WASHINGTON, DC – Williams, Clark, and Kinsey combined for 70 points as the Santa Cruz Warriors (13-17) dropped the finale of a three-game road trip, 137-130, to the Capital City Go-Go (16-15) on Tuesday afternoon at CareFirst Arena.
In his first game with Santa Cruz since March 1, two-way guard Nate Williams led the Warriors with 27 points and two steals. Forward Jack Clark neared a double-double with 22 points and nine rebounds, while guard Taevion Kinsey followed close behind with 21 points on 8-for-10 field goal shooting. Center Marques Bolden and guard Chance McMillian logged 17 points apiece for Santa Cruz, McMillian adding nine assists to his stat line.
All five of Capital City’s starters reached the 20-point mark, led by forward Chris Livingston with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Alondes Williams went 11-for-11 from the charity stripe to finish with 27 points, while guard Nolan Hickman logged a 23-point, 11-assist double-double. Forward Chris Mantis tallied 21 points off seven three-pointers, and forward/center Skal Labissiere totaled 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Early offensive miscues allowed the Go-Go to jump out to a 14-4 lead four minutes into the contest. However, Santa Cruz responded as Jack Clark’s quarter-high 13 points spearheaded a 29-5 run to close the frame, giving the Warriors a 33-19 advantage. Capital City opened the second period with 11 unanswered points, but the Warriors maintained their composure to rebuild a double-digit margin, 53-43, at the 3:05 mark. Led by a combined 28 first-half points on 10-for-18 shooting from Williams and Clark, the Sea Dubs entered the break leading 62-53.
Offense came easy for both sides in the third quarter, with both teams shooting over 58% from the floor. The Warriors relied on 22 points in the paint to keep pace with Capital City’s 43-point frame, as a corner three-pointer before the buzzer from Kinsey sent the game into the fourth tied at 96-96. The two sides scrapped through the final frame, sitting within one point with 4:37 remaining, before a 14-5 Go-Go run gave the home side a 129-119 cushion. Santa Cruz managed to cut the margin to four, 131-127, with 31 seconds left; however, a 16-point final quarter from Williams kept the Sea Dubs at bay and guided Capital City to the 137-130 victory.
The Sea Dubs return home to Santa Cruz for a pair of games against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Thursday, March 19, and Saturday, March 21. Both games against the Vipers will tip off at 7 p.m. PT. For more information on the Santa Cruz Warriors, please visit santacruzbasketball.com or call (831) 713-4400. Stay up to date with the latest Santa Cruz Warriors news, scores, and exclusive content by downloading the official Santa Cruz Warriors app for iOS and Android.