New York (0-3) rallied from a 23-point early second-half deficit to take a three-point lead in overtime, only to see Philadelphia (2-1) close on a 17-0 run and beat the Knicks 141-127, before a raucous sellout crowd of 19,763 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

For the second time in as many nights, the Knicks dug a huge first quarter hole due to a lack of defensive intensity, stormed back with a big fourth quarter, and eventually lost a heartbreaker after grabbing a lead in an extra session. On Friday night, the Knicks trailed 32-13 after the first quarter in Charlotte, before rallying to lead briefly in overtime, only to lose 102-100.

One night later, New York again allowed an opponent to light up the scoreboard early and often. Philadelphia shot 72.7 percent (16 of 22) from the field, led by four field goals apiece from guard Louis Williams, forward Andre Igoudala, and center Elton Brand, as the 76ers, without attempting a three-point shot, torched the Knicks’ for a 40-25 lead after one quarter. During the period, Philadelphia made all eight of its free throw attempts (five by forward Thaddeus Young) and broke open a 10-10 tie, scoring 12 straight points en route to a larger 22-6 run, to take its biggest lead of the quarter, 32-16, on an Igoudala left wing jumper with 3:20 remaining. The 76ers would match that margin twice more before the first quarter ended.

New York cut Philadelphia’s lead to nine points on three different occasions in the second quarter, the last of which brought the Knicks to within 48-39, with 7:00 left in the half, on a jumper by former 1998 76er first-round pick, forward Larry Hughes (18 points, 7-11 fg, 5 rebounds, 6 assists in 39 minutes off the bench).

The 76ers though, pulled away again, outscoring the Knicks 22-12 over the final seven minutes of the first half, to lead 70-51 at halftime.

At that point, the Knicks were lucky that the hometown fans didn’t egg or toilet paper the court. They headed for the locker room under a chorus boos that weren’t exactly of the variety of Knick fans imitating Halloween ghosts.

Jeers turned to cheers in the second half when the Knicks stormed back and nearly turned the night into a happy “Harroween” or “Galloween” for the Garden faithful, as in Knick forwards Al Harrington and Danilo Gallinari, who each scored career highs to lead New York back. However, that only served to little more than cancel out what the 76ers’ scored in first half.

Harrington finished with a game-high 42 points (30 after halftime) in 36:28 off the bench, making 16 of 23 shots from the floor and 9 of 11 free throws. Replacing Harrington in the opening lineup, Gallinari made his first NBA start with an impressive display from beyond the arc. The second-year, 21-year-old Italian import delighted the crowd, scoring 21 of his 30 points in the second half, finishing 9 of 22 from the field, including 8 of 16 from three-point range, falling just one three-pointer short of the Knicks’ all-time single-game record.

Behind their two leading scorers, the Knicks reversed everything in the second half. They outscored the 76ers by the same 30-26 margin in the third quarter that Philadelphia won the second quarter by, and the Knicks forced the overtime by winning the fourth period, 41-26. Still, just as in Charlotte the night before, they had a big hill to climb, trailing 96-81, entering the fourth quarter.

It seemed as if the game was out of reach when the lead swelled back to 105-87 with 8:59 left in the fourth quarter, and the 76ers still led 110-93 on a pair of free throws by guard Andre Igoudala (team-high 32 pts, 12-21 fg, 11 reb, 8 ast) with 6:52 left in the period.

However, the Knicks, also like the night before, charged back late, as they finally started clamping down defensively and made some stops, while at the other end, Harrington and point guard Chris Duhon (7 pts, 6 ast), who was publicly outspoken about the Knicks not going into Charlotte seriously, both started driving aggressively to the basket.

Harrington scored seven points to during a 15-3 surge which brought New York to within 113-108 with 2:12 left. The last two point of the run came on a pair of Harrington free throws. In between making each one, the draftee out of St. Patrick’s high school in nearby Elizabeth, New Jersey, who always wanted to be a Knick while playing for three other teams over twelve years before arriving in New York last year, stood at the foul line, waving his arms and pulling out the “NEW YORK” on the front of his jersey, exhorting the Garden crowd to roar louder than it already was.

“I was just wanna get ‘em involved,” Harrington said afterwards. “These people pay top dollar to come watch us play. For us to be down 20 and get back in the game, the reason we did that is… we fed off their energy.”

