LEGENDS GROUND SKYFORCE FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT VICTORY
January 26, 2018 - NBA G League (G League)
Texas Legends News Release
FRISCO, TX - The Texas Legends (19-11) rounded out a perfect five-game homestand with a 126-118 victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce (15-16) Thursday night in Frisco.
Texas took a 7-0 lead off of tipoff before Sioux Falls responded with a 9-point run to jump ahead. The Mavericks two-way duo (Johnathan Motley and Jalen Jones) answered with back-to-back baskets to regain the lead and the Legends never relinquished it. Spreading the offensive attack in the second, Texas built up a 21-point advantage heading into the locker room behind a combined 15-point effort from Donald Sloan and JJ Avila. The 39-point quarter seemed to put the Legends out of reach, but the tables turned in the second half.
Texas took their largest lead of the night with an early basket from Motley, but a 15-0 run from the Skyforce would cut the lead to single digits. Sioux Falls shot 52% and knocked down 9-of-10 from the charity stripe to outscore Texas 38-21 in the third and pull within four points of the home team. Texas wouldn't give up their hot streak that easily, and once again spread the scoring to take over the fourth. With 3:45 to play, Wade Baldwin IV slammed one in, putting Texas up by 17 and out of reach of the Skyforce's efforts.
Motley and Jameel Warney led the Legends with 21 points each with Motley (11 rebounds, 4 assists) and Brandon Ashley (16 points, 13 rebounds) finishing with double-doubles. Baldwin finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and a team-high 9 assists, 5 steals. Sloan added 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists and Jalen Jones matched his points and rebounds off the bench to round off the double-digit scorers.
Matt Williams Jr. led the Skyforce with 30 points while AJ Hammons finished with 18 points, a game-high 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
The Legends will hit the road for their next two games, facing the Iowa Wolves Saturday at 7pm and Memphis Hustle on Monday at 10:30am.
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