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LaMelo Ball Drops 40 in LA's Loss to Dallas in Junior Basketball Association

Jul 3, 2018

PRIENAI, LITHUANIA - JANUARY 09: LaMelo Ball of Vytautas Prienai prior to the match between Vytautas Prienai and Zalgiris Kauno on January 9, 2018 in Prienai, Lithuania. (Photo by Alius Koroliovas/Getty Images)

Coming off its first loss in the Junior Basketball Association, LaMelo Ball's Los Angeles squad continues to scuffle after a 122-110 loss against Dallas at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, Georgia, on Tuesday.

Ball came out firing on all cylinders with a double-double in the first half that included 19 points and 10 rebounds. He finished the game with 40 points on 11-of-32 shooting, 14 rebounds, nine assists, five steals and four turnovers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZhz5CGKeEM

Despite Ball's scoring prowess, he's shown the areas of his game that still need improvement before living up to his full potential. The 16-year-old came into Tuesday shooting 3-of-32 from three-point range, including missing each of his last 16 attempts over the past two games.

He was able to match his season total in three-pointers made against Dallas but still needed 13 attempts to do it.

Per Champion Sports, here is what Ball's updated season numbers look like:

Through his first four JBA League games, Chino Hills' LaMelo Ball is averaging 40.5 points on 52-132 shooting, including 6-45 from 3 pt line. He has made 53 of 60 free throws and is averaging 13 rebounds and 8 assists a game for the Los Angeles Ballers. @TomKiss64 @Sportscenetv
— Champion Sports (@chchampsports) July 3, 2018

One positive sign for Ball is that he was able to finish this contest against Dallas after fouling out of games against Seattle and New York.

With Ball still ironing out some of the wrinkles, his next attempt to get Los Angeles back in the win column will come on July 12 against Philadelphia.