BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Trey Johnson scored 37 points as the Bakersfield Jam snapped a two-game losing skid with a 117-111 win over the Maine Red Claws on Saturday at the Jam Events Center.
With Maine trailing 114-109, Kenny Hayes drove to the bucket, drew a foul and made both free throws, pulling the Red Claws to within three. But Johnson’s two free throws in the waning seconds iced the game.
It was the Red Claws’ third consecutive loss, as the team has posted just two wins in March and is now 4-19 away from the Portland Expo. The loss extended the Claws’ losing streak on the road to eight games.
Six Maine players scored in double figures. DeShawn Sims netted 24 points, while Magnum Rolle added 22 and Antonio Anderson chipped in 14.
Jamar Smith and Craig Winder each added 10 for the Red Claws, who shot 42.7 percent from the field (38 for 89), made 11 of 36 3-pointers and went 24 for 33 from the foul line.
The Red Claws (16-31) began the game with a 9-2 run and opened up their largest lead of the contest, 17-8, on Sims’ 3-pointer with 7:07 remaining.
Bakersfield tied the game just three minutes into the second quarter on Johnson’s gliding layup, and then took its first lead when Brandon Wallace drained a 3 from the wing, giving the Jam a 37-34 advantage.
The Jam (28-18) then went on a 12-7 run, extending their lead to 51-43, before Sims, Anderson and Hayes made a trio of 3-pointers to close out the half. The Red Claws trailed 59-56.
The sides battled back and forth in the third. Jamar Smith’s 17-foot fadeaway jumper gave the Red Claws their final lead, 63-61, with 9:00 left in the third.
The Jam went on an 8-0 run late in the fourth, opening up a six-point advantage on back-to-back 3-pointers by Derrick Byars and Luke Zeller. Stephen Dennis’ steal at midcourt followed, and he finished it with a two-handed jam.
Byars finished with 11 points, and Drew Naymick had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Bakersfield.
The Jam shot 52.7 percent from the floor, 17 for 23 from the foul line and 4 for 20 from 3-point range.
The Claws close out their four-game road trip today with another game at Bakersfield.
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