G League Santa Cruz Warriors

Warriors Sweep Vipers in Back-To-Back Double Overtime Victory

Published on January 24, 2016 under NBA G League (G League)
Santa Cruz Warriors News Release


SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The NBA D-League Champion Santa Cruz Warriors (12-16) defeated the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (13-12) 128-126 in double-overtime at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Aaron Craft would hit the floating jump-shot with time expiring to seal the two-game sweep of the Vipers. The win also marked the largest deficit (22 points) overcome in a win in franchise history for Santa Cruz.

Elliot Williams led the charge for the Warriors with a career-high 48 points while breaking the current Santa Cruz franchise record for points scored in a game. Aaron Craft recorded 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Verdell Jones III and Daniel Nwaelele added 15 points apiece.

Montrezl Harrell, playing on assignment from the Houston Rockets, notched 31 points and 8 rebounds. K.J. McDaniels, also playing on assignment from the Rockets, posted a double-double with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. Will Cummings added 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Rio Grande Valley opened the game shooting 83% from the field to take an early 24-6 lead. The Vipers would continue their strong play for the remainder of the frame, outshooting Santa Cruz 72.7%-47.6% to enter the second quarter with a 42-23 advantage. Rio Grande Valley would extend its lead to as many as 22 points in the second quarter, ending the first half with a 66-52 advantage.

Coming out of the break, the Warriors would slowly chip away at the Vipers' lead, cutting the advantage to nine points entering the final frame. Santa Cruz would continue to close the gap in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 109 with 4:22 remaining left to play in regulation.

Santa Cruz and Rio Grande Valley would be locked in a tight battle for the last four minutes of regulation, tying the score a total of three times. Trailing 116-114 with 2:07 to play, Elliot Williams would score a two-point jump-shot to tie the game at 116. Neither team would score for the remainder of regulation, sending the game into overtime.

Both teams would trade buckets throughout the first overtime period until Jaron Johnson made two free throws to give Rio Grande Valley a 120-118 advantage with 30 seconds left to play. K.J. McDaniels would foul Elliot Williams on the next possession, sending Williams to the line for two made free throws to tie the game at 120 with 18.9 seconds left to play. Rio Grande would fail to score on its final possession of the frame, sending the game into a second overtime period.

The second overtime period was a tightly contested battle that saw four lead changes and three ties. With 7.6 seconds remaining to play, Montrezl Harrell would be charged with an off-ball offensive foul, giving Santa Cruz the final possession. On the final possession, Aaron Craft would score a floating jump-shot at the buzzer to secure a 128-126 victory over Rio Grande Valley.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will head to Bakersfield to take on the Jam on Friday, January 29th at 7 p.m. PST. Fans can catch the game on the NBA D-League's YouTube channel, via www.santacruzbasketball.com.

For more information, please contact Gina Antoniello, Director of Public and Community Relations at (732) 236-4659.

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NBA G League Stories from January 24, 2016


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