Sioux Falls Skyforce Split With Red Claws

Turnovers have bedeviled the Sioux Falls Skyforce lately.  On Saturday night, the Skyforce reversed the trend and topped the Maine Red Claws 101-87 in the NBA Development League before 5912 fans.   Maine’s inability to protect the orange was their undoing with 22 turnovers while Sioux Falls turned it over just 12 times.

Gabe Pruitt started the game for the injured Troy Hudson and hit a '3' propelling the Skyforce to a 7-0 lead and never relinquished control.  The halftime margin was 50-38 and the lead never fell below double digits in the second half.  Mike Davis who scored 11 points and grabbed  6 rebounds said it was an all-around better effort for the entire team.  Offensively, the Skyforce did a better job of moving the ball in the half-court.  Defensively, Davis also credited keeping close ties with Maine’s guards as a key to the team’s 8th win of the season.

Sioux Falls’ Andrew Goudelock played one of his best games of the season with 24 points on 10 of 14 shooting along with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.  Also up to the task was Demetris Nichols with 19 tallies while Hassan Whiteside got a dozen points.  For Maine DaJuan Summers got another double-double with 22 points and 10 boards while NBA assignee Fab Melo got 13 points and 10 boards of his own.

The road beckons for the Skyforce (8-5) as they head to Santa Cruz to play the Warriors on New Year’s Day and will not return to the Sioux Falls Arena until after the D-League Showcase.  Meanwhile for their next outing, the Red Claws (9-5) will host Springfield on Monday.