Santa Cruz Warriors Defeated By Stockton Kings, 108-100

STOCKTON, CA – The Santa Cruz Warriors (18-13) were defeated by the Stockton Kings (22-9), 108-100, to close the back-to-back series on Saturday evening at Adventist Health Arena. 

Guard Kendric Davis led both teams in scoring with 26 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists. Two-way guard Pat Spencer contributed 15 points off the bench, and two-way center Usman Garuba notched 11 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Javan Johnson rounded out the offensive effort with 14 points. 

The Kings were led by two-way guard Mason Jones with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Guard Dane Goodwin added 19 points and five rebounds, and forward Stanley Johnson collected 17 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Forward Deonte Burton followed closely behind with 14 points and five rebounds. 

Early steals in the first quarter gave Stockton a slight advantage until a Davis three-pointer boosted the Sea Dubs to a 20-18 lead with little over five minutes remaining. The Warriors extended their lead to as many as six points before a last-second putback layup from Stockton forward Burton that narrowed the gap to end the frame, 31-28. Both teams continued to battle in the second quarter before a 7-0 Warriors run late in the frame gave the Sea Dubs a 60-52 advantage with less than a minute remaining. However, back-to-back three pointers from the Kings cut the Santa Cruz lead to 62-58 entering the break. 

Santa Cruz started the third quarter strong before a 13-0 Kings run gave the home side a 74-68 advantage. Stockton continued to grow their lead down the stretch to enter the final frame ahead 85-75. The Sea Dubs orchestrated a 9-0 run to narrow the gap to 88-84 early in the fourth quarter, but Stockton fended off a late-game comeback to secure a 108-100 victory over the visiting Warriors. 

The Warriors return to Santa Cruz on Wednesday, March 27 to host the South Bay Lakers at Kaiser Permanente Arena at 7:00 p.m. (PT) before travelling to Portland for a back-to-back series against the Rip City Remix on March 29 at 6:00 p.m. (PT) and March 30 at 3:00 p.m. (PT) to conclude their regular season schedule. 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.