G League Sioux Falls Skyforce

Game Preview: Skyforce vs Capitanes

Published on February 23, 2023 under NBA G League (G League)
Sioux Falls Skyforce News Release


Mexico City Capitanes (14-6)

Last Meeting: N/A

Livestream: ESPN+

All-Time Record: 0-0

Streak: N/A

After a 10-day break, Skyforce basketball returns with just 12 games remaining to decide the team's fate on the 2023 NBA G League Playoffs race. The team currently sits tied for sixth place, good for the final Western Conference spot. Only 3.5 games separate Sioux Falls from first seeded Memphis Hustle.

Of the 12 games remaining, six are against teams currently in position to make the playoffs. Four are against the 12-14th teams in the West and a two-game swing with G League Ignite (Mar. 15 & 17) who are three games back of the Force.

Sioux Falls comes into the first ever match-up with the Mexico City Capitanes after dropping a 124-115 game against Salt Lake City on 2/13 where Justin Champagnie reeled off 43 points on 16-31 FGA and 13 rebounds. They feature Mason Jones (team-high 25.5 points on 52.7 percent shooting and 5.3 assists) and Gary Clark (19.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals).

In Mexico City's first game back from All-Star Weekend, they defeated the Iowa Wolves 124-116 behind 33 points from Alfonzo McKinnie. All five Capitanes starters scored in double figures, as eight-year NBA veteran Kenneth Faried added 19 points and 13 rebounds in the effort.

A victory tonight would move Sioux Falls to just 2.5 games away from the third spot, which guarantees at least one home playoff game.

The Skyforce travels to play the Oklahoma City Blue (7-14) on Tuesday, with tip-off slated for 12:00 PM from the Paycom Center.

THREE THINGS:

CHAMPAGNIE SETS THE TONE

- Justin Champagnie's 43 points scored on 2/13 is tied for the fourth-best scoring outpour in franchise history.

It marked just the second 40-point game in the last three seasons. Javonte Smart was the last player to do such, as he posted 40 points on 2/15/22. Champagnie was just four points away from passing Skyforce Head Coach Kasib Powell (46) for second and nine points from Scotty Hopson's (52) all-time record.

BOUYEA'S BACK

- Jamaree Bouyea returns to the Skyforce after earning the franchise's sixth NBA Call-Up of the season. Six NBA Call-Ups is good for first in the NBA G League this season.

The Skyforce is 7-2 this season when Bouyea scores 19-plus points, 7-4 with five-plus boards and 4-1 when he has seven-plus rebounds. He is one of six players (two with 10-plus games played) to average 19-plus points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists.

HOME HIGH NOTE

- For the second time this season, Sioux Falls has a four-plus home winning streak.

Combined with the Showcase Cup, the Force is 13-5 this season at the Sanford Pentagon. The team will play three of their next four games at home.

Check out the Sioux Falls Skyforce Statistics

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NBA G League Stories from February 23, 2023


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