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G League Santa Cruz Warriors

Warriors Fall Short in Home Opener

November 13, 2016 - NBA G League (G League)
Santa Cruz Warriors News Release


SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The Santa Cruz Warriors (0-1) fell to the Los Angeles D-Fenders (2-0) 116-114 on Friday night in front of a sellout crowd at Kaiser Permanente Arena. This game marks the eight consecutive capacity crowd at Kaiser Permanente dating back to the 2015-16 regular season.

Phil Pressey led the way for the Warriors with 25 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Elgin Cook, Cam Jones, and Scott Wood added 16 points apiece, while Chris Obekpa added 10 points and 7 rebounds. Dennis Clifford contributed with a team-high 14 rebounds in the loss against Los Angeles.

Vander Blue paced the D-Fenders with 25 points, while Justin Harper recorded a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Kenneth "Speedy" Smith added 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in the victory over Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz's Cam Jones would set the tone early for the Warriors, scoring 5 points in the first 90 seconds of play. The D-fenders stayed within striking distance of the Warriors until Phil Pressey and Scott Wood hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Warriors a six-point edge at the 5:19 mark in the first quarter. Santa Cruz would capitalize off of fast-break opportunities (12-0) to give Warriors the 30-23 edge heading into the second frame.

Two minutes into the second period, the Warriors would extend their lead to double-digits behind a three-point play from Alex Hamilton. The D-Fenders would rally back to come within 4 points, but Phil Pressey's 11-point performance in the second frame would pace the Warriors to as much as a 17-point advantage. The D-Fenders went on a 13-2 run to start the second half, cutting their deficit to 6 points, the closest the visitors would come to eclipsing the Santa Cruz lead in the third frame. Elgin Cook scored 9 of his 16 points during the third period, helping Santa Cruz keep the D-Fenders at bay.

The D-Fenders would rally back to outscore the Warriors 40-25 in the fourth quarter, with Vander Blue and Travis Wear combining for 27 points in the frame. The D-Fenders would take the lead for the first time on a made free-throw from Justin Harper with 1:08 remaining in the game. With 3.2 seconds on the clock, Pressey was fouled by Vander Blue on a three-point attempt and earned the chance to tie the game. Pressey made the first free throw and missed the remaining two, as the Warriors fell to the D-Fenders with time expiring.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will host the Iowa Energy on Wednesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. PST at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Fans can catch the game on Facebook Live, by visiting the Santa Cruz Warriors' Facebook page at tip-off. Santa Cruz Warriors tickets can be purchased at the Santa Cruz Warriors headquarters at 903 Pacific Avenue, online at www.santacruzbasketball.com or over the phone at (831) 713-4400.

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