Toros Hire Super Hot Chick to Coach Cheerleaders

k2tbi3v87q The Austin Toros made one of their most impressive hires of recent memory by hiring former San Antonio Spurs’ Silver Dancer Monica Aguilar, who is super hot, to coach and choreograph for the team’s Capital City Dance team, who are also generally mega-hot. Monica is an Austin native, spent the last two seasons as the hot Siver Dancer’s hottie team captain, and she teaches dance at fitness clubs, which is hot.

Hot chicks who want to work with this hot chick should work on getting hotter between now and September when the Toros host tryouts for hot chicks to become Capital City Dancers for the 2009-2010 season. Cool.

Toros Defeat Stampede, Advance in Playoffs

The Austin Toros brought back painful memories for the Idaho Stampede tonight, winning 119-116 in Overtime to advance in the D-League playoffs. The Toros defeated the Stampede last year in the playoffs to win the D-League Championship.

The Toros needed to recover 18 points in the 4th Quarter to tie the game at 113. 

Marcus Williams returned to the Toros from a short stint with the San Antonio Spurs to net 33 while Malik Hairston led the team in scoring with 34.  Williams scored the three pointer to put the game into Overtime and the final basket to put the game away. Combined, Williams and Hairston were 10 of 11 from 3 point territory. Nearly 1000 fans packed the Concordia University Fieldhouse for the nail-biter.

The Toros now take to the road to take on the rival Colorado 14ers, who defeated the Erie Bayhawks yesterday to advance. The matchup date has not yet been announced.

Update: The matchup date has been announced and will be this Saturday night at 8 PM CST in Colorado. Visit the D-League website for information on watching the game live on the web.

Austin Toros Head into Playoffs on Winning Streak

Malik Hairston has retained his leadership of the Austin Toros after leading the team in scoring for a combined 83 points in his last two games and a team 5-1 record in April, leading into the playoffs. The Toros swept the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to complete the season, 106-105, 110-106, and 120-106.

The winning ways for the Toros follows a disastrous, and mostly Malik Hairston-less, March where the team went 2-8 with all but one game on the road.

One position of concern for the Toros could be forward Eric Dawson, who has been providing diminishing returns in his last three starts - 18 points against Reno and then 13 and 10 points in the last two games against Rio Grande Valley, respectively. Dawson did not play in tonight’s game. Forward Ryan Bright started in his stead, scoring 14 points in 41 minutes of play. 

Dwayne Jones looks to be the Toros starting center going into the playoffs. The starting guards will most likely be Stanley Burrell and Squeaky Johnson. Johnson has been playing better of late. His shooting percentage was quite low in March and continues to be sub .500 in April but Squeaky did burst out for 25 points in the final game of the season, hitting 9 of 17 from the floor.

The playoff matchups are to be announced on the D-League website on Sunday at 5:15 PM CST. With the recent victories, the Toros are rewarded with the first round home game.

In other news, Toros coach Quin Snyder was awarded the Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Award. 

Marcus Williams played 12 seconds for the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. He was -4.

Ian Mahinmi Returns to the Toros

With the Austin Toros suffering through a brutal month of March in which the team played nearly every game on the road and came away with only two wins for their bus-punishing efforts, the team was greeted with good news last week with the San Antonio Spurs’ reassignment of Guard Malik Hairston. Today they were greeted with more good news - the reassignment of center Ian Mahinmi.

Mahinmi has spent much of this season with the Spurs, albeit on the DL. A right ankle injury has nagged him all season and was operated on January 31. Recuperation has been on the long end of the 6 to 10 weeks anticipated but Spurs and Toros fans hope the lengthy rehabilitation will bring Mahinmi back to the team in the sort of condition that got him All-NBA D-League First Team honors last season.

The Toros defeated the lowly Tulsa 66ers last night 131-119 by whipping up 41 points in the first quarter and cruising to victory from then on. The win snaps a three game losing streak and secures the Toros second place in the Southwest Division going into the playoffs with five games left. The Toros can clinch a playoff spot by defeating the Iowa Energy this Saturday night at the Austin Convention Center. Be there.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Malik Hairston Returns to Rescue Toros

The Austin Toros were returned guard Malik Hairston yesterday from the San Antonio Spurs to rescue them from a disastrous and long road-trip that has them 2-6 in the month of March and put the cowardly Colorado 14ers 3 games ahead of the Toros in first place.  Only eight games remain in the regular season, five against sub-.500 teams and five at home.

Hairston appeared in 15 games for the Spurs and was an important contributor to an injury-plagued stretch for the Spurs. The question will be whether Hairston replaced new signee DeMarcus Wilson or struggling Ezra Williams in the starting lineup.

Malik Hairston Returns To Oregon for Spurs

San Antonio Spurs‘ Guard Malik Hairston picked up 5 rebounds, 6 points, and 3 assists off the bench during the San Antonio Spurs’ 102-84 loss to the Portland Trailblazers last night. Prior to his professional career, Hairston was an all-star guard for the University of Oregon. NBA.com reports Hairston was greeted warmly by the Oregon fans when he entered the game in the second quarter.

Despite the lop-sided overall score, Hairston was +7 during his 25 minutes on the floor.

Malik Hairston played with the Austin Toros earlier this season and was voted to the D-League’s All Star team. The Spurs are currently suffering from a number of injuries to their starting lineup and Hairston has been taking advantage of the opportunity to make an impact with the team during the opportunity.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Toros Sweep 66ers in Weekend Series

Even without Malik Hairston, the Austin Toros are a force to be reckoned with. Hairston was recalled to the San Antonio Spurs Saturday and did not play Friday night. The lineup features a number of new faces. Fan favorite Carldell “Squeaky” Johnson celebrated his birthday Thursday by being waived by the Toros due to injury. He has been replaced by Guard Jason Parker, Forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu, and Guard Nate Brown.

Pops made an immediate impact in Friday’s game against the Tulsa 66ers by scoring 23 and collecting 13 rebounds. The Toros won Friday 111-91 and led by as many as 27 points, early in the third quarter.

Pops led the Toros with 25 more in Saturday’s game which the Toros won 102 to 88. Ezra Williams is making the most of his callup to the starting rotation with 20 points on Friday and 24 points on Saturday.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Toros Continue Best Start in Franchise History

The Austin Toros whooped the Tulsa 66ers 89 to 78 for their seventh straight victory and second against the struggling 66ers. Malik Hairston returned from a short trip down to the San Antonio Spurs to score 17 and Andre Brown scored 20 more in a game the 66ers led by 8 points at the half.

But no one really believed they had a chance.

Last night’s game is the first of a two-game, two-night homestand at the Austin Convention Center. The Toros host the Los Angeles D-Fenders tonight.

Seven in a Row for Toros

NBA D-League Player of the Week Malik Hairston led the Austin Toros to their seventh straight victory, this one 102-89 over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Andre Brown also scored 22 and Marcus Williams posted 21.

The rest of the NBA D-League is now officially scared.

Toros Sweep Thunderbirds to take First

The Austin Toros won their fifth straight after defeating the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 94 to 91 last night in Albuquerque. Charles Gaines was on the ball, registering 17 rebounds with 15 points and Marcus Williams scored 23.

Toros are in a groove.

Also, Anthony Tolliver was called up to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.

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