Chris Boucher leads Santa Cruz Warriors to win vs. Memphis Hustle
Golden State Warriors two-way contract player, Chris Boucher, recorded a double-double to help the Santa Cruz Warriors best the Memphis Hustle on Saturday.
Playing on the road at the Landers Center for a Saturday afternoon matinée, the Santa Cruz Warriors defeated the Memphis Hustle 126-122. The G League affiliate of the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors improve to 22-22, getting back to the .500 mark and eighth place in the Western Conference.
The game started out even with a 25-25 first quarter as both teams battled back and forth to break their stalemate. The Sea Dubs ended up drawing first blood, exploding for a 37-29 second quarter and a 62-54 halftime lead.
Santa Cruz continued their strong effort out of the locker room, establishing a 96-82 lead going into the final 12 minutes. Despite giving up 40 points in the fourth, the Warriors’ 30-point effort — capped off by a handful of free throws — was just enough to hold off the Hustle.
The Sea Dubs will now head south to face off against the Texas Legends, followed by a visit to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Warriors will head back to Surf City on March 18 to host the Northern Arizona Suns at Kaiser Permanente Arena, kicking off the 3-game homestand that will conclude the year for Santa Cruz.
Chris Boucher paced the Warriors on Saturday against Memphis, recording a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds in 35 minutes. He added one assist, one steal and three blocks on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, 3-of-5 shooting from behind the arc and 6-of-6 shooting from the free throw line.
Damion Lee also dropped in 25 points to go along with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 40 minutes of play. He shot 8-of-12 from the field, 3-of-5 from long range and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Jeremy Pargo played 41 minutes, posting 19 points, five rebounds, 11 assists and two steals. C.J. Wilcox tallied 17 points and two rebounds, while Michael Gbinije notched 13 points, two rebounds and two assists.
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Avry Holmes added 11 points, five rebounds and three assists on 4-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc.