EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — In a frantic finish befitting the G League’s high-octane style, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers edged the Austin Spurs 112-111 on Saturday night at Bert Ogden Arena, snapping a two-game head-to-head losing streak to their Texas rivals on a decisive layup from Tristen Newton in the final minute.

The game, a back-and-forth affair featuring 18 lead changes and 11 ties, was ultimately decided in the final 90 seconds. With the score knotted at 110, Austin’s Trey McGowens committed a traveling turnover. On the ensuing possession, Rio Grande Valley’s Daishen Nix was called for an offensive goaltending violation, giving the Spurs a chance to take the lead with 1:54 remaining. Adam Flagler’s pull-up jumper missed, and Newton secured the defensive rebound.

Newton then pushed the ball upcourt and finished a driving layup with 1:48 left, putting the Vipers ahead 112-110. Austin’s Donovan Williams missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer on the next trip. After a Vipers shot-clock violation gave Austin one final chance with 1.04 seconds left, the Spurs called a timeout to set up a play.

Out of the break, Harrison Ingram found Flagler for a deep 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining, cutting the deficit to 112-111. The Vipers ran the clock down, but Caleb McConnell’s 3-point attempt missed. Ingram grabbed the rebound for Austin with 14 seconds left, setting up a final shot.

The Spurs inbounded and worked the ball to Stanley Umude, whose contested 3-point attempt from the top of the arc as time expired missed. Williams grabbed the offensive rebound but his rushed put-back attempt also failed as the buzzer sounded, sealing the one-point victory for the home team.

The contest was characterized by efficient offense and sloppy ball handling. Austin finished with an offensive rating of 113.6 points per 100 possessions, slightly better than Rio Grande Valley’s 110.2, but was undone by 21 turnovers, which the Vipers converted into 27 points. Rio Grande Valley committed 13 turnovers.

Austin’s Harrison Ingram posted a dominant double-double with 23 points and 15 rebounds in 33 minutes. Donovan Williams added 23 points, including five 3-pointers, off the bench. The Spurs controlled the glass, outrebounding the Vipers 49-37, including a 14-8 advantage on the offensive boards.

Rio Grande Valley was led by a stellar performance from Daishen Nix, who nearly notched a triple-double with 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes. Cameron Matthews provided 22 points and four rebounds, while Newton filled the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Tyler Smith added 19 points.

The loss dropped Austin to 22-9 overall, while Rio Grande Valley improved to 19-13. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Rio Grande Valley on March 10. Austin travels to Iowa for a two-game set starting Tuesday, while the Vipers visit the Texas Legends on Thursday.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in the final two minutes. With the score tied, Austin’s consecutive turnovers—a travel by McGowens and a lost ball by Williams—directly preceded Newton’s go-ahead layup. Those miscues, emblematic of Austin’s turnover issues all night, provided the Vipers with the narrow margin they needed to survive Flagler’s late 3-pointer and secure the win.