Former WSU forward Isaac Jones erupts for 36 points, helps Sacramento reach NBA Summer League championship

A 36-point outing. Timely dunks down the stretch to stem Toronto’s fourth-quarter run. A ticket to the NBA Summer League’s championship game on Sunday.

All of those things for a memorable Saturday afternoon for Isaac Jones, who willed the unbeaten Sacramento Kings to a 98-88 win over the Toronto Raptors, booking a spot in Sunday’s title game against Charlotte.

“It’s crazy,” Jones said. “We got a G League (title), so we definitely need this one. But it just shows how hard we played, how much work we put in and how bad we want it. So I’m just happy to be here.”

On a talented Kings Summer League squad featuring two first-round draft picks in Devin Carter and Nique Clifford, along with second-round pick Maxime Raynaud, it was the undrafted forward from Washington State who emerged to lead Sacramento against a resilient Toronto team.

Jones, who averaged 12.5 points in four games prior to Saturday, was the offensive focal point for Sacramento, converting 13 of 17 shots from the field, 9 of 11 from the free-throw line and 1 of 3 from the 3-point line.

He also had six rebounds and two assists, finishing plus-21 on the box score in his 31 minutes.

“… my teammates just trusted me to give me the ball in my spots and coaches instilling faith in me,” Jones told ESPN during an on-court postgame interview. “Just being aggressive and doing what I do best.”

The Kings extended the lead to a game-high 22 points on Clifford’s stepback 3-pointer with 2 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Toronto chipped away at the deficit and mounted a big run in the fourth quarter, closing Sacramento’s lead to one point with less than 4 minutes remaining.

With the Kings leading 83-82, Jones converted a layup off the glass while drawing a foul on Jonathan Mogbo and completing the three-point play at the free-throw line. Jones had a dunk to make it 88-82, converted a finger roll layup two possessions later and dunked again with 48 seconds left to extend the lead to 92-84.

The second-year pro accounted for nine consecutive Sacramento points during the 2:08 stretch.

“(We) kept our heads down, stayed together as a team, trusted each other and just grinded it out,” Jones said.

The Kings, with an older Summer League roster, have a chance to become the first organization to win three championships at the annual showcase in Las Vegas.

“It’s good,” Jones told ESPN of the team’s experience. “Especially for the young guys, we can coach them up, tell them what to expect and I think they came well-prepared.”

Making his third Summer League appearance for Toronto, former Mt. Spokane High standout Tyson Degenhart made one shot while playing 31 seconds off the bench at the end of the fourth quarter.

Watson shines for Knicks

Anton Watson’s perimeter shooting improved during his final college season at Gonzaga and continues to be a component for the former second-round draft pick at the NBA level.

Watson made his first start for the New York Knicks at Summer League and turned in his best performance, scoring 21 points in a 94-85 loss to the Washington Wizards.

The former Zag, who joined New York on a two-way deal after being waived by the Boston Celtics, was accurate from the field and 3-point line, finishing 8 of 13 and 5 of 8 from behind the arc in the Knicks’ Summer League finale.

Watson rounded out his stat line with six rebounds, three assists and one turnover while playing 25 minutes.