The Bellingham Slam and Federal Way High School graduate Morris Anderson couldn’t survive the second-half hot shooting of the Albany Legends as they lost, 126-111, in the 2010 International Basketball League Championship game at the Washington Avenue Armory on Friday night.

The game was a close affair until Albany was able to pull away in the early stages of the fourth quarter, and featured 18 total lead changes.

After the Legends led 26-24 at the end of the first quarter and 48-45 at halftime.

The third quarter featured fast-paced, end-to-end action as both teams combined for 73 points. Anderson nailed consecutive three-pointers and scored the Slam’s first eight points, as they erased their halftime deficit to lead 53-52.

There were ten more lead changes in the quarter before Albany closed out the frame with back-to-back layups by Deandre Thomas and Kenny Satterfield to lead 87-81. The Slam were unable to trim into the deficit in the fourth quarter, as they still trailed by six points, at 97-91, after Derrick Webb hit a three-pointer with 6:56 left.

Ryan Diggs led the way for the Slam with 18 points, while Jacob Stevenson finished with 17. Lukas Henne and Anderson each contributed 14. Albany was paced by the 29 points and eight assists of Kenny Satterfield.

The 2010 season was Anderson’s rookie year in the IBL. The 6-foot-3 point guard played the last two seasons at Western Washington University after two seasons at Highline Community College.

Anderson has been one of the league’s best rookies, averaging 12.9 points, a team-leading 6.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. His 136 total assists ranks fourth in the league and first among rookies. Anderson scored a season-high 19 points twice, on May 29 against the Edmonton Energy and on June 11 against the Yamhill Highflyers.

During his senior year at Western in 2010, Anderson was named a first-team National Association of Basketball Coaches West District, Daktronics West Region and Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-star. He averaged 14.7 points, and ranked No.14 nationally among NCAA Division II schools in steals per game (2.5), No.31 in assists (5.2) and No.32 in free-throw percentage (86.2).

Anderson led the Vikings to a 26-6 record and the semifinals of the NCAA II West Regional before losing 76-75 in overtime to eventual national champion Cal Poly Pomona.