Warriors Fall 127-123 In Overtime To The Wolves

SANTA CRUZ, CA - McMillian, Kinsey, and Cambridge Jr. all went for 20-plus points as the Santa Cruz Warriors (9-7) fell 127-123 in overtime to the Iowa Wolves (11-7) on Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente Arena.

Guard Chance McMillan led the Warriors with 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists off the bench. Guard Taevion Kinsey followed close behind with 26 points, three steals, and four rebounds. Guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. earned his first career double-double with a career-high 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Forward Jack Clark and forward Jacksen Moni both collected 13 points and nine rebounds apiece. Forward Ja’Vier Francis rounded out the Sea Dubs effort with 10 points and five rebounds.

Forward Alize Johnson finished the game with a 16-point, 15-rebound, and 11-assist double-double. Guard Jalen Crutcher and guard Jules Bernard each recorded a team-high 22 points, with Crutcher adding nine assists to his stat line. Two-way center Rocco Zikarsky notched 18 points and 11 rebounds, while forward Nate Santos (16 points) and guard/forward Donte Ingram (13 points) came off the bench to contribute double-digit scoring performances. 

After shooting 23% from deep in last night’s contest, the Wolves focused their offensive attack on the interior, scoring 22 of their 29 first-quarter points in the paint. Iowa broke the early-game stalemate with a 9-0 run to jump ahead by seven, 13-6, at the 7:36 mark. Contributing to Kinsey’s team-high eight points in the frame, Francis came off the bench to log a quartet of first-quarter points and rebounds to send the Warriors into the second quarter behind 29-27. With Santa Cruz pulling ahead by five, 40-35, at the 7:20 mark, the Wolves mounted a 23-10 run to claim an eight-point advantage, 58-50, with 81 seconds left in the frame. However, Kinsey spearheaded the Warriors' comeback with 11 points in the frame to help the Sea Dubs close the quarter with seven unanswered points to take a narrow 58-57 deficit into halftime.

The third quarter was a game of runs, as both sides managed six-point leads—a 70-64 Iowa advantage at the 8:38 mark and an 80-74 Santa Cruz lead at the 3:44 mark. The Warriors and Wolves knocked down five three-pointers apiece in the frame, and with the game knotted up at 80-80 with 3:18 left in the frame, Santa Cruz squeaked out a 91-90 lead with one quarter left to play. The Wolves claimed the first double-digit lead of the game, 116-104, at the 4:53 mark of the fourth quarter after an 11-0 run gave Iowa full control. McMillian and Cambridge Jr. supplied a combined 21 fourth quarter-points off the bench for Santa Cruz as they fought their way back into striking distance before time expired. A 16-4 Santa Cruz run was capped off by a putback layup with less than a second left from Cambridge Jr. sent the game into sudden death overtime. In the overtime race to seven points, an and-one for Zikarsky and a floater from Crutcher gave Iowa the first five points of extra time. The Warriors shot 1-for-5 from the floor in added time in their effort to pull ahead, as a step back jumper from Bernard secured the Wolves the 127-123 victory.

The Warriors will begin a five-game road trip against the Oklahoma City Blue on Tuesday, February 3, with tip-off slated for 10 a.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@goldenstate.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.