Jamming out at home: RGV Vipers seal the deal, take series against SLC

EDINBURG — The Rio Grande Valley Vipers took the season series, 2-0, against the visiting Salt Lake City Stars (13-18) after Saturday’s 116-105 win here at the Bert Ogden Arena.

The dub now puts the Vipers (20-10) on a two-game winning streak before they head out for a four-game road trip. The win now officially puts the RGV at the third spot in the Western Conference — trailing behind the Mexico City Capitanes and South Bay Lakers.

Offensively, the Vipers were hitting on all cylinders as the night before they hit 128 and on Saturday, 116. Three players for the Vipers earned 20-plus points in their rout of the Stars.

Two of the players — Isaiah Crawford and JD Davison — were transferred a few days ago from the Houston Rockets. Crawford had 22 points off of 10-13 shooting, while Davison had 21 points.

Daishen Nix, who is the Vipers’ leading scorer, led the fray with 22 points, along with 10 assists — earning him a double-double.

“I think we moved the ball more — got the ball moving from side to side — and then stepped up our pick and roll, and then (SLC) just guarded the ball differently,” Nix said.

Compared to Tuesday’s loss to the Austin Spurs, where the Vipers shot only 31.8% that game, on Saturday, they shot 54.3% from the field. More notably, 41.7% from beyond the arc.

Early on during the first quarter, the Vipers applied tenacious defensive pressure on SLC guards — Sean East II and Dereon Seabron — to force some turnovers, which led to some fast-break points and a quick 16-6 lead.

Efe Abodgidi had himself a three-point play with the bucket and the free throw to grow the lead to 28-16. During that run, Cameron Matthews must’ve picked up some flight from the cold front winds that the RGV has been experiencing as he had a couple of dunks in the quarter. Both had 14 and 8 points, respectively. 

SLC did have a flurry of back-to-back threes but as they went cold, it was 30-19 after the first quarter.

In the second, Vipers were on a roll on both sides of the floor. Defensively, Seabron was having a bit of difficulty getting anything going. Matthew Murrell would hit a shot or two but he was 26% from the field.

Vipers were able to grow the lead to 25 but SLC had some fight in them as they pushed the deficit to 13 after a steal by East II, which led to an easy bucket.

At the half, it was 60-43.

SLC was behind by 20-plus in the third quarter but a couple of threes pushed them back to a 70-53 deficit. There was a little run by RGV to put it at 80-57 but SLC climbed all the way to an 89-76 deficit behind the offensive effort from Seabron, who had 24 on the night. East II had himself 23 points, and Murrell — despite the tough shooting night — had 19.

Vipers did a good job at answering back when SLC shot some threes. However, a big three by Murrell from the corner brought some momentum, 99-88 and he hit the free throw after a tech was called.

Tension was a bit high after Davison and SLC’s Max Abmas got into it a bit. A tech was called on Davison but the free throw was missed. Next possession, a battle of the boards by SLC’s Steven Crowl as he hit a bucket after being fouled by Nix.

Seabron late in the quarter brought the game within five after a tough left-handed layup. The Vipers though, kept their composure and threaded the needle to grow the lead back to double digits.

Head Coach Joseph Blair said he was unsatisfied with the defensive effort in the second half that allowed SLC to get back into the game.

“We just had a big lapse of complacency,” Blair said. “I told the guys we’re playing like we’re up 20, we need to stop playing like we’re up 20, especially when the lead is no longer 20 — and that was 6 minutes to play.”

Despite the tougher victory compared to Friday, Blair said that the wins were needed, especially as the team heads out on the road for a four-game trip.

“But regardless, two good home wins for us as we take this show on the road. It’s gonna be a difficult road trip,” Blair said. “So, we just need to make sure that we bring our ‘A’ game as we move forward."

The Vipers return back home on March 26 as they face the Memphis Hustle. 

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