Tag: Stockton Kings

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

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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

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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.

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

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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.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings sign Shaquille O’Neal’s son; Sac opens season Thursday night against Minnesota

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Team Luka center Shareef O’Neal (8) looks on against Team Scoot during the second half at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. O’Neal joined the Sacramento Kings minor league affiliate the Stockton Kings concluding the Kings pre season on Fri Oct 18, 2024. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images / Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Sacramento Kings have singed the son of former Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Laker star Shaquille O’Neil, Shareef O’Neal. The Kings made the signing after their loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Fri Oct 18.

#2 Shareef’s mother Shaunie Henderson wrote on instagram that she’s proud of Shareef’s signing with the Kings and proud of him for never giving up.

#3 Shareef will be joining the Kings G League team the Stockton Kings with new Kings signees Antione Davis and Drew Timme. The Kings are hoping to develop these new players who at some point could join the big club in Sacramento.

#4 Barbara, for Shareef he put in lots of work to get the G League there’s very little doubt he got some tips and help from his father Shaquille to help on basketball skills him to get to the Sacramento Kings organization.

#5 The Sacramento Kings open the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. The Kings are coming off a 0-5 pre season but that might not necessarily tell the whole story of the Kings going into the regular season. The Kings head coach Mike Brown may not be showing all his cards as opening night approaches.

Join Barbara Mason for the Sacramento Kings podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Santa Cruz Warriors podcast with Anthony Wang, Michael Wang and Gary Teh: Warriors get the overtime edge on Kings in G League win 121-112

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The Santa Cruz Warriors Jackson Rowe (43) holds onto the basketball against the Stockton Kings at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on Sat Dec 16, 2023 (Santa Cruz Warriors photo)

On the SC Warriors podcast with Anthony Wang, Michael Wang and Gary Teh:

#1 In contrasting games a close one Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Cruz between the Stockton Kings and Santa Cruz Warriors. The Warriors who crushed the South Bay Lakers back on Thursday by 18 saw a tough opponent tonight in the Kings who opened it up with 17 points.

#2 At the end of the first half the Warriors closed the gap down by nine points but were getting some offense from Lester Quinones who scored eight and Kendric Davis with seven points.

#3 The Warriors Donavon Williams who led in their last game last Thursday with 29 points was defended well by the Kings and held to just four points in the first half. It was Usman Garuba and Quinones who came out scoring in the second half.

#4 The Warriors trailed for most of the game got back in it with just over six minutes to play in the game and held a two point lead. They were getting offensive help from Donavan, Quinones and Davis.

#5 Michael, Anthony, and Gary, this game was forced into overtime and the Warriors got some great shot selections and came away with the 121-112 overtime and there was a lot of fighting spirit in this one.

#6 One more note this was Christmas ornament night at Kaiser Permanente where the first 1,000 fans came away with ornaments and fans were more than happy coming away from a thriller like this in Santa Cruz.

Michael Wang, Gary Teh and Anthony Wang covered the Santa Cruz Warriors and Stockton Kings contest at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on Sat Dec 16, 2023

Lakers ruin the Kings’ Saturday night, winning game in Sacramento 101-86

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LAL vs SAC

By Charlie O. Mallonee

SACRAMENTO — The Kings lost the second game of a back-to-back set to the Los Angeles Lakers 101-86 on Saturday night. The loss dropped the Kings record to 7-6 for the season. The Lakers improved to 6-6 for the year. The 15-point loss was the largest margin of defeat at home for Sacramento this season.

Charlie O has the wrap up of the game:

 

Kings head coach Dave Joerger was still proud of his team in the loss:

Team leader De’Aaron Fox was very subdued when talking with reporters after the game:

Frank Mason III quietly tried to explain his team’s performance in the game:

Marvin Bagley III had a calm and mature reaction to the loss:

Charlie O has the Lakers’ stats, which were not all that impressive:

Charlie O also has the Kings’ numbers and final thoughts:

Game notes:

  • The Lakers had a season-high 59 rebounds in the contest
  • LakeShow also had a season-high 17 offensive rebounds, which led to 17-second-chance points
  • The Kings are now 4-2 in back-to-back games
  • Willie Cauley-Stein posted his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds
  • After the game, the Kings announced that Harry Giles III has been assigned to the Stockton Kings of the G-League and will play with Stockton on Sunday. That really is not a surprise. The Kings have used their G-League team to get rookies playing time in the past when they have not been able to get significant minutes with the big club. This most certainly is a temporary assignment.