College Article Feature: Kings’ Reign Ended by Stars

Written by Will Naughton | Weber State University

The Salt Lake City Stars continued their winning form with a 139-132 comeback victory at home against the Stockton Kings (5-2) in their NBA G League match-up at the Maverik Center on Nov. 22, the first game in their double header against the visiting Northern California outfit.

Salt Lake trailed for much of the game, but pulled ahead decisively midway through the fourth quarter with a free throw from guard Justin Harmon, who scored a season-best 18 points on the night.

For the second game running, SLC guard Sean East II led the scoring with 26 points as a substitute while fellow guards Max Abmas and Walter Clayton Jr. both posted a team-high 5 assists each.

Stockton set the tone early on by starting the game with an unanswered 11-point scoring run, spearheaded by forward Daeqwon Plowden with 9 of those points. Before the first quarter ended, SLC (4-1) found a way back into the game through Harmon’s eight points and two assists, but the opening frame drew to a close at a 25-21 Kings advantage.

The second quarter saw the Stars behind by eight points, with the Kings leading 66-58 at halftime. Plowden, who finished the night with 26 points, continued to put numbers on the scoreboard while Jameer Nelson Jr. knocked down four 3-pointers. The half ended with a flagrant foul from Abmas as hope flickered.

After the break, the Stars came back out slowly and allowed Stockton’s lead to grow to 14 points at one point, but this only set the stage for their late surge comeback in the fourth quarter. Of the hosts’ 139 points, 75 of them came from the bench in a display that showcased Salt Lake’s considerable squad depth. 

SLC center Mo Bamba’s physical dominance in the paint once again laid a foundation for the Stars, recording a game-high 11 rebounds and making four blocks to close the door on Stockton’s hopes of a sixth straight win. Bamba also scored 14 points with seven coming in the pivotal fourth quarter, including an alley-oop dunk that electrified the 1357 fans in the stadium.

The Stars shot 38-86 from the field, 13-34 from the key, and 29-32 from the line. Meanwhile, Stockton hit 44-105 field goals, 25-56 three pointers, and went 13-18 for free throws. Salt Lake had seven players reach double-digit scoring totals.

This win saw SLC climb to first place in the G League’s Western conference ahead of their rematch with the Kings on Nov. 24.