Category: Stockton Kings

G League action: Kings rip Rip City for second night in a row 129-105

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings forward Colby Jones drives the ball against the Rip City Remix at the Moda Center in Portland in G League action on Mon Jan 6, 2024 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

The Stockton Kings visited Portland, OR once again to take on the Rip City Remix in the second half of a back-to-back series. The Kings remain undefeated with a 129-105 win over the Remix on Monday night at Moda Center.

Entering the game, the Kings found themselves tied with the Santa Cruz Warriors for first place in the Western Conference. Both teams were 4-0, and Stockton wanted to extend their winning streak to five games. Meanwhile, Rip City wanted to stay above .500 as they entered the night 1-1.

A win would have major implications for both teams, and given their previous meeting was decided by just seven points, it seemed obvious this would be a hard-fought battle.

The Kings got out to a quick 10-0 lead less than three minutes into the night. While the Kings maintained a lead for the rest of the first quarter, Rip City was able to make it closer as it progressed. After 12 minutes, Stockton’s lead was reduced to just four points as it was 29-25 in their favor.

In the second quarter though, the Kings extended their lead back into double-digits as they led 50-33 at the midway-point of the frame. That number would only continue to grow, as Stockton had a substantial 62-38 lead heading into halftime. They had a massive lead, and now all they needed to do was keep their foot on the gas if the Kings wanted to move to 5-0 to start the regular season.

Stockton maintained pressure to start the third quarter. They kept their lead to 20 or more points for the majority of the quarter and all the way through to the end of it. It seemed that things were heading in their favor and the Kings just needed to close it out.

Rip City started bringing it back a little in the fourth quarter, but they still had a massive hill to climb. Despite the Remix’s push, the Kings weren’t slipping either. Both teams were getting short bursts of momentum, but the gap wasn’t wildly changing.

The Kings ultimately walked away with a 129-105 win. They were led by Colby Jones’ 32 points, while Jon Elmore had a very respectable 24 of his own. James Bouknight led the Remix in scoring with 28 points in the losing effort.

After two hard-fought games the Kings ended up sweeping their trip to Oregon, as they improved to 5-0 on the season and Rip City fell to 1-2.

G League action: Kings make comeback in 4th quarter defeat Rip City 118-111 at the Moda Center and remain undefeated

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Stockton Kings continue to roll staying undefeated beating the Rip City Remix at the Moda Center in Portland on Sun Jan 5, 2025 (Stockton Kings X image)

By William Espy

The Stockton Kings are on the road for the first time of the regular season. They’re in Portland, OR to face off against the Rip City Remix at the Moda Center, a team they played twice during the Tip-Off Tournament. The Kings came out a 118-111 winner over Rip City.

The two teams kept the game close for most of the first quarter, but as it neared its end, Stockton started to pull ahead. After the first, the Kings led 30-22.

The Kings maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the second quarter, but with a few minutes remaining the Remix fought back and brought it much closer. By the end of the quarter, the Kings’ lead was down to just four points with a score of 56-52.

The Remix momentarily took the lead late in the third quarter, but Stockton quickly recovered and took it back. They wouldn’t be able to pull away though, as heading into the final frame they had a narrow, two-point lead. It was 89-87 and either team could walk away victorious.

Rip City quickly took the lead in the fourth quarter, and started to pull ahead a bit. The Kings kept fighting though, and did their best to keep it close despite momentum being firmly in the hands of their opposition. Eventually that effort would pay off, as Stockton would regain the lead late in the fourth quarter, and it would ultimately be enough for them to walk away with the win, 118-111.

The majority of the Kings’ offense came from two players, Mason Jones and Skal Labissiere. Jones finished with 34 points, while Labissiere had 31 of his own. The only other player in double-digits for Stockton was Terry Taylor with 17.

Meanwhile, Rip City was led by Bryce McGowens who has been phenomenal for them so far this season. He finished with 28 points. Henri Drell finished second in team scoring with 18, but was very efficient shooting 7-11 from the field.

The two teams will face off once again on Monday night, as the Remix will look to get back over .500 and the Kings try to remain undefeated in the regular season.

G League action: Kings with strong performances up and down the line up clobber Hustle 118-94

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Guard Dexter Dennis (9) gets an easy lay up for the Stockton Kings against the Austin Hustle at AdventistHealth Arena in Stockton on Thu Jan 2, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

The Stockton Kings hosted the Memphis Hustle in their first game of 2025. The Kings played a strong defensive and offensive game and outlasted the Hustle 118-94 at AdventistHealth Arena in Stockton.

