MAGIC SPOIL SKYFORCE HOME OPENER
November 7, 2017 - NBA G League (G League)
Sioux Falls Skyforce News Release
SIOUX FALLS, SD - The Lakeland Magic (1-1) held on in the final minutes to earn a 108-100 victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce (1-1) in what was the Skyforce' first home game of the season.
The Skyforce flew out of the gate in the first quarter, jumping out to a 13-point lead behind hot shooting from Matt Williams Jr. (nine points, six rebounds, five assists) who scored eight of his nine points in the first few minutes of the game. However, the Magic began chipping away at the lead, and eventually took a two-point lead of their own into halftime, leading Sioux Falls 60-58 at the break.
Rodney Purvis (31 points, seven rebounds) led the way in scoring for Lakeland for the second game in a row, while Orlando Magic two-way player Jamel Artis pitched in a 26-point, 13-rebound double-double.
Orlando Magic assignee Khem Birch, a former All-NBA G League First Team selection for the Skyforce, earned his second-straight double-double with a 16-point, 11-rebound effort in the win for the Magic.
The fast-paced game was highlighted by 46 fast break points scored by Sioux Falls to just 27 from Lakeland, but that still wasn't enough to earn the win as the Skyforce were outrebounded for the second game in a row by a margin of 50-46.
Erik McCree led all Sioux Falls scorers for the second game in a row with 16 points, while Tony Mitchell tallied the Skyforce' first double-double performance of the season with 13 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Denver Nuggets two-way player Torrey Craig notched 15 points and five blocks off the bench, and Miami HEAT assignee A.J. Hammons (10 points, six rebounds) turned in his first double-digit scoring performance in the loss.
Larry Drew II (nine rebounds, eight assists, seven points) quietly neared a triple-double on the night, while Ike Nwamu (12 points) scored in double-figures for the second game in a row off the bench to round out the offensive attack for Sioux Falls.
The Skyforce will remain in Sioux Falls, as they take on the Delaware 87ers on Friday, November 10 at 7:00 PM CT, the second of a three-game home stand. The Lakeland Magic now return home for their first home game of the season as they take on the Canton Charge on Friday, November 10 at 7:00 PM ET.
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