Santa Cruz Warriors: Chris Boucher posts 11pts, 3blks in NBA debut

Santa Cruz Warriors, (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Santa Cruz Warriors, (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

In his first game as a pro, Chris Boucher recorded 11 points and 3 blocks for the Santa Cruz Warriors in their loss 117-112 Reno Bighorns.

Following a 1-1 series at the 2018 NBA G League Showcase in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the Santa Cruz Warriors — G League affiliate of the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors — lost their first game back at Kaiser Permanente Arena 117-112 to the Reno Bighorns.

This was the second consecutive loss, both of which have been a part of Surf City’s 7-game homestand. The Sea Dubs began their homestand at the Hershey Centre in a Showcase game against the Raptors 905, which they lost 83-109.

Santa Cruz will play again on Friday in a contest against the Iowa Wolves. Later on, they’ll welcome the Agua Caliente Clippers, Oklahoma City Blue and the Austin Spurs, hosting the Spurs at Oracle Arena before returning to KP Arena to play the Northern Arizona Suns.

Relaying what happened against the Bighorns: Quinn Cook was the most impressive player on the floor Wednesday night, posting 26 points, three rebounds and nine assists in 37 minutes of play. He shot 11-of-21 from the field, 2-of-10 from behind the arc and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

Terrence Jones had his first game back after missing both Showcase games due to personal reasons, recording 18 points and three rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe.

Both Alex Hamilton and Warriors assignee Damian Jones tallied 13 points a piece. Hamilton added four rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks on 6-of-7 shooting, while Jones added eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block on 5-of-9 shooting.

Next: Warriors beat Bulls 119-112

But probably the most significant story of the night: Warriors two-way contract player Chris Boucher finally made his pro debut, contributing 11 points, two rebounds and three blocks on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, 1-of-2 shooting from long range and 2-of-4 shooting from the free throw line.

For a guy that’s missed almost a year due to a torn ACL, Boucher looked pretty solid, scoring eight of his 11 points just seven minutes in the first half. I’m excited to see what he’ll be able to do once he finds his rhythm.