2024 Summer League: Risacher leads with 18 points in 94-86 loss to Wizards

The Hawks made their 2024 Summer League debut on Friday night. With Kobe Bufkin and Seth Lundy out to injury, the starters were their second round pick Nikola Durišić, the first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, Rob Baker II, Mouhamed Gueye, and Dylan Windler. The Hawks suffered defeat to Alexandre Sarr and the Washington Wizards.

Risacher missed rim on a tough fadeaway on the first possession, but Mo Gueye was there to clean up and put the Hawks on the board. Next, Risacher put his first points up with his left hand on a nice drive.

Durišić threw some impressive passes, and then put down a monstrous dunk in traffic.

Keaton Wallace, who spent last season with the College Park Skyhawks, took on some point guard duties late in the first quarter. EJ Lidell, acquired in the Dejounte Murray trade, made his Hawks debut late in the first quarter as well. Miles Norris scored on one of his two shot attempts in the quarter.

The Hawks led 42-40 entering halftime. Mo Gueye had a team-high eight points, and all starters made two field goals. Gueye continued his aggression into the third quarter, and while it wasn’t always pretty, he looked far more comfortable in this game than he ever has.

Here, Gueye blocked a shot and Risacher flushed a dunk on the other end.

Risacher crossed double digits in the third quarter, using one dribble out of the triple threat to knock down a contested three-pointer.

The Hawks trailed 66-65 entering the fourth quarter. Wallace and Jarkel Joiner both piled onto the score for the Hawks, and the game stayed neck and neck. With less than four minutes remaining, the two teams were exchanging leads. The Wizards ended up pulling away late. With a five point deficit and 29.1 seconds remaining, the Hawks called a timeout with possession.

The game slowed down between fouls and timeouts, and the Hawks saw themselves down four points with 13 seconds remaining, and the Wizards were at the free throw line. Justin Champagnie put the game out of reach, and the Hawks would go on to lose.

Risacher scored 18 points, Gueye scored 16, and Windler put in 12. In fact, Windler accounted for four of the team’s 11 made three-point attempts on the night.