
The Pride jumped out to a 36-25 lead after one quarter and maintained that margin at halftime. The Skyforce held the Pride to only 14 points in the fourth quarter, but scored only 19 themselves.
Lamont Jones added 20 and James "Bull" Martin had 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Pride. Victor Page came off the bench to score 26 points for Sioux Falls, which was denied its second CBA title in four years. The Skyforce won the 1996 CBA title.
The Skyforce, who trailed by seven points after three quarters, scored the first eight points of the final quarter to take their first lead of the game, 92-91. The Pride missed their first six shots of the quarter and didn't score until Adrian Griffin bounced in a three-pointer with 7 minutes, 41 seconds left to tie the score at 94.
Victor Page then hurt the Pride with two baskets and a crucial rebound. With the Skyforce ahead 98-97, he managed to rebound a missed shot with three Pride defenders inside him. He passed to Brett Robisch for a layup. Kebu Stewart and Monty Buckley, who combined to score 57 points in Game 4, seldom had good looks at the basket early. Todd Lindeman and Bowman were playing tight, effective defense.
Midway through the second half, three consecutive drives by Damian Owens and a Kevin Ollie three-pointer from the right wing widened the advantage to 43-25. But the Skyforce rallied, scoring 10 unanswered points.
Jones and Page then got into a duel. Jones scored seven points and Page 11. Both were called for technical fouls with 7:38 left in the half.
It appeared the Pride lead would 20 points by halftime. They were ahead 63-46 on two Ollie free throws with just under three minutes to play.
 
Un-official website for the defunct Connecticut Pride.
This site is not affiliated with the CBA or the defunct CT Pride basketball team.
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