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The Long Island Nets lost 116-100 to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants Tuesday afternoon, their last game at Barclays Center. The club will move to Nassau Coliseum next season The renovated arena will open next week with a Billy Joel concert.
They play their final game of this season Saturday in Westchester against the Knicks. Long Island, in its first season in the D-League, is currently 16-33.
Cliff Alexander, playing center for the Nets, recorded his fourth consecutive double-double for the Nets with 29 points (13-of-23 overall and 3-of-3 from the line) to go along with 11 rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes. In the four game stretch, the 6’9”, 250 pound Kansas product is averaging 28.5 points and 12.3 rebounds.
J.J. Moore added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes for Long Island. According to David Pick, the Israeli hoops writer, Moore leaves Wednesday for Israel where he will play for Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion. R.J. Hunter added 11 points, shooting 1-of-8 from deep and Trahson Burrell filled the box score with nine points, an equal number of rebounds and four assists.
Tim Quarterman, a 6’5” point guard on assignment from Portland, scored 27 points (11-of-19 overall and 2-of-4 from three) handed out seven assists and grabbed five rebounds in 31 minutes.
Fort Wayne Mad Ants secured their spot in the 2017 NBA Development League Playoffs with the win. Fort Wayne jumped out to a 33-27 lead after the first quarter paced by 13 points and seven rebounds from former NBA forward Tyler Hansbrough, while Alexander led Long Island with seven points.
The Mad Ants outscored the Nets 32-26 in the second half, extending their lead to 12 points, 65-53, at halftime. Alexander led Long Island with a game-high 19 first-half points while Quarterman totaled 15 points off the bench, and Hansbrough recorded a first-half double-double for Fort Wayne with 15 points and 10 rebounds, giving Alexander plenty of trouble.
Fort Wayne widened its lead in the third quarter on 13 points from Hansbrough, and the Mad Ants cruised for the win despite an even 23-23 fourth quarter.
Hansbrough led the Mad Ants with a double-double, recording a game-high 34 points (11-of-19 overall, going to the line 14 times, making 12). He also secured a game-high 14 rebounds in 35 minutes.
One-time Nets point guard Marquis Teague added 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting in 27 minutes off the bench, while center Alex Poythress added 15 points and eight rebounds and Nick Zeisloft tacked on 14 points for Fort Wayne.