Santa Cruz Warriors win over Spurs 97-83 advancing to D-League finals

Courtesy of the Santa Cruz Warriors

WARRIORS ADVANCE TO THIRD STRAIGHT NBA D-LEAGUE FINALS

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The Santa Cruz Warriors defeated the Austin Spurs, 97-83, in Game 3 of the Western Conference FinalsMonday night to advance to the NBA D-League Finals for the third straight time. 

Santa Cruz was paced by Elliot Williams who recorded 31 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocked shots. Ognjen Kuzmic, on assignment from the Golden State Warriors, finished with 20 points and a game-high of 16 rebounds.

The Spurs received a solid performance from Kyle Anderson, on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, who finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals. Orlando Johnson contributed with 18 points.

Though Santa Cruz would lead by as many as 8 points in the opening frame, Austin stayed within striking distance to even the score four different times. The Warriors would never concede a first quarter lead, with the two squads knotted at 25 entering the second frame. The second quarter would continue the tightly-contested battle, with Santa Cruz entering the break with the four-point edge.

The third quarter would see Santa Cruz outscore the Spurs 29-20 to lead by as many as 15 points. Santa Cruz extended their lead in the final frame, coasting to a victory over Austin.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will head to Fort Wayne on Thursday to take on the Mad Ants in Game 1 of the NBA D-League Finals. Action is scheduled to tip-off at 5:00p.m. PST and will be broadcast on the Santa Cruz Warriors flagship station, KION 1460AM/101.1FM, and on ESPNews.

Tickets for the NBA D-League Finals are now on sale. Fans interested in purchasing playoff tickets are encouraged to log on to www.santacruzbasketball.com or call the Santa Cruz Warriors front office at (831) 713-4400.

Dates and times of the NBA D-League Finals are as follows: 

Game 1	Thu. April 23	SCW at FWN	5:00 p.m. PST	ESPNews
Game 2	Sun. April 26	FWN at SCW	4:00 p.m. PST	ESPNU
Game 3	*Mon. April 27	FWN at SCW	7:00p.m. PST	ESPNU

Warriors v. Pelicans - Game 2 Post Game w/the SPORTS NINJAS

Vid by D. Guingona

Check out post game clips from Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Pelicans head coach Monty Williams, The Splash Brothers, Pelican players Anthony Davis and Norris Cole and more!

The Pelicans learned from their mistakes in game one and jumped to an early lead on Golden State but Golden States playoff experience, defense and strong bench wouldn't be enough to tie the series and New Orleans would lead home down 2-0 in the first round of the W. Conference Playoffs.

Games 3 and 4 will be Thursday and Saturday respectively in New Orleans.

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Warriors roll to 2-0 in playoffs for first time since 1989

Vid by F. Purcell

The Golden State Warriors have had many record-breaking milestones this season and Monday night was no different rolling to a 97-87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans and their 125th consecutive sellout to a crowd of 15,596.

Klay Thompson was the leading scorer with 26 points and Stephen Curry had 22. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 26 and Eric Gordon with 23.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was pleased with the way his team played offensively and defensively but said his team needed to get better at decision making.

It would be the first time in 26-years that the Warriors are 2-0 in a W. Conference playoff series. They are now 40-2 at home. Golden State scored under 100-points for only the second time this season and Draymond Green tallied his second straight double-double with 14-points and 12 rebounds. With his one blocked shot tonight he has 25 blocks for his playoff career tying former Warriors player Joe Barry Carrol for 7th on the franchise's all-time playoff blocks list.

Both teams will have some time to rest before Game 3 Thursday in New Orleans.

NOTES: TRhe Santa Cruz Warriors won Game 3 of their W. Conference Finals match up against the Austin Spurs 97-83.

Santa Cruz Warriors - Series tied 1-1 game decider Monday

Santa Cruz resident A. Lakey holds up his Western Conference Finals T-shirt
Photo by F.D. Purcell

By F.D. Purcell

The Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA's Developmental League had a full house of 2,300 Sunday night but the crowd noise wouldn't be enough to give them a 2-0 advantage over the Austin Spurs in the W. Conference Finals.

Missed shots and FT's would hurt the Warriors and the Spurs capitalized on rebounds, making important shots down the stretch in the 100-91 loss.

Mychel Thompson was the top scorer finishing with 20-points; the younger brother of Golden State Warriors forward Klay Thompson, Mychel also finished with four assists. Taylor Griffin, younger brother of L.A. Clippers Blake Griffin is also on the team.

The Warriors will host a deciding Game 3 tonight at the Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz at 7:00 p.m.

Sports Ninjas - Game 1 post game recap versus Pelicans

Vid by D. Guingona


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Steph Curry Game 1: Raw post game footage

Stephen Curry Game 1

Video by F. Purcell

Warriors D-League Team also in Playoffs

Photo courtesy of santacruzwarriors.com

Sports in the Bay!

The Golden State Warriors are celebrating their third consecutive tour to the NBA Playoffs and so is their D-League team The Santa Cruz Warriors who currently leading the Austin Spurs 1-0 in Round 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

They will host the next two games Sunday, April 19th (5:30pm) and Monday April 20th (7:00pm)

For more information go to: www.santacruzwarriors.com.

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The Sports Ninjas - Warriors Regular Season Recap Finale

The Golden State Warriors finished up their regular season at home on Wednesday with a 133-126 victory over the Denver Nuggets marking their 3rd consecutive playoff appearance. They will play Game 1 this Saturday versus the New Orleans Pelicans.