That of course, doesn’t explain the “Defense!” chants from the opening tip during the first quarter, leading to the 76ers’ offensive explosion in that period.

A couple of free throws by forward Thaddeus Young (25 pts, 9-14 fg, 7-8 ft) pushed the 76ers’ lead to 119-112 with just 1:12 left in regulation.

But again, Gallinari and Harrington wouldn’t let the Knicks go quietly.

Two Gallinari free throws made it 119-114, before a jumper by Brand (16 pts, 7-13 fg) increased the lead to 121-114.

Harrington then scored off glass while being bumped in the lane. He made another free throw to complete a three-point play, cutting Philadelphia’s lead to 121-117 with 47.9 seconds left in the quarter. He then rebounded a missed shot by Igoudala which resulted in a Gallinari three-pointer, which sent the crowd into a frenzy and cut the 76ers’ lead to 121-120 with 11.4 seconds left in the period.

A free throw by 76ers’ forward Jason Kapono (6 pts) made it 122-120 with 10.7 seconds to go, before Duhon tied the score, 122-122, on a running, contested layup off glass with 5.9 seconds remaining.

Igoudala raced down the left side, but missed a jumper as time expired in the fourth quarter.

In overtime, Harrington starting the scoring with a three-point play, again taking the ball strong to the hoop, scoring, and making a free throw.

Williams (27 pts, 10-12 fg, 7-8 ft, 10 reb, 7 ast), who played an outstanding game for the 76ers,  answered with a jumper before Harrington made another driving layup to put the Knicks ahead 127-124 with 3:41 left in the game.

But, Harrington fouled forward Marreese Speights (20 pts, 7-10 fg, 6-7 ft, 10 reb), who made two free throws to cut the Knicks’ lead to 127-126, with 3:30 remaining.

More importantly, the Knicks best offensive option of the night fouled out on the play, and Philadelphia completely took over after that. New York wouldn’t score again while Igoudala, Williams, Young, and Speights all scored, usually off of fast breaks, to seal the win over the final three minutes for the 76ers.

“Tough, very tough,” Harrington said on watching from the bench the rest of the way.

On Halloween night, coming back to win from such a big deficit would have been great trick by the Knicks and a real treat for the Garden fans, but without Harrington in overtime, New York simply ran out of gas after a valiant effort.

Although Knicks’ head coach Mike D’Antoni was again displeased with his team’s intensity to start the game, he noted the scrappiness of his tired squad which played three overtimes in two nights. “They could have quit, but they didn’t,” he said. “I just thought in the overtime, we had a complete physical breakdown.”

“We have to find a way to play with a sense of urgency,” Harrington said. “We can’t keep giving teams 20-point leads and then fighting back and then coming in here and feeling good about ourselves… Last year we struggled with our third quarter, this year we struggle with our first quarter. We just gotta find a way to fight through this. There’s no moral victories around here… we’ve got goals we’re trying to accomplish.”

When discussing the slow starts defensively, Gallinari pointed to the need to maintain a consistent effort throughout the entire game. “We have to play our best defense for 48 minutes,” he said. “We cannot allow ourselves to have ups and downs [with that] during the game. Once we keep our energy up, everything goes fine, so we just have to keep our energy at the highest level.”

On the plus side, Gallinari feels no ill effects of the back surgery which kept him from missing most of his rookie season last year. “I feel good, my back is fine,” he said. And, he’s adjusting well to playing in New York. The only time he smiled after the game it seemed, was giving a simple answer on his new home. “Nice city,” he said.

But, Gallinari didn’t feel good about losing. Shrugging aside his own big scoring night, the disappointed and humble forward said, “I don’t feel good. We lost and that’s what matters.”

Two key areas in which the 76ers, who won their second straight, held big advantages were at the free throw line, where they shot 36 of 42 (85.7 percent) compared to the Knicks’ 19 of 24 (79.2 percent), and on the boards where Philadelphia limited New York’s second-chance attempts by outrebounding the Knicks 49-31. Three 76ers were in double figures in rebounds while Harrington and guard Wilson Chandler tied for the Knicks’ lead with just 6 rebounds apiece.

