Final Report Card: Island Storm
Rating and analysing the performances of the NBL Canada teams in the 2018-19 season.
With some exciting new players joining veteran talent, there was a lot to be excited about for the Island Storm as they entered this season.
However, it was clear early on that their game plan wasn't working, and a ten-game losing streak shortly after the season start really set the tone for the remainder of the year.
The Storm should be lauded for not giving up and counting the season as a loss before it was even over. When it came to crunch time they did all they could to make a playoff push, but unable to limit their losses or come up with new ideas, they would be the Atlantic Division team that missed out.
Despite coming up short, plenty of great individual performances were seen throughout the year from unexpected sources.
Alex Campbell turned heads, prevailing as an unsung hero for the Storm and finishing with averages of 13.3 points and 6.6 rebounds. The team also saw impressive numbers from Tyree White (12.6 points, 7.7 rebounds) and Robbie Robinson (12.2 points in his first year pro).
MVP: Sampson Carter suited up for 27 games for the Storm, but in all but two of them he reached the double-digit mark in a season where he was a powerhouse on offence.
In his absence, Guillaume Boucard filled the shoes of both Carter and the departed Russell Byrd, registering 19.7 points and 8.5 rebounds for the team this season on his way to being named Canadian Player of the Year.
What They Did Right: Believe it or not, the Storm had the highest rebounding average of any side in the NBLC this season, pulling down 50.8 average team boards per contest.
They did well in keeping hold of possession and not allowing their opponents to pick up loose balls, but it was the inability to convert possession into points that hurt them.
What They Could Have Done Better: The area the Storm needed the most work on was their rotation and depth. They had a strong starting five, but didn't have much of a Plan B - given they had a lot of players sidelined much of the season, it would have been a help to have players who can fill in the gaps. The team is still able to attract talent, it's working out how best to use them that will lead to success.
