Strong second half offense carried the South Bay Lakers past the Sioux Falls Skyforce 124-119 on Saturday night at the UCLA Training Center shooting 60 percent from the floor in the final 24 minutes.

To put things in perspective, on November 23 Sioux Falls (11-6) wiped out the Lakers (9-9) by 40 points. At the time the Lakers were struggling at a record of 2-7. One night later, the Lakers split the two-game set at the Pentagon and have since posted a 6-2 mark to even their record.

The fourth-quarter stretch that separated the two teams came in the span of 90 seconds that put South Bay up by nine with almost four and a half minutes left in the game. A chance to tie the score in the final 20 seconds for the ‘Force took the form of a Briante Weber three-pointer that was on line, but too strong and the Lakers carried it home at the free throw line.

Yante Maten picked up his 8th game of the season with at least 30 points by hitting it on the number with 17 rebounds to lead Sioux Falls followed by 17 off the bench by Bubu Palo.

The Lakers leading man was Travis Wear who ended with 22 points including a couple baskets in the fourth-quarter surge. Alex Caruso added 17 points, 12 assists and 3 steals.

Sioux Falls will hit the floor again on Monday to face the Iowa Wolves at the Sanford Pentagon. Meanwhile the next action for South Bay will be at the G League Showcase against Greensboro on Thursday.

 

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