After the game, Knicks’ guard Nate Robinson (8 pts), who sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter, told Harrington, “We should be 2-1, Bro.”

Harrington nodded in agreement.

Yet instead, the Knicks open a season with three straight losses for the first time since an 0-5 start four years ago, in 2005.

The game kicked off the start of a four-game home stand which will continue with Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night and culminate with MSG likely buzzing when next year’s free agent Lebron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers visit on Friday night.

And, why not?

In its first year of existence, the CAA placed a record-tying five teams in the 16-team 2007 FCS playoffs, while springing a few upsets over top seeds from other conferences and placing Delaware in the FCS championship game.

For an encore, the CAA broke that record, sending six teams to the 2008 FCS playoffs, while producing last season’s FCS national champion, the Richmond Spiders. There’s every reason to believe that CAA success will continue in 2009. Richmond is ranked second in the nation, heading a group of four CAA teams ranked among the top eight in the 2009 preseason FCS coaches poll.

One of those teams, #5 Villanova, and another nationally-ranked team, #19 Maine, kicked things off for the CAA in 2009 on Thursday night. In one case, the CAA impressed against a superior division. In the other, it was the opposite. However, the final results of each were along the same lines of the CAA’s first two seasons –- winning in the CAA continued, and in dramatic fashion each time.

Villanova 27, Temple 24

Seventeen days before the Philadelphia Eagles’ scheduled home opener on the same field, Villanova used a big second half to rally from deficits of 10-0 at halftime and 24-14 in the fourth quarter, to capture the inaugural Mayor’s Cup game with a 27-24 victory over Football Bowl Division opponent Temple, at Lincoln Financial field in Philadelphia, when redshirt freshman kicker Nick Yako calmly booted a 32-yard game-winner as time expired.

Ironically, Villanova’s last win against an FBS opponent was a different three-point win over Temple, 23-20, in 2003, in the first game ever played at the same stadium affectionately called The Link.

This time, the opportunistic Wildcats won the turnover battle 5-1, while their second-half comeback was sparked by signal caller, senior quarterback Chris Whitney, who rebounded from a mediocre 7-for-14 first half to complete 17 of 21 passes after halftime, to finish 24 of 35 for a career-high 278 yards. Whitney’s favorite target was a big one –- both in physical stature and in his ability to come up big on Thursday night –- 6-foot-4 senior wide receiver Brandyn Harvey, who had game-highs of 9 catches and 142 receiving yards, including a clutch 6-yard touchdown reception from Whitney with 1:24 left in the game, to tie the score, 24-24, setting the stage for Yako to be the hero… Up next for the 1-0 Cats is Lehigh at home, on September 12th.

Maine 34, St. Cloud State 27

While Villanova knocked off an FBS team on a neutral field, Maine struggled in what should have been a fairly easy season-opening tune-up at home, against feisty and inspired Division II St. Cloud State. After a St. Cloud State field goal, Maine took its first lead, 7-3, on a first quarter 80-yard kickoff return from Desmond Randall, who bounced back nicely after missing the entire 2008 season with an injury. However, the Black Bears, could not contain wide receiver Fred Williams, who set a school record with a game-high 15 catches (all but 7 of St. Could State’s 22 completions for the game) for 171 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass, putting St. Cloud State ahead, 24-20, with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter. But, what senior quarterback Mike Brusko was limited to (9-13 for 101 yards) with his arm, he did with his legs, carrying 22 times for 86 yards, as the Black Bears’ running game was in session –- that is, with sophomore tailback Derek Session, who led the way with 133 rushing yards in 22 attempts, including a 10-yard touchdown run that gave Maine a short-lived 27-24 lead with 1:59 left in regulation, before Brusko plunged into the end zone with what proved to be the game-winning score in overtime, from a yard out… the Black Bears next game is its CAA opener at Northeastern, on September 12th.

Other CAA Teams Kicking Off This Weekend

Nine other CAA teams will start their seasons this weekend. Of special note…

A pair of CAA teams will challenge the FBS and the ACC on the road on Saturday:

- #2 Richmond will play at Duke while…

- #14 William & Mary stays in state to play at Virginia.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday:

- #18 UMass will play an FBS and Big 12 opponent when it travels to Kansas State, and…

- Hofstra, whose #24 ranking following a 4-8 campaign in 2008, demonstrates the depth and quality of the CAA, will host fellow Long Island FCS rival Stony Brook.