The Kings were assigned top prospect Devin Carter as well as center Orlando Robinson prior to the game, both of whom were in the starting lineup.

Carter, whose first game with Stockton was marred by fatigue, played a team leading 33 minutes, tied with guard Mason Jones. In just his second professional game, Carter recorded a double-double, grabbing 12 boards and putting up 17 points, going 6-15 from the field.

Dexter Dennis, who was coming off of the bench with Carter in the lineup, had a phenomenal offensive performance. He went 8-13 from the field, and 5-10 from three-point range. He also made an impact defensively, leading the team in +/- with +23.

A hot start put the Kings in the lead early, as they outscored the Hustle 27-12 in the first quarter. They further improved their lead in the second, when defense appeared to go out the window. Stockton scored 39 points, allowing only 26 from Memphis.

The trend continued when the Kings outscored Memphis in the third quarter as well, this time by a much narrower margin, 27-26. Heading into the final frame, Stockton had a significant 93-64 lead. They weren’t able to sweep all four quarters though, as the Hustle scored 30 in the fourth compared to 25 for Stockton. It didn’t matter to the Kings though, as they walked away as the victorious ones.

Over the course of the night, Memphis had six players reach double digits for points but they weren’t getting enough from their secondary players. Ultimately, with only their starters and one bench player getting on the scoreboard, it was far from enough to defeat the Kings.

The Kings improved to 3-0 on the season, while Memphis will continue to look for their first win, falling to 0-3.

Strong performances up and down the lineup, on both sides of the court, led to Stockton walking away with a decisive 118-94 win over Memphis.

The Kings will now go on the road for the first time in the regular season as they’ll face the Rip City Remix in a back-to-back for their next games.

G League action: Kings come away with a winner edging Spurs 109-107 at Golden 1 Center

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Stockton Kings Devin Carter had a hot hand in the first half with 15 points against the Austin Spurs at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sat Dec 28, 2024 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

SACRAMENTO–The Stockton Kings traveled a bit north, as they hosted the Austin Spurs at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento for Kings Collide night. The matchup also featured the professional debut of Sacramento’s 13th overall pick from this year’s draft, Devin Carter.

Carter’s first stint was short, playing only three minutes, but during that time he went 2-2 and grabbed a rebound before being taken out for Dexter Dennis. The Kings pulled out to an early lead, but the Spurs quickly got the momentum back on their side and tied it up.

From there, Austin pulled out to a 32-25 lead by the end of the first quarter. They were getting quite a bit of scoring from Sidy Cissoko off of the bench, who had 10 points up to that point. Meanwhile, all of the Kings scoring was coming from their starters. Dennis, who had four points, was the only non-starter to score in the first 12 minutes.

By the halfway point of the second quarter, Cissoko was already at 20 points. At one point, the Spurs had a ten-point lead but the Kings tied it up with roughly three minutes left in the first half.

At half-time, the Kings led 62-56. Carter looked like he had missed no time at all, going 6-10 for 15 points in the first half. Stockton needed to find a way to contain Cissoko though, as he was driving a considerable amount of the Spurs’ offense. Kyle Rode was second on Austin with 10 points.

Meanwhile, Stockton already had four players in double digits. Besides Carter, Isaiah Crawford had 12, Terry Taylor had 11, as did Mason Jones. Taylor also had 10 rebounds, giving him a first -half double-double.

Carter’s dominance continued into the third quarter, as he climbed to 29 points roughly four minutes into the frame. After the Kings took a 13-point lead early in the third, the Spurs clawed their way back and tied it up with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter.

At the end of the third, the Kings had a one-point lead, as it was 86-85. Neither team was finding a way to score in the fourth quarter, as halfway through the frame it was a 93-91 lead for the Kings. The Spurs took two late technical fouls which seemed to spark the Kings’ offense a bit.

With 45 seconds remaining, the Spurs cut the Kings’ lead down to a single point. The Kings let the clock run down as much as possible before Carter got the ball to Skal Labissiere in the paint who extended the lead to 109-106 with the game clock and shot clock being pretty much even.

Riley Minix turned it over with just 16 seconds remaining, seemingly giving the victory to Stockton. Things changed when Carter was forced out of bounds with eight seconds left in the game and Austin regained possession.

