Nets Finally Take Down Cruise Behind Randall, Maker

PHOTO: Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) via Twitter

            The Long Island Nets rallied in the second half to overcome a halftime deficit and defeat the Motor City Cruise for the first time this season. With this victory, Long Island is just 1.5 games out of first place.

            The Nets leading scorer this game was none other than Craig Randall II, who notched 28 points shooting 4-11 from behind the arc. Randall came on strong in the second half, scoring 24 of his 28 points in the closing two quarters. Head Coach Adam Caporn said after the game “The poise that we have down the stretch is something I think we earned.”

            Rebounding success came particularly from big men Thon Maker and Adam Woodbury, who played a pivotal role in controlling the tempo of the game and contributing to the Nets’ 24 second chance points. Maker and Woodbury each played just over 23 minutes and combined for 24 points and 19 rebounds. Their ability to run the pick and roll with Randall and Tyrone Wallace opened up the offense in the second half  for some open jump shots and opportunities at the free throw line. “That third quarter – he was awesome,” Caporn said of Maker following the win. The former first-round pick shot 7-8 from the field in arguably his best game as a Net.

            Maker expressed after the game how much fun he had playing a significant role and referring to his teammates as “family.” As for Randall, he believes the Nets “are clicking at the right time” with just 11 games left in the regular season. Throughout the year, similarly to many other teams, Long Island has dealt with injuries and COVID protocols, leading to many different lineups throughout the season as only eight players were featured in tonight’s game, resulting in high minutes for the whole team.

            For Motor City, Saben Lee torched Long Island, hanging 37 points on 15-28 shooting. This was a familiar sight for Coach Caporn’s team, as Lee totaled 57 points and shot a combined .538 from the field across two games on February 5 and 7.

            The Nets will look to continue their momentum and win their seventh game in a row as they’ll host the Delaware Blue Coats on Wednesday.