Long Island Drops Close Game to Delaware at Home

BROOKLYN – The Long Island Nets (6-14) fell 109-106 to the Delaware 87ers (10-8) today at Barclays Center.  The Nets are now 0-2 in their season series with the 87ers.

In his second game on assignment with the Nets, Atlanta Hawks forward Taurean Prince scored a game-high 27 points on 12-of-20 shooting and recorded a double-double with his team-high 14 rebounds. Hawks forward Mike Scott, also on assignment, added 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the effort.

Nets guard Yogi Ferrell recorded 18 points with six assists and five steals in the loss, while Brooklyn Nets forward Chris McCullough added 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in his 17th game on assignment with Long Island.

Delaware jumped out to a 31-18 lead in the first quarter on 50 percent shooting from the field and a balanced offensive effort.

The Nets responded in the second quarter with 37 points, closing Delaware’s lead to just three, 58-55, at halftime.

The 87ers shot 45.5 percent from the field in the first half, led by 12 points from James Webb III, who also pulled down 10 rebounds to record a first-half double-double. Ferrell led Long Island with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four steals.

The Nets made another push in the third quarter, led by nine points from Scott and six points apiece from Prince and McCullough. Long Island outscored the 87ers 26-19 in the quarter and led by as many as 12 points before settling for a four-point lead, 81-77, at the quarter’s end.

Delaware bounced back quickly, starting the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run to retake the lead. Although Long Island tied the game multiple times in the fourth, the 87ers outscored the Nets 32-25 in the quarter to seal the victory.

The 87ers outrebounded the Nets 54-46 in the win, while the Nets scored a season-high 32 points off 26 Delaware turnovers on the afternoon.

Three 87ers players recorded double-doubles in their victory, with Webb III tallying 19 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, David Laury III posting 18 points and 10 boards and Shawn Long totaling 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Long Island will face Erie next on Wednesday, January 4, at 3 p.m. EST, while Delaware will return home to face Maine on Wednesday, January 4, at 7 p.m. EST.