College Article Feature: Stars Stay Perfect on New Year’s Eve

Written by Will Naughton | Weber State University

Following their triumphant NBA G League Winter Showcase performance in Orlando, Florida, the Salt Lake City Stars closed out 2025 with a 144-130 home win at the Maverik Center against the Memphis Hustle on Dec. 31, extending their perfect regular season start to 3-0.

SLC two-way guard Elijah Harkless set the pace with a season-high 39 points and eight assists as six more Stars scored in double digits. John Tonje (26), Cameron McGriff (15) and Justin Harmon (11) achieved that feat from the starting five as Sean East II (24) Matthew Murrell (11) and Max Abmas (11) each made their mark as substitutes.

Stars center Steven Crowl made his first start of the season and displayed his physicality in the absence of two-way player Oscar Tshiebwe and Mo Bamba, the latter of whom earned Salt Lake’s first NBA call-up of the season by signing a one-year contract with the Toronto Raptors on December 29. 

SLC coach Rick Higgins was impressed with how the Crowl and the rest of the team adapted and won without the size they’ve boasted throughout the season.

“It just makes the game much different,” Higgins said. “One of the guys at halftime was walking by and just said that the game feels weird. That’s just the realistic nature of where we’re at; we’re in a completely different roster composition. But, that being said, Steve did his part tremendously.”

Crowl’s first-quarter put-back layup placed the hosts ahead with 8:28 remaining, and Salt Lake maintained their advantage by as many as 12 points in the opening half before ultimately heading into the locker room with a 71-60 halftime lead. Memphis point guard Jahmai Mashack briefly reclaimed the scoreboard at 58-56 for the visitors with a mid-range jumpshot with 3:21 left in the second frame, but McGriff put the Stars back on top for good with a finger roll lay-up just one minute later

Although leading comfortably, the Stars did not slow down in the second half and pushed their lead as high as 23 points when Harkless knocked down a step-back jumpshot for his 30th point of the New Year’s Eve showdown. Hustle forwards Nate Hilton and Charlie Brown Jr. scored 32 and 24 points respectively, but could not overpower the home side and fell to 1-4 in regular season play.

Tonje, a rookie who played collegiately for Colorado State University, the University of Missouri and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has steadily improved throughout the season and shone offensively again with 10-16 FGM and 3-6 3PM as he adapts to the professional level.

“There’s a lot of false action in college,” said Tonje. “I’m just learning that every play is live. There’s angles and small, nuanced things of the game.”

Salt Lake will return for more home action with a double header against the Rip City Remix on Jan. 2 and 3 at 6:00 MST.