South Bay Lakers Take Down Valley Suns 118-98

The South Bay Lakers (6-14) defeated the Valley Suns (12-10) at home at UCLA Health Training Center Saturday night 118-98. Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, currently on assignment, recorded 24 points, shooting 10-16 from the field and 4-6 from beyond the arc, to go with five rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block in his fourth regular-season game with 20+ points.

Lakers guards Quincy Olivari and DaJuan Gordon set the offensive tone for South Bay in the first quarter with two consecutive 3-pointers from deep. A jump shot at the buzzer by James took the score to 35-27 as the Lakers led going into the second period. Valley found momentum in the second quarter, but South Bay held strong to finish the first half with a season-high 65 points and a six-point lead. The Lakers dominated in the third period, garnering a 12-point lead with baskets made from deep by forwards Cole Swider and Alex Fudge. With 2:54 remaining in the quarter, James drained a 3-pointer from deep to extend the lead to 15 points. The Lakers started the final period with a 90-80-point lead, but the Suns quickly closed in with back-to-back three-point baskets and tied the game at 9:14 on the clock. South Bay retook the lead and extended it to 16 points with a dunk by two-way center Christian Koloko followed by a layup by guard Grayson Murphy with three minutes to go. The Lakers outshot the Suns by a 48.8 percent to 38.7 percent margin from the field to secure the victory at home.

Guard Sir’Jabari Rice recorded his second game of the regular season with 20+ points and scored a team-high 27 points to go with two rebounds and three assists off the bench. All five Lakers starters scored in double figures, including an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double by Gordon. Olivari finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and a regular-season high nine assists. Swider posted 16 points, six rebounds and one steal in his second game back in a South Bay jersey. 

Suns center Mamadi Diakite recorded a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double to go with three assists while guard David Stockton scored 16 points to go with two rebounds and seven assists. Forward Tyrese Samuel notched 11 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block off the bench. Five Suns scored in double figures, including forward Jalen Bridges and guard Olin Carter III.

The South Bay Lakers next take off for a four-game road trip before returning home to play the Motor City Cruise March 8 at 5 p.m. at UCLA Health Training Center. Fans can click here to purchase tickets.