Stars Shine in 2025-26 Season Opener
G League Salt Lake City Stars

Stars Shine in 2025-26 Season Opener

Published on November 11, 2025 under NBA G League (G League)
Salt Lake City Stars News Release


SALT LAKE CITY - The Salt Lake City Stars opened the 2025-26 campaign with a dominant 121-101 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors, playing in front of a crowd of 4,125 children from 14 different schools across the Granite School District in attendance as one of three Stars Kids Day Games presented by Med One. The season opening victory over Santa Cruz marks the first win for first-year Head Coach Rick Higgins.

The Stars came out hot in the first quarter, backed by a strong scoring effort from two-way forward Oscar Tshiebwe, who tallied 12 points (4-5 FGM, 2-2 FTM) in the opening period. Santa Cruz center Marques Bolden had a big first quarter as well, racking up eight points (3-4 FGM, 2-2 3PM), but the Stars would close out the first period leading 33-21.

Guard Max Abmas began to find his scoring rhythm in the second quarter, going a perfect 2-2 from the field and tallying seven points and Stars rookie and two-way player John Tonje added 10 points in the period (3-6 FGM, 1-3 3FGPM), helping the Stars go up 66-48 going into the half. Second-year Stars guard Justin Harmon would also close the half with a strong scoring effort, posting 10 points (4-5 FGM, 2-3 3PM).

Tshiebwe would pick up where he left off in the second half, scoring another 10 points (2-4 FGM, 3-4 FTM), while grabbing seven rebounds in the third quarter. Harmon contributed six more points (2-5 3FG) off the bench in the third with Warriors rookie guard L.J. Cryer answering with 10 points of his own during the period.

The Stars would hold onto their lead in the fourth with help from their bench, with Cam McGriff scoring a quarter-high nine points (3-3 FGM) while Matt Murrell would tack on six points of his own (2-4 FGM), securing the Stars' opening day victory 121-101

Tshiebwe finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds (7OR, 10 DR), and three assists, marking his first double-double of the season with second-year guard Justin Harmon totaling 19 points (7-12 FGM, 5-9 3FG,) which marked a new career-high.

The Stars will travel to San Diego to face the Clippers in a double-header matchup, with the first game scheduled on Friday Nov. 14 at 8:30 P.M. MT at Frostwave Arena in Oceanside, Calif. The game will be broadcast on Jazz+.

HIGH SCORER HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS FG% 3PT% FT% REB (O-D-T)

STARS Tshiebwe - 27 Tshiebwe- 17 Abmas - 11 .467 .324 .326 22-12-34

WARRIORS Cryer - 25 Galloway - 11 Galloway - 11 .380 .288 .714 18-31-49

Check out the Salt Lake City Stars Statistics

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NBA G League Stories from November 11, 2025


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