Bronny James helps South Bay Lakers end losing streak

EL SEGUNDO, Calif - It was an encouraging showing for the South Bay Lakers, as they handled the Valley Suns 118-98 and put their four-game losing streak to bed on Saturday evening at the UCLA Health Traning Center.

It was a promising opening quarter for South Bay as they drilled 52.2% of their shots, including a 5-11 showing from beyond the arch. Bronny James, Cole Swider, and Quincy Olivari each posted 7 in the frame as the Lakers took a 35-27 lead into the second.

Despite going 0-6 from deep in the second, South Bay managed to stay ahead thanks to some solid play from the inside. Sir'Jabari Rice managed to take over, pouring in 14 points on 6-8 shooting in just 7 minutes on the court.

Rice ultimately finished as the game's leading scorer, pouring in 27 points in just 22 minutes on the floor. South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie had high praise for Rice and his ability to be efficient with his playing time.

"He's one of our best pick and roll players...he plays with pace and poise in the pick and roll," he said. "Credit to him, he's been working and he's a guy that has to be efficient in smaller minutes. Those guys are valuable"

It was not a productive quarter for Bronny, who picked up his third foul with just under 8 minutes to play in the second. He would spend most of the remaining minutes in the period on the bench.

Thanks to a 3-19 showing from deep for the Suns in the half, the Lakers still managed to head into the locker room with a 65-59 edge.

In a back-and-forth third, Bronny made sure to help set the tone for South Bay. He delivered five quick points on his way to an 8-point frame to bring his game total up to 19. 

Forward Cole Swider also managed to find his groove in the third, contributing 8 of his own via a pair of threes and a two-point bucket. Swider, who rejoined the team in their previous game (where he dropped 36), spoke postgame about his six-week break from basketball and the challenges that came with it.

"I think for me, I love to play the game of basketball," he said. "Not playing for six weeks and sitting at home healthy was probably the most difficult thing for me. I love to play the game, I love to compete, I love the little nuances...I think not having that was really tough but I'm excited that I get to finish the year playing."

Swider ultimately finished with 16 points and 6 assists, giving the starting lineup a solid burst of energy. He was +18 in the game.

DaJuan Gordon continued his promising showing, as he quietly piled up 11 points and 9 rebounds through the first three quarters. Gordon was one of six Lakers to finish with double-digits in scoring.

The Lakers took a 90-80 lead into the fourth, where things began to slip away. A 10-0 run to start the quarter for the Suns quickly evened things up at 90 with about nine minutes remaining.

However, South Bay combatted with a 15-5 run of their own to regain some much-needed breathing room and stop the bleeding. James Jr. and Rice came through with big buckets to quiet the Valley run as they showed their composure.

The Suns could not find a final push for themselves as the Lakers ultimately managed to cross the finish line in promising fashion and secure the much-needed win. 

Following the contest, Bronny (24 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds) spoke about the team's ability to navigate the Valley run and stick to their game despite the pressure.

"I think we kept executing our game plan...we kept with it," he said. "We felt that run a little bit but we were able to fight back...I feel like it's a good step in the right direction.

South Bay, as they finished off a season series sweep of the Suns, improved to 6-14 and 4-7 at home. They'll have a five-day layoff before returning to action on February 28 as they visit the Salt Lake City Stars.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT.