NBLC Highlight Games: Moncton vs Storm, January 24th
On paper, the outcome of this late January game seemed a straightforward one to call; the Moncton Magic had won seven out of the first nine games and were at the top of the NBL Canada standings. Their hosts, the Island Storm, were middling and came in to this one having lost their last three match-ups.
Even though the Storm had actually won the last fixture between the two, 113-108 just a few weeks earlier, the data seemed to show a big and easy win for the visitors. When the game itself tipped off, though, fans at the Eastlink Centre and all over Canada were treated to a much tighter Atlantic Division clash than the numbers couldn't have predicted.
Robbie Robinson and Nathaniel Wright combined on offence to take an early lead, and soon Johnathan Loyd got in on the act and the Storm had a double-digit advantage. Moncton began making up the difference from the three-point line and two successive threes from Jason Calliste gave them their first lead of the game towards the end of the first quarter.
The Magic's three-point accuracy continued in the second period and Billy White got the lead out to nine before Robinson brought the gap down to two just before half-time. White and Jeremiah Mordi found open looks to make Moncton's lead stand at seven at the half.
It was the Storm's turn to catch fire from beyond the arc in the third period, with Loyd bringing them to within four of Moncton, who held on to their lead behind their inside looks, much of them coming from Mordi.
Abrian Edwards tied the scores for the Storm shortly after the start of the fourth quarter, only for the Magic to push their advantage and scoreline once again. Marcus Lewis made it a seven-point game midway through the period before the Storm tied it up once again after six unanswered.
Loyd then put the home team up by one with 1:30 on the clock, after which the one-point advantage changed hands four times between the teams. Jason Calliste drew a foul off Johnathan Loyd and hit one from the line to put Moncton up 115-113 with seconds left. Alex Campbell made a final attempt at a three which came up short and was collected by Desmond Lee to seal the game and the win for Moncton.
Three Storm players finished with double-doubles; Lewis Diankulu (11 points, 12 rebounds); Robbie Robinson (20 points, 13 rebounds) and Johnathan Loyd (25 points, 15 assists) but it would be only consolation in the loss. The Magic saw 28 points from Billy White, 20 from Jeremiah Mordi and good bench production from both Jason Calliste and Desmond Lee, everyone stepping up for the team to get the win in this pressure-cooker show in Charlottetown.
