Sea Dubs Reserves Lift Santa Cruz To 134-116 Victory Over Memphis Hustle

Santa Cruz Warriors bench scores 70 points in win over Memphis Hustle

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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The Santa Cruz Warriors (10-9) defeated the Memphis Hustle (4-16) 134-116 on Thursday night, led by a 70-point effort from their bench players. Guard Deivon Smith set a new career-high with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, while several other reserves also scored in double figures to help Santa Cruz pull away in the second quarter and coast to the victory.

Why it matters

The Santa Cruz Warriors are looking to build momentum and climb up the G League standings, and this decisive win over a struggling Memphis Hustle team is an important step in that direction. The strong performance from the Warriors' bench unit is also noteworthy, as quality depth can be a key factor in a long G League season.

The details

The Warriors jumped out to a 28-20 lead after the first quarter and then exploded for 43 points in the second quarter to take a 71-54 halftime advantage. Guard Deivon Smith led the way with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, while several other reserves like Franco Miller Jr., Taevion Kinsey, and Jacksen Moni also scored in double figures. The Hustle made a run to cut the deficit to 9 in the third quarter, but Santa Cruz responded with a 7-0 run to regain control. The Warriors' bench accounted for 25 of their 31 fourth-quarter points to seal the 134-116 victory.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 17, 2026.

The players

Deivon Smith

A guard for the Santa Cruz Warriors who set a new career-high with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in the game.

Franco Miller Jr.

A guard for the Santa Cruz Warriors who scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds off the bench.

Taevion Kinsey

A guard for the Santa Cruz Warriors who scored 17 points off the bench.

Jacksen Moni

A forward for the Santa Cruz Warriors who scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds off the bench.

Nate Hinton

A guard for the Memphis Hustle who recorded a 29-point, 13-rebound double-double in the loss.

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What’s next

The Santa Cruz Warriors will travel to Portland to face the Rip City Remix for a pair of games on Sunday, February 22, and Tuesday, February 24.

The takeaway

The strong bench performance from the Santa Cruz Warriors, led by Deivon Smith's career-high 32 points, was a key factor in their decisive victory over the struggling Memphis Hustle. This win should give the Warriors confidence as they look to continue climbing the G League standings in the coming weeks.