2008 Woodie Awards
Idaho pursues top record in the NBDL
Jake Garcin
Issue date: 4/2/07 Section: Sports
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The Idaho Stampede is on pace to complete the most successful season in franchise history. The only concern Head Coach Bryan Gates has is finishing the season No. 1 and earning a first-round bye in the National Basketball Association Development League playoffs.
The Stampede currently hold sole possession of first place in the league’s Western Division and are two and a half games ahead of the Colorado 14ers. With just five games remaining on the schedule Idaho is in great position to close out the regular season with the best record in the entire NBDL.
Heading into its game Sunday Idaho was 29-15 this season - one and a half games ahead of the Dakota Wizards of the Eastern Division. If the Stampede can hold off the 14ers it will secure a first round bye in the playoffs. Idaho has already earned the right to host the first round of the playoffs by securing at least a second place finish in the West.
“Getting that No. 1 seed is pretty important,” Coach Gates said before the Stampede’s game at Los Angeles March 30. “We’re not afraid of anybody but it’s one less game you’ve got to play, obviously. You don’t have to travel. Guys get to sleep in their own beds.”
In the final five games of the season Idaho faces Colorado twice. Friday, April 6, the Stampede travel to Colorado for a game against the Western Division’s No. 2 team.
The Stampede then fly back to Boise to host the 14ers the following night. The Stampede finish the regular season with three home games, which gives Idaho exclusive control of its own destiny from here on out.
“We’ve taken it one game at a time the whole approach,” Gates said. “If you asked half of our guys how many we won in a row they couldn’t tell you. Finishing strong is obviously important from a team standpoint but it’s also important from an individual standpoint.”
Along with racing out to one of the best records in franchise history the Stampede have also set numerous team records along the way. Idaho won 11 games in a row earlier this season and also broke the franchise record for consecutive road wins with 12.
Stampede point guard Randy Livingston has had an MVP type season for Idaho, smashing the team record for total assists.
Livingston has used his NBA experience to help power the Stampede offensive attack with 424 assists entering the weekend series in Los Angeles, Calif. The previous team record was 358 assists set by David Bailey in 2003-04.
“The biggest thing is the guys trust [Randy],” Gates said. “That’s the biggest part of it - when your teammates trust you. When
Randy tells his teammates something they do it because they
know it will be right.”
Livingston is averaging 10.3 assists per game this season along with 12.1 points per game. The Houston Rockets drafted Livingston in the second round of the 1996 NBA draft after a successful collegiate career at Louisiana State University. Livingston last played in the NBA in 2006 as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Livingston will lead the playoff push in a pair of home games Friday, April 13, and Saturday, April 14. The Stampede hosts
Tulsa April 13, and concludes the regular season with Los Angeles April 14. Idaho is on pace to break the franchise record for most wins in a season, which was set at 34
in 2003-04.
“Our guys have the motto – and I know it’s kind of funny – that we’ll play basketball for food,” Gates said. “It doesn’t matter where we’re at, we’re going to play.”
The Stampede currently hold sole possession of first place in the league’s Western Division and are two and a half games ahead of the Colorado 14ers. With just five games remaining on the schedule Idaho is in great position to close out the regular season with the best record in the entire NBDL.
Heading into its game Sunday Idaho was 29-15 this season - one and a half games ahead of the Dakota Wizards of the Eastern Division. If the Stampede can hold off the 14ers it will secure a first round bye in the playoffs. Idaho has already earned the right to host the first round of the playoffs by securing at least a second place finish in the West.
“Getting that No. 1 seed is pretty important,” Coach Gates said before the Stampede’s game at Los Angeles March 30. “We’re not afraid of anybody but it’s one less game you’ve got to play, obviously. You don’t have to travel. Guys get to sleep in their own beds.”
In the final five games of the season Idaho faces Colorado twice. Friday, April 6, the Stampede travel to Colorado for a game against the Western Division’s No. 2 team.
The Stampede then fly back to Boise to host the 14ers the following night. The Stampede finish the regular season with three home games, which gives Idaho exclusive control of its own destiny from here on out.
“We’ve taken it one game at a time the whole approach,” Gates said. “If you asked half of our guys how many we won in a row they couldn’t tell you. Finishing strong is obviously important from a team standpoint but it’s also important from an individual standpoint.”
Along with racing out to one of the best records in franchise history the Stampede have also set numerous team records along the way. Idaho won 11 games in a row earlier this season and also broke the franchise record for consecutive road wins with 12.
Stampede point guard Randy Livingston has had an MVP type season for Idaho, smashing the team record for total assists.
Livingston has used his NBA experience to help power the Stampede offensive attack with 424 assists entering the weekend series in Los Angeles, Calif. The previous team record was 358 assists set by David Bailey in 2003-04.
“The biggest thing is the guys trust [Randy],” Gates said. “That’s the biggest part of it - when your teammates trust you. When
Randy tells his teammates something they do it because they
know it will be right.”
Livingston is averaging 10.3 assists per game this season along with 12.1 points per game. The Houston Rockets drafted Livingston in the second round of the 1996 NBA draft after a successful collegiate career at Louisiana State University. Livingston last played in the NBA in 2006 as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Livingston will lead the playoff push in a pair of home games Friday, April 13, and Saturday, April 14. The Stampede hosts
Tulsa April 13, and concludes the regular season with Los Angeles April 14. Idaho is on pace to break the franchise record for most wins in a season, which was set at 34
in 2003-04.
“Our guys have the motto – and I know it’s kind of funny – that we’ll play basketball for food,” Gates said. “It doesn’t matter where we’re at, we’re going to play.”
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