Midway through the second quarter saw a scramble for the ball lead to pushes, shoves and words exchanged between the Laketown Squadron and Austin Spurs Sunday afternoon. That back-and-forth scuffle reflected the entire game, as the teams traded bucket for bucket before the Spurs were finally able to pull away in the fourth quarter for a 117-110 victory.
“Obviously, we’re continuing to build, only being two games in; but again, I keep going back to it because it’s true,” Spurs head coach Chris Kent said. “The high character people in that locker room make it so we’re connected. They all play with each other, and it’s been fun to be with them.”
Both teams shot over 40% from beyond the arc today on 37 attempts from Laketown and 48 from Austin. The two teams were almost identical in every major statistical category besides one that made the difference: offensive rebounds. The Spurs outrebounded the Squadron 16-6, creating multiple second-chance opportunities to keep their lead.
In a game where neither team could grab momentum until the end, having a spark plug off the bench to keep pace was something Austin benefitted from in the form of guard R.J. Davis. He finished with 21 points off the bench while going 2-3 from three today.
“To me, it doesn’t matter — starting, coming off the bench, it’s about how you make impact,” Davis said. “That’s on the forefront of my mind, and it’s obviously winning. So, coming off the bench, it’s kind of just bringing the spark, running the second unit, picking up full courts, doing all the little things.”
Davis continued the momentum of a starting lineup that were no slouches themselves. Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the team with 25 points, while forward Terry Taylor finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds, a double-double.
Elite offensive ability is something Austin has displayed in their two games to open the season, scoring 110+ points in both.
Laketown did apply some pressure late into the game. While it didn’t change the outcome, it exposed an issue that the Spurs showed in their season opener against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
After nearly blowing a 14-point lead on Friday night, the Spurs entered the fourth quarter only up by four. Kent is satisfied with how his team closed out against the Squadron, but still wants more.
“We did well enough to win; so obviously, you want to get out and learn from a win rather than a loss, so I’m happy with that,” Kent said. “But there’s still stuff you need to clean up, and it’s going to be the case every game. But again, the guys stuck together in the huddles. They’re saying the right things.”
Austin now starts its season 2–0 with back-to-back strong offensive performances. The Spurs won’t return to play until next Sunday against the Memphis Hustle at 3 p.m. CT. It will be Princess & Pop Night at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park and Kent answered the question all fans will be wondering, who’s his favorite Disney princess?
“I’m going Jasmine,” Kent said. “Because I really like Aladdin.”
