SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Sioux Falls Skyforce defeated the Memphis Hustle 120-112 on Saturday evening at the Sanford Pentagon to give the team its fourth-straight home victory and fifth win in six games.
Jarrett Jack (31 points on 13-20 FG, seven assists and six rebounds) scored 14 points in the opening period alone for Sioux Falls (22-20). The game marked Jack’s second 30-point performance in the team’s last three contests. The Hustle were able to trim the Skyforce lead to just three-points at the first quarter break.
Ahmad Caver (23 points and five rebounds) and Venky Jois (10 points and eight rebound) combined for 16 points in the second period, as the Hustle (26-15) were able to tie the contest at 60-apiece at intermission.
Memphis jumped out to a 9-0 run at the 9:54 mark of the third period, which was its biggest lead of the game. Behind Jacobi Boykins (14 points on 4-8 3P), the Skyforce outscored the Hustle by 10 points the rest of the quarter and owned a slim one-point lead with 12 minutes remaining.
Angel Delgado (15 points on 7-9 FG and six rebounds) scored eight points in the final period, shooting four-of-four, which helped create distance for Sioux Falls. Jack chipped in eight in the quarter, as well, to give the Skyforce its second consecutive win over Memphis and tie the season-series at 2-2.
The victory also marked the second game in a row where the Force shot 50-plus percent from the field, while also having six-or-more in double-figures scoring.
Miami HEAT two-way player Gabe Vincent posted 13 points and three assists, while Davon Reed added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Marcus Lee continued to build on his G League leading field-goal percentage (73.8-percent) with 12 points on six-of-seven shooting.
Sioux Falls embarks on a three-game road swing, with the first coming on Thursday, March 12 against the Lakeland Magic at 6:00 PM CT. The Southwest Division leader Lakeland (23-17) will put a three-game winning streak to the test on Sunday, March 8 before facing the Skyforce. Memphis will hit the road on Friday, March 13 against the College Park Skyhawks (20-21) at 6:00PM.
(Matt Dykstra contributed to this report)
