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With a little over a month remaining in the regular season, teams typically elevate their play once more. There are playoff spots that have to be secured. Final chances to leave a good impression. So you could only image such things happening in the NBA’s G-League, when the stakes can only increase at this point of the season. The Westchester Knicks (22-16) are all too familiar with it, as they hosted back to back home games over the weekend. But what was the final result? Two, consecutive victories which happened in incredible fashion.
On Friday night, the W-Knicks defeated the Canton Charge (12-23), 112-96, and had one heck of a performance in the second half. After engaging in a back and forth affair for the game’s first two and a half quarters, the W-Knicks created some separation from the Charge by going on a 18-10 run prior to the fourth quarter. Devon Baulkman and his career high of 24 points, kept the W-Knicks in front and he was joined by two other 20 point scorers in Billy Garrett (21) and Sekou Wiggs (20).
When it was all said and done, the W-Knicks produced a fourth quarter which saw their lead be extended to 21 points and it was enough to give head coach Mike Miller, his 100th win. And as the good times occurred on Friday night, the W-Knicks quickly recovered in time to play on Saturday against the Long Island Nets (21-13).
These match-up’s between both teams tend to be very competitive and unpredictable, and Saturday wasn’t any different. In fact, it may have been their greatest meeting to date. The W-Knicks outlasted the Nets in a double overtime thriller, 134-130. 12 players from either team scored double-digit points, with two of them scoring 30+ and three crossing the 20-point mark.
Although, Saturday’s game consisted of great play from many involved, there wasn’t a bigger star than the W-Knicks’s Garrett, who continued his strong play of late. The former DePaul product scored a career high 39 points, while also contributing with 12 assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Dating back to January 25th, Garrett has averaged 23 points per game and is shooting 51% from the field, 39% from three, and 85% from the free throw line.
Up next for the Westchester Knicks, is a brief return to the road as they’ll face the Capital City Go-Go on Tuesday night.