Power Lose Overtime Thriller to Champs
February 18, 2015 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada)
Mississauga Power News Release
(Mississauga, ON - ) The Power went full throttle on the division leading Windsor Express and took the rival on a roller coaster match up that only ended in overtime. Windsor squeezed by with a 127-124 win over the home team. Omar Strong nearly broke his own team record with 42 points on ten made three pointers.
Power guard Malcolm Grant opened up the game with a three pointer, seconds after the tip, to give the Power an early edge. Mississauga matched Windsor's energy and stayed within a basket of their lead until Windsor broke through to go on a six point run. After a Power timeout centre Paul Cooper went to work to get Windsor into foul trouble plus making baskets with contact. The squad slowly cut down Windsor's lead and made it a one point game when guard Tut Rauch was fouled on the perimeter, swishing the three and later the free throw. Just as it started, Grant stuck it to the Express with a three pointer to close the quarter with Windsor in the lead 28-27.
The Power were in a groove and took a 33-30 lead off of a rebound put back from forward Doug Thomas. Windsor appeared to find some weakness in the Power game plan and ran the score to their largest lead of the game, 51-42 to diminish the Power's confidence heading into the half.
Once the whistle blew the Express restarted their engines to edge the Power 67-51. Omar Strong lit up three triples in the frame giving Mississauga something to work with. That run was only temporary and Windsor held Mississauga to three points over the next six minutes. Forward Doug Thomas lifted the Power with an offensive board that assisted a four point play from Strong and followed up the next possession with a rim rattling dunk. Thomas changed the outlook of the game but the Express were still able to widen the gap 96-81.
When the game looked out of reach, the Power dug deep and slowly chipped away to a six point game. Cooper and forward Marcus Capers helped deteriorate Windsor's posts but neither did as much damage as Strong did when he made a contested three in the corner to pull the Power within two, followed by a another three from guard Tyrone Garland to take a 106-105 lead. The roof went off the building when Garland dished a no look pass to Capers for a posterizing dunk to regain a 108-107 lead. Centre Michael Allison went to the line and added a pair of points to take the wind out of Windsor's sails. The Power made six consecutive stops on Windsor and the frustrations continued to mount for the visitors. Grant pushed the ball on another defensive stop and with the Express rushing to get back in position he found a wide open Garland who nailed the nothing but net three pointer to pull ahead 113-109. Windsor didn't let go and tied the game at 113 apiece and sent the match into overtime.
The Express took first blood to lead 117-113. The Power had their chances but their shots just wouldn't fall. Finally Strong netted a three ball under immense pressure to keep the Power in the game but it would not be enough as Windsor took home the win 127-124 win.
Mississauga will jet set to the East Coast and play the Saint John Mill Rats this Thursday at 7 p.m. Atlantic Time.
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National Basketball League of Canada Stories from February 18, 2015
- Power Lose Overtime Thriller to Champs - Mississauga Power
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