BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — The Motor City Cruise used a dominant first quarter to set the tone and never trailed, cruising to a 127-103 victory over the Birmingham Squadron in a G League game Saturday night at Legacy Arena.

The win gave Motor City a two-game sweep of the back-to-back set after also winning here on Thursday. It improved the Cruise’s record to 11-15, while the Squadron fell to 9-19.

Motor City seized control from the opening tip, racing to a 37-point first quarter fueled by efficient offense and disruptive defense. The Cruise opened the game on a 15-4 run, capitalizing on early Birmingham turnovers and missed shots. The Squadron committed five turnovers in the first six minutes, allowing Motor City to build a double-digit lead it would not relinquish.

The most important stretch of the game was undoubtedly that opening quarter, where the Cruise’s defensive pressure created immediate separation. Birmingham struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting poorly from the field while the Cruise converted turnovers into easy baskets. By the time the period ended with Motor City leading 37-20, the trajectory of the contest was firmly established.

Birmingham showed brief signs of life in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 12 points on several occasions, but could not sustain a run. Every time the Squadron threatened, the Cruise answered, often with a 3-pointer or a basket in the paint. Motor City took a 61-48 lead into halftime.

The second half followed a similar pattern. The Squadron, led by Trey Alexander’s playmaking and Hunter Dickinson’s interior scoring, would chip away at the lead, only for the Cruise to respond with a burst of scoring. A key sequence in the third quarter saw Motor City’s John Ukomadu hit a 3-pointer and then, after a defensive stop, Symir Torrence convert a driving layup to push the lead back to 20 points after Birmingham had closed within 15.

Ukomadu’s performance off the bench was pivotal for Motor City. The small forward provided a major spark with his outside shooting and defensive activity, helping to stifle any prolonged Squadron comeback attempts.

For Birmingham, Alexander orchestrated the offense and Dickinson worked effectively in the post, but the team’s early miscues and inconsistent perimeter shooting proved too much to overcome. The Squadron finished the game with 18 turnovers, which led to 28 points for the Cruise.

Motor City’s offense was balanced and persistent, scoring at least 24 points in every quarter and topping 35 points in both the first and fourth periods. The Cruise shot 50 percent from the field and connected on 15 3-pointers, consistently keeping the Birmingham defense off balance.

The Cruise now head home to face Grand Rapids on Thursday. The Squadron will look to regroup when they host Greensboro on Monday.