Santa Cruz Warriors Fall To South Bay Lakers, 134-130, In Final Road Game Of The Regular Season

EL SEGUNDO, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (18-14) connected on a season-high 20 three-point attempts but came up short, 134-130, against the South Bay Lakers (15-17) at the UCLA Health Training Center on Tuesday night.

Santa Cruz saw three players record 20+ point performances, led by two-way forward Jackson Rowe who finished with 22 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. Two-way forward Braxton Key and forward Blake Hinson both finished with 21 points apiece, and Key added seven rebounds and five assists while Hinson notched five assists, four rebounds, and three blocks. Guard Yuri Collins recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists, and forward Javan Johnson contributed 19 points. Two-way guard Taran Armstrong continued to produce off the bench for the Warriors, tallying 15 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.

Guard Quincy Olivari led South Bay with a game-high 33 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Guard Sir'Jabari Rice came off the bench to contribute 28 points, while guard Jhonathan Dunn connected on six three-pointers to finish the game with 20 points and five rebounds. Guard Bronny James, on assignment from the Los Angeles Lakers, recorded 17 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Center Kylor Kelley and forward Stanley Johnson combined for 27 points, scoring 14 points and 13 points, respectively.

Points came early and often in the first quarter, with both sides shooting over 60% from the field on 22 shot attempts each. Santa Cruz took their first lead of the game, 14-12, just over four minutes into the game after a pair of offensive rebounds by guard Alex Gil-Fernandez led to a wide-open three-pointer from forward Donta Scott. After shooting 22% from behind the arc in the first half of last night’s game, Santa Cruz came alive from distance, draining 10 of their 15 first-quarter three-point attempts. Hinson and Key combined for 25 points and seven of the visiting team’s threes in the opening frame, leading the Sea Dubs into the second quarter with a 42-37 edge. Santa Cruz held the Lakers scoreless for the first three minutes of the second quarter, hitting the ground running to start the frame on a 13-0 run and claim a 55-37 lead. Consistent shotmaking from Santa Cruz proved to make all the difference as four Sea Dubs finished the first half with 10+ points to keep the visiting side well in front, leading by as many as 17 points with 3:48 to play before halftime. South Bay cut the deficit to single digits with a 13-4 run, but an Armstrong three-pointer – Santa Cruz’s 14th made three-point basket of the first half to tie the franchise record for most made three-pointers in a single half – pushed the Warriors’ lead back to 76-67 heading into the break.

The Warriors were slow to get started on offense as they returned from the break, allowing the Lakers to slowly work their way back into the game and trail Santa Cruz, 82-80, four minutes into the third quarter. South Bay knocked down four three-pointers in a row to take their first lead since the first quarter, squeaking ahead by two points with 4:27 left in the period. Eight Warriors contributed to the team’s scoring efforts in the frame as Santa Cruz reclaimed the lead and were first to reach 100 points, but 21 combined points from Dunn and Olivari in the quarter kept the Lakers close behind, and Santa Cruz entered the fourth quarter with a narrow 104-100 lead. The Warriors grew their lead to eight points two minutes into the final frame, but a 12-2 Laker swing gave the home side a 115-113 lead with 7:40 remaining in the contest. The Sea Dubs matched South Bay’s surge with a 13-2 run of their own as Johnson led the way with nine points to give Santa Cruz a 128-120 advantage with less than three minutes to play. The Lakers stayed in a rhythm on offense to mount another late run and hold Santa Cruz to four points in the final three minutes of the game, and the Warriors ultimately fell to South Bay, 134-130, in the team’s final road game of the regular season.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will return home for their final two games of the regular season against the Rip City Remix on Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29. Tip-off for both games against the Remix is 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.