Link: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2007/12/15/sports_semipro/hjjcihiejifbgj.txt

The Yakama Sun Kings are still undefeated, their last win coming with a sigh.

And Odell Bradley is back in town and as a force for the Butte Daredevils. How long that will be now becomes more of a subject of concern.

The Sun Kings edged the Daredevils 85-82 Friday night in a Continental Basketball Association game played in the Butte Civic Center. The score was the closest the 12-0 Sun Kings have come to stumbling this season, a campaign that has arrived on the heels two straight CBA championships.

Roster moves by the Butte team on Thursday brought Bradley, a popular star of last year’s team, back to The Mining City after he began the season with the Pittsburgh Xplosion to be closer to his home. Guards Sir Valiant Brown and Tim Taylor were cut by the Daredevils in conjunction with the move. So a spot remains open on the Butte roster, and the team was only eight players deep against Yakama as Martane Freeman sat out with an ankle injury. Daredevils head coach Pat O’Herron said Freeman may be sidelined up to a month.

A triple promotion for the night — Evel Knievel Tribute Night, Fan Appreciation Night and Welcome Back Odell Night — saw ticket

See DAREDEVILS, Page B6

prices cut to $2 for general admission. It produced a season-high attendance of 1,420 spectators, but about 1,500 was what the club officials were hoping would be average, certainly by this time in its Butte stay.

“It was a very tough game and very frustrating game,” Daredevils head coach Pat O’Herron said after the rugged, physical intense contest in which every possession seemed to carry a feeling of utmost importance. “We were not executing at the end. We had some defensive lapses and mental lapses the last three minutes of the quarter.

“We said going into the fourth quarter that we needed to make our open jump shots. They (the Sun Kings) were doing a good job clogging the middle because that’s where our big guys had been scoring.”

The defensive effort by Butte was pretty impressive, too.

“Holding Yakama to 85 points is a helluva defensive job,” O’Herron agreed.

The Sun Kings held a 68-62 edge when the fourth quarter started, but the Daredevils surged to forge a 73-all tie. The 6-foot-4 bullish Bradley took a Benson Callier pass to the basket to begin the comeback. After Jason Forte coaxed in a tough shot off the glass from inside the key for the Sun Kings, Marcus Jefferson and Bradley scored on back-to-back drives for Butte.

The Daredevils trailed 70-68 with 9 minutes, 7 seconds left in the game.

Desmond Ferguson buried a 3-point basket for the vastly talented Sun Kings and then Butte got to the tie as Lionel Davis scored inside off a pass from Jason Miller, and Miller then camped outside the 3-point arc without drawing much defense. So, he popped the trey.

But the Sun Kings busted the deadlock with an 8-2 run to take the lead for good, if not uncontested. Jermaine Blackburn netted a free throw and Ferguson horsed in a tough shot over the strong Davis to launch the Yakama spree. After Davis scored for Butte, Ferguson nailed a short jumper and Forte dunked on a fast-break opportunity. Tim Ellis capped the outburst with a free throw.

Butte still got to within a point, 83-82, with 17 seconds left as Bradley caged a 3-pointer and pushed in for a layup.

Ferguson hit two Sun Kings free throws. Butte then had the ball and Bradley took the inbound pass. He was fouled by Jason Sasser. So, the Daredevils had the play inbounds again, Bradley tossing to Aaron Cook. Cook was fouled and though O’Herron argued for a 3-shot opportunity from the free throw stripe, the officials awarded him only two. the clock showed 1.5 seconds left. Cook missed the first shot and so then missed the second on purpose and hoped his team could garner a rebound and a miracle chance.

However, Blackburn corralled the carom for the Sun Kings and they took a timeout. As play resumed, Ferguson inbounded to Sasser, who returned the ball to Ferguson. He then launched the last shot. It missed. But Yakama had the close-call win.

“I was impressed with how hard we played,” Bradley said while signing autographs for a flock of youngsters courtside after the game. “I take a little of the blame (for the loss). No excuse about getting here late. We need make better plays down the stretch, especially me. We gave away too many points. Coach and I are not going allow that to happen.

“It was a tough defensive game. But we’re going to beat Yakama. You can put that in the paper.”

Joe Clark, Butte co-owner and chief officer, was upbeat about the crowd, preferring to describe it as a “season attendance record.” But low attendance has become an increasing worry for the team executive staff. It was hoped the triple promotion would draw more than 2,000 people. However, it was also up against a Montana Tech women’s basketball game, a Butte Central boys’ basketball game and a Butte High girls’ basketball game, all being played in town on the same night.

O’Herron was disappointed a win did not happen, especially against such a top-notch rival and in front of a larger crowd.

“We played good defense,” he said. “What’s killing us in our losses is giving up too many offensive rebounds. We’re not going after the ball. they had 12 or 13 offensive rebounds in the second half and that killed us.”

“We hope to get fan support,” O’Herron continued. “We need to get people out to our games. We play hard and the kids love it. But we need more fan base to come.”

Butte, 8-7 for the year, was led by Bradley with 22 points, Miller with 18 and Davis with 13. Miller also grabbed 12 rebounds. Yakama, a franchise owned by Yakama Nation and based in Yakima, Wash., placed four scorers in double figures. Ferguson led with 20 points, Sasser scored 15, and Ellis and Blackburn finished with 10 apiece.

Butte’s next game will be Sunday at Great Falls against the Great Falls Explorers. The Daredevils will then be home next weekend against the Atlanta Krunk on Friday and Saturday.

YAKAMA (12-0)

Harvey Thomas 3-7 2-2 8, Jason Sasser 5-15 4-4 15, Jason Forte 2-7 3-4 7, Tim Ellis 4-7 2-4 10, Desmond Ferguson 7p17 2-2 20, Elvin Mims 4-6 1-2 9, Ray Weathers 1-4 2-2 4, Jermaine Blackburn 4-8 2-3 10, Anthony Washington 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 31-75 18-23 85.

BUTTE (8-7)

Lionel Davis 5-12 3-4 13, Jason Miller 8-15 1-2 18, Benson Callier 1-10 1-2 3, Aaron Cook 3-13 1-2 8, Marcus Jefferson 4-8 0-0 8, Jibril Hodges 3-5 1-1 9, Odell Bradley 9-17 2-3 22, Blake Sholberg 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 33-80 10-16 82.

Yakama 22 19 27 17 — 85

Butte 19 23 20 20 — 82

League points — Yakama 5, Butte 2. 3-point goals — Yakama 5-21 (Thomas 0-1, Sasser 1-6, Ferguson 4-11, Mims 0-1, Weathers 0-1, Blackburn 0-1), Butte 6-12 (Miller 1-1, Callier 0-1, Cook 1-3, Hodges 2-4, Bradley 2-3). Total fouls — Yakama 13, Butte 20. Technical — Thomas. Rebounds — Yakama 42 (Sasser 6, Mims 6, Blackburn 6), Butte 51 (Miller 12, Davis 8, Jefferson 6). Blocks — Yakama 6 (Thomas 3), Butte 4 (Davis 1, Miller 1, Jefferson 1, Hodges 1). Assists — Yakama 16 (Forte 5), Butte 12 (Callier 4, Cook 4). Steals — Yakama 10 (Thomas 3), Butte 2 (Callier 1, Bradley 1). Turnovers — Yakama 19, Butte 19. A — 1,420.