June 7, 2002

CHICAGO - Coaches love players who play their best when it counts most. For the second straight evening at the 2002 NBA Pre-Draft Camp, Lonny Baxter of the NCAA champion Maryland Terrapins dominated play in the second half, and for the second consecutive night, that domination led to a win for his team.

Baxter, a bulky forward out to prove he can continue to outwork and outperform more athletic opponents at the next level the way he did in the college ranks, exploded for 20 of his game-high 30 points in the second half and overtime, leading Team 6 to a 112-106 victory over Team 3 (Box Score and Day 2 Recaps) in the most compelling of three matchups on the middle day of play at Moody Bible Institute.

"Sometimes teams are obsessed with measurements and things. I'm a basketball player. Not everything I do on the court can be measured." Former Terrapin Lonny Baxter after his efforts at the NBA draft camp.

Baxter, whose size and athletic ability have been questioned for years as sleeker and more explosive athletes garnered more notice, helped his team erase a 13-point second half deficit, scored on a putback to send the game into overtime, and scored five of his team's last seven points in OT to preserve the victory.

In addition to Baxter's heroics, the game featured a bravura performance by Cincinnati guard Steve Logan, who fought off a nagging back injury to contribute 16 points and a game-high 11 assists (with only two turnovers) in a losing cause for Team 3. Logan showed some dynamic dealing on the fastbreak, with several slick passes over and under the arms of defenders finding his teammates for transition baskets. Most impressive, much of Logan's work came against well-regarded Lynn Greer of Temple, who compiled 11 points and five assists for victorious Team 6.

Mouton shot 6 of 8 from the floor in a shootout against his former Maryland teammate.

Team 3 had taken a 54-46 halftime lead behind fine perimeter shooting from UCLA's Matt Barnes (13 points), Iowa's Luke Recker (16 points) and Baxter's Maryland teammate Byron Mouton (14 points). But after Recker's layup gave Team 3 a 63-50 lead three minutes into the second half, Baxter and Miami's John Salmons (13 points) went to work, erasing that deficit by scoring five points apiece in a 20-6 run that put Team 6 ahead 70-69, with 11:42 remaining. After that, neither team was able to build more than a four-point lead, and Baxter's putback of his own miss sent the game into an extra session.

In the overtime, George Williams of Houston put Team 6 ahead for good with a short jumper that gave his team a 105-104 edge with 1:31 remaining. Baxter hit three of four free throws and added a layup to secure the win.

Baxter made 10-of-19 field goal attempts and 10-of-11 free throws. He also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Lubos Barton of Valparaiso nailed seven of nine shots and scored 16 points for the victors.

The former Maryland players combined to shoot 16-of-27 from the floor, and 12-of-13 from the free throw stripe. Baxter led all players with 12 rebounds, and both players scored in double figures for the second straight day.

Each team will compete again on Friday, playing among six teams of players selected to participate in the three-day camp before NBA scouts and coaches. Maryland guard Juan Dixon and forward Chris Wilcox, both projected as first round picks in the June 26 draft, elected not to participate at this week's camp.