Santa Cruz Warriors Edged Out By South Bay, Losing 108-105 To The Lakers

EL SEGUNDO, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (0-7) claimed an 18-point advantage in the second quarter but fell short 108-105 to the South Bay Lakers (5-1) on Sunday night at the UCLA Health Training Center.

Guard LJ Cryer shot 5-of-12 from behind the arc to lead the Warriors with a game-high 25 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. Center Marques Bolden recorded 18 points and seven rebounds, while forward Ja’Vier Francis contributed 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Guard Trey Galloway connected on a trio of three pointers to finish the game with 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while guard Taevion Kinsey scored 10 points on 50% field goal shooting.

Forward-center Drew Timme, two-way guard Nick Smith Jr., and guard RJ Davis all recorded 22-point performances for South Bay. Two-way center Christian Koloko finished the game with a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double, and Adou Thiero, on assignment from the Los Angeles Lakers, produced 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

After shooting a season-low 21.6% from behind the arc in Friday night’s contest, the Warriors came out of the gate to connect on three of their first four attempts from deep to take a one-point advantage three minutes into the game. The Sea Dubs’ defensive intensity saw the Lakers shoot 1-of-12 on three-point attempts through the first 10 minutes of the game, as eight early points from Cryer kept the visiting side out in front 24-19. A buzzer-beating pull-up jumper from Kinsey gave the Warriors a 30-26 margin after one quarter of action. After exchanging baskets for the first three minutes, Santa Cruz mounted a 12-2 run to claim a 51-35 lead with 7:12 remaining until halftime. Bolden, Cryer, and Francis all scored 10-plus points in the first half for Santa Cruz, allowing them to take their largest lead of the season, ahead by 18 points with just under four minutes left in the second frame. 11 second-quarter points by Davis and a wing three-pointer at the buzzer from Timme reduced the deficit for South Bay, as they trailed Santa Cruz 61-54 heading into the halftime break. 

After the Lakers worked quickly to make it a four-point ballgame, Santa Cruz staved off South Bay's attempt to take the lead with a 6-0 swing of their own to retain a 73-63 advantage over four minutes into the third quarter. After two scoreless minutes of play, an and-one conversion from two-way guard Chris Mañon saw the home side narrowly trailing by four points with 4:55 left in the third frame. 12-straight points from Timme across the final three minutes of the period kept the Lakers in striking distance, as the Sea Dubs took an 87-83 lead into the fourth quarter thanks to a combined 14 points from Galloway and Bolden in the frame. South Bay claimed their first lead of the game since the 8:08 mark of the first quarter, going ahead 88-87 71 seconds into the fourth quarter. Santa Cruz found their footing and initiated a 7-0 run to reclaim a four-point margin with 7:24 left to play. Both sides shot a combined 3-of-22 from deep in the fourth quarter, with neither side able to claim more than a two-possession advantage in the frame. With the Sea Dubs trailing 106-103 and just over three seconds left in the game, a five-second violation forced Santa Cruz’s fourth turnover of the quarter and allowed the Lakers to claim a 108-105 victory.

The Warriors return home to Santa Cruz for a back-to-back set at Kaiser Permanente Arena against the Salt Lake City Stars on Friday, November 28, and Saturday, November 29. Tip-off for both games against the Stars is slated 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@goldenstate.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.