NBLC Recap: January 9th & 10th
The NBL Canada was back and with a vengeance, with high-energy, high-performance basketball on show in the mid-week:
There were plenty of lead changes between the Windsor Express and the visiting Cape Breton Highlanders, in a game that went back-and-forth all the way down to the wire. The Highlanders threatened Windsor’s precarious lead down the stretch, but a four-point play from Tyrrell Tate with seconds left would be the play that would seal the win for the Express.
Jamal Reynolds had 25 points and 9 rebounds off the bench for the Highlanders, while winners Windsor saw 34 points from Ryan Anderson and 16 points and 13 rebounds from Juan Pattillo. Still bottom of the Central Division, Windsor pick up an encouraging 108-104 Wednesday win.
The next night, the Highlanders led the London Lightning by 18 points just before half-time, only to see 33 final quarter points from the Lightning, which put them in the lead. Mo Bolden led London with 29 points, while Marvin Phillips totalled a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds and Alex Johnson put up 20 points off the bench.
Cape Breton kept it a one-possession game down the stretch, and with a minute remaining Aaron Redpath tied the scores from the line, sending the game to overtime. The teams exchanged baskets in the extra period, until ten points in a row from Bruce Massey sparked the Highlanders to bring the game to a close.
Massey had an amazing performance with 42 points and 11 rebounds for Cape Breton, who also saw 25 points and 10 rebounds for Jamal Reynolds off the bench, en route to victory 129-122 over the Lightning.
The Saint John Riptide were in control in the first quarter at the Aud, only for the KW Titans to take the lead in the second, after which the scoreline evened up in the second half - and both teams went fighting for the lead.
KW saw double-doubles from Ashton Smith (24 points, 13 assists), Derek Hall (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Joel Friesen off the bench (21 points, 10 rebounds). Hall put them up by four in the final minutes, but in the remaining time Frank Bartley made two three-point plays, giving the Riptide a one-point lead. Hall missed a final attempt at the basket, which would put the game to bed.
Bartley led all scorers with 30 points, while the Riptide saw 13 points and 11 rebounds from TJ Maston in his first start as the team got their fourth win of the season, and by a single point.
