


SAN FRANCISCO >> The Santa Cruz Warriors, fighting to secure a berth in the West Conference playoffs during the home stretch of the NBA G League’s regular season, rounded up their big guns for their annual Chase Center game Sunday.
Guard Pat Spencer and forward/center Trayce Jackson-Davis, both on assignment from Golden State, joined two-way forward Braxton Key and two-way guard Taran Armstrong on Santa Cruz’s roster, and the Sea Dubs secured a highlight-filled 118-107 win.
“It was great,” said Jackson-Davis, of playing with Santa Cruz. “They have high energy, they communicate, they talk. Being down here with Pat, he played well, as well. Blake (Hinson), Braxton, everyone, they share the ball. They play the right way.”
With their win, the Warriors (13-12 overall) climbed into a tie for sixth place with Oklahoma City in the conference standings with nine games remaining in the regular season. They’ll embark on a seven-game road trip and return to Santa Cruz to close the regular season with home games against Rip City Remix on March 28 and 29.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr and several of his players, including Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Gary Payton II, Kevin Knox, and Quinten Post showed up to support their friends.
“Man, it means the world,” said Jackson-Davis, of his teammates’ presence. “It shows that we’re a family. We have great teammates. ‘It’s just us,’ that’s what we always say. In all reality, it just shows that they care. They care about me, they care about this organization. And at the end of the day, I appreciate them a lot because it was great seeing them out there.”
With so many new faces in Santa Cruz’s lineup, there was some sloppy play — it committed 20 turnovers — but there were far more highlights for the Warriors, who shot 54.2% (45 of 83) from the field, made 13 3-pointers, and registered a whopping 29 assists.
The Warriors finished with six players reaching double digits in scoring. Spencer led the way with 25 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. Jackson-Davis had more than a half dozen dunks, on breakaways and alley-oops, and finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, three shot blocks, and two assists.
Key had 19 points and eight rebounds, and Hinson made three 3-pointers and scored 17 points.
Armstrong came off the bench for an eventful 22 minutes and totaled 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
“You can tell he really know how to play,” Santa Cruz coach Nicholas Kerr said. “And he gets after it defensively. He can pressure the ball, he’s always in the scrap to rebound, and he did a good job in the post. He’s much more physical than what he looks like.”
Santa Cruz’s Javan Johnson buried a team-high four 3s for 12 points.
Key, a three-year NBA veteran, and Armstrong, both signed within the past two weeks, said he felt welcome in the organization since Day 1.
“It’s been great, guys have been great,” Key said. “The organization, from top to bottom, everyone’s been very welcoming, with open arms, so I can’t complain.”
Key said he picked up on the team unity immediately.
“The guys are all connected, from top to bottom. Faculty, staff, everybody is, like, connected. It’s contagious. Even with Santa Cruz, everyone’s connected and made me feel welcome when I first got there. I think the connectivity is the biggest difference.”
Key produced a couple of field goals early to help Santa Cruz jump out to an 11-4 lead, but Mexico City guard David Garcia Jones scored nine of his game-high 33 points in the first quarter and the teams found themselves in a 14-all game.
Jackson-Davis was a force in the paint in the second quarter and added to his dunk reel while Johnson lit it up from the perimeter to help stake Santa Cruz to a 45-34 lead, but Jones Garcia and reserve Greg Brown III helped the Capitanes rally and knot the score at 54.
Jackson-Davis elicited one of the biggest responses from the announced crowd of 11,057 when he swatted a shot from Jones Garcia in the paint, and that defensive highlight helped set up Spencer’s buzzer beating jump shot to give the Warriors a 61-56 lead at the half.
Jackson-Davis has seen a severe reduction in minutes since Golden State acquired six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler on Feb. 6.
“I’m just getting my wind back,” Jackson-Davis said. “I kinda let the game come to me, especially in the first quarter, kinda getting used to everything. I haven’t played in a while. It’s been three weeks since I got significant playing time, so just trying to get my legs back under me, and I’m taking advantage of the opportunity.”
Mexico City trailed 69-60 in the third, but Jones Garcia and Oakland native Juan Toscano-Anderson, a former Warriors who helped Golden State win the NBA title in 2022, led a big rally that lifted the Capitanes to a 73-71 lead.
But the Santa Cruz closed the quarter strong with solid ball movement and a variety of players finishing to carry a 89-78 lead into the final stanza.
The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the fourth quarter. Reserve Kyle Rose came off the bench and produced three field goals to pull Mexico City within nine points, 108-99, with 3:03 remaining, but the Warriors closed strong for the win.
Toscano-Anderson fouled out with 34 seconds left and was celebrated by pretty much everyone in the venue. He recorded a triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Only two other Capitanes players eclipsed the 10-point mark. Brown finished 17 points, and Dink Pate scored 14.