Power Take Stunning Loss to Lightning
December 13, 2014 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada)
Mississauga Power News Release
(Mississauga, ON - ) Mississauga dropped their second straight game in their 95-118 loss to the London Lightning. The loss was like salt to the wounds of the squad missing key players in the line-up and dealing with changing team dynamics.
The Power had their opportunity to redeem Thursday's 123-107 road loss to the Lightning but London got the best of them in the opening minutes. The Lightning broke out to a 9-3 lead, eventually holding Mississauga to one basket in five minutes. The Power lacked in their interior game but found their spark from centre Mike Allison's hustle on a pair of defensive boards. The Power had a renewed aggressiveness but were down 32-14 at the buzzer. But, they had a buzzer beater three pointer from guard Omar Strong to give the squad some positive momentum to move forward with.
Guard Jordan Weidner's opening bucket set the tone and awoke Mississauga from their sleepy first quarter. Centre Paul Cooper attacked next with a strong drive to the basket to help the Power add more pressure in the paint. Mississauga fearlessly chipped away at London's lead as Strong poured in nine points on the quarter. But it couldn't make up for the 13 turnovers in the half and the Power still trailed 61-37 to the Lightning at half time.
Mississauga found their confidence despite London's huge lead. Their defence stepped up and the Power cut down their turnovers to only two in the quarter. Small forward Marcus Capers was the leading man of the frame with seven points to initiate Mississauga's attack in the paint. Allison and Cooper followed suit and chipped in four points each to establish their fearless post play. That was the silver lining to the 95-69 deficit.
It was now or never for Mississauga and the squad laid it all on the line to get back into the game. Cooper and the Power big men fought under the basket for offensive and defensive boards, showing the Lightning that they wouldn't go down without a fight. Strong's pair of three's was the turning point for the Power to find their rhythm. Johnson and guard Tyrell Vernon went on a hot streak that led to the Power's 18 point surge in the final six minutes, but they were too far behind. The Lightning took their second straight win over Mississauga 118-95.
Strong, also the league leader in three pointers made, again led the team with 31 points, seven rebounds and four assists. He dazzled from beyond the arc and broke the Power's franchise single game record with nine three pointers made in the game.
Catch Strong and Power at their next home game Tuesday, December 16th when the Windsor Express visit the Hershey Centre for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
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Tickets on sale now at the Hershey Box Office or Ticketmaster.
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National Basketball League of Canada Stories from December 13, 2014
- A's Can't Stop Express - Orangeville A's
- Shorthanded Express Have Enough to Stop Brampton - Windsor Express
- Power Take Stunning Loss to Lightning - Mississauga Power
- Lightning Pull Plug on Power - London Lightning
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