Santa Cruz Outshines Valley Suns In Season Opener, 133-118

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (1-0) jumped out to an early lead and controlled the momentum for the remainder of the game to defeat the Valley Suns (0-1), 133-118. The win marks the most points scored on Opening Night in Santa Cruz franchise history.  

Two-way center Quinten Post led Santa Cruz with a double-double, collecting a game-high 28 points and 15 rebounds. Forward Kevin Knox II notched 24 points and six rebounds, and two-way guard Reece Beekman contributed 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Returning forwards Jackson Rowe and Javan Johnson both had double-digit performances, scoring 18 points and 16 points respectively, and Rowe added eight rebounds to round out Santa Cruz’s record-setting efforts.

 Forward Jalen Bridges led the Suns in their inaugural game with 26 points. Guard Jaden Shackelford followed with 23 points off the bench, and guard TyTy Washington Jr. added 21 points and five assists in the Suns loss.

The Warriors were off to a strong start to open their season with Knox II immediately finding Post in the paint to secure Santa Cruz’s first bucket of the 2024-25 campaign. The Suns kept the contest close, but eight different Sea Dubs players scored in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 40-27 advantage to end the period. The Valley Suns narrowed the margin to as little as nine points with six minutes remaining, but the Sea Dubs stayed hot to close out the half with a 70-57 lead.

Santa Cruz continued to expand their lead in the second half as two quick blocks from Knox II boosted the Warriors to a 82-62 advantage, but the Suns capitalized on an offensive lull from the home team to slowly close the deficit and enter the final frame trailing 96-84. The Suns continued battling in the fourth quarter to bring the contest within 10 points, but the Sea Dubs surged to rebuild their lead to 122-105 with five minutes remaining. The Warriors slowly burned the remainder of the clock and extinguished the Suns to tip off their 13th season in Santa Cruz with a 133-118 win over the newest member of the NBA G League.

The Warriors and Suns will face off again tomorrow night, Saturday, November 9, at 7 p.m. at Kaiser Permanente Arena. All fans in attendance will receive a 2024-25 Season Schedule Magnet, presented by 1Password. 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.