Jameer Nelson Jr was fouled by Dennis, sending him to the free-throw line with five seconds remaining. He made the first, then missed the second which was rebounded by Carter. In the end, the Kings walked away with a 109-107 win.

The main difference over the course of the night was that the Kings were able to rely on their starters to drive the majority of their offense. Two of the Spurs’ three leading scorers came off of the bench and they had a total of 55 points off of the bench. As a result, only 51 came from their starting five.

The Kings and Spurs will faceoff again Sunday afternoon from Adventist Health Arena in Stockton.

G League: Jones and Dexter lead Kings with 20 pts each in 117-104 win over Valley Suns

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Scoreboard says it all Stockton Kings get a win over the Valley Suns at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Mon Dec 16, 2024 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings hosted the top team in the West, the Valley Suns, in the second half of a back-to-back on Monday night.

The Kings pulled out to an early 12-3 lead, forcing the Suns to take a timeout. Stockton dominated the first quarter overall, extending that lead to 42-16 after 12 minutes as they shot 66.7% from the field in the opening frame.

It was clear right out of the gate that the Kings wanted to avenge their first loss at Adventist Health Arena of the season on Sunday, and the Suns weren’t able to contain them.

The second quarter was a much different story though, as the Suns charged back a bit. By the end of the quarter, it was 70-52 in favor of Stockton, but the game was now well within reach for Valley. Mason Jones was having himself a game, as at halftime he already had 20 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds for Stockton. The Suns’ leading scorer so far this season Mamadi Diakite was up to his usual tricks, shooting 5-6 for 12 points.

The Suns cut the Kings’ lead even further in the third quarter, and heading into the final frame it was just a five-point game with either team within reach of a victory. The Kings had a tremendous start, but as has been the case many times this season, they struggled to maintain their lead and the opposition fought their way back into it.

The Kings were still converting shots at a high rate, although it wasn’t quite as high as it was after the first quarter. Heading into the fourth, they were shooting just over 55% from the field and nearly 41% from behind the arc. Stockton was also out-rebounding the Suns, leading that category by a staggering amount. The board battle was 42-27 in the Kings’ favor.

The Kings extended their lead to double-digits over the course of the quarter, but the Suns battled back and tried to keep it close. It took until the final minute of the game for the Suns to bring the Kings’ lead back down to single digits, but by then it was too little, too late. The Kings walked away with a crucial 117-104 victory over a very difficult opponent. The win was led by Jones and Dexter Dennis who both scored 20+ points. Drew Timme and Isaiah Crawford also had strong performances, finishing with 18 point a piece.

After the game, Jones spoke about the victory. “We knew we needed to get off to a hot start, and that’s what we did. We knew that if we came out ready and prepared, we knew we’d win, so that’s what we wanted to do.” He then spoke about his personal performance, “[It] just feels good. Just continues to show the hard work and dedication that I continue to put in. Just knowing the team counts on me a lot and I don’t want to let them down, so I just want to take it day by day and continue to get better. I don’t like to lose, so every day I feel like if I give my best, we got a great chance to win.”

Drell leads with 22 in Remix 103-98 win over Kings in Stockton

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings forward Isaac Jones (3) throws down on the Rip City Remix’s forward Henri Drell (55) at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Sun Dec 15, 2024 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–For the second time in three days, the Stockton Kings hosted the Rip City Remix at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton. The Remix took Sunday’s second game 103-98 in Stockton. The Remix led by Henri Drell in scoring with 22 points.

The game started off similarly to their previous meeting, as the Kings went on a long run before the Remix were able to get on the scoreboard. Stockton pulled out to a quick double-digit lead, but once again Rip City fought their way back into it, tying it up with just under four minutes remaining in the quarter.

The Remix would actually take the lead before the end of the quarter, making it 31-30.

Rip City would maintain and extend that lead in the second quarter. Stockton trailed 59-44 heading into half-time. Henri Drell picked up where he left off in the last meeting, leading his team in scoring with 17 points heading into the break. Meanwhile, there was only a single player on Stockton in double-digits, Isaac Jones with 10. The Kings were struggling to make any shots, as they were 35.7% from the field. Rip City also had seven steals, which was the difference maker to this point in the game.

The Remix continued to pull away a bit at the start of the third quarter, but the pace was starting to pick up as the frame progressed. The Kings were starting to run out of time, and that was reflected in the way they were starting to play. Unfortunately for them though, the Remix thrive in high-paced situations.

