Santa Cruz Warriors Fall Short in 108-98 Loss to Stockton

STOCKTON, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (2-2) came up short in their first road game of the season, falling to the Stockton Kings (4-1), 108-98, at Adventist Health Arena on Wednesday night.

Forward Kevin Knox led Santa Cruz in scoring for the second game in a row, finishing with 25 points and six rebounds. Two-way center Quinten Post recorded his third double-double of the season, notching 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors. Guard Yuri Collins erupted in the second half, scoring 12 of his 16 points in the third and fourth quarters while tying his career high with 12 assists. Forwards Javan Johnson and Donta Scott both ended the game with 11 points apiece. Two-way guard Pat Spencer, in his first appearance with Santa Cruz this season, finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

The Kings saw all five starters reach double-digits in scoring, with guard Colby Jones, on assignment from the Sacramento Kings, scoring a game-high 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Two-way forward/center Isaac Jones finished with a double-double, recording 16 points and 14 rebounds. Two-way guard Mason Jones netted 16 points, and center Orlando Robinson, on assignment from the Sacramento Kings, added 15 points to round out Stockton’s offensive effort.

Both teams were off to a slow start offensively, shooting a combined 3-of-24 from behind the arc. The Warriors were the first to find their rhythm as all five starters connected on field goals to secure a 12-4 lead halfway through the opening frame. Second-chance points from inside the paint kept the Kings within striking distance, but the Warriors held on to close out the first quarter with a two-point advantage. Back-to-back three-pointers from Spencer and forward Blake Hinson gave the Warriors a 29-23 lead early in the second period, but after trading baskets throughout the remainder of the quarter, Stockton managed to connect on four straight shots from distance to send the visitors into the break trailing 58-49.

A nine-point Kings run gave the home team a 67-52 advantage with 9:34 left to play in the third quarter. Despite 17 combined points from Knox and Johnson, the Kings maintained their lead to end the period ahead, 87-74. The Warriors battled to narrow the gap in the final frame, giving up only 15 points in the first 10 minutes of the quarter while scoring 22 points of their own. Santa Cruz cut their deficit to as little as six points with 70 seconds remaining, but the Sea Dubs were unable to complete the comeback and Stockton went on to claim a 108-98 victory in the first of four match-ups between the Western Conference teams during the 2024-25 campaign.

The Warriors will travel to Salt Lake City for a back-to-back series against the Stars on Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 before returning to Santa Cruz to host the Stars on Friday, November 29 at 7 p.m. at Kaiser Permanente Arena. 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.