Graham Ike’s last trip to Las Vegas, in March for the West Coast Conference Tournament, culminated with the forward hoisting a championship trophy after Gonzaga’s 79-68 win over Santa Clara.
Ike has a chance to make it two titles in five months after the undrafted forward helped the Golden State Warriors stave off former Gonzaga teammate Anton Watson and the Los Angeles Lakers 92-88 on Saturday in the NBA Summer League semifinals at Thomas & Mack Center.
It was a vintage stat line from Ike, who matched teammate LJ Cryer for the team lead in scoring, totaling 16 points to go with 11 rebounds in 26 minutes. Ike made 6 of 10 shots from the field and went 2 of 2 from the free -throw line, finishing plus-10 for the Warriors.
Watson had a tough outing for Los Angeles, scoring just two points in 22 minutes while making finishing 1 of 9 from the field and 0 of 5 from the 3-point line. He also had two assists and one rebound.
In Saturday’s other semifinal, former Washington State and Eastern Washington wing Cedric Coward erupted for 28 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 101-90 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Coward, who’s played in every game for Memphis at Vegas Summer League, also added six rebounds and five assists. He finished 9 of 19 from the field, 4 of 10 from the 3-point line and 4 of 5 from the free -throw line.
Former WSU center Oscar Cluff, who played one season in Pullman before stops at South Dakota State and Purdue, finished with two points and five rebounds for the Rockets.
The Warriors and Grizzlies will meet at 6 p.m. Sunday in the championship game at Thomas & Mack Center. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Other locals…
• Former Gonzaga wing Jalen Warley struggled offensively, missing all four of his shots and finishing scoreless in Indiana’s 91-73 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
• It was an equally difficult night for Gonzaga teammate Tyon Grant-Foster. The undrafted wing, who spent Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs, didn’t score and finished 0 for 2 from the field in five minutes off the bench.