Forward Kevin Knox II made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 47 second left, and the Santa Cruz Warriors held on to beat the Valley Suns 115-113 in NBA G League action at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, on Monday.
Valley missed a pair of 3-point attempts over the final 30.5 seconds, which sandwiched a Warriors’ turnover.
The Warriors return home after going 6-1 on their seven-game road trip to open the regular season. They’re tied for the top spot in the Western Conference with the Stockton Kings (6-1).
Santa Cruz hosts Mexico City (4-2) in its home opener at Kaiser Permanente Arena on Friday at 7 p.m.
Golden State two-way center Quinten Post was nothing short of phenomenal in the Sea Dubs’ latest. He matched his career high with 30 points and had 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double in five regular-season games.
Knox also recorded a double-double. He had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Guard Yuri Collins also scored 22 points, had nine assists, and two steals.
The Warriors finished with 21 assists and just nine turnovers. They also had a stellar showing on the glass, pulling down 52 rebounds to the Suns’ 46.
Santa Cruz also received solid performances from Blake Hinson and Donta Scott off the bench. Hinson had 13 points and six rebounds, and Scott had 11 points and five rebounds.The Suns also had a player score 30 points, two-way guard TyTy Washington Jr., who also had seven rebounds and five assists, and two players, two-way guard Collin Gillespie and reserve Tyrese Samuel, record double-doubles.
Gillespie had 12 points and 11 assists, and Samuel had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Moses Wood (17 points), Mamadi Diakite (15), and two-way forward Jalen Bridges (12) also reached double digits in scoring for the Valley.
The teams were tied 11 times and traded the lead 10 times in their down-to-the-wire thriller.
Santa Cruz led 31-22 after the first quarter, but trailed 69-55 at the half after the Suns exploded for 47 points in the second quarter. The Warriors responded with an equally impressive third quarter, when they outscored the Suns 39-17 and carried a 94-86 lead into the final stanza.