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G League Santa Cruz Warriors

Santa Cruz Warriors Drop Road Matchup 102-98 to the San Diego Clippers

January 30, 2025 - NBA G League (G League)
Santa Cruz Warriors News Release


OCEANSIDE, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors (8-5) faltered at the finish and narrowly lost, 102-98, against the San Diego Clippers (6-8) at Frontwave Arena on Wednesday night.

Forward Javan Johnson led the Warriors with 21 points and two-way forward Jackson Rowe recorded his third double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Marcus Burk contributed 14 points and two steals off the bench, while guard Yuri Collins finished the night with 13 points, five assists, and three steals. Forward Blake Hinson, in his first start of the season, rounded out Santa Cruz's scoring effort with 12 points and five rebounds.

Two-way guard Trentyn Flowers tallied a game-high 29 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, while guard Kevion Nolan followed closely behind with 25 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Forward Braxton Key finished the game with 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, and forward Keyshawn Bryant contributed 11 points and two blocks off the bench. Two-way center Kai Jones recorded 10 points, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.

Both sides were off to a lackluster offensive start as the Clippers eked ahead, 8-6, halfway through the first quarter after Santa Cruz shot 2-of-10 from the floor to open the contest. After trailing by five - the largest lead of the quarter - the Warriors initiated a 9-0 run to jump ahead, 17-13, with just three minutes remaining in the frame. A putback layup for Yauhen Massalski gave San Diego a 22-21 advantage to end an opening period that saw the Clippers and Warriors combine for 15 first-quarter turnovers and 3-of-18 shooting from three-point range. Six straight points from Key in the first 90 seconds of the second quarter quickly expanded the Clippers lead to seven points, but 14 points from Johnson and Rowe in the frame kept the Warriors within two possessions for a majority of the period. San Diego continued to push ahead, eventually expanding their lead to nine points with 2:52 left in the first half. A 9-2 surge by the Sea Dubs cut the deficit to two before a pair of fast break finishes from the Clippers gave the home side a narrow 53-47 advantage heading into the break.

Struggles on the offensive end of the floor continued for both sides, with neither team scoring more than 10 points in the first six minutes of the second half. A free throw from Rowe made it a 59-57 San Diego lead with 6:38 left in the quarter, but a quick 5-0 run reclaimed a multiple-possession advantage for the home team. After hitting only 25% of their three-point attempts in the first quarter, Santa Cruz made an effort to reinvigorate their long-range shooting, taking 18 of their 24 third-quarter shot attempts from behind the arc. Despite their efforts, the Warriors were only able to connect on three shots from deep, and San Diego defended their lead to close the third quarter ahead, 76-73. Santa Cruz started the fourth quarter on a 11-2 run to claim their first advantage of the game since the 1:18 mark of the first quarter, leading 84-78 with just under nine minutes left to play. A 10-point swing in San Diego's favor saw Santa Cruz's lead short-lived, as the Clippers regained a 93-89 edge at the 4:18 mark of the final frame. Sixteen combined points from Johnson and Collins in the quarter gave the visiting side a 97-96 lead with 2:11 remaining, but the Warriors were unable to hold on and fell, 102-98, to the San Diego Clippers.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will host the Grand Rapids Gold on Saturday, February 1 at Kaiser Permanente Arena (7 p.m. PT Tip-Off). 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@warriors.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.

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