Jared Rhoden's clutch heroics propelled the Motor City Cruise to clinch a spot in the Winter Showcase Cup Tournament.
Why It Matters For the Motor City Cruise
Jared Rhoden's clutch performance lifted the Motor City Cruise to a 104-102 victory over the Windy City Bulls. Rhoden knocked down a contested jumper with barely a second left on the clock to seal the Cruise's ninth win of the season. Their late-game victory also clinched the Cruise a spot in the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase Cup Tournament for the second time in their three years as a franchise.
The Cruise got off to a hot start in the first quarter by going on a 23-0 run against the Bulls. Motor City outscored Windy City 34-16 in the first to open up the game. The Bulls battled back throughout the final quarters to bring the game down to the final two possessions. The Cruise got the ball back with 14.6 seconds when they called on Rhoden for the final shot.
Sunday's matchup was a battle of two of the strongest teams in the G-League Central division. The Cruise remain in second place in the division and the Bulls are currently in third. The Indiana Mad Ants sit at the top of the division at 13-1, which is the best record in the entire G-League.
Rhoden led all scorers throughout the game with 25 points on 10-18 shooting from the field and 3-8 from three. He also recorded a double-double when pulling down 12 rebounds.
Five different players finished scoring in double figures for the Cruise. Stanley Umude scored 15 points while logging the most minutes of the night for the Cruise with 38. Tosan Evbuomwan put up 14 points while dishing seven assists.
Motor City Cruise vs. Windy City Bulls By the Numbers
Points In the Paint: Cruise – 40 Bulls – 50
Three-Point Shooting: Cruise – 11/32 Bulls – 6/28
Rebounds: Cruise – 44 Bulls – 39
Assists: Cruise – 24 Bulls – 19
Jared Rhoden: 25 points, 10-18 FGs, 12 rebounds
Stanley Umude: 15 points, 5-14 FGs, 3-8 3-point FGs
Tosan Evbuomwan: 14 points, 5-11 FGs, 7 assists
Treveon Graham: 12 points, 4-7 FGs, 6 rebounds
Nathan Knight: 11 points, 2-3 FGs, 2 blocks
What's Next For the Motor City Cruise?
The Motor City Cruise will continue their quest for the Winter Showcase Cup when they travel to Orlando, Florida to take on the Santa Cruz Warriors.
