Wesley’s Late 3-Pointer Lifts San Diego Over Coachella Valley

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (Interstat) — Blake Wesley made a 28-foot 3-pointer with one second remaining, and the visiting San Diego Clippers held off the Coachella Valley Lakers 130-127 in a G League game Tuesday at UCLA Health Training Center. Jahmir Young had tied the score for Coachella Valley with a 7-foot floating jump shot with four seconds left, but Wesley answered on the Clippers’ final possession after Jahmyl Telfort delivered the assist. Wesley finished with 22 points, four rebounds and nine assists as San Diego improved to 2-1. Coachella Valley dropped to 2-1. The announced attendance was 2,859.

Coachella Valley led early behind Cole Swider’s perimeter shooting, but San Diego took a 28-23 lead after the first quarter. The Clippers went into halftime ahead 62-60 after both teams traded runs in the second quarter. San Diego created separation in the third, outscoring Coachella Valley 36-27 to take a 98-87 advantage into the fourth. The Lakers rallied with 40 points in the final period, using a burst from AK Okereke and Chris Mañon to climb back into contention. San Diego scored 32 in the fourth and survived when Wesley hit the final shot. The Clippers shot 45 of 85 from the floor, 8 of 22 from 3-point range and 16 of 17 from the free throw line. Coachella Valley shot 46 of 87 overall, 13 of 39 from beyond the arc and 12 of 18 at the line. San Diego scored 130 points on 98 possessions for an offensive rating of 132.6, while Coachella Valley scored 127 points on 101 possessions for a 126.3 offensive rating.

Swider made three first-quarter 3-pointers, including a 26-footer, and Meechie Johnson added long jumpers to keep Coachella Valley close. Hunter Sallis beat the first-quarter buzzer with an alley-oop layup off Jason Preston’s assist. In the second quarter, Nate Mensah produced two dunks, Telfort hit a 24-foot 3-pointer and DeAndre Williams connected from 25 feet as San Diego maintained its edge. Coachella Valley answered with Mañon’s 25-foot 3-pointer and Watson’s tip shot. In the third, Martinelli scored on a series of drives and jumpers, Wesley attacked the rim and Telfort hit a step-back 3-pointer. Swider kept Coachella Valley within reach with two more 3-pointers, but San Diego carried a double-digit lead into the fourth. In the final period, Okereke made a layup, dunk and finger roll on consecutive possessions, and Mañon’s layup with 2:31 remaining cut further into the lead before Mensah and Wesley answered.

Cole Swider led Coachella Valley with 31 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Nick Martinelli paced San Diego with 28 points, six rebounds and one assist, and Wesley added 22 points, four rebounds and nine assists. Nathan Mensah had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Clippers. Jahmyl Telfort scored 11 points and added six rebounds, four assists and one block, while DeAndre Williams had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. Chris Mañon scored 19 points for Coachella Valley. Anton Watson added 12 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Young had 18 points, three rebounds and seven assists, and Okereke scored 14 points with one rebound, two assists and one block.

San Diego had 34 rebounds to Coachella Valley’s 36. Coachella Valley held an 11-8 edge on the offensive glass. San Diego recorded eight assists, two blocks and 13 turnovers. Coachella Valley had 10 assists and 16 turnovers. The Clippers were whistled for 26 fouls, while Coachella Valley committed 24. Coachella Valley won the teams’ previous meeting this season 124-110. San Diego will look to build on the road win as it continues its schedule, while Coachella Valley will try to rebound from a narrow home loss.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Coachella Valley 120, San Diego 117. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Coachella Valley with an 88.8 percent probability to win.