Photo: Terrell Brown of the Memphis Hustle is shown in action against the NBA G League Ignite Thursday night at the Landers Center. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
NBA G League Ignite (7-13) fell to the Memphis Hustle (16-5), 123-97, on Friday at the Landers Center in Southaven before the Hustle’s largest non-school day game crowd of the season at 3,813.
Sidy Cissoko scored a season-high 24 points with six rebounds and four assists on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 from the three-point line to lead the way for Ignite. Leonard Miller (17 points, 16 rebounds) continued to fill the stat sheet after recording his fifth consecutive double-double. His 16 rebounds marked a season high. London Johnson finished with 16 points and three assists.
Ziaire Williams led the way for the Hustle after recording a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds on 10-of-17 shots from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Vince Williams Jr. posted 20 points and six rebounds, while Matt Hurt finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Kennedy Chandler added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
The Hustle built a 25-point lead in the first half due to a stellar offensive performance, led by Ziaire Williams and Kennedy Chandler. Williams poured in 19 of his 24 points on 8-of-12 shots from the field, including 2-of-3 from the three-point line in that span, while Chandler pitched in 11 points to help the Hustle record 70 points heading into halftime. Ignite struggled to keep pace with the Hustle after being held to a 37.3 shooting percentage, including 20 percent from the three-point line in the first half. Ignite left 10 points at the foul line after missing six free throws en route to a 25 percent free throw percentage through two quarters. Sidy Cissoko and Leonard Miller led the way for Ignite in the first half after scoring 13 and 10 points, respectively.
The Hustle maintained its lead throughout the second half after Vince Williams Jr. and Matt Hurt added 13 points apiece in that span. The Hustle continued its stellar shooting performance after halftime as the Hustle shot 53.3 percent from the field and 45.9 percent from behind the arc through four quarters. Ignite continued to struggle throughout the second half after shooting 36.2 percent from the field, including 25 percent from the three-point line. Sidy Cissoko continued his huge night with 11 points, while John Jenkins added 10 points in the second half. The Hustle took its largest lead of 30 points in the fourth quarter to coast to their six-straight victory.
