NBLC Game of the Week: High Drama, High Scoring Showdown
Just because the playoff picture had already been decided did not mean there was not space late in the NBL Canada season for drama - exactly what the two teams who faced off in Windsor produced on May 7th in the best game of the last in the regular season.
The home team, Windsor Express, could do nothing to change their post-season situation, they were heading into the playoffs as the fourth seed, but were still looking to head into their series with the London Lightning with a win. The KW Titans had a much more successful time in the NBLC in 2022 but were looking to get back to winning ways after losing three of their last four.
When the game got underway, both teams saw success from three-point territory and the low post early on, with five lead changes in the first six minutes. Windsor then went in front with a 9-2 run, in response KW tied the scores with seven points unanswered, finally an and-one layup from Akeem Ellis gave the Express the lead at the end of a breathless ten minutes.
Shakwon Barrett put the Titans up one in the second quarter, in which the game was at its tightest. Jabari Craig led the scoring for KW while Nick Garth did the same for Windsor as both tried to give their respective teams a greater advantage. Midway through quarter two seven-point Titans runs had them up seven points.
The gap was brought down by threes from Garth, Marcus Anderson and Quinnel Brown the latter making it a single-possession game. Three times the Express tied the game only for the Titans to put themselves in front. This changed late in the third when threes from Anderson and Brown put Windsor up by six. Eric Ferguson closed the gap to two for the Titans as the game became increasingly heated as it came down to the final period of play.
Akeem Ellis had ten points to begin fourth quarter, after which Brown gave Windsor their biggest lead of the game. The Titans then had seven points without reply and it was once again a single-possession game. The Express responded and maintained a five-point lead in the face of KW's low-post play until just a point stood between the teams courtesy of an Eric Ferguson layup midway through the period.
Anderson tried to add to Windsor's lead but with just over a minute to go Ferguson tied the scores with successive threes. Billy White put the Express back in front with a layup and Brown added one from the stripe. Ferguson had the last chance to save the game from beyond the arc but his shot fell short and the win was Windsor's.
Joel Kindred had 26 in the loss, followed by 21 from Eric Ferguson and Jabari Craig who had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Titans. The victorious Windsor saw 26 from Quinnel Brown and 21 by Akeem Ellis, with Billy White also finishing with a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards. It may not have mattered much in terms of league standings but it was a hard-fought and well deserved win from the emerging victors over worthy opposition.
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