Rotowire

Hornets Venom lost Game 1 of the series against Mavs Gaming, but they came from behind to win the final two games and eventually took home the series by a 2-1 score.

Mavs Gaming got off to a solid start in Game 1, as they quickly jumped to a 21-16 lead after the first quarter. They kept putting the foot on the gas, though, and won both the second (21-12) and third (19-18) quarters, building a 15-point lead ahead of the final period. Foreshadowing what was to come in the series, the Venom did win the final quarter by a comfortable 18-11 margin, but by then it was too late to mount a comeback. Mavs Gaming cruised their way towards a comfortable win in the series opener, aided by impressive shooting numbers: they connected 30 of their 51 field-goal attempts, including 10-of-18 from three-point range.

Sherm paced Mavs Gaming with 19 points and five assists, although he committed four turnovers as well. Spartxn had 18 points and seven assists, while PeteBeBallin came close from a triple-double thanks to his 18-point, 16-rebound, seven-assist performance. Dimez posted 12 points while dishing out seven dimes. On the other hand, Snubby paced Hornets Gaming with 26 points and six assists, while Zae posted 14 points, five rebounds and four dimes. Type posted 11 points, eight boards, five dimes, two blocks and two steals.

Mavs Gaming carried their momentum into Game 2 and quickly jumped to a 16-13 lead following the first quarter. However, and unlike what happened in the previous matchup, Hornets Venom reacted quicker this time around and closed to within just one point at the break thanks to a 15-13 second quarter. They would complete the comeback in the third quarter, grabbing a 53-43 lead, wouldn’t have problems to close things out in the fourth. A strong second-half performance saw the Venom outlast Mavs Gaming by a 67-57 score.

Snubby paced Hornets Venom in Game 2 with 18 points, four assists and three steals, while Type dropped 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Zae contributed as well, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists. PeteBeBallin was the best player for Mavs Gaming with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Sherm posted 18 points and six assists. Dimez added 10 points while shooting 4-for-5 from the field.

The first half of Game 3 was quite intense and both teams went back and forth during the first minutes of action. Mavs Gaming jumped to a 18-17 lead after the first, and they managed to create some separation just before the break – they went up 36-30 following the first two quarters of action. Hornets Gaming, however, flipped the script during the second half and a 27-15 score in the third quarter pulled them away for good. Mavs Gaming tried to come back in the fourth, but it was too late. Hornets Venom secured the win in spectacular fashion by a 68-64 score.

Snubby once again led Hornets Venom with 28 points and four assists, although he committed four fouls and lost the rock four times. Zae chipped in with 19 points and Type filled the stat sheet – eight points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals. Dimez paced Mavs Gaming with 28 points, but his effort wasn’t enough. Sherm added 14 points and PeteBeBallin contributed a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Hornets Venom improved to 3-1 and will play Friday when they take on Wizards District Gaming. Meanwhile, Mavs Gaming fell to 4-1 and will have to wait until next week to take the court again, this time against T-Wolves Gaming at home.