Ignite Battles Back To Defeat Squadron, 126-124

Birmingham, Ala., Jan 1, 2023 – NBA G League Ignite (2-1) defeated the Birmingham Squadron (1-2), 126-124, at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday afternoon.

John Jenkins led all scorers with a season-high 37 points, four assists and three rebounds on 13-of-20 shots from the field, including 11-of-17 from the three-point line. Jenkins poured in 20 of his 37 points in the second quarter alone while draining six three-pointers.

Scoot Henderson and Aubrey Dawkins followed behind with 20 points apiece, while Henderson added seven assists, three rebounds and two blocks. Eric Mika (18 points, 11 rebounds) notched his fifth double-double of the season, while Mojave King recorded 15 points on 5-of-7 shots from the field, including 3-of-5 shots from behind the arc.

The Squadron was led by Dereon Seaborn, who had a 34-point performance with five assists and three rebounds. Kelan Martin finished with 21 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Feron Hunt and Zylan Cheatham each scored 18 points.

After taking a 12-point deficit in the opening period, Ignite stormed back to take a 5-point advantage (64-59) into the halfway mark behind John Jenkins. Jenkins caught fire in the second quarter to knock down six three-pointers en route to a 20-point quarter. Aubrey Dawkins picked up the scoring load in the third quarter, pouring in 10 of his 20 points to help Ignite keep pace with the Squadron.

With a tie score, 124-124, in a back-and-forth fourth quarter, the game would come down to the final seconds. Henderson’s late-game heroics gave Ignite a two-point lead with 4.5 seconds remaining after getting a tough layup to fall while being fouled. The Squadron missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the end of regulation as Ignite claimed the victory.

NEXT UP

The two teams will meet once again on Tuesday at the Legacy Arena, tipping off at 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET. Coverage will be available on ESPN+