Motor City vs. Cleveland
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Interstat) — Drew Peterson recorded a near triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, leading the Motor City Cruise to a 114-104 victory over the Cleveland Charge in a G League game Saturday night at Wolstein Center.
The win snapped a two-game head-to-head losing streak for the Cruise against the Charge this season and improved Motor City’s record to 15-16. Cleveland, which entered the game with a 76.7% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, fell to 17-11.
The most important stretch of the game came in the fourth quarter after Cleveland had erased a double-digit deficit. The Charge used a 14-2 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Sean McNeil, to take an 84-80 lead. The Cruise responded immediately, with Peterson scoring five quick points to spark a 12-3 run that put Motor City back in front for good.
Cleveland closed to 98-96 with just over three minutes remaining, but Peterson answered with a 27-foot 3-pointer. After a Tristan Enaruna 3-pointer for the Charge made it 101-100, the Cruise sealed the game with a decisive 10-0 run. Jaden Akins hit a 3-pointer, Brice Williams and Peterson made driving layups, and Akins and Wendell Moore combined to make four free throws to put the game out of reach.
Peterson, the game’s top star, played 43 minutes and facilitated the Cruise offense throughout, adding a steal and a block. His performance built on a strong recent stretch, including a 17-point effort in a win over Grand Rapids on Jan. 22.
He was supported by a balanced scoring attack. Wendell Moore scored 26 points and grabbed six rebounds for Motor City, while Akins, a point guard from Farmington, Michigan, added 23 points and six assists. Brice Williams contributed 20 points off the bench, and Isaac Jones posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Cruise won despite being out-assisted 10-9 and committing 14 turnovers to Cleveland’s 11. Motor City’s advantages came on the glass, where they outrebounded Cleveland 55-45, and in shot-making, where they converted 47.9% from the field compared to Cleveland’s 42.6%. The Charge hit 14 3-pointers to Motor City’s 11, but the Cruise attempted 12 more free throws, making nine.
Cleveland was led by Tristan Enaruna, who scored a game-high 27 points and collected nine rebounds. Killian Hayes filled the stat sheet with 23 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Norchad Omier, a center from Bluefields, Nicaragua, recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The game featured a fast-paced first quarter that ended with Cleveland holding a 33-29 lead. The Cruise took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Charge 30-20 to carry a 59-53 advantage into halftime. Cleveland won the third quarter 31-21 to briefly reclaim the lead before Motor City’s dominant 34-point fourth quarter secured the road victory.
Motor City next hosts Memphis on Sunday. Cleveland travels to face College Park on Monday.