Stockton was trailing by more than 20 points late in the third when Isaac Jones’s highlight reel dunk over the Rip City defender seemed to spark the home team. Heading into the final frame, the Kings trailed 85-65 so they’d need to make a dent in the Remix’s lead very quickly if they wanted a chance of walking away victorious.

That moment certainly ended up being a turning point, as the Kings went on an 8-0 midway through the final quarter, reducing the Remix’s lead to 92-85 with quite a bit of time remaining. With two minutes remaining, it was a three-point game. A late three-pointer by Alex Reese made it a four-point game, and Stockton took their last timeout with 17.1 seconds remaining. Colby Jones missed a three, and the Kings were forced to foul Justin Minaya with nine seconds left. He missed the first but made the second free throw to put the game essentially out of reach.

Rip City’s 103-98 victory was their first on the road this season, while it was also the Kings’ first loss at home. Drell’s 22 points led the Remix, while Isaac Jones had 31 points and 15 rebounds for Stockton in a losing effort.

The Kings will get back at it again tomorrow night, as they host the top team in the West, the Valley Suns in the second half of a back-to-back.

G League action: Kings pick up six point win over Rip City 127-116 at Adventist Health Arena

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings guard Dennis Dexter (9) shakes hands with forward Skal Labissiere (8) as they took on Rip City Remix at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Fri Dec 13, 2024 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings (8-3) hosted the struggling Rip City Remix (3-9) on Friday night. Stockton outlasted Rip City with a 127-119 win at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton.

Stockton got out to a great start, going on a 10-0 run to start the game. After a timeout, Rip City started getting some momentum back on their side with three quick threes, to make it 10-9. James Bouknight had a highlight reel play to give the Remix their first lead of the night. He stole the ball and pulled out a windmill dunk on the breakaway.

Rip City was 7-for-7 from beyond the arc in the first half of the quarter, while Stockton was 5-for-5. Neither team missed a three in the opening minutes, Drew Timme broke the streak with about 5:30 remaining in the first.

At the end of the first, the Kings led 36-33. Bouknight had 11 points at that point, the most of either team. Dexter Dennis led the Kings with 9. Meanwhile the league’s top scorer, Bryce McGowens had 7.

The second quarter was less offensive than the first. Both teams were missing more shots, and were more responsible defensively. Turnovers were plaguing the Kings, as they were into the double digits less than halfway into the second quarter. By the end of the quarter though, Rip City would find themselves in a similar situation with nine turnovers of their own.

At the half, Henri Drell was the Remix’s top scorer with 16, and his efficiency beyond the arc was great as well. He was 4-6 from three. Stockton’s offense was running through Dennis, who had 16 points and four assists. On the scoreboard, it was 61-55 in favor of the home team.

The Kings would continue to extend their lead in the third quarter and after 36 minutes it was 92-83 for Stockton. Starting the final frame, Rip City came right out of the gate with a full-court press trying to force even more turnovers. The Kings had cleaned that aspect of their game up though, only turning over the ball once in the third quarter.

The Remix weren’t going to make the final quarter an easy one for Stockton. They kept it within single digits, and occasionally brought it within a single possession. Stockton obviously wasn’t going to relent either though, they kept fighting and maintained the lead through hard work both offensively and defensively.

They were forcing turnovers and hitting shots, but still couldn’t pull away. Once it got into the final couple of minutes though, Stockton got their lead to double digits for the first time in quite a while. As the clock continued to run down, Rip City was slowly cutting into that lead once again.

It would end up being too little too late though, as they’d have to start fouling allowing the Kings to extend their lead. The Kings walked away with a 127-119 win, extending their winning streak at home to five games.

Dennis scored 31, while Terry Taylor and Isaiah Crawford had 26 and 23 respectively. Brian Bowen had a double-double with 13 points and 14 assists in the win. Meanwhile Drell has 32 and McGowens scored 28 in Rip City’s losing effort.

Rip City and the Stockton Kings match up once more on Sun Dec 15th for a 2:00pm PST tip at Adventist Health Arena.

Kings get by Warriors 120-117; Kings remain tied for first with Suns

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Skal Labissière forward (8) Stockton Kings gets ready to throw down against the visiting Santa Cruz Warriors at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Wed Dec 11, 2024 (image by Stockton Kings)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings returned home after a lengthy road trip to once again faceoff against the Santa Cruz Warriors. Nick Kerr’s Warriors won two in a row prior to their matchup at Adventist Health Arena, while the Kings lost their last outing against the Salt Lake City Stars but found themselves second in the West Division. On Wednesday night different story the Kings played a close game and defeated the visiting Warriors 120-117.

