Santa Cruz Warriors vs. Canton Charge
12:45 p.m. PST
D-League Showcase
Reno, Nevada
TV: NBA TV | Online: YouTube
"Buddy blog": Ridiculous Upside
The Santa Cruz Warriors try to find their rhythm away from Kaiser Permanente Arena without the help of Golden State assignees Kent Bazemore and Jeremy Tyler when they face the Canton Charge today at 12:45 p.m. PST in the D-League Showcase.
But the Charge won't be an easy foe to gain confidence from as they have a top NBA D-League prospect of their own trying to get noticed, as described by Ryan Ripley of SB Nation's Ridiculous Upside.
That said, Canton's Arinze Onuaku is a difficult match-up for Santa Cruz. He, along with JaJuan Johnson, will dominate the paint. The Charge are also strong in the backcourt and should take this game with solid perimeter play and second chance points.
Player to watch: JaJuan Johnson got off to a slow start, but is still a former NBA talent with a great finesse game. The 6-foot-10 forward averages 13 points and 8 rebounds per contest, but his shooting percentages have dropped as of late. A big performance in Reno could be what Johnson needs to elevate his game back a NBA-caliber level.
For the Warriors, their top NBA prospects remain the same though Ripley has added Maurice Baker to the list, whose defense and headiness has been an asset to Santa Cruz when he starts.
For more on the D-League Showcase, check out Ridiculous Upside. For more on the Santa Cruz Warriors, visit our Santa Cruz Warriors section.