Cruise Pull Away in Second Half, Top Squadron 109-94
G League Motor City Cruise

Cruise Pull Away in Second Half, Top Squadron 109-94

Published on January 16, 2026 under NBA G League (G League)
Motor City Cruise News Release


The Motor City Cruise earned their first back-to-back wins since Dec. 5-6, 2025 of the Tip-Off Tournament with a 109-94 victory over the Birmingham Squadron on Thursday night at Legacy Arena at the BJCC.

Motor City (4-7) turned a one-point halftime deficit into a commanding road win by dominating the third quarter, outscoring Birmingham 30-18 to seize control. The Cruise entered the night ranked third in the NBA G League in third-quarter scoring at 30.8 points per game while leading the league in field-goal percentage (54.4%) and three-point percentage (50.7%) during the period, and delivered a balanced, efficient performance to break the game open.

Isaac Jones led the Cruise with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting and added eight rebounds and a career-high three blocks. Tolu Smith continued his steady production with 18 points and 13 rebounds, notching his 12th double-double between the Tip-Off Tournament and regular season.

Chaz Lanier scored 18 points and connected on four three-pointers, while Drew Peterson added 15 points off the bench in his Motor City debut. John Ukomadu chipped in 14 points, knocking down four triples as Motor City finished 14-of-37 from beyond the arc.

The Cruise controlled the paint and the glass throughout the night, holding a 50-36 advantage in points in the paint and winning the rebounding battle 53-47. Motor City also capitalized on extra possessions, outscoring Birmingham 22-3 in second chance points and turned 20 Squadron turnovers into 28 points.

Birmingham (4-9) was led by Jaden Springer's 23 points, while Hunter Dickinson recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds. The Squadron shot 43.6% from the field but struggled to generate offense after halftime.

Motor City built its lead to as many as 20 points in the second half and never trailed after taking control in the third quarter, closing out the win with a strong defensive effort to secure consecutive victories for the first time since early December.

The two clubs will meet again on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed live through Roku.

Check out the Motor City Cruise Statistics

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NBA G League Stories from January 16, 2026


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