Popular Searches:

  1. Brian Kelly
  2. Mack Brown
  3. UFC 107
  4. Mark Sanchez
  5. Mike Lowell

Batman: Spurs’ Ginobili steals game with bat catch

Nov 1, 12:27 am EDT

Preview | Box Score | Recap
  • Print

SAN ANTONIO (AP)—The Spurs’ Manu Ginobili(notes) showed off his quick hands— capturing a bat.

“That was amazing,” teammate Tony Parker(notes) said after the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 113-94 on Saturday night. “The legend continues with Manu. Unbelievable. … He’s always doing crazy stuff.”

Late in the first period a bat swooped into the AT&T Center and descended onto the court. Players scattered and officials stopped play. The bat circled and left only to return—briefly.

That’s when Ginobili performed his Halloween trick, swatting the bat out of the air with a bare hand. He then carried the creature off the court to thunderous cheers.

As the theme song to “Batman” played, a few Sacramento players applauded, too. A trainer emerged to squirt sanitizer on Ginobilil’s hand. “When you can’t dunk anymore, you have to find a way to make it into the news,” Ginobili said. “So that’s what I did. I grabbed a bat. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

On the court, Parker led the Spurs with 24 points and seven assists, and Ginobili scored 13 points in a reserve role. He ended the first period with a driving layup at the buzzer. Richard Jefferson(notes) added 21 points for San Antonio.

The only performance anyone wanted to talk about was Ginobili’s.

“The drummer that he marches to sometimes is a little bit different,” Spurs coach Greg Popovich said. “He never ceases to amaze me and he just did it again. The legend grows. It’s incredible on Halloween night. You would call someone a liar if they told you that story.”

Kevin Martin(notes) had 26 points and Spencer Hawes(notes) scored 22 for the Kings, who dropped to 0-3.

After scoring 28 points against Chicago on Thursday, Tim Duncan(notes) had just seven points Saturday. He grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked one shot.

The Kings struggled throughout the second half—with their shot, handling the ball and containing Parker and Jefferson.

“We wanted to bounce back,” Parker said. “Obviously, we had a tough loss against Chicago. The Bulls outplayed us last game. So we wanted to make sure we came out tonight with a lot of energy. And that’s what we did tonight.”

San Antonio increased its 16-point halftime lead to 21 after three periods. Parker electrified in the third. He scored eight points and threaded a beautiful pass to Roger Mason(notes) Jr., who knocked down a 3-pointer.

Mason made two 3-pointers. Jefferson hit 2-of-3 3-point attempts on the night. The Spurs shot 50 percent (8 of 16) from behind the arc. Next to Ginobili, Jefferson stood out most to Parker.

“He was very impressive,” Parker said. “He made some shots from the outside, and I think that helped his confidence.”

Theo Ratliff(notes) came off the bench to contribute 15 points, pull down five rebounds and block two shots.

The Kings only had two players score in double figures—Martin and Hawes. Desmond Mason(notes) was Sacramento’s third-leading scorer with seven points.

“We were beating our heads against the wall trying to figure out how to beat this team and stay in the game,” Kings Coach Paul Westphal said. “Even when the Spurs went to the bench, they stayed solid. Actually they were better than solid.

“We aren’t the only team that hasn’t been able to keep Tony Parker out of the paint or guard Manu Ginobili. I give my team credit because they were trying,” he said.

The Spurs began pulling away with 7:17 to play in the second period. DeJuan Blair(notes) stole an inbound pass and made a soft layin to ignite a 19-6 San Antonio run. Parker scored six points, had three assists, grabbed two rebounds and made a steal during the run.

Updated Nov 1, 12:27 am EDT
digg del.icio.us
more

Next Opponents

San Antonio at LA Clippers

Sun Dec 13, 2009, 9:30 pm EST

Sacramento vs Minnesota

Sat Dec 12, 2009, 10:00 pm EST

NBA

141 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. <i>zonedfence</i>
    141. Posted by zonedfence Tue Nov 3 1:12am EST

    Report Abuse

    the real question is - what Fantasy category do bats count in?
  2. Q money
    140. Posted by Q money Mon Nov 2 7:20pm EST

