Vinson tosses in career-best 33 in 15-point win
Lathan (32 points) continues red-hot shooting
Fred Vinson scored 23 of his career-high 33 points in the fourth quarter Saturday night to guide the Los Angeles Lightning to a 130-115 IBL basketball victory over the Arizona Raptors at the Gilbert Sports Arena in Thousand Oaks.
"Once we got our veteran guys on the floor, it made a difference," said Vinson, who drained 7-of-18 from 3-point range. "All five guys who started the fourth quarter were on our championship team from last season. We’re familiar with each other and we had a great chemistry defensively. We went to a zone and took them out of what they were doing."
Trayvon Lathan had another spectacular shooting game for the defending IBL champions, who improved to 6-0 with their 12th win in the last 13 home games. Lathan, a slashing 6-8 guard, hit 15-of-19 from the field and scored 32 points. He also had eight rebounds and four steals before leaving with 1:33 to play after falling hard on his back.
Lathan, the team’s top scorer at 27.7 per game, converted 14-18 on Friday night when he scored a career-best 36 points. He’s shooting 78.4 percent in his last two games (29-37).
"He has a great ability to get to the basket and he has good basketball savvy," said Vinson. "He’s wiry and he’s really crafty with the ball. A kid like that has a bright future."
The Lightning led by just three with 9:18 to play before going on an 18-6 run that stretched the lead to 15 at 118-103. Bryon Russell (23 points, nine rebounds, five assists) started the run with a layup and three-point play. Lathan capped the outburst with back-to-back layups.
Juaquin Hawkins, one of three former NBA players on the current Lightning roster, had 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals while Kamran Sufi had 14 of his team’s 33 assists.
The Lightning, who led 72-67 at the half, outshot the visitors 54.9 to 46.1 percent.
Dubois Williams hit 9 of 10 shots and had 27 points, leading six players in double figures for the Raptors (0-2).
Vinson is averaging 21.3 points and has hit 47.7 percent of his long-range shots (21-44) in his last three games.
"I’m in better shape this year and having stronger legs really helps my shot," said Vinson, who’s shooting 45.3 percent from 3-point range for the year.
The Lightning will continue its 13-game homestand on Friday and Saturday at Cal Lutheran against the Kankakee County Soldiers of Illinois.
