Olekaibe's Big Night Helps Canton Top Maine
April 1, 2015 - NBA G League (G League)
Cleveland Charge News Release
Kevin Olekaibe of the Canton Charge
(Cleveland Charge)
The Canton Charge (30-18), presented by SecureData 365 and powered by the Cleveland Cavaliers, tied their franchise record for wins in a season with a 90-88 victory over the Maine Red Claws (33-15) in front of 3,456 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center on Wednesday night.
With Canton trailing 78-66 entering the fourth quarter, Kevin Olekaibe scored 10 of the first 11 Charge points on an 11-0 run to pull within 78-77. Maine responded with a run of their own, counterpunching with four different players scoring on an 8-2 run for an 86-79 lead and 5:54 remaining in the game.
After three straight scoring possessions and the Red Claws still holding on to a 88-84 advantage, Canton held Maine scoreless the final 4:42 of the game to grind out the win and finish the season series 3-3 between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Charge ultimately held the visitors to 3-of-16 shooting in the fourth (19%), and Canton's top scoring defense (95.4 ppg) improved to 26-5 this season when holding opponents under 100 points.
Canton's reserve unit played a key role in the victory, outscoring the Maine bench 45-22. Olekaibe finished with a season-high 24 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from beyond the arc, in 24 minutes off the bench. Forward James Singleton added 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds in 35 minutes of relief. Stephen Holt provided 16 points on 60% shooting and forward Alex Kirk added 15 points and six boards in 26 minutes.
The Red Claws had five players in double figures, with center Romero Osby netting 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting and six rebounds in 35 minutes of action. Boston Celtics' assignee James Young added 14 points and four rebounds in 34 minutes. Chris Babb scored 13 points with six rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.
On Friday, April 3rd at 7:00 p.m., the Charge host the Iowa Energy (Memphis Grizzlies affiliate) for Fan Appreciation Night, where we will be honoring our loyal fans with a guaranteed giveaway, over $10,000 worth of prizes, and Dollar Dogs presented by Sugardale! Tickets to the Charge's opening round playoff home game start at $8 and are on sale now! Fans can get their tickets to see Canton's postseason run from the start by calling the Charge office at 1-866-444-1944, at Ticketmaster outlets or at www.CantonCharge.com.
Secure your seats today for our historic fifth season! A deposit of only $50 reserves the best seats to catch all the excitement of the 2015-16 season as well as membership benefits that start immediately. Receive five games on us, Monsters or Gladiators tickets, an exclusive Cavs event in Canton, and more! For Charge Nation Memberships, game day promotions and up-to-date information, head to www.CantonCharge.com or call 866-444-1944.
Images from this story
 Kevin Olekaibe of the Canton Charge |
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