Stockton Kings Strike Back With 112-111 Victory to Split Series Against Rio Grande Valley Vipers

The Stockton Kings, the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings (15-8), defeated the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (13-8), 112-111, Friday night at Adventist Health Arena (formerly Stockton Arena). The season series now stands at 1-1.

Kings guard Jordan Ford scored the first basket of the game before Dane Goodwin connected on consecutive threes pacing the Kings on an 8-3 run. Vipers guard Nate Hinton added two points before center Skal Labissiere threw one down in the paint. The Vipers tied the game 10-10 with 8:04 remaining in the first quarter. The Kings and Vipers traded leads eight times before the Kings edged them out, 29-27, to end the first frame. The Vipers struck the Kings early draining six points in the beginning of the second quarter. Foul trouble for the Vipers led to an easy basket for center Gabe Levin, starting the Kings 7-0 run. The Vipers late 10-point run put them on top, 60-51, at the end of the first half. 

The third frame was sprinkled with crucial stops for the Kings by Labissiere and Jalen Slawson. Jones and forwards Stanley Johnson and Shabazz Muhammad connected from the field to give the Kings an 81-80 lead. With 1:24 left in the fourth, the Vipers led by five points before Slawson went on a 5-0 run himself, sending the game into overtime, tied 105-105.

The elam ending target score was identified as 112. Jones’ free throw gave the Kings an early lead 106-105, quickly answered by the Vipers six-point run. Ford’s three-pointer put the Kings back in the mix at 109-111.Samuel Jr.’s foul on Ford gave the Kings a free two points tying the game at 111-111. Drawing one more foul, Labissere went one-for-two from the free throw line to win the game 112-111.

Jones led the game with 31 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Ford punched in 15 points and totaled six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and a block. Slawson finished with a double-double of 12 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. Labissiere earned his ninth double-double on the season, scoring 11 points, pulling down 11 rebounds, and logging one assist, one steal, and two blocks. The bench came up crucial as forward Deonte Burton (11), Johnson (11), and Muhammad (10) combined for 32 points for the Kings. 

Hinton led the Vipers with 25 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a block. Samuels Jr. poured in 23 points and picked up eight rebounds and three assists. Spalding added 19 points and recorded seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Forward Jarett Culver contributed 15 points, six rebounds, five assists, and five steals. 

The Stockton Kings will battle the Salt Lake City Stars at Adventist Health Arena on Saturday, March 2 at 5:00 PM PST.