Mill Rats Win Overtime Thriller
December 26, 2013 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada)
Saint John Riptide News Release
(Saint John, NB): The Saint John Mill Rats won an overtime thriller, 126-116 over the Moncton Miracles, before a raucous Boxing Day home crowd at Harbour Station. The game was a tightly contested affair in the first two quarters as neither team led by more that 3 points. A Mill Rats 3-point lead with 8 seconds left in the first half was erased by an Oliver McNally trifecta that just beat the halftime buzzer to knot the score at 54-54.
The Miracles came out strong in the third quarter and built an 80-69 lead with 3:23 remaining on a bucket by Trayon Lathan. They led 92-82 with 7:15 left in the fourth quarter when Chris Matthews was fouled shooting a three pointer. His three free throws cut the deficit to 92-85.
Tyrone Levett's free throws with 2:26 left then tied the score at 96-96 and capped off a key 14-4 Saint John run.
The Mill Rats led 101-100 with 1:03 remaining when Johnny Mayhane stunned the home crowd with a three pointer, giving Moncton 103-101 lead. That lead was short lived because Anthony Anderson drilled his own three pointer with 43 seconds left to return a 1-point lead back to Saint John.
But with Saint John ahead 108-105 with 12 seconds left, Mayhane responded with another dagger to tie the score. Then a mad dash down the court led to a Doug Herring Jr jumper that missed as time expired, forcing overtime.
In the overtime, the Mill Rats outscored Moncton 18-8 to win the game going away, 126-116.
Jermaine Blackburn led Saint John with 24 points, Chris Matthews added 23 off the bench, Casey Love scored 21, Raheem Singleton 16, and Doug Herring Jr 14. Johnny Mayhane led Moncton with 24.
With the win, the Mill Rats record improves to 10-7 while the Miracles fall to 2-14.
The Mill Rats head to Halifax tomorrow to take on the Rainmen at 7PM and on Sunday at 4PM at the Metro Centre. They return home for a rematch with the Miracles on New Year's Eve at 7PM on Tuesday December 31st.
Single game, season & flex tickets are still on sale at the at the Harbour Station Box Office by calling 506-657-1234.
National Basketball League of Canada Stories from December 26, 2013
- Mill Rats Win Overtime Thriller - Saint John Riptide
- Miracles Weekend Update - Moncton Miracles
- Former Rainmen Stalwart Added to Mill Rats - Saint John Riptide
- Celebrate Boxing Day with the Mill Rats - Saint John Riptide
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