Short-handed and exhausted, the Santa Cruz Warriors dug deep to set up a thrilling finish in their 2022 AT&T Winter Showcase finale in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Capital City Go-Go’s Kris Dunn scored the winning basket on a driving layup by 7-foot center Jayce Johnson to secure a 108-105 win over the Warriors at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
With the loss, the Warriors (8-10) put the Showcase Cup season to bed. Now, every team’s record will be reset and the NBA G League’s 32-game regular season begins.
The Warriors host Stockton in their annual “Pajama Night” at Kaiser Permanente on Dec. 29 at 7 pm Fans are encouraged to wear their pajamas to the game, and bring a new pair to donate to Project Pajamas. The first 1,000 fans will receive a 10th anniversary nightlight.
Capital City (9-9) led 82-77 entering the fourth quarter, when the game clock was turned off and a 25-point target score of 107 was set. The first team to reach that total would secure the win.
Santa Cruz trailed 106-94 but went on an 11-0 run as the Go-Go struggled to produce the final field goal.
The short-handed Warriors, who saw guard Ryan Rollins and center James Wiseman recalled by Golden State on Thursday, played just eight players.
Johnson continued to take advantage of his increase in minutes. He finished with 13 points and a season-high 17 rebounds.
Lester Quinones led Santa Cruz with 25 points and six rebounds, and Dusty Hannahs made five of the Warriors’ nine 3-pointers and finished with 23 points.
Center Trevion Williams secured his third double-double in as many games by the third quarter, and fifth on the season. He had 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but was plagued by his team-high eight turnovers.
Santa Cruz finished with 32 turnovers and had just 18 assists.
With Johnson’s help, the Warriors out-rebounded the Go-Go 61-33, but Capital City capitalized on Santa Cruz’s sloppy play by scoring in transition.
Santa Cruz’s Wesley Saunders had 12 points and six rebounds, and Gui Santos had seven points, seven rebounds and seven turnovers.
Dunn turned in an all-around effort, and recorded 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and seven steals. Johnny Davis had 16 points and six rebounds for the Go-Go, and Jordan Schakel and Devon Dotson each scored 15 points. Makur Maker had 14 points and six rebounds, and Davion Mintz scored 10 points.
THE SCORE
Go-Go’s 108, Warriors 105
Up next: Stockton at Santa Cruz
When: Dec. 29, 7 p.m
TV: NBA Sports Bay Area
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