VIPERS SUFFER TOUGH LOSS TO SOUTH BAY 

VIPERS SUFFER TOUGH LOSS TO SOUTH BAY 

Edinburg, Texas (Feb. 22, 2023) – The Rio Grande Valley Vipers (9-10), the NBA G League affiliate of the Houston Rockets, fell 112-120 to the South Bay Lakers (13-7) on Tuesday night at Bert Ogden Arena. 

The Vipers got off to a hot start in the first quarter as the team went on an 11-0 run with 8:08 left in the quarter. With 2:35 to go the Vipers extended its lead even further with a score of 22-11. South Bay then came from behind and cut the Vipers lead to just two points which sent the game into the second quarter with a score of 24-22. 

With 10:03 to go in the second, South Bay tied the game for the first time with a score of 26-26. South Bay then got its first lead of the game with a score of 29-28 and 9:30 to go. RGV then came back for the lead and set the score at 30-29. South Bay picked up the pace and quickly turned things around as the team went on a 13-0 run and set themselves up with a 42-30 lead with less than seven minutes to go. With less than five minutes to go the Lakers went on a 14-0 run and extended the teams lead to 58-40. At the half the Lakers had a 65-47 advantage over the Vipers. 

During the third quarter the Lakers extended its lead even further and sent the game into the fourth quarter with a 90-76 lead. 

As the fourth quarter progressed the Vipers came from behind and clipped what was once a 23-point lead (103-80) for the Lakers, to just four points with less than two minutes to go which set the score at 115-111 in favor of South Bay. Despite the Vipers fighting efforts, the team fell 112-120. 

The Vipers will face off against the Lakers in a rematch tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. CT at Bert Ogden Arena. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a Vipers replica jersey presented by Lone Star National Bank. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.rgvipers.com.