Wheeler, Quinones score 27 each as Magic hold off Capitanes 119-112

The Osceola Magic defeated the Mexico City Capitanes 119-112 on Monday at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando as part of the NBA G League Winter Showcase. The Magic withstood a furious second-half comeback attempt from the Capitanes to secure the victory.

Osceola (1-1) built a commanding lead in the first half, taking a 66-47 advantage into the locker room after leading by as many as 23 points. The Magic's offense was fueled by exceptional long-range shooting, connecting on 20 of 38 3-point attempts for the game. Former Capitanes forward Phillip Wheeler and guard Lester Quinones were the primary offensive forces, each finishing with 27 points. Wheeler shot 10-for-15 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, while Quinones added five 3-pointers. Jalen Crutcher also had a hot hand from deep, contributing 20 points while making six of his 11 3-point attempts. Reece Beekman orchestrated the offense with a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 assists, and Alex Morales also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Mexico City (1-1) mounted a significant rally in the second half, outscoring the Magic 30-20 in the third quarter and 35-33 in the fourth to make it a close contest down the stretch. James Bouknight paced the comeback effort, finishing with a team-high 22 points to go along with nine assists and five rebounds. RJ Melendez provided a spark with 16 points and five boards. The Capitanes also received key contributions from their bench, with LJ Figueroa scoring 13 points and Felipe Haase adding 12. Starting guard Boo Buie also finished with 12 points in the loss.

Up next: The Capitanes face the Austin Spurs on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBAGLeague.com. The Magic play the Santa Cruz Warriors on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on Roku and NBC Sports BA.

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