The Kings make 15 straight shots to beat the Rockets 120-111

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Domantas Sabonis scored 27 points and Sacramento made 15 straight shots from the field to beat Houston 120-111 on Tuesday night and deny the Rockets the top seed in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

The shooting spree by the Kings turned an eight-point deficit late in the second quarter into a 12-point lead midway through the third to give the Kings their only win in four NBA Cup games.

De’Aaron Fox added 22 points, Malik Monk had 17 points and a career-high 12 assists, and DeMar DeRozan scored 16.

The Rockets won their first three games in the NBA Cup and could have clinched the top seed in the West with a win over the Kings. Houston will host Golden State in the quarterfinals.

Jalen Green scored 28 to lead Houston and Alperen Sengun added 24.

Rockets: Houston had won three straight and 10 of 12 games before delivering a dud against Sacramento. The frustration led to coach Ime Udoka and Sengun getting ejected late in the fourth quarter.

Kings: Sacramento found its shooting touch after hitting less than 40% of its 3-point tries in six straight games. The Kings came into the day ranking sixth worst in the NBA by making 33.2% from 3 but went 14 for 30 against Houston.

The Kings shooting run began shortly after a heated moment between the teams after a hard foul by Fox against Jabari Smith Jr. There were three technicals issued with Monk getting one for Sacramento and Smith and Dillon Brooks getting them for Houston.

The Kings went nearly nine minutes of game action without missing a shot from the field. Sabonis and Fox each made four, DeRozan and Keegan Murray made three and Monk made one.

The Rockets play at Golden State on Thursday night. The Kings travel to face Memphis.

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Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks passes over Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk guard Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) argues with referee John Goble after an official's call during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, left, drives past Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shoots over Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots over Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday.

The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law.

The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school.

Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth.

“Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”

By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA.

The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition.

The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty.

“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”

Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports.

“It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line.

“We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.”

The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part.

“Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.”

The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours.

Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels.

The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.

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FILE - LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan speaks to the gallery after the final round of the LPGA Ford Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Gilbert, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)