Golden State has home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Video by D. Guingona

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A Star Among Stars

From L: Shawn, Kailey, Kenadie and Kapri Geernaert with family member Aiden.
Photos by F.D. Purcell

By F.D.Purcell

Sports in the Bay/Antioch Herald

Many fans show up to Golden State Warriors games early in hopes of shaking hands or getting a photo op with their favorite player and this Thursday was no different. Except this time the roles were reversed; Warriors players shook hands and took photos with someone sitting court side near their bench.

That person would be six year-old Santa Rosa resident Kapri Geernaert who’s a star in her own right but unfortunately not under the best circumstances. Geernaert is one of the many faces of children who have battled brain cancer. With nearly 7k 'Likes' on her Facebook page Kapri has also been honored by the World Champion San Francisco Giants to name a few.

Last June after months of battling flu-like symptoms Kapri's illness would come to a head. While riding in the car with her mother Becki she suffered a seizure and the Geernaert's would receive the news that no parent should ever have to hear, their five year-old daughter had a brain tumor. 

Medulloblastoma is a cancer mass that starts in the brain and spreads throughout the body. The most common malignant brain tumor of children, Medulloblastoma accounts for 20% of all childhood brain tumors and affects 250-500 of U.S. children yearly. It is not hereditary.

Kapri w/St. Jude NBA Ambassador Dave Lee (far right) and guard Steph Curry.

“The past year has been crazy, a lot of anxiety,” said her father Shawn who contributed to St. Jude before Kapri's diagnosis and chose she received treatment there because of its stellar history treating children.

Doctors would eventually find multiple tumors peppered throughout her spine and brain areas, one the size of a walnut that was removed. The others were smaller and did not require removal.

In honor of the NBA’s Hoops for St. Jude Week April 3-9 Warriors forward David Lee, a St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ambassador since 2011 hosted a pregame meet and greet with Geernaert and her family and donated $75,000 during a visit to the hospital last month.

"I was asked to be a part of it and I did my research beforehand. I felt like it was something great to be a part of. Once I visited St. Jude I immediately tripled my donation," said Lee who took it upon himself to also learn about other families at St. Jude in addition to the Geenaert's. "Hearing the stories made it all worth it to me and I'll be a part of it long after I'm out of the NBA."

Sitting with her big sisters, 11 year-old Kenadie and 9 year-old Kailey and 11 year-old cousin Aiden, the Geernaert girls describe their little sister as ‘funny’ and ‘cute,’ who ‘likes to do crazy things.’

Although they couldn’t be with their sister daily once she was moved to the St. Jude facility in Memphis in the June of last year, they kept her spirits up by giving her candy and face-time. They also helped with household chores of laundry and dishes at home to take the stress off their dad who commuted between the Bay Area and Tennessee.

“We love St. Jude, it’s a home away from home,’ said Becki who was not in attendance Thursday but face-timed with Shawn, becoming emotional when she saw Kapri’s interaction with Warriors players.

Donning a Warriors cap and personalized jersey with her name on the back the soft-spoken first grader told Sports in the Bay she enjoyed doing crafts and her favorite player was ‘#30,” because she ‘likes the way he shoots.’ For those of you living under a rock this season that would be two time all-star and MVP candidate Stephen Curry.

Kapri w/Warrior Dance Team members Danielle and JeKailah

The Geernaerts credits their Faith and church, Spring Hills Church for providing a wealth of support over this past nine months along with a host of family and friends who held fundraising events and offered words of prayer and encouragement.

"St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life threatening diseases," said St. Jude representative Adam Casey.

After seven rounds (five weeks of radiation) of chemotherapy and an 8-month residence in Memphis Kapri returned home a few weeks ago and is adjusting well. She enjoys visiting her classmates daily and is excited about returning to school.

"I would encourage people to give $5 or $10, anything to St. Jude because it's going to a great cause," said Becki.

Learn more about Kapri on her Facebook page: Kapri Geernaert.

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Warriors squeak past Suns 107-106

Warrriors players celebrate their last second victory over Phoenix.

F.D.Purcell
Sports in the Bay/The Antioch Herald

When you have the best record in the NBA every team is going to bring their A-game and the (39-37) Phoenix Suns were no different. Scraping the bottom of the Western Conference and fighting for a possible playoff berth they played the (62-13) Golden State Warriors like a Game 7 of the NBA Finals. However, Golden State would prove why they've been a winning team all season answering the call when it mattered rolling to their 11th straight victory Thursday with a 107-106 win.

With a days rest coming off their four-point, 110-106 win over the Clippers on Tuesday, a layup by Harrison Barnes from Andre Iguodala with 0.4 seconds left in the game secured the Dubs their 62nd win of the season.

"I was supposed to clear out." "Obviously we wanted to get the ball to Steph (Curry) or Klay (Thompson). They jumped after those guys and Andre found me and I got a good roll," said Barnes afterwards who had a quiet night with four points. "Obviously it feels good to make that shot. I messed up twice defensively down here, so I'm glad we got a win today."

Their 119th sellout crowd of 15,595 was quiet for most of the game until the final minutes with the young physical Suns mixing and matching and playing on the Warriors lack of defense.

"You've got to take advantage of every possession," said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.

That will be a huge factor as it doesn't get any easier for Golden State who heads on a three-game road trip to Dallas, San Antonio and New Orleans before hosting Portland next Thursday.

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