EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The South Bay Lakers and Agua Caliente Clippers went back-and-forth all night in a game that saw 18 lead changes, but the Lakers made sure that they came out on top, defeating their division rivals, 108-104, on Thursday night. South Bay (28-18) was fueled by a trio of 20-point scorers in Thomas Bryant, Alex Caruso and Scott Machado in the win. The Clippers (20-25) were paced by C.J. Williams, who scored 26 points, but were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
The two teams were battling from the tip and finished the first quarter tied at 25 points apiece. Machado led his team in the first quarter with 13 points, including 3-3 from three-point range. Williams found his range in the second quarter with 11 points to give his team a 57-51 lead at the half.
Williams continued to have the hot hand for the Clippers in the third quarter with 10 points, as the Clippers held a 75-70 lead through three. South Bay used balanced scoring in the quarter to keep the game close. In the fourth quarter, Bryant and Caruso combined for 20 of South Bay’s 38 points, as they put the Clippers away and grabbed the win.
Williams scored a game-high 26 points for the Clippers, while Tyler Roberson (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Tyrone Wallace (16 points, 10 rebounds) each grabbed a double-double. DeAndre Daniels scored 13 points and Ike Iroegbu finished with 12 points for Agua Caliente.
Bryant grabbed his ninth double-double of the season (20 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks) and Machado scored a team-high 23 points to go along with eight rebounds as he shot a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc. Caruso led the second unit with 22 points and nine assists, as Andre Ingram (12 points) and Gary Payton II (12 points, five rebounds, six assists, three steals) provided valuable minutes off the bench.