However, that didn’t prevent the Renegades from spoiling the fun putting a damper on the Baby Bombers’ 2009 home opener- outpitching Staten Island (1-5) 3-1 before a disappointed packed house (7,171) at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George Thursday night.

“It was nice. The fans did a good job of supporting us. It was nice to finally get a game at home but…would like to have had a different outcome but it’s early in the year,” Baby Bomber DH Luke Murton said.

The night began alright for losing starter Arodys Vizcaino, who retired the first six including an impressive five in a row by strikeout. However, the righty lost composure in a three-run (all unearned) Hudson Valley third. Given a one-run lead thanks to a wind aided two out second inning run scoring double by right fielder Zoilo Almonte, Vizcaino couldn’t handle prosperity committing a pair of costly errors that led to the only runs the Renegades scored.

Following a leadoff walk to Dustin Biell, a botched pickoff immediately put him in scoring position. Center fielder Chris Murrill followed up with an RBI single to left, tying it on Hudson Valley’s first hit of the night. A little disjointed in an otherwise sparkling debut, Vizcaino failed to field a sacrifice bunt and then loaded the bases with another walk. With nobody warming up, he got the next batter to pop out to short right and fanned Tyler Bortnick for the second out. But just one away from limiting the damage, he allowed a two-run base hit to Eli Sonoqui putting Staten Island behind for good.

That’s cause the Bombers had their hands full with Renegade starter Albert Suarez, whose only hiccup in four-plus came in the second. After Almonte’s RBI double, he retired the last nine batters before departing with two out in the fifth due to a leg injury which prevented him from getting the win. But Kyle Ayers came in and did a solid job tossing two and a third scoreless to pickup his first win.

“[Suarez] pitched well. He had good stuff. He threw a lot of his pitches for strikes. He did a good job but there were some times where maybe we could’ve done a better job swinging the bat as a team. But you gotta give their pitchers credit,” Murton added.

While their hitting shoes weren’t on held to a run on five hits, Staten Island certainly got inspired pitching from Vizcaino and a trio of relievers in Mike Solbach (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K’s), Gavin Brooks (1 IP, 0 HR, 0 R, BB, 2 K’s) and Ryan Flannery (2 IP, 2 K’s) with each giving them every opportunity for a comeback.

“I felt good today,” Solbach assessed while referencing a rough outing the day prior in a loss. “It was good to get back out there and throw the ball well.”

“The bullpen did a good job tonight keeping it at 3-1 like we’re supposed to do, trying to give the hitters a chance to come around. We’ll get it all figured out.”

While there weren’t a ton of chances, Staten Island twice brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh and eighth but couldn’t capitalize.

“We gotta stop stretching ourselves,” pointed out first baseman Rob Lyerly, who paced the home club with a pair of singles including a lead off hit to start the seventh before the next three went in order. “We’re still getting acclimated to everything around here. Especially to the curveball. So it’s a little bit of an adjustment here.

“We got a great team here. We just gotta start playing better.”

The Baby Bombers had one more chance after left fielder DeAngelo Mack’s double to start the eighth. But after being sacrificed to third by second baseman Hector Rabago, he was stranded there. Renegade closer Rich De Los Santos buckled down getting center fielder Francisco Santana to chase and shortstop Carmen Angelini to bounce into a 5-3 putout.

De Los Santos tossed a 1-2-3 ninth getting catcher Kyle Higashioka to bounce out to third, notching his third save.

New skipper Josh Paul emphasized how it’s the organization’s job to guide these kids along with many first-year players new to pro ball. The former veteran backstop has been around the block and understands what his pupils are going through.

“Exactly. That’s a perfect point,” he remarked to our insight about how pro ball gives players the chance to bounce back the next day. Something that’s not as prevalent in college. “Teams are gonna say, ‘Okay. That one’s over. Let’s move on.’ … The guys that succeed move on. So we got something to teach them.”

Notes: Vizcaino took the loss falling to 0-2 with all three unearned on three hits, walking a pair and fanning seven. In nine innings, Baby Bomber pitchers struckout 14 Renegades. … The start of the game was delayed nine minutes due to opening ceremonies. It took a manageable two hours and 27 minutes still finishing 15 minutes before 10. For one night at least despite hazy conditions, the rain held off.

