Santa Cruz Sees Unbeaten Streak End In 130-113 Loss To The Valley Suns

TEMPE, AZ - The Santa Cruz Warriors (5-1) were outpaced by the Valley Suns (4-3), 130-113, at Mullett Arena on Sunday afternoon in their first loss of the regular season.

Forward Kevin Knox II led both teams in scoring with a game-high 25 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the field. Two-way center Quinten Post and guard Yuri Collins both finished with 18 points apiece – Post added 16 rebounds, and Collins dished out eight assists. Guard Cameron Parker came off the bench to collect a career-high eight points and eight assists in the Warriors loss. 

Center Mamadi Diakite led the Suns with 21 points, and guard David Stockton followed closely behind with 19 points and five rebounds off the bench. Two-way guard Collin Gillespie closed the night with a double-double, contributing 13 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Two-way guard TyTy Washington Jr. rounded out the scoring effort with 16 points, five rebounds, and six assists. 

Both teams battled for an early advantage to start the contest before the Suns inched ahead with a 14-8 lead halfway through the first quarter. The Warriors were quick to respond with a 13-4 run to give them an 21-18 lead with just under three minutes remaining, but the home team surged to end the period with a slim 26-23 edge against the Sea Dubs. The visitors reclaimed the lead in the second frame with the help of seven points from Collins, taking a one-point advantage with 7:03 remaining in the half. Santa Cruz tried to leverage their momentum to press ahead, but the Suns countered with a 17-2 run to close out the second quarter and enter the break with a 60-44 lead. 

 The Warriors opened the second half with seven unanswered points before the Suns responded with their own offensive burst to push their lead back into double-figures, ahead 71-54 with 7:42 to play in the third quarter. The Sea Dubs continued to claw at the deficit through the period, but the home team held firm and orchestrated an 8-0 run to enter the final quarter with a comfortable 95-77 advantage. A quick three-pointer from Post kickstarted the fourth-quarter scoring for Santa Cruz as they continued to fight for a foothold in the contest. However, the Suns sank four straight shots from distance to push their advantage to 114-88 with just over seven minutes left to play in the contest. The Valley held on to fend off the Sea Dubs through the final minutes, and the Warriors fell to the Suns, 130-113, in their first regular season loss. 

The Santa Cruz Warriors finish their road trip with a second matchup against the Valley Suns on Monday, January 13, at 6:00 PM before returning to Santa Cruz for their regular season home opener against the Mexico City Capitanes on Friday, January 17, at 7:00 PM 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.