The Stockton Kings guard Dexter Dennis looks to pass the ball against the Salt Lake City Stars at Maverik Center in West Valley Utah on Thu Jan 16, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)
By William Espy
After a disappointing loss to the Salt Lake City Stars on Tuesday, the Stockton Kings had revenge on their mind as they returned to the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah.
The Kings got out to an early 27-19 lead in the first quarter, and maintained it through the second. Salt Lake City had a high-scoring third quarter which put them in the lead heading into the final frame with the opportunity to sweep the back-to-back between the two teams. An explosive 38 points in the final quarter shot Stockton back into the lead, and they’d walk away with a 120-111 win.
The difference was ultimately the Kings’ ability to have multiple offensive options. They had five players score 17 or more points, led by an unlikely hero, Antoine Davis who finished the night with 20 points. Strong contributions from Skal Labissiere, Terry Taylor, Isaiah Crawford and Dexter Dennis helped the Kings get back to their winning ways.
Davis had a phenomenal night from beyond the arc, as he went 6-10 from three-point range.
Mason Jones struggled a bit shooting 4-11 on the night, but as one of Stockton’s top performers this season they’ll certainly hope to see him back to his normal level of play next time out.
Meanwhile for the Stars, Taevion Kinsey and Justin Lewis not only led the team in points but were very efficient with their shot selection. Kinsey finished with 28 points, going 12-16 from the field while Lewis went 8-11, ending up with a total of 23 points. If Dereon Seabron was able to hit a few more of his shots for Salt Lake City, it could’ve been a much different story. He was 4-15 in general, but went 0-4 from three-point range.
Rebounds also went firmly in Stockton’s favor, as they ended the night leading 46-34 in that regard. Jon Elmore had a strong night defensively, leading both teams in steals with three on the night.
It was a big win for Stockton, as they solidified their position in the standings. They’re currently second in the Western Conference, and they’re quickly establishing themselves as a major contender in the G-League.
The Kings’ next match up will be a massively important one, as they’ll face the leaders of the Western Conference, the Santa Cruz Warriors on the road. The Warriors have spent their entire season on the road so far, so Stockton will have added pressure as Santa Cruz will certainly want to put on a show for their home fans in their home opener