… Following the game, traditional fireworks were set off lighting up the sky. They’ll also be on display later tonight when the same two teams get together. Cory Arbiso will get the start out of the pen and is on a 55 pitch count. … On this six-game opening homestand, the Bombers will host the Renegades twice more including Saturday before Aberdeen comes in for three starting Sunday afternoon at 4.

But LaPoint is now the club’s pitching coach after Hall of Famer Gary Carter was named manager over the winter. The two will be in charge of leading the Ducks to success on the baseball field, though a meeting at a hockey venue might emerge into an early turning point for the 2009 season.

It was during an Islanders game that Carter asked LaPoint if there were hard feelings about the shakeup, and Carter said the two former World Series champions quickly developed a rapport.

“I just want to win a championship and he’s put together a great nucleus here,” Carter said. “Just because I have a title doesn’t make a difference. It’s a family and that’s a feeling I want everyone to have. My door is wide open.”

LaPoint continues to be the point man on personnel decisions, a role the Yankees former Opening Day starter relished during his managerial tenure. This year’s Ducks roster contains the usual litany of ex-big leaguers, highlighted by Preston Wilson, Lew Ford and Dan Miceli.

Serving as pitching coach isn’t a drastic move. LaPoint served in that capacity in Long Island from 2002-05, which includes the franchise’s only championship in 2004. Meeting with owner Frank Boulton and co-owner/coach Buddy Harrelson helped convince LaPoint to stay on as Carter’s assistant.

“It didn’t get tough until spring training, when I found out it’s tougher not to manage than it is to manage,” LaPoint said. “You’re so used to managing that you yell out things and you realize that it’s not your job anymore.”

The Ducks improved to 3-2 on the young season following a 7-5 win in Lancaster Tuesday night. After two more games in Pennsylvania, the team will return to Suffolk County for its home opener Friday.

LaPoint said the fans who pack Citibank Park will be treated to a rotation that features former major leaguers Brad Halsey and Ken Ray along with long-time Ducks and Long Island native Randy Leek, giving the rotation a nice balance of lefties and right-handers. The bullpen also features six players who LaPoint said can top 90 miles per hour on the radar gun.

Joe Valentine closed for the Ducks last season and returns in the role of set-up man now, joining a relief corps that features MLB veteran Miceli and closer Bill Simas.

“I think it’s the best one we have,” LaPoint said. “We’ve never had a strong bullpen with all six guys [before].”

Since the Atlantic League moved to a grueling 140-game schedule last season, a premium has been placed on pitchers who can soak up innings. The heavy workload, combined with the usual high turnover rate, means LaPoint is still working the phones and filling e-mail inboxes of potential hurlers.

“You need all the pitching you can get,” LaPoint said. “I might still another left-handed reliever. That’s why Frank expanded the roster to 27 men the first month so you don’t hurt any arms and don’t get strapped. If we lose somebody within the first month, we have starters ready to come in. So we’re prepared.”

As the Ducks enter its 10th season, LaPoint said both the organization and the league’s reputation has made it easier to attract talent.

“It’s not like 5-6 years when you had to really persuade a guy to come here,” LaPoint said. “Now, they now all about you before you call them. Most of them call you first. It’s gotten easier over the years. When you have messages on your desk that pretty good players want to play for you, it makes it easier.”

Though his dual roles keep him busy, LaPoint still needs to resist the urge to fill out the lineup card after managing the Ducks the previous two season and the Bridgeport Bluefish in 2006.

“It was difficult at first but I’m a baseball lifer and I’ve been with the Ducks forever,” LaPoint said. “So after sitting down with Buddy and Frank; who am I to say who is going to run the team?

“Once I met Gary, everything’s been really good. We came up in the same era of baseball. We played the game the same way. Once we got down and talked, everything fell right into place.”

For the record, Carter logged 11 base hits in 42 at-bats against LaPoint for a .262 average. LaPoint struck out the “Kid” seven times, though Carter blasted one home run and collected five RBIs.

The former great Mets backstop will look to add another line to an impressive baseball resume and once again be part of a contending New York team when he makes his Long Island Ducks managerial debut Thursday night.

