Iowa Wolves Fall in Showcase Cup Opener to the Ontario Clippers,121-95

LAS VEGAS – The Iowa Wolves lost its opening round game of the Showcase Cup Tournament at the 2022 AT&T NBA G League Winter Showcase to the Ontario Clippers, 121-95, on Monday night at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Fifth-seeded Iowa (11-6) held a 20-7 lead over fourth-seeded Ontario (13-4) midway through the first quarter as the team drilled five three-pointers. Matt Lewis and Javonte Cooke each knocked down two threes for the Wolves while PJ Dozier made the other. The Clippers answered with a 19-5 closing run to lead 26-25 after one period. 

Brandon Boston Jr. and Nate Darling paced Ontario with 33 points each as the duo finished a combined 26-of-39 (66.7%) shooting. Darling made eight three-pointers and the team made 18.

Iowa was led by Cooke’s career-high 20 points while Dozier and Lewis each scored 19 points. Brandon Sampson was the other player in double digits with 12 points off the bench.

At the start of the second quarter, Boston Jr. made back-to-back threes and a layup to increase the Clippers’ lead from one to six points. Dozier followed with a finger roll to pull within four before Ontario ripped off a 15-2 run that put the game away. 

In the final two quarters, Iowa would trail by as many as 29 points as it couldn’t find its shooting touch from early in the game and Ontario heated up. New this year at the Showcase is a 25-point Final Target Score during an untimed fourth quarter. Under this model, the Final Target Score will be the leading team's score after three quarters plus 25. Ontario led 95-74 after three quarters of play as Xavier Moon scored the game’s final five points to end it.

Ontario will face eighth seed Maine, which upset the top-seeded South Bay Lakers in the first Showcase Cup game, Tuesday night in one semifinal. Windy City, which led by 30 over Rio Grande Valley at halftime of its Cup game but had to hold off a late Vipers rally in a 102-96 win. Windy City will play in Tuesday’s other semifinal against the winner of the College Park SkyHawks and Cleveland Charge game that started after Iowa vs Ontario.

The Wolves will close their trip to Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon in the consolation round against an opponent to be announced later. Game time and broadcast details will also be announced later.

Iowa will start the regular season portion of the G League slate on Dec. 29 when the Raptors 905 visit Wells Fargo Arena.