Santa Cruz Warriors Outlast The Remix, Defeating Rip City 112-109

PORTLAND, OR - The Santa Cruz Warriors (6-5) held off Rip City (3-9) to sweep their two-game road series against the Remix, 112-109, at Chiles Center on Monday Night.

Forward Kevin Knox II led the Warriors in scoring with 23 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Forward Jackson Rowe secured his second double-double of the season, collecting 17 points and 13 rebounds. Two-way guard Reece Beekman finished the night with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists, and two-way center Quinten Post followed with 13 points and seven rebounds. Forward Donta Scott rounded out the offensive effort with 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. 

Two-way guard Bryce McGowens led both teams with a game-high 37 points, adding seven rebounds. Guard James Bouknight recorded 19 points and five rebounds off the bench, and two-way guard Taze Moore contributed 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in one half of play. 

  Rip City opened the contest with a 10-2 run to jump out to an early lead before Beekman found a cutting Knox for an emphatic dunk to bring the Warriors offense to life. Santa Cruz worked quickly to close the gap, trailing by as little as three points after forward Javan Johnson drained a shot from behind the arc with 3:12 remaining in the first quarter. The Remix responded with a 9-0 run of their own until a made three-pointer from Post put the Sea Dubs back within single-digits to end the period with a narrow 32-23 deficit. Santa Cruz scored the first six points in the second quarter, but the Remix prevented a lead change and instead pushed ahead to a 53-38 advantage with 3:30 left to play in the first half. Rip City remained in control to send the home team into the break with a 57-47 lead.

   Santa Cruz returned from the halftime intermission with renewed energy, starting the third quarter on a 14-0 run to claim a 61-57 lead – their first in the contest. The Warriors went on to outscore the home side 35-15 in the third period, closing out the frame with a seven-point run to flip the script and enter the final frame with a 82-72 advantage. Despite back-to-back blocks from Knox, Rip City slowly bridged the gap and tied the contest at 89 apiece with 6:54 remaining. McGowens scored the next seven points for the Remix; however, the Sea Dubs matched Rip City with their own offensive effort to stay ahead, 105-98, with under two minutes left in the contest. A late three-pointer from Bouknight made it a one-possession game with 14.7 seconds left on the clock. Miscommunication on the inbound pass gave the Remix an opportunity to tie, but Rip City was unable to convert and Santa Cruz held on to secure a 112-109 victory and sweep the series.

 The Warriors will wrap up their road trip against the Stockton Kings on Wednesday, December 11 before returning to Santa Cruz for a back-to-back series against the San Diego Clippers on Saturday, December 14, and Sunday, December 15 to close out the Tip-Off Tournament. 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.