Sunday sports: Hustle fall to Blue, drop fifth straight
Photo: Adonis Arms of the Memphis Hustle drives over Oklahoma City’s Caleb McConnell during Sunday’s 126-116 OKC victory at the Landers Center. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Arms’ 23 points are not enough to stop skid
Could Adonis Arms be the next member of the Memphis Hustle to get a call to play in the NBA? The affiliate player in his second season from Texas Tech who entered Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City averaging 17.7 points a game has continued to fill the nets, in spite of a now five-game losing streak.
That streak grew by one more Sunday afternoon when the Oklahoma City Blue completed a two-game sweep of the Hustle with a 126-116 victory at the Landers Center. The loss dropped the Hustle’s regular season record to 12-17, while Oklahoma City improved to 17-12 after winning its sixth straight contest. The Blue also completed a four-game season sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate.
Arms continued his strong presence on offense Sunday against Oklahoma City, hitting for 23 points and adding nine rebounds. He hit on 5-for-8 from the three-point line and was 8-of-13 from the floor.
According to Arms, he can provide whatever an NBA team might need, if they call on him.
“I’m very versatile,” Arms said Sunday. “I can play point guard, shooting guard, small forward. I can guard one through four, I can do pretty much everything on the court.”
Undrafted after his senior season at Texas Tech, Arms was claimed by Memphis as an affiliate player last October after spending time with the Grizzlies’ training camp and preseason.
After Sunday’s action, Arms now has scored 10 or more points in 22 of the team’s 29 games during the regular season, and has scored 20 or more points in 13 games. Adonis tallied 30 points against Birmingham on Feb. 25.
But, Hustle coach Jason March has also been impressed with other parts of Arms’ game.
“You saw in the first half today probably his best passing game of the year,” March said. “He passed the ball really well for us and we needed that. He just needs to continue to work, get better, develop, and continue to compete in games.”
Sunday’s contest was a relatively close and competitive one until the final moments of the first half. Memphis led 34-30 after one quarter with Arms leading the way with nine points.
Oklahoma City opened the second quarter with a run of points for a 38-37 lead but the Hustle came back for a 58-57 advantage with Arms contributing 14 points and Davon Reed adding 10 more.
It looked like it was going to be a close game going into the locker room until the final minute of the half. That’s when a couple of late calls didn’t go the Hustle’s way and led to Arms getting a technical foul with 30 seconds left before halftime. The Blue left the floor at the end of the half with a 72-62 lead, scoring the last 12 points of the half.
March felt the end of the first half frustration continued in the third quarter as the game started to get out of hand.
“I think we hung our heads with a couple of missed calls and we came out in the third quarter and let them go on a run and we let it continue to affect us,” March said. “We have to be ready for the next play and just continue to battle through the adversity.”
The Blue were able to grow the lead to 26 points before the Hustle would come back and make a late charge before the game’s end.
“Every single one of those guys competed and we tried to make a run,” March said. “I was proud of the guys for continuing to compete even though we faced some adversity.”
Michael Devoe finished with 18 points. Loudon Love added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench. Timmy Allen and Davon Reed each tallied 13 points. Lucas Williamson totaled 12 points.
Two-way transfer Olivier Sarr led the Blue with 30 points and 13 rebounds.
The Hustle’s five-game final home stand of the season continues as they host the Sioux Falls Skyforce to Landers Center on Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m.
