NBLC Recap: March 31st
It was the last day of the NBL Canada regular season, the last chance for two teams to shine and the last chance for the others to go into the playoffs on a high.
At the end of a close first half, the Saint John Riptide and Island Storm were tied, but in the third quarter the Riptide self-imploded, leaving the door open for the Storm to go 22 points ahead, putting up 38 points in the period compared to Saint John's 16.
Kemy Osse tried to get the Riptide back into the game, as did their top scorer Darnell Landon, who put up the last of his team-high 25 points. There was no coming back, though. Shooting 55% from the field and with seven players reaching the double-digit mark, the Storm finished the game and the season with a thirty-point win over the Riptide.
With two early unbeaten runs of seven points a piece, the London Lightning broke away from the Windsor Express in the first quarter at the Gardens. Windsor's big three - Juan Pattillo, Ryan Anderson and Chris Jones - tried to change the Express's fortunes in their last game on the season, but the Lightning were in the driver's seat almost all of the way through.
The Express end the season on an eight-game losing streak, with London superior from the field and seven players scoring in double digits. Garrett Williamson led the victorious London with 21 points, while AJ Gaines had 20 off the bench and Marcus Capers scored 17 and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Winning the game 126-114, London seal first place in the Central Division as they now begin their defence of their NBL Canada title.
