Thompson scores 42 points, Warriors beat Rockets 116-101

By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO

(AP)

— Only last week ahead of the All-Star break did Klay Thompson even receive medical clearance to play on back-to-back nights, 13 months after his return from a more than 2 1/2-year absence recovering from knee and Achilles surgeries.

He is flourishing again as he defiantly promised he would.

Thompson scored 42 points and matched his season high with 12 3-pointers, leading the undermanned Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets 116-101 on Friday night.

“I don’t like to talk about vintage me or am I my old self?” Thompson said. “I just think I’m being myself and I was capable of these things in the past and as long as my wrists still work, my feet work, I’ll forever be able to shoot the rock.” It was Thompson’s third career game with 12 or more 3s — NBA career 3-point leader Stephen Curry has done so twice, and Thompson let him know it.

“It was one of those nights I had the hot hand,” he said. “It felt great, I can’t lie to you all.”

Donte DiVincenzo added 15 points as the Warriors hung tough in the second game of a road-home backto-back following a 124-111 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Jordan Poole’s 38-footer beat the halftime buzzer to put Golden State ahead 66-49 at the break, and he scored 15.

KJ Martin had 22 points and eight rebounds, TyTy Washington Jr. scored 15 and Jae’Sean Tate 14 for the NBA-worst Rockets (13-46), who lost their

SEE PAGE 17 who moved up to sixth on the NCAA indoor nationals list.

On competing against Taylor, Charlton said it was amazing. “I looked up to Charisma and this was the first time I ever competed against her,” Charlton said. “She kept me motivated and cheered me on as we competed.”

The duo are expected to clash again when they compete in the NCAA National Indoor Championships in two weeks.

Florida’s junior Jasmine Moore established a

SEE PAGE 15 all tournament and so we knew they were going to be tough to beat.

“But we wanted it a little more in terms of our defensive end. There’s some things we need to clean up in terms of our offensive end and be sharper.

Number 21 (Shamar Davis) is a freak of an athlete. They played extremely well. Hats off to coach (Calvin McIntosh) and St George’s.”

In a losing effort for St George’s, who put up a gallant effort, Devorne Rigby had a game high 25 points with seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.

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