Greg Stiemsma Broke The Single Season Blocks Record Last Night In The D-League

Same deal as yesterday.  I may just move my recaps permanently to this format unless somebody complains.

Sioux Falls Skyforce 105, Idaho Stampede 93 (Box Score)

• Greg Stiemsma broke the D-League's, and more specifically Keith Closs', single-season block record last night.  Stiemsma blocked five shots to bring his total to 137 through 38 games - that's an astonishing average 3.6 blocks per game!  Stiemsma also added 16 points and nine rebounds with just one turnover in 41 minutes of action.  I wonder what it would take for him to get an NBA look?
• Alexander Johnson, fresh off a night of rest, fouled out in 24 minutes of action.  In those 24 minutes, however, he added 17 points and six rebounds.  The five turnovers are pretty troubling, unfortunately.  It makes me wonder - if the Bucks are close to calling him up, might the better option be to sit out until he hears a 'yes' or 'no'?  It seems that if he was hurt or the Bucks found a flaw in his game they didn't see previously, there's just a lot of downside to playing.
• According to my astute box score reading, nobody played well for Idaho, but I'll still give a bit of love to Mildon Ambres off the bench.  Ambres shot 6-of-14 from the field and added seven boards while turning the ball over just twice.
• Joe Dabbert was ejected early in the third quarter.  As a D-League veteran, he has to be smarter about things like this - especially when matching up with a team loaded with big men.

Iowa Energy 135, Dakota Wizards 132 (Box Score)

• Phoenix Stan Seth Pollack wrote about Earl Clark, who is on assignment to the Energy from the Phoenix Suns, so I'll let you read about his game here.  Clark had 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, apparently meaning he's overtalented.  Maybe he is, but I don't think looking at the box score from one game is the best way to come to that conclusion.
  
• Curtis Stinson put up a gaudy 19 points and 21 assists.  I find it interesting that he averages two more assists at home than he does on the road.  Atypical of a guy with 21 assists, he also had the most shot attempts (8-of-20 from the field) for the Energy.  It worked, but it's intriguing.
• Dakota really shook up their starting lineup, bringing David Bell off of the bench after he started his first 40 games of the season.  In his place, Darren Cooper (39 appearances this season off the bench) had 16 points and five steals.  Interesting move, but the jury is still out on if I like it or not.
  
• Marcus Dove was the 2008 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.  Thus, he should have been matched up with Clark.  If he was, wow. If he wasn't, wow.  Dove finished with eight points and 12 boards.

Maine Red Claws 122, Albuquerque Thunderbirds 95 (Box Score) (Highlights)

• Paul Davis had 29 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes.  Umm, yeah, Shagari Alleyne probably wasn't a suitable defensive replacement for Kurt Looby, TBirds.
• Morris Almond had 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 24 minutes.  Since this is below his season average and I know Almond can score, I'm not going to blame the Thunderbirds defense on this one.
• Marcus Landry had, by far, his best game in the D-League thus far with 12 points, four boards, three assists, three turnovers, a block and a steal while shooting 5-of-9 from the field.  I know, that doesn't sound impressive, but consider that improved his averages to 7.0 points and 2.8 rebounds with a 32% FG% and 19% from beyond the arc through five games.
• Albuquerque's bright spot looks like it was Chad Toppert - 22 points (5-of-8 from 3-point land), four boards and four steals off the bench.