Opening Day features the Ducks kicking off its 10th season against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Speaking at the team’s media day at Citibank Park on Wednesday, Carter said he has moved on from the criticism he endured for openly campaigning for the Mets managerial job last season.

Carter said he still would like to manage in the major leagues but insisted on numerous occasions that he is focused on bringing the Ducks its second Atlantic League title.

“I didn’t come here for any attention,” Carter said. “I wanted to challenge and I wanted to manage on the East Coast. All I’m concentrating on in this team.”

Dave LaPoint spent the last two seasons as Ducks manager. He returns as the pitching coach and the point man for personnel decisions and  said he is excited to see one of the more impressive pitching staffs the organization has compiled to start a season.

Former Yankee Brad Halsey will get the Opening Day start. Ken Ray, who last pitched in the majors for Atlanta in 2006, will go the second day and Ducks holdover Randy Leek will be third in the rotation, keeping him in line for the home opener start May 1.

Ray, a right-hander, will break up lefties in Halsey and Leek. B.J. Lamura is slated to start the year as the fourth starter. LaPoint said he is also excited about the bullpen, where the closer represents a link to the Ducks past.

Bill Simas, who closed for the Ducks 2004 championship team and was out of baseball from 2006-07 before coming back to the Mexican League last season, is penciled in as the closer. Setting him will be Dan Miceli, a veteran of 631 major league games. Joe Valentine closed games for the Ducks last season and is back for another term. Ed Buzachero rounds out the set-up corps.

“We have four relievers who can throw in the 90s,” LaPoint said. “When a guy needs a day off, we have options.”

The offense also features its share of former major leaguers, headlined by Preston Wilson and ex-Twin Lew Ford. Among the notable returnees is Ray Navarrete, who logged 103 RBIs in batting .307 for the Ducks last season. With those accomplished hitters and stable of veteran pitchers, Carter said he’s excited after seeing the Ducks go 2-0-2 to conclude last week’s exhibition schedule in Florida.

“Our lineup will score runs,” Carter said. “We only had a short time in spring training, but what I enjoyed most was the chemistry in the clubhouse and on the field.”

Halsey said playing for Carter, a catcher on the 1986 Mets and a 19-year major league veteran, is a special experience and one he cherishes more now than he would have when he was a 23-year-old coming up with the Yankees in 2004.

“It’s something that I’ve grown to appreciate through my two years away from the game while rehabbing,” Halsey said. “When you’re forced into a situation when you’re not able to play, that’s when you appreciate the game the most.”

Leek is the probable starter for the Ducks home opener after the club starts with seven road games, including a season-opening four-game set against the Blue Crabs followed by a three-game series in Lancaster.

With the two teams tied at one after one, Pelley’s trio of goals was the highlight in a back-and-forth second period that saw the Devils take the lead.  Lowell went up by one at 3:10 when Pelley’s pass on a 2-on-1 rush was deflected back to him and he was able to dump it into the open net.

The Devils’ captain struck again three minutes later with a nifty backhand shot past goalie Thomas Greiss that made the score 3-1.

Jamie McGinn’s power play goal at 13:45 cut Lowell’s lead in half, but Pelley would respond on the man-advantage to cap off his scoring and put his team back up by two.  Alexander Vasyunov sent a pass to the crease for Barry Tallackson, who shrugged off the defender and hit a streaking Pelley at the far post for his ninth of the season.

Worcester would make it interesting once again as Corey Larose deflected Brendan Buckley’s point shot down and under the pads of Jeff Frazee.  Lowell would quickly answer back once again, when – during a delayed penalty – Mark Fraser’s wrist shot from in front of his bench weaved its way through traffic and past Greiss with 16.6 seconds left in the second frame.

The score remained 5-3 in favor of the Devils until the final moments of the third as Ryan Murphy completed a 3-on-1 break, knuckling a shot across the goal line.  Patrick Traverse added one late for the Sharks to complete the scoring.

The Sharks’ Matt Fornataro opened the scoring at 8:16 of the first, but later in the period it was Patrick Davis slipping by the defense before sliding a backhand through the pads of Greiss.

Frazee made 36 saves of 40 shots for his 17th win of the season, while Tallackson also contributed three assists.