Flash fall to rebound-happy Arsenal

OREM — The Utah Flash lost a hard-fought, 95-92 battle with the Anaheim Arsenal, primarily because they got killed on the offensive glass.

Despite holding Anaheim to shooting just 40.7 percent from the floor, the Arsenal won the rebounding battle 49-35, almost entirely due to a 20-7 edge in offensive rebounds.

"We let a team come into our gym and get 20 offensive rebounds," Flash coach Brad Jones said. "And they're not known for being a great offensive rebounding team. It's kind of embarrassing."

Anaheim guard Guillermo Diaz scored five points for an early 7-2 lead. The Flash were able to pull to within one with 1:29 to go in the first quarter, but the Arsenal scored the next five points to take a 27-21 lead at the end of the period.

Utah chipped away at Anaheim's lead, finally taking their first lead of the game midway through the second quarter when center Kyrylo Fesenko grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the layup to make the score 37-36.

About a minute later, Flash guard Andre Ingram hit a 3-pointer from the left wing, and after an Anaheim miss, he drilled another from the exact same spot to give Utah a 45-38 lead, their largest of the game.

The Arsenal recovered to score seven straight points late in the half to tie the game at 47, and after each team missed an opportunity to take the lead going into halftime, the second quarter ended with the score knotted at 49.

The third quarter was highly competitive, as neither team could take more than a three-point lead. Guard Curtis Stinson drove inside and went high off the glass with 3.6 seconds left in the quarter to give the Flash a 71-70 lead heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter featured more of the same, with thunderous dunks, monstrous blocks and spectacular shots.

The play of the game was on a lob pass. Despite being way too high, Diaz managed to tip the ball high in the air, and it somehow fell through the rim.

After guard Morris Almond hit a runner in the lane to tie the score at 89 with 1:33 to go, Anaheim made just enough plays, and Utah made just enough mistakes to give the Arsenal the win.

Although Anaheim missed three free throws in the final 32 seconds —one on a second chance because of a Utah lane violation —the Flash couldn't capitalize.

Trailing by three with 3.2 seconds to go, Utah forward Brian Jackson threw the ball right to Anaheim guard Mo Charlo to end the game.

Diaz led all scorers with 25 points, while four other Anaheim players and five of the Flash finished in double figures.