TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 26: Ben Uzoh #18 of the Toronto Raptors shoots against the New Jersey Nets on April 26, 2012 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dateline: April 26, 2012
In a dreadful game against the depleted, mailing-it-in New Jersey Nets, Ben Uzoh recorded a triple-double. The Raptors claimed a 98-67 victory in the final outing of the strike-shortened season for both teams, neither of which were within shouting distance of a playoff spot.
Ben, who started at point guard, had 12 points and a like number of assists. He hauled in 11 rebounds to complete the t-d feat, which hadn’t been done by a Raptor since Alvin Williams in 2001.
The Nets scoured the streets around the Air Canada Centre for players, and ended up starting:
- Jordan Williams
- Gerald Green
- MarShon Brooks
- Sundiata Gates
- DeShawn Stevenson
none of whom will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. A couple of fellows off the bench, Armon Johnson and Anthony Morrow, led their team with 11 points each. (I couldn’t mark this game higher than fifth, despite Uzoh’s effort, because of the non-existent opposition).
Meantime, Ed Davis played 43+ minutes for our team, and topped all scorers with 24 points. Jamaal Magloire (Good God!) hit the floor for 5+ minutes, in his final appearance as an NBA player.
At least Jamaal had already enjoyed a career. Ben never managed to crack another lineup, and was done at the age of 23. How’s that for bragging rights…”In my final NBA game, I had a triple-double.” He’s doing fine, and has been playing internationally. He’s in Mexico currently.
Rapture Nation, I advise you not to find and screen this game, unless your audience is 18-plus. I was there, and have seen better G League efforts (Note photo above, in which 3 Nets defenders are enjoying an excellent view of Uzoh’s runner. They look like they all studied at Pylon U. under Professor Bargnani.).
To be serious for a moment: when I research semi-pro games like this one, I’m reminded of what a dark place the NBA was in just a few years ago. The lockout (or strike, depending on who’s telling the story) brought the league to its knees. We can be grateful for its recovery, and for how well our squad has performed the last half-decade.