The Santa Cruz Warriors’ most recent road trip has been long. Their flight home might feel even longer.
Santa Cruz played arguably its worst game of the season Tuesday in falling 138-94 to the Northern Arizona Suns in front of 1,149 fans in an NBA G League game at the Prescott Valley Events Center.
How bad was it?
• By halftime, the Warriors (10-7) already trailed by 28, 69-41, and had twice as many turnovers as the Suns. They finished with 22 turnovers to the Suns’ 11.
• In the third quarter, they allowed one player, Xavier Silas, to sink four 3-pointers back-to-back-to-back-to-back, accounting for all but two points in a Northern Arizona 14-0 run.
• Had the Warriors scored just seven fewer points, they would have given the Suns (6-9) their franchise record for fewest points allowed in a game.
Santa Cruz avoided that fate, but they dropped their second loss in a row, wrapping up the 10-day road trip with a 1-2 record. They return to Kaiser Permanente Arena on Friday, when they will take on Memphis at 7 p.m.
Damion Lee led Santa Cruz with 20 points and 2 1/2 blocks. He went 1-for-4 on 3-pointers, which was indicative of Santa Cruz’s struggles all night. Usually the best 3-point shooting team in the G League at about 51 percent, they made just 31 percent against the Suns (8 of 26). They weren’t much better from the field, finishing 36 of 88 for a 41-percent average.
Avery Holmes followed with 18 points, while Damian Jones and Georges Niang added 16 points apiece. Jones also grabbed 11 rebounds and Niang made six assists.
The Suns, paced by Silas’ 23 points on 7 of 13 shooting from behind the arc, shot much better for the game. They made 48 percent (23 of 48) of their long-range attempts and 53 percent (50 of 95) from the field.
Askia Booker added 20 points and Derrick Jones, Jr. made 17 with 10 rebounds as six players finished in double digits. Jones Jr. was playing for Northern Arizona for the first time after being cut by the Phoenix Suns five days ago to make room for Mike James.
With the win, Northern Arizona halted a three-game skid and a four-game home losing streak.
Santa Cruz kept pace with the Suns in the first quarter, and the teams were tied at 21 all with 7:15 left in the period. The Suns then went on a 10-0 run, however, to seize a lead they would never relinquish. By the end of the period, they led 43-27.
The Suns are 5 1/2 games behind Santa Cruz for third place in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division.