    Report Abuse

    For Joyce comment number 43, and for everyone else that thinks the bat died. You are all wrong. I live in San Antonio and the news just said that after Ginobili handed the bat over it was brought outside the arena and FLEW OFF!!!!! they also said Ginobili has to get 4 sessions of rabies shots.
  3. Adam
    139. Posted by Adam Mon Nov 2 12:50pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Why is he saying period? I thought they were playing basketball. Guess there must have been some new league rule for 3 periods put in, in the off season.
  4. Michelle
    138. Posted by Michelle Mon Nov 2 12:38pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Y'all are probably going to tell me I'm a psycho PETA person (which I'm not), but I feel sorry for the poor bat. There was no need to whack the bat out of the air (likely injuring it, at the very least)--this is hardly a person's initial instinct when a bat comes swooping out of the air at them (despite Halcyone's comment to the contrary)--your initial instinct is to duck. Believe me, I know: Our house (my parents house, that is) is infested with bats, has been for quite a few years now. Every summer, without fail, nearly ever night one or more gets loose in the house. Even expecting it and knowing it's there while you chase it around with a butterfly net, you still duck (read: duck, not smack at it with your hand) when it comes flying toward you.

    To "The Man": You want to capture all future bats and release them inside my house? You think I care? I've probably captured more bats in my house than you have ever even so much as SEEN in your life. A minimum of one per night (if not caught by me, then by another member of my family, although I seem to be the one who gets woken up by them most of the time....They seem to like my bedroom), three months out of the year, for a good 4-5 years? Yeah, I'm well used to bats in my house--and to catching them in a net and tossing 'em outside. Feel free to waste your time and money transporting the bats to Alaska to stick into my house--I'll doubt I'll notice the addition of a bat or two.

    Also, touching a bat is a damned stupid move--they're one of the primary carriers of rabies.
    Both my parents have reiterated numerous times to my sister and I to make sure we do not touch any of the bats when catching them, and to always wash our hands afterwards. Common sense, really. The bat doesn't have to even bite you to potentially pass rabies along.
  5. Big Mak
    137. Posted by Big Mak Mon Nov 2 12:27pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Nothing surprises me about animal rights "advocates" Especially after Obama swatted that fly.
  6. me
    136. Posted by me Mon Nov 2 12:21pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Jen...just because the bat was flying around before the game started doesn't mean it wasn't a stunt. You think it was just coincidence that 1. it happened on halloween; 2. the mascot happened to have on a batman costume; 3. had a net; and 4. someone in the audio department had the batman theme song ready to go? seriously...you would have us believe that the mascot magically happened to be ready to go bat hunting or that this is such a common event that the mascot is always prepared with his batman get up to go out there an wrangle up some random bat that managed to fly into the arena and find its way out to the actual playing floor.

    released before the game or during the game, it was still a stunt.
  7. ham
    135. Posted by ham Mon Nov 2 12:05pm EST

    Report Abuse

    PETA's gonna have a field day with this one.
  8. <i>tim_brown@...</i>
    134. Posted by tim_brown@... Mon Nov 2 11:53am EST

    Report Abuse

    Bat started flying around,monkey @#$%in everywhere.that's when I put my hand on my knife!
  9. Odie
    133. Posted by Odie Mon Nov 2 11:42am EST

    Report Abuse

    That was very stupid on Manu's part. What if he had been bitten by the bat? Dumb move!
  10. Live4Glory
    132. Posted by Live4Glory Mon Nov 2 11:39am EST

    Report Abuse

    here is a link to a video recorded by someone who was actually there.... pretty funny....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNaWflcNjbw
  11. Jen
    131. Posted by Jen Mon Nov 2 11:32am EST

    Report Abuse

    It was not a stunt, the bat was flying around the arena before the game even started.
  12. QC
    130. Posted by QC Mon Nov 2 11:29am EST

    Report Abuse

    If it was a stunt...it was a bat idea...
  13. Patrick B
    129. Posted by Patrick B Mon Nov 2 10:58am EST

    Report Abuse

    Manu probably just told the bat to take a flop. He's good enough a flopper that he could teach anything how to do it.
  14. Captain-Savvy
    128. Posted by Captain-Savvy Mon Nov 2 10:56am EST

    Report Abuse

    How is swatting a bat out of the air an 'awesome trick'? It was a defenseless animal, probably a frightened one, and because its 'just a bat' doesn't mean it deserves to get knocked down, injured or killed. If it flew at his head then he did what any human would do on instinct, putting the hand up in self defense. There's nothing awesome or Halloween-ish about it. Why is everyone so amazed?

