Lightning to honor firefighters, law enforcement
Fathers and sons will get in free on Father's Day
The Los Angeles Lightning will honor 10 firefighting, law enforcement and correctional officer organizations on Saturday at Cal Lutheran's Gilbert Sports Arena.
"These are the heroes of our community and we thought it would be great to have a night for them," said Lightning owner Mark Harwell. "We're expecting our biggest crowd of the year."
The Lightning (10-3) will take on the Phoenix Red Rock Raptors on Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively, in a pair of International Basketball League games. Columbia recording artists The Stunners, an all-female pop group from L.A., will perform the National Anthem on Saturday with a karate demonstration and AYBA youth game at halftime.
Saturday's honorees are the Ventura County Sheriff Department, Ventura County Deputy Sheriff Department, California Highway Patrol, Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff, California Correctional Police Officers Association, Police Protective League, Los Angeles County Firefighters, Ventura County Firefighters, Santa Barbara Firefighters and the California Youth Authority.
On Sunday, fathers and sons will be admitted free in honor of Father's Day.
Lamond Murray, a 6-7 forward who averaged 11.3 points during an 11-year NBA career, is expected to return to the Lightning lineup. He's the eighth-leading scorer in the IBL at 25.3 per game.
L.A. has won three of its last four games. The only loss was a 121-112 decision to Phoenix on May 31 in a game the Lightning led by 24 in the third quarter.
"That's a revenge match for us," said Lightning forward and former Utah Jazz standout Bryon Russell. "We owe them one."
Ex-UCLA stars Toby Bailey and Darrick Martin joined L.A. last week, along with 7-footer Adam Parada and 6-11 Chris Ayer. The Lightning responded with their biggest wins of the season over the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Flight, 141-105 and 160-123.
Bailey had the first triple-double in the team's two-year history on Sunday with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists
