Santa Cruz Warriors Beat Salt Lake City, 129-115

SANTA CRUZ, CA – The Santa Cruz Warriors (2-0) defeated the Salt Lake City Stars (0-1), 129-115, on Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente Arena to close out Opening Weekend with back-to-back wins.  

Guard Kendric Davis led the Warriors with 20 points, and added six rebounds and eight assists. Two-way forward Usman Garuba contributed 17 points and eight rebounds in the win. Standout performances off the bench from forward Jackson Rowe, who scored 16 points, and center Jayce Johnson, who notched his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds, contributed to a strong showing from the Sea Dubs.  

The Stars were led by guard Brice Sensabaugh with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and two-way guard Josh Christopher contributed 20 points. Forward Micah Potter added 19 points and 11 rebounds en route to a Stars loss in their season opener. 

Santa Cruz opened the contest on a 7-0 run; however the Stars kept the contest close, and a three-pointer by Christopher tied the game at 13 mid-way through the frame. An 11-0 run from the Warriors helped extend the lead to 39-23 going into the second quarter. The Warriors lead grew to as many as 22 points in the second frame, and the Sea Dubs finished the first half with a 68-49 lead over the Stars.  

Salt Lake City went on a 9-0 run late in the third quarter, cutting the Warriors lead to just seven points. A shooting foul converted by Salt Lake City’s Christopher with 1.5 seconds remaining in the frame put the score at 96-89 heading into the final quarter. A three-pointer by the Stars Christopher early in the fourth quarter closed the gap and reduced the Warriors lead to just four points. An 8-0 run from the Warriors featuring dunks by Rowe and guard Donovan Williams ignited the Warriors offense mid-way through the fourth quarter, helping the Sea Dubs build a 106-94 lead. Santa Cruz extended the lead to 20 points late in the final frame and held on to secure the win, 129-115.  

The Santa Cruz Warriors will face the G League Ignite on Friday, November 17 at 7 p.m. PT at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, CA. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive an Underwater Phone Case, presented by Pono Hawaiian Grill. 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 or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.