Julian Phillips scores 22 as Vipers hand Blue third straight loss

Julian Phillips scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a 93-76 victory over the Oklahoma City Blue on Tuesday at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, giving the Vipers their first win of the season.

The Vipers received contributions from across the roster. Dajuan Harris orchestrated the offense with a game-high 12 assists to go with his six points. Omer Yurtseven was a force inside, finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds. Tyler Smith recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Cameron Matthews added 15 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Oklahoma City remained winless in the Tip-Off Tournament, plagued by turnovers and poor shooting. The Blue committed 27 turnovers, which led to 18 points for the Vipers. Robert McCray V led the Blue with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists but also had 10 turnovers. Anthony Pritchard scored 12 points, and Andrew Holifield pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.

After a competitive start, Rio Grande Valley took control late in the first quarter. A 3-pointer from Jadin Booth with 1:21 remaining gave the Vipers a 25-14 lead, and they never looked back. Rio Grande Valley extended its advantage to 56-39 by halftime and led by as many as 21 in the second half.

Oklahoma City mounted a brief charge in the final period, with a dunk from Andrew Holifield making the score 77-64 with 8:34 to play. However, Yurtseven answered with key baskets to bolster the Vipers' lead.

Up next: In Tip-Off Tournament play, the Blue visit the Memphis Hustle at Landers Center on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. The Vipers visit the Texas Legends at Comerica Center in Frisco on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

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