Hustle fall to Kings before record Education Day crowd
Photo: Timmy Allen of the Memphis Hustle works against a Stockton defender during Wednesday’s Education Day contest at the Landers Center. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
The Memphis Hustle (8-8) were defeated by the Stockton Kings (10-6), 115-93, a loss that snapped the team’s three-game winning streak. The teams played in the annual Hustle Education Day morning game before thousands of students. A franchise-record 7,677 youthful fans saw the game at the Landers Center.
Adonis Arms paced the Hustle with 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Michael Devoe made five 3-pointers and totaled 17 points. Timmy Allen added 16 points off the bench. Cameron McGriff scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Davon Reed finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
Jeremy Lamb led the Kings with 27 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Jalen Slawson tallied 22 points and 10 rebounds. Mason Jones contributed 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Deonte Burton totaled 17 points.
After trailing by as many as 11 points, Stockton closed the second quarter on a 22-2 run to take a 58-49 halftime lead. The Kings led by as many as 25 in the second half.
Stockton outrebounded the Hustle 55-42 and outscored the Hustle 56-40 in the paint.
The Texas Legends visit Landers Center on Friday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. for a two-game set to wrap up Memphis’ seven-game home stand.
POST-GAME COMMENTS FROM HUSTLE COACH JASON MARCH
ON THE TEAM’S PLAY IN THE GAME:
“It wasn’t our best performance by any means. Overall, I felt like there were two runs that kind of got us. One in the second quarter when I think they went on a 14-0 run to close a half. And then there to start the fourth quarter, they went on another run and we aided that run with some careless passes and stuff. Overall, I felt like taking those two runs out, it was a pretty good game, but those two runs were really bad, and cost us so much in the end.
ON PLAYING BEFORE 7,677 KIDS, THE LARGEST-EVER ATTENDANCE FOR A HUSTLE GAME:
“You know, it was nice to see so many people in the building. They sure are loud when it’s a lot of kids. But it was great. They kind of gave us some energy to start the game going in, you know, into the half. Hopefully they had a good time. Obviously I wish we could have played a little bit better there for those kids but it was great to have people in the building.”
NEXT GAME: Friday, Feb. 9, the Hustle hosts the Texas Legends in the first of a two-game series at 7 p.m. The teams meet again for the second time in the series on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m.
A LADY LEADS THE KINGS: Stockton came to the Landers Center Wednesday with Lindsey Harding as its head coach. Harding played for the Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA and has played overseas in Turkey and Russia. Harding played college basketball at Duke University.
