Greensboro vs. Long Island
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Greensboro Swarm used a dominant performance on the glass and a balanced scoring attack to avenge a recent loss to the Long Island Nets, securing a 126-114 victory in a G League matchup on Monday night at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
In a game that was a stark contrast to their meeting just two days prior, a 128-113 Long Island win, the Swarm controlled the interior from the outset. Greensboro outrebounded the Nets 55-36, including a decisive 17-9 advantage on the offensive glass that led to numerous second-chance opportunities.
Tidjane Salaun led the Swarm with 25 points, while K.J. Simpson added 17 and Keyontae Johnson chipped in 15. The Greensboro frontcourt was particularly effective, with Ibou Badji scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds, P.J. Hall contributing 12 points and seven rebounds, and Drew Peterson just missing a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Despite the loss, Long Island’s Danny Wolf put up a monstrous stat line, recording a double-double with 19 points and 17 rebounds to go along with five assists. Yuri Collins led the Nets in scoring with 24 points and dished out six assists, while Jeenathan Williams added 22 points. Nolan Traore facilitated the offense with 15 points and nine assists.
The game was a back-and-forth affair in the early going, with Long Island holding a narrow 67-69 lead at halftime. The Nets shot efficiently in the first half, but the Swarm’s relentless rebounding kept them within striking distance.
Greensboro began to seize control in the third quarter, outscoring Long Island 29-25 to take a four-point lead into the final period. The Swarm then put the game away with a 28-point fourth quarter, capitalizing on their defensive efforts and maintaining their efficiency on offense.
The Swarm shot 50 for 99 from the field, while the Nets were 42 for 91. Greensboro’s ability to generate extra possessions through offensive rebounds proved to be a critical factor, offsetting their 15 turnovers. Defensively, the Swarm recorded 11 steals.
With the win, Greensboro improved its season record to 5-3, while Long Island fell to 2-4. The Swarm’s victory defied a pregame statistical projection that had given the Nets a 54 percent probability to win.
Greensboro next hosts the Capital City Go-Go on Friday. Long Island travels to face the College Park Skyhawks on Wednesday.