Deivon Smith's Career-High Debut Hampered as Warriors Narrowly Fall 108-107 to the Hustle
G League Santa Cruz Warriors

Deivon Smith's Career-High Debut Hampered as Warriors Narrowly Fall 108-107 to the Hustle

Published on February 11, 2026 under NBA G League (G League)
Santa Cruz Warriors News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS - In his debut game, Deivon Smith led the Santa Cruz Warriors (9-9) with a career-high 26 points off the bench as the Sea Dubs fell 108-107 to the Memphis Hustle (4-15) on Wednesday morning at the Landers Center.

In addition to his career-high 26 points, guard Deivon Smith notched seven assists and five rebounds. Two-way forward Malevy Leons and forward Jack Clark both recorded 15-rebound double-doubles, scoring 19 points and 13 points, respectively. Guard Taevion Kinsey finished the game with 18 points, while guard Franco Miller Jr. scored 17 points. Forward Ja'Vier Francis neared his first double-double of the regular season with 10 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks.

Forward Tyler Burton scored a team-high 21 points, followed closely behind by forward Eric Dixon with 20 points. Coming off the bench, guard DeJon Jarreau had 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Guard Nate Hinton collected 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Guard Charlie Brown Jr. and guard Paul Watson both notched 11 points apiece, Brown Jr. adding seven rebounds to his stat line.

A 12-2 Memphis run in the initial minutes was erased by seven unanswered Sea Dub points, knotting the score at 12-all midway through the first quarter. Santa Cruz's first-quarter offense was hindered by 1-for-11 three-point shooting, while Memphis shot 5-for-11 from deep in the opening frame to expand their advantage to 11, 32-21, heading into the second quarter. After falling behind by 15 points less than 90 seconds into the second period, Smith and Kinsey combined for 25 first-half points to initiate a 19-8 Santa Cruz swing, cutting the deficit to 46-42 with 3:35 until halftime. With Santa Cruz outscoring Memphis 24-6 in the paint during the frame, the Hustle relied on another five three-pointers to maintain a 57-50 lead heading into halftime.

The Warriors opened the second half on a 12-4 run to claim their first lead, 62-61, since the 10:23 mark of the first quarter. However, the Sea Dubs' advantage was short-lived as Memphis kept the visiting side at bay, slowly rebuilding a 10-point cushion, 78-68, with less than three minutes left in the period. With Smith scoring nine points across the final 2:12 of the third frame, the Warriors went into the fourth down 80-79 thanks to a quarter-closing 11-2 surge. After a back-and-forth start to the fourth, the Warriors took an 89-84 lead at the 8:15 mark-their largest lead of the game. However, Memphis reclaimed a 102-101 edge behind 23 combined points from Jarreau and Burton in the frame. A scoreless three-minute stretch by the Sea Dubs allowed the Hustle to build a two-possession cushion, 106-101, with 31.5 seconds left. Back-to-back Clark three-pointers weren't enough to complete the Warriors' comeback, as Memphis held on 108-107.

The Warriors will take on the Memphis Hustle again at 5 p.m. PT tomorrow night, Thursday, February 12. Stay up to date with the latest Santa Cruz Warriors news, scores, and exclusive content by downloading the official Santa Cruz Warriors app for iOS and Android. Fans interested in securing the best seats at the lowest price are encouraged to call (831) 713-4400, email scwtickets@goldenstate.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.

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NBA G League Stories from February 11, 2026


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