Sioux Falls Skyforce fall short in Western Conference Semifinals against Oklahoma City Blue

As the final buzzer sounded on the Skyforce’s season, Alondes “Man Man” Williams and Cole Swider walked towards their bench and yanked their jersey out from under their shorts. Swider covered his face with his jersey and let out a brief scream of frustration.

The Skyforce fell to the Oklahoma City Blue on Friday night in the G League Western Conference semifinals, 111-93.

“It was tough for us because we had championship aspirations,” Skyforce coach Kasib Powell said after the loss. “We really felt that we were going to win a championship. That's where we put everything into.”

Even with the 18-point playoff defeat, it’s difficult to categorize the Skyforce’s season as anything but a success. They finished the regular season as the number 2 seed in the west, had six players called up to the NBA, and set a number of records along the way.

Before the game against the Blue, Williams was presented with the G League Most Improved Player award. The 6-foot-4 guard lifted his arms to the ceiling, waved his hands, and smiled ear to ear as he walked to center court to collect his hardware.

“(It was) an incredible feeling,” Williams said. “Just being recognized that you've been working on your game all summer and you've been trying to prove everybody wrong, show people that you belong.”

Williams scored a franchise record 55 points on January 7 against the Salt Lake City Stars. While “Man Man” said the biggest step he took in his development this season was his shooting percentage from beyond the arc, his head coach said Williams took large strides in his leadership.

“He was our backbone, we kind of went as he went,” Powell, who became second in wins in franchise history this season, said. “For him to get the most improved, I think is one of the most important awards in this league because it shows growth. It shows what this league is about.”

The Skyforce jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter behind 14 early points from Swider, but the Blue responded, cutting their deficit to only two points by the start of the second quarter. The second and third frames went back and forth but Sioux Falls entered the final quarter trailing by only two points. Then Oklahoma City took control, outscoring the Skyforce by 16 points in the decisive quarter to win by 18.

When it mattered most, Sioux Falls was unable to convert offensively and the Blue did. Some of the fourth-quarter offensive drought was a result of just missing open shots, but Oklahoma City also made it tough on them. The Blue entered the game with the second-highest defensive rating in the league and they showed why, anchored by Olivier Sarr, who ended the game with five blocks, 20 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

The Oklahoma City Blue will play the Stockton Kings in the Western Conference finals on Sunday.

Jonathan Fernandez covers high school and college sports for the Argus Leader. Contact him at jfernandez1@argusleader.com. Follow him on Twitter at@JFERN31

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls Skyforce fall short in Western Conference semifinals