Long Island Nets ride Alan Williams to back-to-back road sweep

The short-handed Long Island Nets broke open a close game in the 3rd quarter Saturday and cruised to a 131-117 victory over the Capital City Go-Go.

When Big Sauce got warmed up in the third quarter, the Long Island Nets found an extra gear en route to a 131-117 NBA G League victory over the Capital City Go-Go at D.C.’s Entertainment and Sports Arena.

Alan Williams dropped 16 of his G League career-high 37 points in the third quarter and the Nets (14-6) blew open a close game Saturday night to complete a sweep of a road back-to-back.

Capital City (8-9) led 60-59 at the half before Long Island blitzed the Go-Go out of intermission, scoring the first 12 points of the second half as part of an extended 16-2 run and then put the game on ice with an 11-0 burst later in the third quarter.

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The Nets outscored the Go-Go 42-22 in the third to open a 101-82 lead. Capital City never got closer than 11 the rest of the way.

Long Island came in short-handed, with point guard Jordan McLaughlin missing his second straight game with a strained left hamstring and Theo Pinson, who had a triple-double in Friday’s win over the Wisconsin Herd, remaining behind to join the parent Brooklyn Nets Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Nets shot a season-high 53 percent (44-for-83) in the game, knocking down 10-of-28 (35.7 percent) from 3-point range to overcome 24 turnovers that led to 20 points for the Go-Go.

However, Capital City turned the ball over 22 times itself, leading to 34 Nets points, and Long Island outrebounded their hosts 50-43, while outscoring them in the paint 64-54.

Williams — on a two-way contract with Brooklyn — added 16 rebounds to his 37 points, hitting 16-of-23 from the floor on the night. Thomas Wimbush, who started in place of Pinson, finished with a season-high 23 points to go with 13 rebounds, hitting 11-of-14 from the foul line.

Wimbush, in his second season with Long Island, came in averaging 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game before getting his first start of the season Saturday.

He had been shooting 33.7 percent overall and 23.1 percent from deep before going 5-for-13 and 2-for-5 against the Go-Go.

Tahjere McCall had 22 points and five steals, while Shannon Scott went for 15 points and nine assists. Kamari Murphy came off the bench for 12 points and two blocks before fouling out.

Long Island only played eight players, seven of whom scored in double-figures.

Devin Robinson, on a two-way contract with the parent Washington Wizards, scored 33 points with nine rebounds before fouling out to lead the Go-Go. Chris Chiozza added 20 points, seven assists and four steals.

The Go-Go’s other two-way player, Jordan McRae, had 13 points before he was ejected after being hit with consecutive technical fouls with 7:15 left in the third quarter.

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Long Island will be off until after the New Year, returning to action at Nassau Coliseum when they host the Erie Bayhawks (11-8) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. Eastern tip. Erie beat the Delaware Blue Coats Saturday 134-126 and will visit the Maine Red Claws on Monday.