.png)
Once the avalanche started rolling in the second quarter, the NBA G League Ignite couldn’t recover en route to a double-digit loss in their most recent outing.
In the final leg of a three-game homestand, the Ignite lost to the Capital City Go Go, 122-110, Friday, March 3 from The Dollar Loan Center. The loss prevented this year’s developmental group from picking up its first three-game win streak of the year.
“A takeaway [from this homestand] is competing from the jump,” forward Leonard Miller said. “Normally, it’s the second half and the third quarter where we get the dropoff but this game, it was definitely the first half. They got up on us by 20 and it just wasn’t a good look.”
Now, the Ignite are 9-14 on the year and are currently slotted in the 10th spot of the Western Conference standings.
After the loss, the group is now 5-8 at home with three more home games this regular season. Next up, the team will head back to the road for a four-game road trip following this brief three-game homestand. Prior to the homestand, the team was away from home for more than 30 days including the All-Star break.
The road trip begins up north as the team will visit the Raptors 905 Monday, Feb. 6 at 4:30 p.m.
Capital City opened the second quarter on an 18-6 run to go up 12, forcing a timeout from Ignite head coach Jason Hart more than halfway through the frame. The Go Go would go up by 20 points eventually before halftime.
To compound matters, Capital City guard Quenton Jackson nailed a 31-foot three-pointer at the buzzer for a 65-45 halftime lead.
“I’d say we just weren’t locking in on the defensive end,” Miller said. “There were things we were trying to accomplish and they were able to capitalize off them.”
That lead would be extended to 25 points in the third quarter before the Ignite began to make a dent in the deficit through their comeback effort. The home team would get it down to as little as nine points on the strength of a 13-4 fourth quarter run.
Capital City shot 15-of-33 from beyond the arc including a 11-for-19 mark by big men Isaiah Todd and Makur Maker. Todd is a G League Ignite alumnus after being a part of the 2020-21 team.
“I don’t feel like it was that hard to guard,” Miller said. “I mean, there were times in the game where we definitely had to plan [for] it and switch a few things to perform well against those big guys.
“We have some big guys as well and some big guys who can guard.”
Miller scored a career-high 30 points on a nearly perfect 9-of-12 from the field. He also hauled in 12 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the year and his eighth straight.
Guard Sidy Cissoko recorded his fifth straight game of at least 20 points, scoring his 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting to go along with five assists and three steals.
Projected No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson struggled from the floor to the tune of 4-of-17, pouring in 15 points. He also tallied four rebounds and four assists.
Two other Ignite players reached double-figure scoring in center Eric Mika and reserve guard Mojave King adding 17 and 14 points respectively.
King was responsible for the made three-point basket that cut the once 25-point deficit to single-digits.
“It was good that we brought it back within reach to win the game,” Miller said. “But we definitely should compete for the full game.”
As a team, the Ignite shot 40% from the field including a 3-for-20-mark from three.
“We shot 3-for-20 from three,” Miller said. “And they went 15-of-33 so we just weren’t hitting our shots, it was just an off night. We have those nights but hopefully we bounce back coming into our next game.”