Two-Way Utility Leads OKC Blue to Victory
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The Oklahoma City Blue, G League affiliate of the Thunder, took down the Stockton Kings 119-105 at the Paycom Center on Saturday, led by 29 points from two-way forward Eugene Omoruyi.
The Oregon product went 11-for-17 from the field, 2-for-3 from 3-point range and 3-for-3 from the free throw line in addition to grabbing three rebounds and dishing out one assist. Omoruyi is averaging 17 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in seven G League appearance this season.
The 6-foot-6, 235 pound forward has earned playing time in 20 NBA games this season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Omoruyi's best performance with the Thunder came in November, when he knocked down five triples en route to a 22-point outing in a win over the Toronto Raptors.
Giving the Blue a boost on Saturday was big man Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who has been recovering from an injury and hasn't played an NBA game since Dec. 12. In his return to the court, Robinson-Earl went 7-of-11 from the field and 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, scoring 16 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 20 minutes of action.
Prior to his injury, Robinson-Earl was a valuable role player for OKC. At 6-foot-9 230 pounds, the Villanova product can be a defensive anchor in the paint, while also shooting over 38% from beyond the arc. With Aleksej Pokusevski still out of the lineup, it is important that the Thunder, who are already an undersized team without Chet Holmgren available, to have multiple options to turn to.
Given the impressive performances from Omoruyi and Robinson-Earl, it would not be surprising to see both earn NBA minutes in Oklahoma City's next stretch of games. The Thunder take on the Houston Rockets on Saturday at 7 P.M. in the Paycom Center.
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