NBLC Playoffs 2022: Game 2 Full Recap
The London Lightning and KW Titans both took first blood in the 2022 NBL Canada playoffs, but there was still a long way to go and both series could develop in many different ways as the four teams continued their push to reach this year's finals.
KW Titans @ Sudbury Five
Sudbury put the first points on the board and outscored the Titans early on, their seven point lead though was soon reduced to a single-possession game. Joel Kindred gave KW their first lead after seven points without reply, but Sudbury's three-point shooting quickly saw them go back in front. Continuing their accuracy from beyond the arc the home team led by nine at the half.
When play resumed Sudbury's lead grew to double-digits after opening the third quarter with an 8-0 run. The Titans saw success in the low post but the Five continued hitting the target from three-point territory and their lead kept growing. Dropping fourteen threes on the game - five coming from their top scorer Jaylen Bland who finished with 22 - Sudbury levelled the series, winning game two 112-84.
Jeremy Harris finished with a double-double, 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Jesse Jones managed a team-high 17 points for the Titans in the loss.
Windsor Express @ London Lightning
Windsor were quick to up the pressure on London after the Lightning went into an early lead, but the home team kept their lead alive from three-point territory. Back-to-back threes from Nick Garth tied the scores at the end of the first and then put the Express into the lead. The rest of Windsor then followed suit and had amassed a nine-point lead in the second quarter, London's Jermaine Haley kept interrupting their rhythm and stopped the game getting away from the home team.
London began the second half with a 13-2 run to regain their lead, William Claiborne tried to swing it back to Windsor but the Lightning lead stood at double digits by the end of the third. The Express had all of the fourth quarter to mount a comeback, but putting together scoring runs the lead stayed with London, who reached 100 points with six minutes left.
Windsor's top scorers - William Claiborne with 27 off the bench, 24 from Billy White and Nick Garth with 22 - threw everything in the final stretch to save the game for themselves, but it was too little too late. Led by Jermaine Haley with 27 points and double-doubles from Terry Thomas and Amir Williams, London put one foot in the finals with a second victory over the Express, 107-97.
One more win and London will be in the NBLC finals for the first time since 2018 while, as expected, the Titans-Five series has proved to be far less straightforward. The 2022 post-season could still go in any which way, so check back here for updates and find out more on the official NBL Canada wesbite.
