Mad Ants dominate Greensboro in Monday matinee victory

The REPORTER

The Indiana Mad Ants faced off with the Greensboro Swarm (Charlotte Hornets affiliate) Monday afternoon. In one of their finest performances of the season, the Mad Ants secured a 121-93 victory over the Swarm. The 28-point differential was one shy of the season-high for Indiana. Jahlil Okafor led the team with 26 points while Quenton Jackson and Enrique Freeman had 24 and 22 points respectively.

The Mad Ants had two-way players Enrique Freeman and Quenton Jackson active for today’s game. Johnny Furphy was also with the team on assignment from the Pacers. Furphy scored the first points of the game with a layup at the end of the shot clock. Two possessions later, Freeman scored with a layup after recovering an offensive rebound.

Jahlil Okafor returned to the Mad Ants for his first game since early February. The veteran center signed a 10-day contract with the Pacers on February 10th and appeared in one game. He scored his basket four minutes into the game. On the next possession, Okafor scored again with a close-range hook shot.

After falling behind 8-6, Tom Hankins called a timeout. Following the break, Indiana went on an 18-0 run. The scoring run allowed the Mad Ants to gain a lead of 24-8. Greensboro ended their scoring drought with three minutes left in the quarter.

With time winding down in the quarter, Furphy drew a shooting foul after recovering an offense rebound. He knocked down the one-for-two free throw attempt. On the next possession, Kyle Mangas found Furphy down low, and the first-year pro finished the reverse layup. Under a minute to go, Josiah-Jordan James drained a three-pointer to beat the shot clock. After one quarter, the Mad Ants had a 31-12 lead. Furphy led the team with eight points.

Freeman scored the first points of the second quarter. The two-way forward drove into the lane and scored with a layup. Next time down the floor, Cameron McGriff rocked the rim with a ferocious dunk.

With six minutes left in the first half, the Mad Ants had a 46-23 lead. On the next possession for Indiana, Okafor posterized his defender with a one-handed slam. He made six of his first seven field goal attempts in his return to the team.

In the final minutes of the quarter, Freeman added to Indiana’s lead with a corner three. Freeman scored again with a driving layup next time down the floor. Jackson drew a foul and converted a one-for-two free throw. Dakota Mathias added to the lead with a three-pointer. The Purdue alum knocked down a mid-ranger jumper his next time down the floor. The Mad Ants had a 64-35 lead after the first half. Okafor led all scorers with 16 first-half points.

Jackson scored the first points of the second half for the Mad Ants. The two-way guard knocked down a mid-range jumper giving him 10 points on the day. Next time down the floor, Freeman drained a corner three giving him 14 points.

Halfway through the third quarter, Furphy added to his point total with a layup. On the next possession, Okafor reached 20 points with a close-range jumper. Indiana had an 80-55 lead with 5:30 remaining in the quarter.

Down the stretch, Freeman increased the lead with a put-back layup following an offensive rebound. With a minute to go, Freeman scored again with a layup. The Akron alum scored another layup 30 seconds later giving him 20 points on the day. After three quarters of play, Indiana had a 90-67 lead. Freeman and Okafor each had 20 points heading into the fourth quarter.

Okafor got the scoring started in the fourth quarter. The 29-year-old scored with a layup giving him 22 points on the day. Two possessions later, Okafor scored again with a close-range hook shot. He made 12 of his first 14 field goal attempts.

Leading 105-79 halfway through the fourth quarter, Jackson attacked the lane and made a contested layup. Fouled on the play, he made it a three-point play with the and-one free throw. 30 seconds later, he demonstrated his range with a three-pointer the traditional way.

Indiana had a 120-90 lead with two minutes left in regulation. After drawing a foul, Ishmael Lane sank one of his two free throw attempts. The Mad Ants secured one of their largest wins of the season; the 28-point differential was one shy of the largest for Indiana this season.

The Indiana Mad Ants will hit the road for a two-game series with the San Diego Clippers beginning on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. Game two of the series will be Saturday again at 10:00 p.m. Indiana’s next home game will be on Monday against the Raptors 905. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.