Wednesday sports page: Southaven native Taze Moore helps Remix stun Hustle
Photo: Nate Hinton of the Memphis Hustle (14) eyes Rip City’s Alex Reese (65) during first quarter action Wednesday night. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Jan. 15, 2025-For the vast majority of the 552 fans who took in the Memphis Hustle-Rip City Remix game at the Landers Center Wednesday night, GG Jackson was top of mind. Wednesday was the first time Jackson, who started with the Hustle and played his way into a full time role with the parent Memphis Grizzlies, took the floor since a foot injury sidelined him back in August.
But on the other bench for the Remix, the G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, was Taze Moore, the Southaven native now with the Remix on a two-way contract. Moore was traded last January to the Remix from the Texas Legends. But in Southaven, he was part of a successful Southaven Chargers team coached by Todd Arnold that won a 6A district championship as a senior in 2016. Moore played at Cal State-Bakersfield and at Houston in college before turning to a professional career.
It would be Moore who had a major impact in the final outcome of Wednesday night’s 132-128 overtime victory.
Trailing for much of the contest, the Remix, led by Bryce McGowens’ game-high 36 points, started a late comeback. The Hustle had a 119-112 lead with 3:11 remaining, a lead that shrank before Moore hit a layup to tie the game at 123-123. It would be Moore again, hitting a floater in the free throw lane for a 125-123 advantage with 3.1 seconds left.
But Jackson was quickly fouled and made two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to knot the contest at 125-125, which would be the score as the teams went into the G League’s unique overtime period set up.
In overtime, teams play to a target score which is the score at the end of regulation time plus seven points; basically first to seven to win.
Jackson would open overtime with a basket and added a free throw when Rip City coach Sergei Oliva went into a vehement rant on a call and got a technical foul charged to him. It would be his second technical of the game and he was ejected.
MoGowens’ layup and free throw tied the game at 128-128 and when Jackson fouled McGowens on the next possession, the Rip City guard added two more free throws for a 130-128 lead.
The Hustle next lost the ball on a shot clock violation and it would be Moore lofting a lob to McGowens for the slam dunk and the winning points at 132-128.
Having an impact on the final result is nothing new for Moore.
“I feel like I’ve been doing that since I was a kid in high school,” Moore said. “So, this was kind of fun to come back home, do it again and stick to my roots.”
As far as GG Jackson was concerned, coach T.C. Swirsky said the main goal was to have him finish the game, being the first time in months he had seen any playing time.
“We’re trying to build up his condition, build up his wind, play within the principles of the offense,” Swirsky said. “At times he looked like a guy who hasn’t played for six months, but at times he looked like the GG we saw last year with the Grizzlies.”
Jackson finished the night with 18 points. Recent acquisition Zyon Pullin led the Hustle with 23 and Armando Bacot added 20 more.
After McGowens’ 36 points, Rip City got 21 points from Alex Reese. Taze Moore and James Bouknight each tallied 19 points for the Remix.
Rip City, a popular alternate name for Portland, improved to 3-2 in the regular season portion of the G League schedule. The Hustle dropped to 1-4.
Taze Moore and the Remix will return to the Landers Center Thursday night to take on GG Jackson and the Hustle. It should be another wild finish to come and see, as hometown kid comes back home against a young talent recovering from injury, who started at the Landers Center ahead of earning a spot with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Wednesday, Jan. 15
NBA G League
Rip City Remix 132, Memphis Hustle 128 (overtime)
