VIPERS ROLL PAST SHORT-HANDED SKYFORCE IN 130-108 WIN
November 20, 2017 - NBA G League (G League)
Sioux Falls Skyforce News Release
SIOUX FALLS, SD - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers (3-3) turned a five-point deficit into a five-point lead over the Sioux Falls Skyforce (3-3) after the first quarter of play, and never trailed again in the 130-108 victory.
Denver Nuggets two-way player Monte Morris (20 points on 7-of-11 FG) led the fast-paced offensive attack for the Vipers in a game that saw six Rio Grande Valley players score in double figures. Houston Rockets two-way player Briante Weber, who was an NBA G League All-Star with the Skyforce a season ago, scored 16 points and added six assists in the win over his former team.
Erik McCree led the Skyforce in scoring for the fourth time this season, posting 20 points and adding a team-high eight rebounds. The Skyforce managed to make 12 three-point field goals in the second half alone, but shot just 15-of-49 from beyond the arc in the game, and just 3-of-24 in the first half.
Miami HEAT two-way players Derrick Walton Jr. (14 points, five rebounds and three assists) and Matt Williams Jr. (16 points and six rebounds) combined to score 30 points, while Tony Mitchell posted 16 points, six rebounds and five assists in his third start of the season.
Sioux Falls was without the help of Denver Nuggets two-way player Torrey Craig and second-year man Ike Nwamu, who both sat out of tonight's game nursing injuries sustained in Tuesday's loss to the Austin Spurs. Larry Drew II was also unavailable, having been named to the USA Basketball FIBA World Cup Qualifiers roster.
RJ Hunter III (22 points) helped put the nail in the coffin for the Vipers, has he made five of his six three pointers in the final period, sinking four three-pointers on four consecutive possessions midway through the quarter.
Lastly, Skyforce rookie Kris Jenkins turned in his best performance of the season, scoring 16 points and adding five rebounds off the bench in the loss. Jenkins made all four of his three-point field goals in what turned into a fourth quarter shoot-out.
The Skyforce will look to get back into the win column tomorrow, Saturday, November 18 against Rio Grande Valley in what will be the second game of a back-to-back set between the two teams.
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