The Santa Cruz Warriors’ Rally Falls Short In 125-117 Loss To Memphis Hustle

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (12-10) see three starters score 20+ points in their 125-117 loss to the Memphis Hustle (12-10) at Kaiser Permanente Arena on Saturday night.

    Guard Yuri Collins led the Warriors with 24 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds to record his tenth double-double of the season. Forwards Javan Johnson and Blake Hinson both finished with 22 points, and Johnson contributed an additional five rebounds and three steals while Hinson added seven rebounds. Center Cheikh Mbacke Diong recorded his first double-double of the season, notching 10 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Marcus Burk tallied 13 points and a game-high four steals.

    Guard David Johnson led both teams in scoring with 28 points off the bench. Forward/center Armando Bacot and guard Malachi Smith both logged 21 points – Bacot added 15 rebounds and Smith grabbed 5 boards. Guard DJ Steward finished the night with 17 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, and forward Miles Norris contributed 14 points.  

    After Santa Cruz led for the entire first half of last night’s match-up, the start of tonight’s contest was a back-and-forth affair that saw three lead changes and four tied scores before the Warriors took control of the tempo. A fastbreak floater from Johnson gave the Sea Dubs their first lead of the game as the home side pulled ahead, 11-9, just over three minutes into the game. Both sides continued to trade baskets, eventually evening things out at 20 points apiece before a 7-0 run put the Warriors in front with a 38-29 advantage to close out the quarter. The Sea Dubs pushed the pace with a flurry of three-point buckets to expand their lead to 52-38 four minutes into the second frame. However, Memphis took advantage of a lull in the Santa Cruz offense to find their footing and cut the deficit to six points, 58-52, with 3:16 left in the half. The Warriors ended their scoring drought with a three-point bucket from guard Alex Gil-Fernandez, but the visiting team countered with a 7-0 run to enter the break narrowly trailing Santa Cruz, 61-59.

    Memphis stormed into the second half on a mission to stake their claim, scoring five unanswered points to start the third quarter thanks to a trio of offensive rebounds in their first possession. Eight Santa Cruz turnovers in the third quarter gave Memphis just enough room to claim a 86-75 advantage over the Warriors halfway through the frame. The visiting team’s third quarter push was spearheaded by guard/forward Nate Hinton, who scored 12 points in the quarter to keep Memphis in front heading into the fourth quarter, 102-83. The Hustle fought to stay ahead in the final period, keeping the Warriors at bay through the end of the first six minutes to hang onto a 113-97 lead. Santa Cruz quickly built momentum with their defensive efforts and transition scoring to orchestrate a late-game 18-3 run to cut their deficit to just 119-117 with 1:11 left in the contest. With their backs against the wall, the visitors narrowly hung on through the final buzzer to defeat the Warriors, 125-117.

    The Santa Cruz Warriors will host the Wisconsin Herd for a pair of games on Wednesday, March 5, and Friday, March 7. Tip-off for both games against the Herd is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT. The Warriors will end their 10-game homestand with their annual Chase Center Game against the Mexico City Capitanes on Sunday, March 9, with tip-off scheduled for 12:30 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.