Stockton roars back as sports haven with Kings in G League finals, Ports opener
STOCKTON — The city of Stockton is roaring back as a sports haven.
The Stockton Kings are in their first ever NBA G League finals, while the minor league Stockton Ports had their opening night with thousands of fans in attendance.
"I grew up going to Ports games, and to have another option like the Kings to be in Stockton is great. Great for the city!" said fan Kyle Calder.
When Calder isn't making pizzas at Michael's Pizza, he's cheering on his favorite teams. The restaurant even made Kings-themed drinks at their watch party as the team played away in Osceola, Florida, for game one of the G-league finals.
"To have more people coming in here supporting our local sports teams, having a slice, having a beer, is great for us, but it's even better for the community," Calder said.
Others like Jeffrey Monckton want to see more support for the teams already in Stockton to hopefully even bring more teams back to the Port City.
"I think people need to get out and support these clubs out here so we can get more clubs out here because there used to be more. There used to be arena football. There used to be hockey. All that stuff," Monckton said.
The Ports play again on Wednesday, hosting the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
The Kings will play game 2 at home at the Adventist Health Arena on Friday night, looking to even the series and stay alive.
