EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The South Bay Lakers opened their G League season in emphatic fashion Saturday night, cruising to a 144-105 win over the Valley Suns in a wire-to-wire performance at UCLA Health Training Center.
Second-year head coach Zach Guthrie watched his team take control early, holding the Suns to just 14 first-quarter points while forward Drew Timme set the tone. Timme poured in 16 points in the opening frame and finished with a game-high 34, adding 11 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes.
South Bay never trailed, shot 50.5% from the field and 50% from three, and led by as many as 40 points.
Rookie guard RJ Davis made a strong G League debut with 31 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including six three-pointers, while adding six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Tevian Jones added 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Luke Goode finished with 20 points, scoring 13 of them in the second quarter.
Six Lakers scored in double digits, including two-way guard Chris Mañon, who posted a standout all-around night with 16 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and three steals.
The Suns had five players in double figures, led by Koby Brea’s 20 points, and CJ Huntley’s 16-point, 14-rebound double-double. But Valley struggled to shoot, going 38.9% from the field and just 19% from beyond the arc.
South Bay will look for a sweep when the teams meet again Sunday at 5 p.m. at UCLA Health Training Center.