Santa Cruz Warriors Outpaced Mexico City, Defeating The Capitanes 118-107 In Annual Chase Center Game

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (13-12) never trailed by more than two points as they defeated the Mexico City Capitanes (11-14), 118-107, at Chase Center on Sunday afternoon.

    Santa Cruz was led by their two players on assignment from Golden State – guard Pat Spencer notched 25 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, and center/forward Trayce Jackson-Davis collected 22 points and eight rebounds. Two-way forward Braxton Key followed with 19 points, eight rebounds, and four steals, and forward Blake Hinson rounded out the offensive effort with 17 points. 

    Guard David Jones led Mexico City with a game-high 33 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Juan Toscano-Anderson finished the contest with a triple-double, recording 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Forward Greg Brown III came off the bench and scored 17 points with six rebounds, and guard Dink Pate contributed 14 points for the Capitanes. 

    The Warriors came out firing to open the contest, scoring multiple buckets inside the paint and converting on their first three-point attempt of the game to take an 11-4 lead with eight and a half minutes to play in the first quarter. Mexico City quickly broke out of their slump with eight consecutive points to claim a narrow lead before Santa Cruz countered with a run of their own to take a 24-20 advantage into the second quarter. The Sea Dubs continued to capitalize on their momentum early in the second frame to extend their lead to 40-27 with nine minutes left in the half, but the Capitanes slowly chipped away at their deficit as the clock wound down until both teams were tied at 54 points apiece with 54.6 seconds left on the clock. The Warriors punctuated their final offensive burst with a Jackson-Davis block and a Spencer midrange jumper to secure the final bucket of the quarter and enter the break ahead, 61-56. 

    Mexico City returned from the locker room with renewed energy, exploding on a 17-6 run in the first six minutes of the third period to reclaim control of the contest, 73-71, before Santa Cruz countered with a nine-point swing to turn the tide back in their favor. The Warriors responded by stepping up on defense to limit the Capitanes to just four additional points in the frame, and Santa Cruz closed out the quarter with an 89-78 lead in front of their home crowd. Despite Mexico City’s best efforts to string together an early run, the Warriors staunchly defended their advantage and matched the Capitanes shot-for-shot to remain in control halfway through the final period, 103-90. The Sea Dubs held the Capitanes to 1-of-8 shooting from three-point range in the fourth quarter to shut down any chance of a comeback and claim an emphatic 118-107 victory in front of over 11,000 fans at Chase Center. 

    The Warriors start a seven-game road trip against the Osceola Magic on Wednesday, March 12, with tip-off scheduled for 4:00 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, email scwtickets@warriors.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.