Bulls get past SuperSonics in overtime

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Tyrus Thomas hit a baseline jumper with 5.1 seconds left to force overtime, and Luke Schensher and Andre Barrett combined for 10 points in the extra period to help the Chicago Bulls beat Seattle 110-105 in preseason play Sunday.

Thomas, the No. 4 overall pick out of LSU after leading the Tigers in the Final Four, finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls (2-0). Ray Allen had 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting in only 23 minutes of action for Seattle (1-2).

The game was billed as a homecoming for the Sonics’ Nick Collison and the Bulls’ Kirk Hinrich, who were roommates at Kansas from 2000-03 when they took the Jayhawks to back-to-back Final Four appearances, including a trip to the NCAA title game.

Collison finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Hinrich had 11 points and four assists.

Chris Wilcox hit a short jumper to give Seattle a 97-96 lead with 30 seconds left in regulation, and Robert Swift hit one of two free throws with 14 seconds to go to make it 98-96. After a Bulls timeout, Viktor Khryapa found Thomas open from the baseline for the tying jumper.

In overtime, Schensher and Barrett combined for 10 of the Bulls’ 12 points.

“Four more Oklahoma City businessmen are joining the ownership group that is buying the SuperSonics.

The new members announced Sunday are William M. Cameron, president and CEO of Oklahoma City-based American Fidelity Assurance Co.; Bob Howard, president of Mercedes Benz of Oklahoma City; Everett Dobson, executive chairman of Oklahoma City-based Dobson Communications Corp.; and Jay Scaramucci, president of Oklahoma City-based Balon Corp.

Clayton I. Bennett, chairman and managing partner of Professional Basketball Club LLC, announced in July that his group would buy the Sonics and WNBA Storm for $350 million. The sale is subject to league approval and is expected to be addressed at the NBA Board of Governors meeting on Oct. 24.