EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth G League season opener that came down to the final possession, the Oklahoma City Blue edged the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 116-114 on Friday night at Bert Ogden Arena.

The game was decided in the final 16 seconds. With the score tied, Oklahoma City’s Jazian Gortman was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. After missing the first attempt, Gortman sank the second to put the Blue ahead by two. The Vipers had two chances to tie or win in the closing seconds, but a missed 3-pointer by Tyrese Hunter and a subsequent missed putback by Isaiah Crawford as time expired secured the victory for Oklahoma City.

The contest was a tale of contrasting offensive surges. Rio Grande Valley opened the game with a dominant 37-point first quarter, only to be answered by a 36-point third-quarter explosion from Oklahoma City that shifted the game’s momentum. The Vipers mounted a fierce 33-point fourth-quarter comeback, spearheaded by Daishen Nix, but ultimately fell short.

Nix was the standout performer of the night, delivering a spectacular 45-point effort for the Vipers. The 6-foot-5 point guard added eight assists and five rebounds in 40 minutes of action, relentlessly attacking the basket and keeping Rio Grande Valley in the game until the final buzzer.

Oklahoma City’s victory was a balanced effort. Malevy Leons, a 6-foot-9 power forward, provided a strong all-around performance with 22 points, seven rebounds and two assists. His defensive presence was also felt with a block and a game-high number of steals. Center Viktor Lakhin recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while point guard Jazian Gortman contributed 22 points and four assists.

For the Vipers, Kevon Harris supported Nix with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. Isaiah Crawford was a force on the glass, hauling in 15 rebounds to go with his 15 points, securing a double-double from the small forward position.

The win gives the Blue a 1-0 start to their season across all competitions, while the Vipers begin the year 0-1. Oklahoma City’s next game is at home against Birmingham on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Rio Grande Valley looks to secure its first win when it hosts Texas on Thursday, Nov. 13.