AUSTRALIAN guard Taran Armstrong put together a consistent campaign in his debut G League season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, proving he is more than capable of having an impact at the level.

Armstrong was signed to the Golden State Warriors on a two-way contract, having impressed throughout his season with the Cairns Taipans. Although he missed a chunk of the season through injury, the Tasmanian guard caught the eye due to his vision, passing and ability to score going downhill.

As expected, he was assigned to the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, and came off the bench for his first few outings. He joined the team at the start of March, making his debut against the Wisconsin Herd on the 8th.

Armstrong was given plenty of opportunity in his first game, playing 23 minutes off the bench and being given the responsibility of playing as a backup point guard. Although he did not trouble the scorers (0/2 FG), Armstrong still dished out seven assists and showed his creativity with ball in hand, setting up his teammates for some wide open looks.

He followed it up with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in the win over the Capitanes, in a performance that cemented his place in the rotation. Santa Cruz looked a much better side after adding the Aussie to its roster, with Armstrong making the Warriors a much more productive side on the offensive end.

A season-best outing came against the Texas Legends in March, where he recorded 15 points and 10 assists as the Warriors got the job done with a 15-point win. Adding the fact that he reached that level of production off the bench, it was a clear indicator of how much the team benefited from his creativity with ball in hand.

As the season rolled on, he began to earn his place in the starting lineup, which he joined on two occasions, including the elimination final against the Valley Suns. Although the Warriors fell by four points in that match, Armstrong was still excellent with 14 points, six rebounds and eight assists, and was one of his side’s better players.

The Aussie finished the season averaging 11.5 points, 5.9 rebounds (an area in which he excels for his position) and 7.7 assists on 51 per cent shooting from the field. It has been clear Armstrong’s skills were always going to help him reach bigger and better competitions, and the G League was the perfect start. Although Golden State is a tough roster to crack into for any player, Armstrong has done himself plenty of favours with a rock solid campaign with Santa Cruz.