The Pacers G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, tipped off their season Friday.
Thanks to two-way contracts and the new rules for players coming out of high school, the G League continues to expand. With expansion comes an improved product, and the G League is getting better for fans year after year. The Pacers G League team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, recently kicked off their 2018-19 season and showed the improved product early.
The Mad Ants spent the last week or so undergoing training camp, with Pacers center Ike Anigbogu in attendance. This allowed the young big to get more reps and playing time – he is going to have trouble getting on the court for the Pacers. He was joined by an assortment of Mad Ants who have Pacer ties: two-way player Davon Reed, the recently waived Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, and preseason participants Omari Johnson and Elijah Stewart.
The first game of the season for the Mad Ants was in Sioux Falls South Dakota to take on the Miami Heat G League affiliate, the Skyforce. When it was all said and done, the Skyforce took down the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 112-101.
The Pacers use the Mad Ants very well for roster construction, so keeping up with what goes on in Fort Wayne can be important. Ike Anigbogu is using these minor league games to get in reps and improve, and the first game he showed some improvements. Known for being a bouncy, defensive-minded center, Anigbogu swatted away three shots and added seven points and 11 rebounds. He was solid in the opener.
After playing for the Pacers in the preseason before being waived, Omari Johnson and Elijah Stewart made their Mad Ants debuts. Stewart poured in 15 points off the bench while Johnson started and had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. They looked to be two of the better players on the court, and it was clear why they got a shot to make an NBA roster.
The most important guy to keep an eye on in Fort Wayne outside of Ike is Davon Reed. Reed recently signed a two-way contract with the Pacers, meaning he will split time between both the Mad Ants and the actual Pacers. He absolutely dominated in this game. He had a team-high 25 points and a team-high 14 rebounds. He impacted the game in a ton of ways and showed that he has real NBA skills. If he continues these performances, he may get an NBA call-up at some point.
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants roster also features four-year team veteran Stephan Hicks, who scored 20 points on 9/14 shooting. This team has some solid players, and they should be good this season. You can tune in to watch their second game against the Erie Bayhawks on November 9th. That game is in Fort Wayne, so if you’re in the area, stop on in the Allen County War Memorial Collesium and catch the game. You’ll enjoy this group of dudes.