Santa Cruz Starting Five Shines As The Warriors Fly By The Birmingham Squadron, 113-100

BIRMINGHAM, AL - The Santa Cruz starting five combined for 94 points to boost the Warriors (15-12) to a 113-100 win over the Birmingham Squadron (11-18) at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on Friday night.

    Two-way forward Braxton Key finished with a game-high 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals, while forward Blake Hinson followed closely behind with 25 points and seven rebounds. Jackson Rowe recorded 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to earn his sixth double-double of the season. Guard Yuri Collins contributed 14 points, seven assists, and three steals and forward Javan Johnson rounded out the Warriors’ offensive effort with 12 points and four rebounds.

    Two-way forward Keion Brooks Jr. led Birmingham with 25 points and six rebounds, and guard Jalen Crutcher recorded 21 points and seven assists. Two-way guard Lester Quinones finished the game with 15 points, 10 assists, and three steals. Guard Davon Reed tallied 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while guard Trhae Mitchell put up 12 points, five rebounds, and two blocks.

    Collins scored the first five points to open the game for the Warriors, giving the visitors an early 12-4 lead less than three minutes into the game. Santa Cruz started off strong from three-point range, shooting 5-of-8 from behind the arc in the first quarter to help the Warriors stay ahead. Rowe closed out the opening frame with a steal-and-slam fast break dunk and a baseline layup to beat the buzzer and send Santa Cruz into the second quarter with a 33-26 lead. The Squadron were held to just four points in the first four minutes of the second quarter as the Warriors stayed in front, 39-30. After starting the game shooting 2-of-14 on three-point attempts, Birmingham quickly erased their deficit with a trio of made shots from deep to tie the game up at 39-39 halfway through the second segment. The Sea Dubs starters remained steadfast in defending their lead, scoring all 22 of the team’s second-quarter points to keep Santa Cruz in control, 51-44, with just over two minutes left in the half. However, eight straight points from Quinones kept the home side right on the Warriors’ heels, and Santa Cruz took a 55-49 advantage into halftime.

    The Squadron came out of the break with renewed purpose, striking first with a 12-6 run to tie the game up at 61 points apiece before eventually taking their first lead of the game, 65-64, with 7:52 left to play in the frame. Birmingham overpowered Santa Cruz in the paint, outscoring them by 10 points under the rim in the third quarter. However, five different Warriors netted a three-pointer in the frame to put the Warriors back in front, 80-73, with four minutes to play in the period. Eight unanswered points gave the home side a one-point advantage until a drop-step dunk from center Seth Maxwell gave the Warriors a narrow 82-81 edge to end the third quarter. Santa Cruz came out firing in the final frame with an eight-point swing to force an early Birmingham timeout with 10 minutes left in the ballgame. Key drove hard into the paint and posterized his defender to cap off his 11-point fourth quarter performance as the Warriors expanded their lead to 103-90 halfway through the fourth quarter. Birmingham continued to struggle shooting from distance, going 4-of-14 on three-point attempts in the fourth quarter to leave the door open for Santa Cruz to coast to a 113-100 victory over the Squadron. 

    The Santa Cruz Warriors will stay in Birmingham for another game against the Squadron on Sunday, March 16, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT. 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.