DETROIT – Behind an explosive offensive display and a dominant second-half surge, the Motor City Cruise cruised to a 135–105 victory over the Memphis Hustle on Tuesday night at Wayne State Fieldhouse.
The Cruise (10-9) used a balanced attack and a relentless bench to overwhelm a Hustle squad that struggled to find its rhythm after the opening period. Wendell Moore Jr. set the tone for Motor City, finishing with 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor.
Bench Depth Defines Victory
While Moore Jr. led the starters, the depth of the Motor City roster proved overwhelming. Drew Peterson was a force off the pine, contributing 21 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Other key contributions came from Brice Williams and John Ukomadu, who added 15 and 11 points, respectively.
The Cruise shot a blistering 57.8 percent from the field as a team and connected on 48 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Second-Half Surge
The contest was a narrow one-point game after the first quarter, with Motor City holding a 34–33 edge. However, the Cruise began to pull away in the second period, outscoring Memphis 36–19 to take an 18-point lead into the locker room.
Memphis (3-13) attempted to claw back in the third, but Motor City’s efficiency proved too much. The lead swelled to 30 points in the fourth quarter as the Cruise dominated the paint, outscoring the Hustle 66–58 in the interior throughout the contest.
Tyler Burton led the Hustle with 25 points , followed by Nate Hinton, who provided 20 points in a losing effort. Memphis was hindered by 17 turnovers, which the Cruise converted into 15 points.
Defensive Intensity
Motor City’s interior presence was anchored by the rebounding of Makhi Mitchell and Drew Peterson, who combined for 18 boards. The Cruise finished with a 45–40 rebounding advantage over the Hustle.
The game grew physical in the closing minutes, resulting in double technical fouls assessed to Motor City’s Jaden Akins and Memphis’s Abou Ousmane with 5:22 remaining in the game.
The Hustle host to San Diego Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Landers Center.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
