Toros dismiss former Spurs coordinator, top-seeded Jam in first round sweep

0

Austin TorosFormer San Antonio Spurs video coordinator Will Voigt’s attempt at eliminating his former employers’ D-League affiliate in the D-League playoffs came up short as the Austin Toros swept the number one team in the D-League, the Voigt coached Bakersfield Jam.

After upsetting the Jam in the series-opening game with 113-107 win, it appeared the Jam would be sending the series to a third game, but the Toros’ late rally lead by Lester Hudson and Tre Kelly erased a double-digit deficit and gave the Toros a 114-107 win.

Jam head coach Voigt was recently mentioned in a post by Ric Bucher on Sulia as yet another offspring of the Spurs looking to come back and haunt them, albeit through the D-League.

It's not quite on the level of GM Sam Presti building a Thunder squad that has established supremacy in the west over the Spurs, but one of their former video coordinators, Will Voigt, coached the Bakersfield Jam to an NBADL-best 36-14 record and now is looking to knock off the Spurs' affiliate and defending champion Austin Toros in the first-round of the D-League playoffs. Voigt's ingenuity in finding loopholes for a competitive advantage are apparently very Spurs-like.

Fortunately for the Toros, Voigt’s plans were foiled by a scrappy Toros team that looks almost completely changed from last year’s championship squad, players and coaching staff included.

The series win was likely especially sweet for the Toros and coach Taylor Jenkins as Voigt and the Jam got to handpick their first round opponent in a unique first round format the league has used over the past few seasons.

The Toros will continue their D-League title defense in the second round of the playoffs against the Santa Cruz Warriors (Golden St. affiliate) on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Cedar Park Center. Santa Cruz will host the second game and third, if necessary.

Interestingly enough, if the Golden State Warriors stay at seventh in the West, the Spurs and Warriors could be playing at the same time as the Toros and the Santa Cruz Warriors.