Ricky Council IV, Keve Aluma lead Sixers to NBA Summer League victory over Detroit Pistons

LAS VEGAS — The 76ers summer-league team has an identity.

They tend to go as Ricky Council IV goes. The team has solid contributors in Jeff Dowtin Jr. and Jared McCain. It’s just that Council was the unquestioned leader and most impactful player.

But on Saturday, Keve Aluma was just as impactful. The reserve power forward’s 19 points and eight rebounds led the Sixers to an 94-81 victory over the Detroit Pistons in both teams’ NBA Summer League opener at Thomas & Mack Arena.

Aluma scored eight of his points in the fourth quarter on 3-for-3 shooting. He scored six consecutive points to give the Sixers a seven-point cushion with 3 minutes, 4 seconds remaining.

“Just being decisive with what I want to do,” he said of his stretch. “And it was just trying my best to make good decisions.”

Aluma’s first basket during the stretch was a pick-and-pop three-pointer. He followed with an old fashioned three-point play while being fouled on a reverse layup.

“After that, we wererolling,” Council said. “Jeff started getting down. I think I got the and-one midrange after that.”

Council led all scorer with 24 points to go with six rebounds and two steals. However, he made just 7 of 17 shots, including going 1-for-6 on three-pointers.

» READ MORE: Ricky Council IV ‘makes the most’ of his time with the Sixers, and it’s paying off

Dowtin added 18 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. McCain finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

The Sixers first-round pick made 4 of 14 shots, including going 1-for-6 on three-pointers. This comes after McCain shot 18.8% from deep in the Utah Jazz Summer League.

McCain scored his first basket with 4 minutes, 29 seconds left in the quarter. He made his first three-pointer with 2:14 left in the half.

His activity picked up as the game progressed. However, his long-range shot remained a work in progress.