Santa Cruz Warriors Complete Lone Star Sweep With 131-116 Victory Over The Texas Legends

 FRISCO, TX - Jackson Rowe led the Santa Cruz Warriors (18-12) with 29 points as eight Sea Dubs score in double-figures to sweep the Texas Legends (8-21) with a 131-116 victory at Comerica Center on Thursday night. 

    Two-way forward Jackson Rowe was a factor in every facet of the game, finishing with a team-high 29 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and two blocks. Forward Blake Hinson recorded 18 points and eight rebounds, while guard Marcus Burk shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor, including four three-pointers, to score 16 points off the bench. Two-way guard Taran Armstrong and guard Yuri Collins both recorded 15-point double-doubles, with Armstrong dishing out a career-high 12 assists and Collins finishing with 10 assists of his own. Two-way forward Braxton Key contributed 15 points, six assists, and two steals. Forward Javan Johnson and guard Alex Gil-Fernandez rounded out the Warriors offensive effort, scoring 13 points and 10 points, respectively.

    Guard Zhaire Smith put up a game-high 30 points and three steals, while guard Jazian Gortman finished with 21 points and 10 assists. Forward Teafale Lenard Jr recorded 19 points and seven rebounds, and forward Dakota Rivers came off the bench to contribute 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Guard Garrett Denbow finished the game with 10 points, four rebounds, and three steals.  

    The contest opened in true Santa Cruz fashion as Key, the NBA G League steals leader, swiped back-to-back steals and Hinson, the NBA G League three-point leader, knocked down a pair of shots from deep to take an early 11-2 lead less than three minutes into the game. Despite Texas being slowed down by eight turnovers in the first quarter, Smith scored 10 of the Legends’ first 18 points to lead Texas on offense and keep them within one possession of the Sea Dubs seven minutes into the game. Both sides were bolstered by their substitutes, with Burk contributing an efficient 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting and Rivers putting up a game-high 11 points for the Legends in the opening frame. The first quarter saw six ties, but the Warriors never gave up full control and held on to head into the second quarter leading, 36-35. The Legends saw four of their five starters score within the first four minutes of the second frame as Texas claimed their first lead of the contest, narrowly pulling ahead with a 47-45 advantage at the 7:37 mark in the second quarter. The Legends starters stayed hot, finishing with 29 of the team’s 32 second-quarter points and extending the home side’s lead to six points, 56-50, halfway through the period. Santa Cruz didn’t trail for long, erupting on a 14-2 run to claim a six-point advantage of their own. A fadeaway jumper by Collins with less than 10 seconds to play was negated by a last-second Legends layup, and the Warriors held on to a slim 68-67 edge entering the locker room at the halftime break.

    Gortman and Key scored five quick points for their respective teams early in the second half to tie the game at 75 points apiece with 8:35 remaining in the third quarter. The Warriors mounted a group effort to reclaim a multiple possession lead, with four Sea Dubs scoring five or more points in the frame to take a 90-83 edge with just over three minutes left in the frame. Santa Cruz stayed in rhythm on both ends of the floor to close the quarter and head into the final 12 minutes of the game ahead, 102-92. Smith willed the Legends back into the game in the fourth quarter, scoring an early nine points as Texas opened the final frame with a 20-11 swing in their favor and closed the gap to just one point with 5:28 left to play. With their lead cut to 113-112, Santa Cruz put the game away with a 13-0 run to secure a double-digit advantage with less than two minutes remaining. Rowe and Collins led the Warriors to victory, scoring 20 of the team’s 29 points in the final frame as the Warriors claimed a 131-116 victory over the Texas Legends to extend their win streak to six games.

    The Santa Cruz Warriors will finish their road trip with a back-to-back series against the South Bay Lakers on Monday, March 24, and Tuesday, March 25, with tip-off for both games scheduled for 7 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.