SJE vs SUD - February 19th Game Recap
After a slow start to the season the St. John's Edge have started to gather steam as the NBL Canada season has gone on. They were looking to carry on that momentum on their visit to Sudbury to take on the Five in what would be a most unpredictable midweek match-up.
Tyrone Watson and Ryan Richardson combined to give St. John’s an early 9-2 lead. Braylon Rayson and Brady Skeens put their advantage under pressure, but the Edge’s three-point shooters kept them at bay until midway through the second quarter. Sudbury made it a three-point game before taking the lead on two sudden, successive occasions.
Sudbury’s time in front did not last long, with a final jump shot from Watson giving St. John’s a three-point lead at half time. The points kept coming for the visitors when the game resumed and they soon led by eight points. Sudbury then took a one-point lead before Mike Edwards did the same for the Edge shortly after, Cane Broome made it five going into the fourth.
The teams began the final period by exchanging baskets, until Jaylen Bland gave Sudbury a comfortable lead. After the Edge responded with seven unanswered points, Rayson put his team up by three on the final possession. A three-pointer from Junior Cadougan with seconds left tied the scores and send the game to overtime.
St. John’s had the advantage for much of the extra period, before Rayson struck again for Sudbury, making it a multiple-possession game with 27 seconds on the clock. In the final seconds Ahmad Thomas would keep the game alive for the Edge once again, sinking a three to tie the scores. There was still some distance to go in this game in Sudbury.
The second OT period followed a similar pattern: Sudbury took a decisive lead, this time behind Brady Skeens and JR Holder, then between them St. John’s Karrington Ward and Tyrone Watson tied the scores, followed by a layup from Williams, which would turn out to be the game-winning shot for St. John’s.
Sudbury put up a battle, and had three players finish with twenty-plus points - including Rayson, the game’s top scorer with 27 points, but in the end the fight would be in vain. St. John’s saw double-doubles from Montay Brandon, Ward and Watson, who led his team with 21 points and 17 rebounds in the Edge’s 122-120 double-overtime victory.