    I have had a bat trapped in my house before. It was terrified and we left the door open until it found its way out. If this bat was released in there just for this stunt, then shame shame shame on them.
  15. Charles S
    127. Posted by Charles S Mon Nov 2 10:51am EST

    Report Abuse

    "Bats are no more likely to carry rabies than any other mammal that can carry it. " Bats are in fact the NUMBER 1 carrier of rabies, 2nd is raccoons, 3rd is foxes. Bats are very beneficial to the local ecosystem, but NOT in a building occupied by thousands of people.
  16. Charles S
    126. Posted by Charles S Mon Nov 2 10:50am EST

    Report Abuse

    "Bats are no more likely to carry rabies than any other mammal that can carry it. " Bats are in fact the NUMBER 1 carrier of rabies, 2nd is raccoons, 3rd is foxes. Bats are very beneficial to the local ecosystem, but NOT in a building occupied by thousands of people.
  17. Simon D
    125. Posted by Simon D Mon Nov 2 10:49am EST

    Report Abuse

    Tony W.
    You're mangina is leaking.
  18. Hannah
    124. Posted by Hannah Mon Nov 2 10:07am EST

    Report Abuse

    Guys its just a bat.It probably was a fun little stunt but are you going to let this consume your mind then good luck.If it was a cat it would be funny.
  19. edog
    123. Posted by edog Mon Nov 2 9:59am EST

    Report Abuse

    Ever see the Great Outdoors with John Candy and Dan Akroyd? Hysterical scene with them trying to capture a bat in their cabin. Had a similar moment when I was a teenager, me and my old man flailing around trying to catch a bat. We ended up catching it and tossing it outside, but not before a lamp paid the price.

    I have to agree, that looked like a stunt, with the mascot in a batman get up with a net. Manu did exactly what anyone else would do if something came flying near you - he knocked it down. I wonder if it survived. If it was indeed a stunt, as it appears to me, it was a really bad idea - let's get a bat, release it in an arena full of thousands of people, and let the poor thing fly around scared s***less with nowhere to go until we catch it or it gets swatted. Stupid and cruel (but apparently a good PR move).
  20. edog
    122. Posted by edog Mon Nov 2 9:58am EST

    Report Abuse

    Ever see the Great Outdoors with John Candy and Dan Akroyd? Hysterical scene with them trying to capture a bat in their cabin. Had a similar moment when I was a teenager, me and my old man flailing around trying to catch a bat. We ended up catching it and tossing it outside, but not before a lamp paid the price.

    I have to agree, that looked like a stunt, with the mascot in a batman get up with a net. Manu did exactly what anyone else would do if something came flying near you - he knocked it down. I wonder if it survived. If it was indeed a stunt, as it appears to me, it was a really bad idea - let's get a bat, release it in an arena full of thousands of people, and let the poor thing fly around scared s***less with nowhere to go until we catch it or it gets swatted. Stupid and cruel (but apparently a good PR move).
  21. me
    121. Posted by me Mon Nov 2 9:29am EST

    Report Abuse

    that was totally a planned stunt (maybe not Manu knocking the bat to the floor, but a stunt nonetheless)...the mascot was in a batman costume with a net. do you think they just happened to have those sitting around on the off chance a bat should happen to appear in a basketball arena???? i don't think so...
  22. TonyW
    120. Posted by TonyW Mon Nov 2 9:04am EST

    Report Abuse

    wow, you guys seriously need to grow up. Yeah, even if it may have been a necessity to kill the bat, it doesn't mean because it's 'just' a bat, it's okay to kill. No one will blame you if you swatted it, but you sure scream how much of an idiot you are if you were glad the bat died.

    I bet half of you guys don't even know @#$% about PETA, other than that they care about animals, and some sound a bit radical every now and then. I bet you probably think all feminists are crazy lesbian @#$%es, too. Well, the world has a lot more to bring into that mind of yours. Perhaps if you opened it up a bit more, you'd get an understanding of why people care about some things.

    And, if you're going to look up on wiki on what kind of bazaar things PETA have said and done, go ahead learn something about why they did such. You don't have to heed to it, but it may help you get an understanding.
  23. spurita
    119. Posted by spurita Mon Nov 2 9:04am EST

    Report Abuse

    Go manu go!!!!!
  24. The Man
    118. Posted by The Man Mon Nov 2 8:55am EST

    Report Abuse

    All you "that was cruel" posters, give me your address. You just volunteered to have all future bats captured and released inside your house.
  25. Mike
    117. Posted by Mike Mon Nov 2 7:45am EST

    Report Abuse

    Hahaha that was awesome! That bat is lonngggg dead!

    X D
Sign in to post a comment, or sign up for a free account

Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Sacramento
K. Martin Kevin Martin
8-14,  29 Pts
0 Rebs, 0 Assists
 San Antonio
T. Parker Tony Parker
10-16,  24 Pts
3 Rebs, 7 Assists

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Rebounds
Assists

Scoreboard

Saturday, Oct 31

YAHOO! SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

- Site Map

Copyright © 2009 2009 STATS LLC and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the STATS/AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of STATS LLC and The Associated Press.