Warriors Split Weekend Series Versus Sioux Falls 117-103

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (8-5) were unable to overcome their 20-point first-quarter deficit, falling 117-103 to the Sioux Falls Skyforce (9-6) on Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente Arena, ending their four-game homestand at 3-1.

Two-way forward Malevy Leons secured his first double-double of the regular season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Jacksen Moni led the Warriors in scoring off the bench, finishing with 17 points, three steals, and a pair of blocks. Guard Franco Miller Jr. collected 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while two-way guard LJ Cryer notched 16 points and nine assists. Guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. finished with 12 points and two steals, and forward Jack Clark recorded 11 points and five assists. 

For the second game in a row, guard Jahmir Young led all scorers with 34 points and 10 assists. Guard Trevor Keels finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Coming off the bench, center Dain Dainja recorded 18 points and six rebounds. Center Vladislav Goldin secured a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks, and guard Bez Mbeng finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. 

The game script was flipped compared to last night’s contest, as the Skyforce were the ones to set the tone early, jumping out to a 15-5 lead four minutes into the game. Sioux Falls capitalized on four Santa Cruz turnovers and six offensive rebounds to notch 16 points in the lane and nine second-chance points, pulling ahead by as much as 20 and ultimately finishing the opening frame ahead 29-14. After trailing by 18 points, 38-20, at the 8:14 mark of the second quarter, the Warriors orchestrated a methodical 25-8 run to slash their deficit down to one, 46-45, with two minutes left until halftime. A quarter-high 14 points in the frame from Young, 23 in the half, denied Santa Cruz’s attempt at claiming their first lead of the game, sending Sioux Falls into halftime with a 50-45 advantage.

The Warriors were unable to turn their first-half momentum into a third-quarter advantage, trailing by at least three points for the opening six minutes of the third quarter. Eight unanswered points from Miller Jr. gave the Warriors a one-point deficit, 69-70, at the 4:44 mark; however, a 19-7 Sioux Falls’ run ballooned the gap to 13 points, 89-76, going into the fourth quarter. Led by a quarter-high eight points from Moni and Cryer, a 14-5 Warriors’ run in the heart of the final frame got the home side into striking distance, behind 106-101 with 2:12 left to play. A Ja’Vier Francis dunk with seven seconds left on the clock was the final Santa Cruz field goal of the game as the Skyforce closed the contest on an 11-2 run to claim the 117-103 road win.

The Warriors will travel to Salt Lake City to face the Stars on Monday, January 26, at 6 p.m. PT. Vote your favorite Santa Cruz Warriors into the 2026 NBA G League Next Up Game presented by AT&T by CLICKING HERE before polls close on Friday, January 30. 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.