New Mexico Thunderbirds (14-19) at Erie BayHawks (21-9)

Saturday, 7 p.m., at Tullio Arena

On the air: WFNN-AM 1330; www.nba.com/dleague

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Erie — PF Ivan Johnson (Named to East team for Feb. 19 D-League All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Scored a game-high 37 points in Erie’s 125-100 win against New Mexico on Thursday night.) … SG Blake Ahearn (The all-time leading in free throw shooting percentage in NCAA Division I history at 94.6 percent, Ahearn is 53-of-53 from the line this season. Team’s second leading scorer at 15.6 ppg.) … PF Kyle Goldcamp (The former Gannon star established career highs in points with 19 and blocks with six in Thursday’s win).

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Loren Stokes

Loren Stokes, 27, has played three games for the Erie BayHawks since they acquired him out of the D-League player pool, but each game has been on the road. He’s averaging five points, four assists and shooting 75 percent (6-of-8) from the field.

So the 6-foot, 3-inch combo guard out of Hofstra will make his home debut for the BayHawks (20-9) on Thursday when Erie takes on the New Mexico Thunderbirds (14-18) at Tullio Arena.

Here are some highlights of Stokes playing overseas.

Along with Stokes, Reggie Holmes will make his Erie debut Thursday. Erie snagged the 6-4 guard from Morgan State out of the D-League player pool. Averaging 21.8 points as a senior, Holmes was the 2010 MEAC Player of the Year.

Erie now has full roster of 10 players so if Garrett Temple returns to the team, Erie the BayHawks must cut a player. Temple is in his second 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

If Milwaukee wants to keep Temple after the second 10-day contract expires, it must sign him for the rest of the season. He’s played in seven games for the Bucks and is averaging 2.1 points a game.