Lakers Attacked by the Wolves, Drop Home Contest to Iowa

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.–Despite a valiant comeback effort, the South Bay Lakers (1-2), the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, fell to the Iowa Wolves (4-0), 113-99, on Sunday night at the UCLA Health Training Center.

The Lakers were locked in early on defense with seven-foot-one center Jay Huff recording two of his career-high six blocks on the night in the first 12 minutes of play. Fellow starter Chaundee Brown Jr. led South Bay with nine points on 4-6 field-goal shooting in the opening frame, but the Wolves kept pace to keep the score tied at 24 going into the second quarter.

Iowa big man Jordy Tshimanga was dominant on the boards all night long, collecting 13 of his career-high 17 rebounds in the first half. Mac McClung, back in a Lakers uniform for the first time since completing two 10-day contracts with the Chicago Bulls, guided South Bay in the first two quarters with eight points, six rebounds and four assists, but Iowa was able to pull ahead to take a 50-44 halftime lead.

The Wolves came out of the break firing, opening up the third with a quick 10 points to extend their lead to 12. South Bay fought back, but Isaiah Miller’s 10 bench points in the quarter for Iowa helped the away team extend their lead going into the final frame, 79-67.

The Lakers made a late run in the game, cutting what was a 16-point lead for Iowa to just six midway through the fourth quarter, but the Wolves held strong. Matt Lewis and Vincent Edwards scored 10 points apiece in the final frame to help secure the victory for Iowa, 113-99. All Wolves starters scored in double figures as Iowa remains undefeated in the regular season with a perfect 4-0 record.

Coming off a career-high 44-point, 17-rebound performance Friday night in Salt Lake City, Lakers two-way playmaker Mason Jones dropped 28 points on 10-22 field-goal shooting with seven rebounds and five assists. Fellow Lakers two-way player Sekou Doumbouya led the bench unit with 11 points and eight rebounds while Mac McClung nearly had a triple-double with 18 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and eight assists.

The South Bay Lakers will head east for a six-game road trip starting on Tuesday, January 18 as they take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce (2-4) at 4:30 P.M. PT at the Sanford Pentagon.