SHOCKING UPSET: Santa Cruz Warriors Stunned by Stockton Kings in 108-100 Battle
STOCKTON, California – The Santa Cruz Warriors (18-13) were defeated by the Stockton Kings (22-9), 108-100, to close out the back-to-back series Saturday night at Adventist Health Arena.
Point guard Kendric Davis led both teams in scoring with 26 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists. Two-way guard Pat Spencer contributed 15 points off the bench, and two-way center Usman Garuba had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Javan Johnson completed the offensive effort with 14 points.
The Kings were led by two-way guard Mason Jones with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Point guard Dane Goodwin added 19 points and five rebounds, and forward Stanley Johnson had 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Forward Deonte Burton was close behind with 14 points and five rebounds.
Early steals in the first quarter gave Stockton a slight lead until a Davis three-pointer propelled the Sea Dubs to a 20-18 lead with just over five minutes remaining. The Warriors extended their lead to as many as six points before a last-second layup by Stockton forward Burton narrowed the gap to end the frame, 31-28. Both teams continued to battle in the second quarter before a 7-0 run by the Warriors late in the quarter gave the Sea Dubs a 60-52 lead with less than a minute remaining. However, consecutive 3-pointers by the Kings cut Santa Cruz's lead to 62-58 entering halftime.
Santa Cruz started the third quarter strong before a 13-0 run by the Kings gave the hosts a 74-68 lead. Stockton continued to increase its lead down the stretch to enter the final frame with an 85-75 lead. The Sea Dubs orchestrated a 9-0 run to close the gap to 88-84 early in the fourth quarter, but Stockton prevented a late-game comeback to secure a 108-100 victory over the visiting Warriors.
The Warriors return to Santa Cruz on Wednesday, March 27 to host the South Bay Lakers at Kaiser Permanente Arena at 7:00 pm (PT) before traveling to Portland for a back-to-back series against Rip City Remix on March 29 at 6:00 pm (PT) and March 30 at 3:00 pm (PT) to conclude their regular season schedule. 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 getting the best seats at the lowest price are encouraged to call (831) 713-4400 or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.
