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G League Santa Cruz Warriors

Warriors Finish on Top in Wire-To-Wire Thriller

November 19, 2016 - NBA G League (G League)
Santa Cruz Warriors News Release


SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The Santa Cruz Warriors (2-1) outlasted the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (3-1) 112-110 on Friday night in front of a sellout crowd at Kaiser Permanente Arena. This game marks the tenth consecutive capacity crowd at Kaiser Permanente Arena dating back to the 2015-16 regular season.

Elgin Cook paced the Warriors with 23 points in a tightly-contested battle that saw 17 lead changes and 11 ties. Phil Pressey added 19 points and 9 assists, while Dennis Clifford notched a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Isaiah Taylor led the Vipers with a double-double, contributing 30 points and 11 assists. Kyle Wiltjer accounted for 15 points and 7 rebounds for Rio Grande Valley.

The opening minutes of the first quarter saw a low-scoring affair, as both teams struggled to find footing early in the game. Disjointed game flow would mar the first quarter as the Warriors and the Vipers combined for 15 fouls in the frame.

The second quarter continued to be a back-and-forth battle, as the Vipers and Warriors traded leads four times before the break. The Vipers would carry a one-point edge heading into the locker room.

A lay-up from Phil Pressey would re-claim the lead for Santa Cruz early in the third, though the continuous battle to control the tempo carried on. The hard-fought frame would see 11 lead changes and 4 ties. Four consecutive scoring sequences from Elgin Cook in the final three minutes of the frame would bolster the Warriors to a 10 point advantage, matching their largest lead of the night. Cook scored 9 of his11 third-quarter points in the final three minutes of the frame to give the Warriors the 90-82 edge to start the final period.

A late rally from the Vipers would bring the opponents within one point of Santa Cruz with just under two minutes left to play in the contest. A layup from Phil Pressey with 1.2 seconds on the clock gave the Warriors a two-point cushion. With 1 second remaining in the game, the Vipers were unable to convert, falling to the Warriors 112-110.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will travel to Los Angeles tomorrow to take on the D-Fenders at 6:30 p.m. PST at Toyota Sports Center. 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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