NBLC Recap: March 24th
NBL Canada fans were treated to a spectacular four-game Sunday as the season enters the home stretch.
The Windsor Express led the visiting Moncton Magic 34-17 at the end of the first quarter and went on to lead by nineteen points. Moncton almost immediately began their fight back, briefly taking the lead, then turning up the pressure when Windsor won it back.
In the end, forty minutes was not enough to separate the two, and overtime was needed. The added time followed the same pattern as the rest of the game, and after five lead changes, the Magic ended the game with six unanswered to finally bring the game, and their season, to a close.
The Magic win their last game of the season 119-114, with Freddie McSwain posting 24 points and 14 rebounds. Now having lost six in a row, Windsor must win their last two games to keep their playoff hopes alive.
After a tight start to the game, the St. John's Edge was the team that broke away and went on to lead by 13 points. The Edge bench contributed 44 points and 34 points and 10 rebounds from Murphy Burnatowski. Lifting the Island Storm was Tyree White and Robbie Robinson, who led the visiting team to level the scoreline at the final buzzer.
The teams jostled for the lead in overtime, but a Burnatowski three and free-throws from Shaquille Keith sealed the win for the Edge. White, Robinson and Boucard all tallied double-doubles for the Storm, but the Edge cap off their season with a 121-116 win.
The Halifax Hurricanes only lost the lead for thirty seconds in their game against the Cape Breton Highlanders, who did see five of their players score in double digits, but were otherwise outclassed by the home side. Dominant on their defensive end and with stand-out performances from Joel Kindred (30 points off the bench), Jordan Washington (26 points) and Terry Thomas (21 points), Halifax were firmly in control en route to victory, 117-91.
The London Lightning and the Sudbury Five's post-season places were safe, but they both took to the court at the Sudbury Community Centre determined to get the win. After falling behind by seven early on, the Lightning quickly closed the gap and then led by five at the end of a hotly contested first quarter.
Sudbury went back in front in the third and fought off the Lightning for as long as they could, eventually relinquishing the lead in the fourth. It didn't last long, though - they re-took the lead after seven unanswered points with three minutes left in the game, and Braylon Rayson added a three to cap off Sudbury's eventual 116-108 win.
Six London players reached the double-digit mark, while Braylon Rayson and Maurice Jones scored in the twenty-point region, but Cory Dixon eclipsed all with 34 points off the Sudbury bench.
