PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — In a frenetic finish befitting their season series, the Rip City Remix edged the Santa Cruz Warriors 128-126 in a G League thriller on Tuesday night at Chiles Center, securing a narrow victory after a last-minute exchange of clutch shots and critical free throws.

The game, a back-and-forth affair that featured 18 lead changes and 13 ties, was ultimately decided at the foul line in the final seconds. With the score tied at 126 and 18 seconds remaining, Santa Cruz’s Jack Clark committed his sixth foul, sending Rip City’s Alex Reese to the line. The center from Pelham, Alabama, calmly sank both free throws to put the Remix ahead for good.

Santa Cruz had a chance to tie or win on the final possession, but Clark’s contested 27-foot 3-point attempt as time expired missed, and Rip City’s Caleb Love secured the defensive rebound to seal the win. The victory improved Rip City’s record to 22-16, while Santa Cruz fell to 12-23.

The final sequence capped a dramatic closing minute that saw three lead changes. With Rip City leading 124-121, Santa Cruz’s Deivon Smith stole an errant Love pass and found Clark, who buried a 26-foot step-back 3-pointer to tie the game with 23 seconds left. The Remix immediately responded, as Love drove for a layup off an assist from Reese to regain a two-point edge. Smith answered with a driving layup of his own to knot the score at 126, setting the stage for Clark’s fateful foul on the ensuing inbound play.

The contest was characterized by offensive runs and resilient responses. Rip City built an early 10-point lead in the first quarter, but Santa Cruz chipped away, using a 36-point third quarter to take a slim 87-84 lead into the final period. The Warriors extended their lead to seven points early in the fourth, but the Remix methodically rallied behind a balanced attack.

Rip City’s offensive effort was led by a strong performance from Love, the point guard from St. Louis, who facilitated the offense throughout the night. Reese provided crucial interior play and clutch free throws, while Andrew Carr and Cameron Parker hit timely shots. For Santa Cruz, Charles Bassey anchored the paint with a dominant all-around performance, and Chance McMillian of Vallejo, California, orchestrated much of the Warriors’ offense with sharp passing and scoring bursts. Clark was instrumental in the late comeback before fouling out.

The game was the second of a back-to-back set between the teams, with Santa Cruz having won the first meeting 118-113 on Sunday. The Remix, who were projected as strong favorites by statistical models pregame, avoided the series sweep with Tuesday’s nail-biting victory.

Both teams return to action later this week. Santa Cruz begins a homestand against San Diego on Friday, while Rip City prepares to host Iowa next Monday.