South Bay Lakers Hustle Past Memphis

The South Bay Lakers took down the Memphis Hustle by a 122-117 final tally Thursday evening at UCLA Health Training Center, improving their NBA G League regular season record to 14-10. Jalen Hood-Schifino, currently on assignment from the Los Angeles Lakers, paced South Bay in scoring with 26 points while DeJon Jarreau led the way for Memphis (12-14) with 30.

After a cagey start, a nice flurry from Lakers two-way player Skylar Mays and effort off the bench from Joirdon Nicholas helped build a 10-point early lead for the home team. Hood-Schifino led the way with 10 first-quarter points and the Lakers led 33-22 after one. 

The second period took a turn for South Bay, as missed transition opportunities turned into baskets for the Hustle on the other end. After briefly relinquishing the lead, the Lakers regrouped to go into halftime up by four, 58-54. 

The majority of the third period was back and forth, with both teams exchanging baskets. A tide-turning four-point play from Mays with two minutes left in the frame gave the Lakers a 92-83 edge. After taking a double-digit lead into the fourth, the Lakers found themselves down by one with four minutes remaining in the contest thanks to a 21-10 run by the Hustle. Clutch buckets from Hood-Schifino, Mays and Los Angeles Lakers two-way player Harry Giles III followed, allowing South Bay to re-capture the lead.

Hood-Schifino finished with 26 points, four rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block in 36 minutes, while Mays added 25 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block in 32 minutes off the bench. Giles III tallied 12 points to go along with 10 boards and five assists, good for his first double-double wearing the purple and gold. Maxwell Lewis, also on assignment from the Los Angeles Lakers, ended with 13 points, seven rebounds, one steal and four blocks.

For the Hustle, Jarreau registered 30 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out nine assists, while Davon Reed posted 27 points, brought down six rebounds and shelled out four assists.

Up next, South Bay and Memphis will meet again on Saturday, March 9, at 5 p.m. PT at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo.