Santa Cruz Falls to Valley Suns, 133-104, To Split The Series

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (1-1) fell to the Valley Suns, 133-104, on Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente Arena to split their Opening Weekend series.

Two-way guard Reece Beekman and two-way center Quinten Post led the offensive charge for Santa Cruz. Beekman finished the game with a team-high 24 points, six assists, and four rebounds, and Post recorded 15 points and eight rebounds. Forward Blake Hinson and guard Yuri Collins combined for 35 points off the bench, and forward Kevin Knox II contributed a game-high 11 rebounds. 

Guard TyTy Washington Jr. scored a game-high 31 points and added 10 assists for the Valley Suns. Forward Jalen Bridges finished with 25 points and five rebounds, and center Mamadi Diakite and guard Jaden Shackelford notched 15 points apiece to round out the Valley’s scoring efforts.

Santa Cruz opened the game on a 9-2 run with the help of seven consecutive points from Post. However, the Suns quickly responded and took their first lead of the game, 18-16, with just under five minutes remaining in the frame. The first quarter saw nine lead changes as both teams battled for the advantage, but a late offensive burst from the Suns gave the visitors a 36-27 edge to end the period. Despite Hinson’s deep three to start the second frame, the Suns continued to widen the gap, eventually closing out the first half with a 75-50 lead. 

Santa Cruz continued to battle throughout the third quarter, scoring 29 points to the Valley’s 30 points. After entering the final frame trailing 105-79, the Sea Dubs fought to limit the Suns to 28 fourth-quarter points – their lowest quarter total in the contest. Despite their defensive efforts, Santa Cruz was unable to close the deficit and the Suns defeated the Warriors, 133-104, to split the series.

The Warriors will host the South Bay Lakers next week, Friday, November 15, at 7 p.m. at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Stay up to date with the latest Santa Cruz Warriors news, scores, and exclusive content by downloading the official Santa Cruz Warriors app for iOS and Android. Fans interested in securing the best seats at the lowest price are encouraged to call (831) 713-4400, email scwtickets@warriors.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.