ALEXANDER, DICKINSON, AND SPRINGER POWER BIRMINGHAM TO SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Birmingham Squadron, NBA G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans, downed the Westchester Knicks, 105-98, to seal their second straight regular season victory on Saturday night.

Birmingham (2-1) and Westchester (0-3) both struggled shooting the ball to open the night, combining to convert 15-of-45 from the field. However, the Squadron forced six turnovers in the period, giving them a 20-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The offensive struggles continued in the second period, but the Squadron maintained their slight advantage. With the game tied at 43 apiece with 13.5 seconds remaining in the half, Birmingham’s D.J. Carton drove through a wide-open lane and threw down a thunderous dunk to put the Squadron ahead at halftime, 45-43.

After a cold-shooting first half, Birmingham came out hot in the third, jumping out to a 16-point lead midway through the third period. The Squadron led by as many as 21 with 1:34 remaining in the third, largely thanks to Hunter Dickinson’s 14-point quarter. However, a late 12-2 run by the Knicks brought the home side within striking distance heading into the final 12 minutes. 

Westchester continued chipping away at Birmingham’s lead, eventually tying the game at 87-87 with 6:05 to go. The Squadron pushed their lead back up to as many as four, but the Knicks tied the game again with 1:10 remaining. In the final minute, Birmingham delivered with key defensive stops and shot 7-of-8 from the free throw line to close out the night with a 105-98 win.

Trey Alexander led all scorers with 29 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The two-way guard shot 10-of-19 from the field, including 5-of-9 from three-point range.

Hunter Dickinson recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Jaden Springer scored a season-high 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor. He also handed out six assists, grabbed six rebounds, and recorded three steals in the win.

The Squadron will look to complete the season sweep over the Westchester Knicks on Sunday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m. CT.  The final game of the season series will be available on My68 and NBAGLeague.com.

For more information on the Birmingham Squadron, please visit BirminghamSquadron.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.