Thursday sports: Hustle finish Showcase with win over Motor City
Thursday, Dec. 22
NBA G League Winter Showcase-Las Vegas, Nevada
Memphis Hustle 112, Motor City Cruise 100 (box score)
The Memphis Hustle (11-7) closed their two-game NBA G League Winter Showcase schedule with a 112-100 win over the Motor City Cruise (4-14) in Las Vegas. Memphis won both Winter Showcase contests, including Tuesday’s 101-90 victory over the Westchester Knicks.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. posted his seventh double-double of the Showcase Cup with 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, while Jake LaRavia recorded 20 points for the Hustle, which built a 60-37 halftime advantage after closing the second quarter on a 24-4 run. Memphis led by as many as 25 points early in the third quarter.
Memphis’ other three starters – Dakota Mathias (13 points), Kennedy Chandler (12 points) and Vince Williams Jr. (10 points) – were among six Hustle players in double figures.
Keifer Sykes and Stanley Umude scored 18 points apiece to lead the Cruise. David Nwaba added 16 points.
The Cruise pulled within eight points in the fourth quarter and trailed 109-100 before the Hustle hit the target score with an inbounds alley-oop from LaRavia to Williams Jr., who was fouled on the layup and finished the game from the free throw line.
Memphis shot 52.1 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range to neutralize Motor City’s 20-0 edge in second chance points.
The Hustle will begin their 32-game regular season slate, starting with a home back-to-back against the South Bay Lakers from Dec. 29-30 at the Landers Center in Southaven.
