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Stars Fall to Lakers in 2026-27 Season Opener

By Salt Lake City Stars Staff /November 7, 2026

The Salt Lake City Stars fell to the Coachella Valley Lakers, 98-104, in their 2026-27 season debut on the road. Two-way guard Trey Alexander led the Stars with 20 points, followed closely by guard Tamar Bates with 18. Two-way forward Harrison Ingram recorded a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

The Stars came out strong in the first quarter, with Alexander scoring the team’s first points of the season as Utah jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The Stars held a 26-23 advantage at the end of the period before the Lakers opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run. Coachella Valley carried a 48-45 lead into halftime. The Stars battled back in the third, cutting the deficit to one, 50-49, but the Lakers pulled away once again, building their largest lead of the game at 11 points in the third period. The fourth quarter featured an exciting back-and-forth battle, highlighted by Bates’ 13-point performance in the period. The Stars took a two-point lead, 86-84, with 7:36 left in regulation, but the Lakers took control in the final minutes to hand Salt Lake City their first loss of the season.

GAME NOTES

  • Two-way guard Trey Alexander finished with a team-high 20 points, six rebounds and four assists.
  • Guard Tamar Bates followed with 18 points (13 in the fourth quarter) and seven rebounds, shooting 50% from three-point range.
  • Two-way forward Harrison Ingram led the Stars with 14 rebounds, while center Jonas Aidoo added 12 boards, helping Salt Lake City outrebound Coachella Valley 57-45.
  • The Stars outscored the Lakers 20-7 in second-chance points.
  • Ingram recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while also adding three assists and three steals.
  • The back-and-forth game featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes.

UP NEXT

The Stars will make their home debut with back-to-back Kids Day games, presented by Med One Group, on Nov. 10 and 11 at the Delta Center against the Rip City Remix. Tip-off for both games is scheduled for 10:30 A.M. MT.