MON vs SJE - February 4th Game Recap

Familiar opponents - the 2019 NBL Canada finalists - met for the first of two encounters in as many days in Newfoundland. The Moncton Magic came in with the best record in the league and a five-game winning streak, while middling St. John's Edge had their five-game streak broken by Halifax in their last outing.

Jesse Jones put the first points on the board from beyond the arc, as part of a sudden burst of offence from St. John’s which put them up 13-2 halfway through the opening quarter. Desmond Lee and Wayne McCullough played the Edge at their own game, though, closing the gap with three-point shots.

Mike Edwards made the last of the nine three-pointers made in the first quarter, carrying St. John’s into the second where they went in front by double-digits once again. Moncton kept looking and Jeremiah Mordi finally gave them the lead mid-way through the period. They went on to lead by seven, which Karrington Ward cut down to four at the half.

St. John’s re-took the lead shortly after the start of the second half, then Olu Ashaolu and Cane Broome combined to give the team an eleven-point buffer between them and the Magic. The teams then started to exchange baskets, but the Edge had the higher ground.

McCullough got Moncton to within two on a number of occasions, but with St. John’s playing composed all-around basketball in the final period, they did more than enough to get back to winning ways and break the Magic’s win streak with a 112-101 victory.

Wayne McCullough led Moncton was an impressive 22 points in 21 minutes, while five other players finished in double digits in the loss. Six for the St. John’s Edge finished in double digits, Ward being the top scorer with 25, Cane Broome posting 18 points off the bench and Montay Brandon had 11 rebounds to go with his 12 points in the game.