Stockton survives massive Memphis rally in Southaven
Key Points
- The Stockton Kings defeated the Memphis Hustle 117-113 at the Landers Center on Friday.
- Stockton built a massive 28-point lead in the first half before surviving a late Memphis rally
- DeJon Jarreau led all scorers with 29 points for the Hustle in the losing effort.
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — The Stockton Kings built a nearly insurmountable 28-point lead and narrowly avoided a historic collapse Friday night, holding off the Memphis Hustle for a 117-113 victory at the Landers Center.
Stockton (14-6) appeared to have the contest well in hand by the second quarter, utilizing a balanced offensive attack to exploit a sluggish Hustle defense. The Kings dominated the opening period 40-21 and continued the onslaught to lead 67-48 at the half.
Dexter Dennis paced the Kings with 26 points, while Isaiah Stevens contributed a double-double with 22 points and 10 assists. Stockton’s efficiency from beyond the arc proved a significant factor, as the team shot 45 percent from three-point range compared to just 25.8 percent for Memphis.
The Hustle (4-17), however, refused to go quietly in front of the home crowd of 668. Memphis began chipping away at the deficit in the third quarter, outscoring Stockton 31-19 to pull within seven points heading into the final frame.
DeJon Jarreau was the catalyst for the Memphis comeback, scoring a game-high 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting off the bench. The Hustle dominated the interior, outscoring the Kings 68-34 in the paint, but were frequently stymied by their own 15 turnovers, which Stockton converted into 19 points.
Memphis pushed the Kings to the limit in the closing minutes, outscoring Stockton 34-31 in the fourth quarter. Despite the late surge and a strong 23-point performance from both Nate Hinton and Eric Dixon, the Hustle never reclaimed the lead after Stockton took control in the first quarter.
DaQuan Jeffries added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, who moved eight games over .500 with the win. The Hustle will look to snap their slide in their next outing as they continue a difficult regular season campaign.
