Springer, Carton score season highs as Squadron defeat Skyhawks

The Birmingham Squadron defeated the College Park Skyhawks 132-108 on Tuesday night at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, using a dominant second half to pull away for the victory. The Squadron outscored the Skyhawks 73-54 after halftime to secure the win.

Jaden Springer led the charge for the Squadron (3-2), scoring a season-high 31 points on 12-for-17 shooting while adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists. D.J. Carton, making his first start of the season, also posted a season high with 26 points to go along with six assists. The Squadron controlled the interior, with Josh Oduro going a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for 17 points and nine rebounds. Hunter Dickinson anchored the paint and secured a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Keion Brooks Jr. added 13 points off the bench.

The Skyhawks (1-4) were led by Caleb Houstan, who scored 24 points and connected on 7 of 10 attempts from 3-point range. In his third start of the season, Tyler Polley provided a spark with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Kobe Johnson filled the stat sheet with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Other key contributors for College Park included Malik Williams, with 13 points and seven rebounds, and Nikola Durisic, who had 11 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Birmingham broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring College Park 40-24 to turn a five-point halftime lead into a 21-point advantage. The Squadron dominated the paint, outscoring the Skyhawks 72-34 in that area, and capitalized on 18 College Park turnovers. Despite the loss, Houstan continued a notable shooting stretch. He has now made 25 3-pointers in the first five games of the regular season, the second most in a five-game span in Skyhawks history. The two teams will meet again on New Year's Day.

Up next: The Squadron face the Skyhawks at 7 p.m. ET Thursday at Gateway Center Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Peachtree Sports Network.

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