With its next game at Legacy Arena 18 days away, the Birmingham Squadron wanted to finish up its current home stand on a winning note.
Motor City wasn’t having it.
Breaking open a relatively close contest with a huge third quarter, the Cruise cruised to a 133-115 victory in front of 1,450 fans, completing a two-game weekend sweep.
With its fourth consecutive loss, the New Orleans Pelicans’ developmental club tumbles to 7-10 while the Detroit Pistons affiliate improves to 9-7.
Leading 61-56 at the half, Motor City outscored Birmingham 42-26 in the third quarter, taking advantage of defensive lapses to take command.
Buddy Boeheim led the winners and all scorers with 30 points, followed by Jared Rhoden (21), Jayce Johnson (17), Nathan Knight (16), Stanley Umude (14), Zavier Simpson (13) and Malcolm Cazalon (13).
Johnson also had 15 rebounds and Simpson dished out 10 assists for double-doubles.
Dereon Seabron topped Squadron scorers with 24 points, while Tevian Jones added 19 and Malcolm Hill chipped in 18.
E.J. Liddell finished with 17 points and Landers Nolley II accounted for 11.
“We’ve played five games in eight days and haven’t practiced since nine days ago,” Birmingham coach T.J. Saint said. “A big part of coaching is not what you know, but what you can get them to do on the floor. We’ve been a connected team all year, but I’m just not seeing it on defense right now.”
Boeheim – son of Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim – already had 11 points at 6:25 of the first quarter, helping Motor City take an 18-12 lead.
The balloon would inflate to 11 before Birmingham closed the gap, and after one the Cruise was on top, 34-27.
Motor City held double-digit leads through much of the second stanza before the Squad made a push, mainly thanks to long range shooting from Jones and Hill.
Jones’ 3-pointer with 39 seconds left in the stanza cut the Motor City edge to one at 57-56, but the visitors scored the last four points to take a 61-56 lead into the locker rooms.
Jones and Hill combined for 27 points in the opening half, with Jones tallying 14 of them.
The Cruise scored the first 10 points of the third quarter and blew the game open, moving on top, 71-56.
Everything was going Motor City’s way, from 3-point shots that bounced off the iron but still went down the hole, to unlikely tip-ins for two.
The cushion reached 18 at 80-62 with 8:06 showing on the clock and 19 (87-68) at 6:21.
Once a Boeheim layup made it 89-68, the rest of the contest looked more like a recovery than a rescue for Birmingham.
After three Jamelle McMillan’s charges were in command, 103-82, and all five of the eventual winners’ starters had already reached twin figures.
“We had a great halftime talk,” Saint said. “It was very spirited and for whatever reason, that stuff happened in the third. It was Murphy’s Law.”
With the outcome no longer in doubt, both teams were able to play everyone suited up in the fourth quarter.
Up next: The Squadron begins a three-game road swing on Thursday with the Westchester Knicks providing the opposition.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at Westchester County Center.
The teams play a next day rematch Friday at 6 p.m.
OTD in 1948: The Birmingham Vulcans of the Southern Professional Basketball League defeated the Detroit Vagabond Kings of the National Basketball League, 44-39, in an exhibition game.
Herman Roberson topped the scoring chart for Birmingham with 14 points. Steve Kontos scored all eight of his points down the stretch to help the winners break a 36-36 deadlock.
OTD in 1992: The Birmingham Bandits of the Continental Basketball Association defeated the Yakima Sun Kings, 98-90, in front of 441 fans at State Fair Arena.
Irving Thomas recorded the double-double for Birmingham with 25 points and 13 rebounds in a contest that snapped the Bandits’ four-game losing streak.
Dave Popson aided the cause with 19 points and Skeeter Henry chipped in 17.
OTD in 2022: The Squadron defeated the Memphis Hustle, 129-116, at the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi.
Jared Harper led the winners with 23 points and 11 assists to get the double-double.
Other players who hit twin figures for Birmingham were Darius Adams (21), Ra’shad James (18), Joe Young (15), Riley LaChance (13), Zach Hankins (13) and Zylan Cheatham.