NBLC Recap: January 1st & 2nd
Plenty of high-energy basketball was on show across two nights marked the start of a new calendar year in the NBL Canada:
Desmond Lee has the distinction of scoring the NBL Canada’s first points of 2019.
Even so, it was hard for the St. John’s Edge to break away from the Cape Breton Highlanders, in a continually close game which saw plenty of lead changes.
The Edge took a comfortable lead after eight unanswered points in the third, and despite numerous attempts to go back in front by the Highlanders, the Edge kept finding good looks from close range to see out the win.
Deshaunt Walker led Cape Breton with 24 points, while Maurice Jones had six threes as part of his game-high 26 points for the Edge, who also saw a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds from Obinna Oleka. St. John move to the top of the Central Division following their 102-95 victory.
After the Saint John Riptide took an early seven-point lead, the Halifax Hurricanes started to find their groove and put themselves in the driver's seat. Malcolm Duvivier scored 14 points in the second quarter alone to give the Hurricanes a twelve-point lead at half-time.
Responding most for the Riptide were Daniel Dingle and Frank Bartley, who high-scoring second half shows reduced the gap and saw the scores tied throughout the final minute of regulation. In the final seconds, Mike Poole made a short-range jump shot and Jordan Washington drew a foul and hit twice from the foul line, two decisive plays in the game which would see Halifax victorious by four points.
20 of Bartley’s 28 total points came in the final quarter, but the top performer of the night was Mike Poole, who had 39 points as well as grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing 5 steals for Halifax.
