It was a big day for the Erie BayHawks, the Hawks’ NBA G League affiliate, which won its first-round playoff game and had general manager Malik Rose named the league’s executive of the year on Saturday.
The BayHawks defeated the Lakeland Magic, 96-90, at home in a single-elimination game they led by as many as 23 points. The BayHawks advance to play at the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in a second-round single-elimination game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPNU.
The BayHawks went on an 11-2 run late in the fourth quarter after the Magic erased their large deficit and tied the game at 83-83.
Raphiel Putney led the BayHawks with 19 points. John Gillon had 17 points, Andrew White had 15 points and Josh Magette had 13 points.
Rose, who also serves at the Hawks’ basketball operations manager, is in his first seasons as the BayHawks general manager after the team became affiliated with the Hawks this season. The BayHawks finished 28-22 and reached the playoffs as the third seed after winning the Southeast Division. They finished the season 17-7 and clinched the division on the final day of the season.
Rose’s player acquisitions include NBA veteran Jeremy Evans, Tyler Cavanaugh and G League draft picks Putney and Jaylen Morris. The team also has two-way players Magette and White. Cavanaugh and Morris signed multi-year delas with the Hawks.
Rose, a 13-year NBA veteran has been with the Hawks’ front office the past four seasons.
