Sports

Albany’s Bennett shines during Hawks’ final summer-league game

• Ex-Monroe star Demetric Bennett leads all scorers with 30 points in the Atlanta Hawks’ final summer-league game Friday.

Danny Aller

SALT LAKE CITY — On Thursday evening, former Monroe High School and South Alabama basketball star Demetric Bennett informed the Atlanta Hawks he could not afford to take their non-guaranteed contract offer, and instead was headed overseas to play for a pro franchise in Poland.

Then Friday, Bennett showed the Hawks exactly what they’re going to miss out on.

Bennett came off the bench to lead all scorers in the Hawks’ final summer-league game of the season, dropping in 30 points — including three 3-pointers — to help Atlanta to a 105-91 victory against Golden State.

“It was just a good game — the best of the day as a matter of fact,” said Bennett, who played a total of 34 minutes, coming off the bench in the first quarter total to lead all scorers with 16 points in the first half. “It wasn’t about whether I could do it, but just that I be given the opportunity to do it. Once I did, everyone — the (Hawks) GM, the coach, players — came up to me and told me ‘Good job.’ ”

However, Bennett — who had been in a dismal 0-11 shooting slump in the summer-league tournament called the “Rocky Mountain Revue,” before Friday’s breakout performance — apparently did not do enough early on to impress Atlanta brass.

The team had a deadline Thursday for players on their summer league squad to decide whether they wanted to play in the NBA Developmental League — for non-guaranteed money — or decide to go elsewhere.

In Bennett’s case, he confirmed to The Herald late last week he already had an offer — and guaranteed money — from the Polish professional franchise named Emerga Czarni Slupsk. He would only say the deal was “six figures,” declining to elaborate more.

As a result, Bennett said the choice really wasn’t that hard to make.

“My agent talked to (the Hawks) about getting me a guaranteed contract, but it didn’t happen — and I have to be guaranteed something at this point in my career,” he told The Herald on Friday. “But it wasn’t no big deal. I mean, I know they like me, I know they’ll keep up on me and now I’m just gonna go to Poland, get some experience running the point and come back next year.

“I had to go where my money was guaranteed. But it’s with (Atlanta’s blessing). They told me they liked me, so when I come back, I think they’ll be waiting.”

As for details from Bennett’s big game. according to the Atlanta Hawks Web site, Bennett and Thomas Gardner stole the show as they combined to shoot 5-of-6 from long range in the quarter as each scored 16 points in the first half.

The second half continued to be the Bennett and Gardner show as Bennett was able to attack the rim and either score or set his teammates up for open jump shots, including an assist to Gardner who hit another three point shot.

Bennett added another 10 points to his total and after three quarters the Hawks had built a 20-point lead at 76-56, and never looked Bennett said his favorite moment came when he slammed down a dunk that was worthy of a poster.

“I dunked all over this dude,” Bennett said, declining to say who it was.

“Nah, I won’t do him like that. But it was a nasty dunk, man.”

Bennett returns to Albany today and says he hopes to get some rest before making his first-ever trip out of the country.

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