Santa Cruz Warriors Fall To Stockton Kings, 131-122

STOCKTON, CA – The Santa Cruz Warriors (18-12) fell to the Stockton Kings (21-9), 131-122, on Thursday evening at Adventist Health Arena.

The Warriors were led by guard Kendric Davis with 27 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Forward Gui Santos, on assignment from Golden State, notched 18 points and eight rebounds, and two-way center Usman Garuba added 18 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Javonte Green came off the bench to contribute 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Guard Jaylen Nowell led the game in scoring with 32 points and five rebounds off the bench. Forward Deonte Burton followed closely with 29 points, and two-way guard Mason Jones secured a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists. Forward Stanley Johnson rounded out the scoring with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Santa Cruz took an early advantage with Garuba and Davis combining for 16 of the team’s first 18 points. Garuba continued to find the bucket, scoring 14 points in the first quarter to help grow the Warriors lead to 33-21 with less than three minutes remaining in the frame. Stockton responded with a 6-2 run in the final minutes of the quarter to close the deficit to 35-27. Multiple steals from the Kings in the second quarter helped cut the deficit to as little as one-point, 40-39. The Sea Dubs rebuilt their advantage and held the Kings scoreless in the final two minutes of the half, heading into the break with a 63-54 lead. 

The Stockton offense came alive early in the third quarter to take the lead and pushed ahead to close out the frame with a 101-92 advantage. Santa Cruz opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run and closed the gap to just two points, 103-101, however a 10-0 run from the Kings widened the lead and secured the win for Stockton, 131-122.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will conclude the two-game series versus the Stockton Kings on Saturday, March 23 at 5 p.m. (PT) at Adventist Health Arena. The Sea Dubs return to Santa Cruz on Wednesday, March 27 to host the South Bay Lakers at Kaiser Permanente Arena at 7:00 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 or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.