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Westchester Knicks: Top 3 Games Of The 2015-16 Season

By Chris Priczak

Jul 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; New York Knicks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo (43) and forward Cleanthony Early (17) celebrate on the court during an NBA Summer League game against the Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. The Knicks won 76-66. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; New York Knicks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo (43) and forward Cleanthony Early (17) celebrate on the court during an NBA Summer League game against the Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. The Knicks won 76-66. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Battle Against The Sioux Falls Skyforce

Opponent: Sioux Falls Skyforce
Regular Season: Nov. 20, 2015 107-94, W; Jan. 29, 2016 128-117, L; Jan. 30, 2016 110-100, W; Feb. 5, 2016 95-91, W
Postseason: Apr. 5, 2016 109-95, L; Apr. 8, 2016 112-105, L

The Westchester Knicks started off the season on a positive note. The Knicks won their first two games, which was some thing the team wasn’t familiar with after accumulating losses during the previous season.

The Knicks were set to finish their three-game home stand before heading to Ohio to take on the Canton Charge. Before that could happen, Westchester had to handle their business against the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

This was the first of four meetings between the two teams during the 2015-16 season.

The Skyforce trotted out a solid roster, but it was hard to keep the momentum rolling throughout the game. Sioux Falls had a nine-point lead entering the second half. Westchester put together a great second half and walked out of the Westchester County Center with a victory. The Knicks took their 3-0 record to Canton, Ohio.

Many of the Knicks performed well. DaJuan Summers totaled 18 points and 11 rebounds in their first match-up.

Sean Marshall scored 20 points, along with grabbing six rebounds. Jordon Crawford was a contributor off the bench, as he finished the game with 16 points and two steals in 17 minutes of action.

The two teams battled in their first match-up, but had to wait nine weeks for their second meeting.

When the two teams met for the second time, the Knicks roster looked different. Before the two teams met, Thanasis Antetokounmpo received a 10-day contract from the New York Knicks.

With Antetokounmpo in the NBA, Wesley Saunders was added to the starting line-up.

Devondrick Walker and Gani Lawal were two new players that weren’t a part of the roster when the two teams met in November of 2015. Both Walker and Lawal were important contributors in their second meeting.

While the Skyforce walked away with the victory, Walker finished with 15 points in 25 minutes and Lawal scored 10 points in 16 minutes.

Lawal had a superb game the next night. He was a key cog off the bench, as he recorded 14 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes.

Along with Lawal having a solid game, Sioux Falls couldn’t stop Jimmer Fredette.

Jimmer Fredette had the most productive back-to-back of the season. On their second and third meetings— January 29 and January 30— Fredette totaled 73 points. In addition, he shot 27-of-46 (.586) from the field and 8-of-14 (.571) from three-point range.

After losing their second meeting on January 29, Westchester picked up the victory the following night. The two teams met six days later.

The Skyforce had a disadvantage entering the game, as the team only had seven players for the game. Even with that, Sioux Falls lost a close game.

In their four meetings during the regular season, the Knicks won three of those games.

Sioux Falls dominated their opponents the rest of the regular season. Following their loss to the Westchester Knicks on February 5, Sioux Falls went 18-3 the rest of the season.

In the process, they clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference and finished the season with the most wins in a D-League season.

Their opponent was unknown until the last few games of the season. Before the last game tipped off, Sioux Falls found out that they would be competing against Westchester in the first-round of the NBA D-League playoffs. In preparation for the playoffs, Westchester sat Jimmer Fredette and Jordan Bachynski for the season finale.

This time around, the Sioux Falls Skyforce were a different team. Jarnell Stokes, who won the 2016 NBA D-League MVP, was almost unstoppable. The Westchester Knicks had no answer for him in Game 1 of the playoffs.

He was a dominant force throughout the playoffs, as he earned the NBA D-League Finals MVP.

Along with Stokes, the team also had the 2016 D-League Defensive Player of the Year in DeAndre Liggins. While Liggins was getting it done on defense, he was also getting it done on the offensive side of the ball.

He finished the game with a double-double (14 points and 11 assists). The Skyforce added depth to their bench by adding former NBA player Toure’ Murry.

The Knicks were in trouble. Jimmer Fredette struggled to shoot the ball. Their bench wasn’t doing well on offense. The last thing the Knicks wanted to happen in game two was the same thing that happened in game one.

The Skyforce maintained their momentum in Game 2. Sioux Falls defeated Weschester and advanced to the semi-finals against the Canton Charge.

Related Story: Top 3 Players In Westchester Knicks History

Each of their six match-ups were intriguing in their own right, but it got more thrilling as the playoffs rolled around. Both team managed to defeat each other three times during the 2015-16 season, but the Sioux Falls Skyforce won when it matter the most.

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