- Brice Sensabaugh shone in Utah's 112-111 Summer League win over Memphis.
- Sensabaugh scored 37 points, earning 'MVP' chants despite a late turnover.
- Ace Bailey impressed with 18 points, receiving guidance from Jazz coach Will Hardy.
SALT LAKE CITY — For a moment, disaster looked like it had struck — or at least the summer league version of disaster.
With 1:05 remaining in the game on Monday, Utah had a 6-point lead and looked well on its way to another Salt Lake City Summer League win.
But as the clock hit zero, Memphis appeared to have tied the game.
G.G. Jackson hit a deep runner that looked like it would send the game to overtime. There was just one issue: His foot was a tad too big.
It was deemed that Jackson's foot was on the line as he released the last-second shot; and with that, Utah held on for a 112-111 win over the Grizzlies.
Here are four observations from Utah's (unnecessarily) dramatic summer league victory.
Brice Sensabaugh gets his flowers
As Brice Sensabaugh stepped to the free-throw line late in the fourth quarter, he was serenaded with "MVP" chants.
They were well earned.
Sensabaugh finished with 37 points on 9-of-14 shooting and went 13-of-14 from the foul line. The one he missed? It just so happened to be during the MVP chants. Funny how life works.
"I got 'overrated' (chants) in high school," he said. "But it was the first time. And you see, I missed it because I was so spooked. But nah, it was pretty cool."
In two summer league games, Sensabaugh is averaging 28 points and shooting 65% from 3-point range. If there were such a thing as an SLC Summer League MVP, he'd be a shoo-in right now.
"He's had a burner," Cody Williams said. "We all knew the kind of player he was, and it's always refreshing just to see him go out there and hoop and just be himself."
On Monday, he even found a little redemption. He committed a turnover late, giving Memphis a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but then came up with a clutch steal on the next possession.
"I was heated about the turnover that could have sealed the deal … but it kind of got me heated, so I was ready to just get a stop," he said.
Sensabaugh, who isn't expected to play in Las Vegas, said he doesn't know if he'll suit up for the final game in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. So if his summer is done, what's he taking away from his two big performances?
"I think it was important for me to come in here and not take it as like, 'Oh man, I've got to play summer league.' But instead use it as something that I can carry over into the season," he said.
Ace Bailey gets some advice from Will Hardy
Ace Bailey admitted he had jitters on Saturday in his first game as a pro. By Monday, those were mostly gone.
The result: 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds.
"I talked to the vets; they just told me to calm down and let the game come to you — and that's what happened," Bailey said.
In summer league, you're often looking for glimpses of potential, and Bailey provided plenty of those against Memphis.
He went 3-for-5 from 3-point range, showcasing deep range and an advanced shooting pocket on one corner 3-pointer. He fought (and won) offensive rebounds that he then finished with emphatic dunks. He even showed a more polished defensive game than expected.
And he got some extra advice during the game, too.
During game stoppages, he got called over to the front row by Jazz head coach Will Hardy, who was sitting opposite Utah's bench.
"Just telling me the things, just little things — go rebound, just create; I mean, just play, have fun," Bailey said of the quick talks. "It means a lot. I mean, at 18, he called me over to let me know I've got a big role. I have a big, big role. So I just gotta fulfill the role."
On Monday, he looked a little more ready to do just that, too.
"He played pretty well both games," Jazz summer league head coach Scott Morrison said. "He was just a little bit more solid defensively, and I thought he didn't get us tired tonight, to be honest with you — and that's part of the reason we left him in the game. And the other reason was his rebounding."
Oscar Tshiebwe's hat
Hardy wasn't the only one sitting courtside. He was joined by Jazz front office members, assistant coaches, and Jazz players Keyonte George and Svi Mykhailiuk.
Oh, and then there was Oscar Tshiebwe — and his massive cowboy hat.
Sure, there were plenty of highlights on the court, but they might have all been overshadowed by Tshiebwe's headwear.
"I loved it," Sensabaugh said with a wide smile. "That's how Oscar is, man. He's the light of the room every time he walks in. So I wasn't surprised at all that he had it on — and he was rocking it well."
Isaiah Collier gets pulled late
Isaiah Collier took over the Jazz's starting point guard spot halfway through his rookie season. On Monday, though, he was watching the end of the game from the bench.
Collier checked back into the contest with 3:39 left, quickly committed an unforced turnover and then was pulled for Walt Clayton Jr.
Collier had five turnovers, with most coming after making poor reads in the paint. The Jazz want him to get inside — it was Utah's game plan against the Grizzlies' high-pressure defense — but on Monday, it simply felt selfish. He ignored shooters to put up wild layup attempts and lost the ball frequently.
So Morrison made him watch the closing minutes.
"I think (Isaiah) just struggled to make the right reads in the first half and forced through some of those shifts where hands were getting on the ball, and forced him to kind of bobble it," Morrison said.
He then added: "He'll be better tomorrow."