Stockton Starters: Terry Taylor, Isaiah Crawford, Skal Labissiere, Dexter Dennis, Jon Elmore

Warriors Starters: Kevin Knox, Javan Johnson, Seth Maxwell, Marcus Burk, Yuri Collins

Skal Labissiere opened the scoring for the Kings, and they maintained an early lead but the Warriors were keeping it close. Eventually, the Warriors got their first lead of the night just over halfway through the first quarter. Marcus Burk hit a corner three, making it 18-17 in favor of the visiting team.

Skal Labissiere was the Kings’ main source of offense early on, while Kevin Knox was the same for the Warriors. After the Warriors extended their lead to 20-17, Stockton went on an 8-0 run to regain the lead quickly. Drew Timme made an instant impact off of the bench, scoring six points in his first two minutes on the court. At the end of the first quarter, the Kings led 36-29.

That lead would only continue to grow in the second quarter. For the most part, the Kings maintained a double-digit lead for most of the frame. Dexter Dennis had a strong start to the quarter seemingly scoring at will. At the half, Stockton led 65-55.

Labissiere and Isaiah Crawford led the Kings with 13 points each, while Dennis had 11. Meanwhile, for Santa Cruz, Blake Hinson led his team with 13 of his own while Knox had 11. One key difference between the two teams was efficiency.

Stockton was shooting 57.1% from the field, while their opposition was held to 39.2%. Defensively, the game was a completely different story though. The Warriors had seven steals, which were a big part of the Kings’ eight first-half turnovers, they just hadn’t been able to turn them into points.

Santa Cruz started the second half with energy, going on an 8-0 run to bring the game within 2 points before Stockton was forced to call a timeout. Terry Taylor eventually broke the run, and momentum swung in the Kings’ favor who looked to extend their lead. Stockton’s lead would only be five points at the end of the third quarter, as the Warriors kept themselves in the game.

As the fourth quarter reached its halfway point, the Warriors brought the game back within a single point. Stockton kept trying to pull away, but Santa Cruz kept themselves in it. For the first time since the first quarter, the Warriors took the lead with just five minutes remaining in the game, making it 106-105.

Labissiere quickly put the Kings back in the lead, but from there it was a game of pinball as it went back and forth. With just over a minute left, the Warriors held the lead but Crawford was sent to the free-throw line with an opportunity to tie it up for Stockton.

The Warriors went down and took the lead, but as Yuri Collins went down in discomfort at the other end of the court, Crawford drew another foul. This time, he had a chance to give the Kings the lead on an and-one. He missed the free throw, but Santa Cruz knocked the ball out of bounds, giving the Kings possession once again. Taylor would end up drawing another foul, and his points were the difference maker as the Kings walked away victorious, 120-117.

Stockton Kings game wrap: Kings Collins and Post too much for visiting Santa Cruz in 108-98 win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Forward Kevin Knox II scored a team-high 25 points in the Santa Cruz Warriors’ loss to host Stockton in NBA G League action Wednesday night. (John Lee – Santa Cruz Sentinel file)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings were looking to build on their three-game winning streak as they hosted the Santa Cruz Warriors for the first time this season. Meanwhile, the Warriors were looking to start a streak of their own.

They’ve yet to win back-to-back games but had the opportunity to do so with a victory over Stockton. The Kings ended up extending the win streak to four games and the Warriors didn’t get back to back wins at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Wednesday night. The Kings came away with a 108-98 win over the Warriors.

Santa Cruz Starters: Knox II, Johnson, Post, Spencer, Collins

Stockton: Starters I. Jones, C. Jones, Robinson, Dennis, M. Jones

The Warriors made their first shot of the night, but other than that, both teams struggled mightily on offense right out of the gate. After maintaining a 2-0 lead for multiple minutes, the Kings tied it up and both teams seemed to find a bit more of their rhythm. After Stockton had a brief lead, the Warriors went on a 10-0 run, leading to Stockton’s first time-out.

Terry Taylor got into some early foul trouble for the Kings, picking up his second personal foul with over two minutes remaining in the first quarter. After trailing by double-digits early in the first, the Kings brought themselves back into the game very quickly. At the end of the quarter, the Warriors led 23-21. Both teams were leaving much to be desired offensively though, the Warriors shot 45% from the field, while the Kings were at 33.3%.

