Sky High
A last second bank shot lifts the Asheville Altitude to a 108-106 overtime victory in the 2004 NBDL championship game.

 

04.24.04 -- Asheville, N.C., – Antonio Meeking banked in an 18-foot jump shot from the top of the key with 1.8 seconds left in overtime to lift the Asheville Altitude to a 108-106 victory over the Huntsville Fight in the championship game of the NBDL Postseason Classic. The play wasn't designed to put the ball in Meeking's hands for the game winner, but the rookie from Louisiana Tech wasn't about to pass it up when the Huntsville defense collapsed around Brandon Kurtz in the paint.

 

"I didn't have to," Meeking said when asked if he had called "bank". "This was a championship game and anything goes. I got a great pass from Lavor Postell, a good look at the basket and was able to make the shot."

Altitude Head Coach Joey Meyer said the play was a designed high-low to Kurtz, but the defense collapsed and left Meeking open, which was not surprising since Kurtz finished with 26 points and Meeking had converted just two of nine field goal attempts prior to making the game winner.

"We did it, but don't ask me how," Meyer said. "It wasn't pretty, but we found a way to win. I am really happy for those 10 guys on our team and for the city of Asheville. Brandon Kurtz was tremendous. He just refused to lose."

The victory gives Asheville the first regular season and postseason championship sweep in the brief history of the National Basketball Development League. The Altitude also claimed the regular season crown by finishing with a league best 28-18.

The victory didn't come easy for Asheville after trailing by 18 in the first half and then losing NBDL Rookie of the Year Desmond Penigar to a dislocated elbow with 3:37 to play in regulation.

Huntsville had a chance to win in regulation, but Erick Barkley's lay-up at the buzzer missed the mark and sent the game into overtime tied at 97.

"We had our opportunities down the stretch but we just didn't make plays. In a winner-take-all championship like this you have to be able to take care of the ball," Huntsville Head Coach Ralph Lewis said. "We knew after we made our run that they would make a run of their own, but we didn't get the stops when we needed them."

Huntsville came out strong, building a 30-13 advantage by the 2:32 mark of the first quarter. Asheville kept chipping away though and was able to narrow the deficit to 56-48 at the half. The Altitude trailed 91-88 when Penigar was injured diving for a loose ball.

Postell tied the game at 97 with 43.5 seconds to play when he converted a three-point play after being fouled on a lay-up by Rod Grizzard. Huntsville led 106-102 in overtime when Phil Ricci scored on a put-back for the Flight. They would not score again.

Greg Stevenson's put-back with 1:10 to play tied the game at 106 before Meeking's banker to win it.

"We had it in our hands. This is what championship basketball comes down to," Huntsville guard Mateen Cleaves said. "These guys have to understand that seven of those 10 guys will never have the chance to play for a championship again. We had this game won."

Kurtz added 14 rebounds to his 26 points to lead the Altitude. Postell followed with 24 points. Penigar had 16 points and nine rebounds when he was injured. Kareem Reid chipped in 10.

Cleaves scored 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had six assists to pace Huntsville. Damone Brown contributed 22, Ricci 18, Barkley 13 and Grizzard 11 for the Flight.