It’s been a tale of two seasons thus far for the Utah Flash.
After a torrid 6-2 start, the Flash have sputtered as of late, winning only four of their next ten games. As of Jan. 13, Utah sits at 10-9 – good enough for fifth place in the Western Conference in the NBA D-League.
Despite their struggles, however, the players have treated Flash fans with an array of remarkable plays-including dazzling dunks, crisp passes and mammoth blocks.
Leading the way for the Flash is Arkansas product Dontell Jefferson. The 6’5″ point guard is wowing fans and basketball scouts around the D-League, leading the team in points and assists per game with 18.7 and 5.6 respectively. Jefferson was also one of just five players to be named to the 2010 NBA D-League All Showcase team following the week-long event held in Boise recently.
Power forward Carlos Wheeler is a fan favorite thanks to his hustle and high-flying flushes. Wheeler doesn’t just play above the rim; he lives there. He has become a staple on the D-League’s highlight show. Wheeler also leads the team in rebounds with 7.9 to go along with his 14.2 points per game.
Despite visa problems early on in the season that prohibited him from playing in five contests, former Runnin’ Ute Luke Nevill has bounced back to give the Flash some much-needed size in the frontcourt. On Jan. 12, the 7’2″ Australian native poured in 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Reno.
Sharp-shooting guard Andre Ingram provides Utah a legitimate long-range shooter. Ingram – an American University product – is averaging 15.7 points per game and is shooting a blazing 46 percent from the 3-point range.
Orien Greene is the guy who can do it all. He can score, he can rebound, he can pass and he can defend. Fans at the games are usually treated to a steal by Greene leading to a fast break that ends with a Greene-to-Wheeler alley-oop slam.
But in the end, it’s all about the wins. Utah will look to get back to its winning ways and solidify a spot in the D-League playoffs for the second straight year starting Jan. 19 when it plays 13 of its next 17 games at the McKay Events Center.
