Stars Close Out Tip-Off Tournament With Win over Suns and Improve to 12-2 

SALT LAKE CITY (December 16, 2025) — The Salt Lake City Stars closed out Tip-Off Tournament play with a 141-125 win over the Valley Suns on Tuesday night. The Stars swept the Suns in the back-to-back series and scored at least 140 points in both games, marking the fourth time this season they have surpassed the 140-point mark. The Stars’ 12-2 record ties them for the second best record league-wide with the Austin Spurs.

Valley opened the game hot, shooting 58.3% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc to build a 35-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. Salt Lake City quickly responded, surging ahead when an alley-oop dunk from Elijah Harkless to Mo Bamba gave the Stars a 45-44 lead at the 5:15 mark of the second quarter, their first advantage of the game.

The Stars built their lead to as many as 21 points but had to fend off multiple Suns runs, including a stretch in which Valley cut the deficit to five in the third quarter. Salt Lake City maintained control down the stretch and closed out the game with a 16-point victory.

Two-way guard John Tonje led all scorers with 29 points (10-17 FGM, 4-8 3PM, 4-5 FTM). Two-way guard Elijah Harkless added 26 points (8-13 FGM) and a team-high-tying 11 assists. Rookie guard Sean East II recorded his second straight double-double with 16 points and a career-high-tying 11 assists.

Seven Stars finished in double figures. From the starting lineup, Tonje (29), Harkless (26), Bamba (21) and Oscar Tshiebwe (13) all reached double digits. Off the bench, Matthew Murrell led the reserves with 18 points, followed by East II (16) and Cameron McGriff (14).

The Valley Suns were led by Damion Baugh who scored 24 points, followed by Cj Huntley and Marcus Burk who both scored 19 points.

The West Division champion Stars now head to Orlando, Fla., to compete as a top seed in the Winter Showcase Tournament where the Stars will compete in an eight-team bracket for a chance to be crowned Winter Showcase champions and earn a $100,000 prize to be split among the roster players.