Things would look much different at the end of the second quarter. The Kings were quite a bit more efficient, raising their field goal percentage to 43.4% and as a result, they went into the break with a 58-49 lead. Mason Jones and Colby Jones led in scoring for the Kings, with 13 and 12 points respectively. Meanwhile, Kevin Knox II and Quinten Post led the Warriors with 11 and 10 respectively.

Skal Labissiere was having a rare slow offensive night for the Kings, not recording his first points until halfway through the third quarter. Despite this, the Kings continued to grow their lead in the third. They took an 87-74 lead heading into the final frame.

During the fourth quarter, the Warriors tried on multiple occasions to launch a comeback. Each time though, the Kings were able to swing momentum back in their favor. The Jones trio was a big part of Stockton’s offense over the course of the night, led by Colby who finished the night with 27 points.

As the Warriors launched their final push with just under four minutes to go, Kings head coach Quinton Crawford issued a coach’s challenge when Dexter Dennis was called for goaltending in a crucial moment. The challenge was unsuccessful, and the Warriors only trailed by six points with quite a bit of time remaining on the clock.

The Warriors had a coach’s challenge of their own moments later, when the ball went out of bounds. It was ultimately ruled that Stockton touched the ball last, and Santa Cruz took possession. Post fouled out with just over a minute remaining in the game. When all was said and done, the Warriors’ final comeback attempt fell short and the Kings won 108-98.

Kings win home opener 116-112 in G League action at Adventist Health Arena

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Stockton Heat and the Salt Lake City Stars battled in G League action at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Wed Nov 13, 2024 (Stockton Kings photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON-The Sacramento Kings’ G-League affiliate, the Stockton Kings held their home opener on Wednesday night at AdventistHealth Arena, hosting the Salt Lake City Stars, the affiliate of the Utah Jazz. Both teams started their season with a loss, as the Kings fell to the Valley Suns on the road while the South Bay Lakers defeated the Stars. The Kings beat the Stars in close one by four points 116-112 in the home opener.

Kings Starters: Isaiah Crawford, Dexter Dennis, Jon Elmore, Skal Labissiere, Terry Taylor Stars Starters: Dane Goodwin, Isaiah Wong, Keshawn Justice, Oscar Tshiebwe, Taevion Kinsey

The Stars won the tip, but Isaiah Crawford made his presence felt early with a block on Isaiah Wong. That would be the theme of the opening minutes, the Kings were defensively solid getting multiple blocks and a steal in the first two minutes. Importantly, they were taking the ball down to the other end and converting on their possessions as well. Less than halfway through the first quarter, the Kings already had three blocks and two steals.

At the end of the first, the Kings would have a 32-28 lead. Dexter Dennis and Skal Labissiere were both off to a hot start offensively, with nine and six points respectively. As a whole, the Kings were shooting 56.7% while Salt Lake City was struggling offensively with just 34.6%.

Stockton extended their lead in the second half, as Labissiere and Dennis continued to score with ease. Labissiere was 6-6 from the field in the first half for 15 points while Dennis was 4-7 for a total of 12 points. On the other side, Oscar Tshiebwe had recorded a double-double before the game even reached half-time. He had 14 points and tenj rebounds heading into the break.

Throughout the night, Tshiebwe played a big part in the Stars’ being in the game. The Stars were also grabbing quite a few more boards than the Kings, as they led in that category 25-17. Drew Timme was in a bit of foul trouble early for the Kings though, having 3 personal fouls after 24 minutes.

Terry Taylor and Timme stepped up in the second half for the Kings. Near the end of the third quarter, Taylor quickly tied Labissiere for the team lead in points, with 17 apiece. Meanwhile, Timme had 14 of his own. The Kings pulled away quite a bit in the third, finishing the quarter with a 95-74 lead.

Heading into the fourth quarter, it seemed like it was the Kings’ game to lose but the Stars still had plenty of time to go on a run of their own. The Stars did just that, making it a nine-point game with just over seven minutes remaining.

The Kings were also held to just four points in the first five minutes of the quarter, leading 99-90. Wong was a bit part of the reason why the Stars pulled themselves back, with just over four minutes remaining, he was at 33 points on the night.

The Stars brought it within two points, but Labissiere put the game away with seven seconds remaining, extending the lead to four with only enough time for one possession.

The Kings ended up walking away with a 116-112 win, following a strong showing in the fourth quarter by the visitors. The two teams will face off again this Friday, once again at AdventistHealth Arena.