Warriors' Comeback Stalls Late As Santa Cruz Loses To Stockton, 120-117

STOCKTON, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (6-6) were unable to complete their second-half rally and came up short against the Stockton Kings (8-3), losing 120-117 in the final game of a four-game road trip at Adventist Health Arena on Wednesday night.

Forward Kevin Knox II and guard Yuri Collins both finished with 21-point double-doubles as Knox grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds and Collins recorded a game-high 13 assists. Forward Blake Hinson followed closely behind, scoring a season-high 20 points while recording three rebounds and two steals. In his third start of the season, guard Marcus Burk earned a season-high 19 points on 7-of-9 field goal shooting. Forward Donta Scott had a career night of his own, shooting 6-of-11 on offense and 3-of-6 from three-point range to finish with a season-high 17 points. 

Two-way forward Isaiah Crawford and forward/center Skal Labissiere both finished with a game-high 23 points apiece. Crawford also contributed six rebounds and five assists, and Labissiere recorded six rebounds and three assists. Guard Dexter Dennis ended the game with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Forward Terry Taylor, who also scored 19 points, collected seven rebounds and five assists. Forward/center Drew Timme and guard Antoine Davis provided 24 points off the bench for Stockton, scoring 14 points and 10 points, respectively.

Stockton made three of their first five shot attempts from distance to capitalize on a slow Santa Cruz start and take a 13-5 lead less than four minutes into the game. Forwards Scott and Hinson were quick to check in and invigorate the Warriors offense, draining a three-pointer each to initiate a 15-4 run and take the first lead of the game for the Sea Dubs with 5:43 left in the opening quarter. The Kings worked quickly to narrow the deficit, rebuilding their advantage to lead by as many as nine points before closing the first frame with a slim 36-29 edge over the visitors. After making a combined 11 three-pointers in the first quarter, both teams struggled to score from deep, shooting 2-of-18 from behind the arc in the second period. Santa Cruz fought to close the gap, but the Kings logged 22 points in the paint within the second quarter to take a 65-55 lead into the break.

Santa Cruz opened the second half with a swift 8-0 run, forcing an early timeout from Stockton in an effort to stifle Santa Cruz’s offensive momentum. Ten third-quarter points from Taylor kept the Sea Dubs at bay as Stockton reclaimed a double-digit advantage halfway through the third quarter. However, Santa Cruz stayed within striking distance for the remainder of the frame to narrowly trail the Kings, 90-85, heading into the fourth quarter. Scott scored eight points in the first six minutes of the period to give the Warriors a 106-105 edge – their first lead of the game since the first quarter – with 5:03 left in the contest. A pair of free throws from Burk gave the Warriors a four-point advantage with just under two minutes remaining, but foul trouble from Santa Cruz gave Stockton multiple trips to the free throw line, and the Kings eventually took a slim 120-117 victory over the visiting Santa Cruz Warriors. 

The Warriors will return to Santa Cruz for a back-to-back series against the San Diego Clippers this 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.