The Santa Cruz Warriors concluded the year with an unfortunate loss to the Reno Bighorns.
The 2017-18 NBA G League regular season came to a close for the Santa Cruz Warriors on Sunday, ending with a loss 113-105 loss to the Reno Bighorns at Kaiser Permanente Arena.
The G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors finish their season with a win/loss record of 23-27 (.460), which is only the second time in Santa Cruz history the team has finished with a losing record.
The contest was highly contested throughout the night, starting with a 29-27 first quarter. Santa Cruz came within seven by the end of the first half, which was capped off by a buzzer-beating half court shot from Michael Gbinije.
Both teams continued to keep things even in the third quarter, ending with a 94-87 lead for the Bighorns. A quick 7-2 run brought the Sea Dubs to within two in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, but Reno answered with a run of their own to help close out the game.
Thank you, #SeaDubNation for a great season! 💛💙 Missed tonight's game? Get all the highlights here! #thatsawrap #DubNation #NBAGLeague pic.twitter.com/NkLkTCYdNt
— Santa Cruz Warriors (@GLeagueWarriors) March 25, 2018
Terrence Jones paced Santa Cruz with 18 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and one block in 24 minutes off the bench. Warriors assignee Damian Jones also finished with 18 points to go along with eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks on 8-of-11 shooting.
Jeremy Pargo recorded a double-double with 16 points, 12 assists and three steals on 7-of-15 shooting. Kevin Young started at small forward, posting 16 points (7-9 FG), eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
Michael Gbinije added 16 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from behind the arc. Warriors two-way contract player Chris Boucher shot just 1-of-8, tallying four points, seven rebounds, two assists and four blocks.
Quinn Cook was in Surf City to catch the action courtside, supporting his teammates as they closed out the season. While it’s entirely possible the dynamic floor general could have played, the Warriors smartly held him out the fray, keeping him out of harm’s way.
Next: Sea Dubs lose twice in one night vs. Iowa
As everyone is well aware, the injury bug has been incredibly tough on Golden State, most recently affecting Stephen Curry. The Warriors will need cook to help keep the team afloat as the playoffs quickly approach.