Long Island Nets fall victim to Mad Ant infestation at Barclays

The Long Island Nets were all set for a big day at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but the visiting Fort Wayne Mad Ants stole the show in a 140-119 win.

It was going to be a big day for the Long Island Nets, a chance to run around in the parents’ house, but an angry bunch of ants — the Fort Wayne Mad Ants — spoiled the occasion, running past the Nets Monday afternoon for a 140-119 NBA G League win.

The Nets were playing at Barclays Center, home of their parent organization, the Brooklyn Nets, but it was the Mad Ants who played the part of NBA-ready heavyweights, blowing out to an early lead and never looking back.

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Long Island (21-11) blasted out of the gate with six points in the first minute of play. After that, though, it was pretty much a Mad Ants romp.

Fort Wayne (17-15) led 40-30 by the end of the first quarter, shooting 68 percent in the period, and only slowed down slightly in the second quarter, shooting 60 percent to take a 16-point lead at the break.

The Mad Ants led by as much as 27 on their way to the rout, while shooting 60.8 percent on the day (59-for-97) and making 13-of-22 (59.1 percent) from 3-point range.

The Nets hit 46.5 percent (46-for-99) and was just 8-for-32 (25 percent) from deep. Throw in a 21-15 disadvantage in points off turnovers and it turned into a romp.

Dzanan Musa, on assignment from Brooklyn, paced the Nets with a game-high 26 points to go with six assists. Drew Gordon came off the bench for 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Two-way player Alan Williams scored 17 points, as did Tahjere McCall, while Mitch Creek, also on assignment, scored 15 points.

Rob Gray led Fort Wayne with 25 points, while Alize Johnson — on assignment from the Mad Ants’ parent Indiana Pacers — added 23 points and 10 rebounds. Tra-Deon Hollins went for 19 points, 10 assists and three steals.

The Nets’ lead over the Lakeland Magic in the Eastern Conference dropped back to one game. Lakeland lost on Sunday to the Stockton Kings, 101-99. Raptors 905 is now 1½ games behind the conference-leading Nets and won’t play again until Wednesday at the Wisconsin Herd.

Lakeland will return home Tuesday to host the Maine Red Claws.

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Long Island is off until Thursday, when they visit the Delaware Blue Coats at the newly opened 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Del., and head to White Plains on Saturday to play the Westchester Knicks.