SkyHawks lose a close one against St. John Millrats
December 8, 2013 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada)
Ottawa SkyHawks News Release
Hot off their two game winning streak and determined to make it three, the Ottawa SkyHawks visited the Mill Rats in St. John, New Brunswick Sunday afternoon. SkyHawks faced this match up without Jamal Crook, their 6th man and spark off the bench, who was out with an injury from last night's game against the Halifax Rainmen.
Ottawa started sluggish trailing the Mill Rats the entire first quarter and finishing with a six point deficit at 17-23 going into the second at Harbor Station. Jermaine Johnson led the team in the first period with a total of seven points.
The SkyHawks had a really strong second quarter as they managed to tie up the game at 58 points for each team respectively going into half. James Vanderbeken made his debut in the second quarter stunting his way to 13 points and filling in that gap that helped the SkyHawks secure a tie game.
Things got heated in the third as each team fought to keep up. Point for point, Ottawa matched the Mill Rats and kept the game tight with the score sitting at 71-72 for St. John halfway through the period. Going into the second half of the third, Ottawa started loosening their grip once more because the Mill Rats found the opportunity they needed the snatch that 6-8 point lead.
However, the SkyHawks were definitely glad to have Fred Sturdivant under the net at each end as he managed to lead the game in rebounds going into the final quarter with a total of 10.
Bringing it back to an only 3 point game, the SkyHawks started the fourth and final quarter with 88 points meanwhile the Mill Rats were sitting on 91. Ryan Anderson, brought the team back in contention when he sank two 3-point buckets early in the quarter bumping his team into the lead with a score of 96-94.
Sharp shooting Anderson had a hot streak starting early and going well into the middle of the final quarter as he went on a 3-pt shooting spree sinking four and racking up a beautiful 12 points going into the final half of the final quarter.
In a matter of seconds the SkyHawks went from securing being in the lead by four, securing 4th seed and winning to adding another loss to their record and staying smack dab in the middle of the NBL standings with a record of 8-7.
The final quarter was all about sinking buckets from downtown as each team lost and gained leads thanks to their sharp shooters. Ultimately, the SkyHawks fought aggressively both in the paint by outrebounding the other team and from way out by matching the other team's field goal percentage of 50 % but in the end, they just couldn't finish.
National Basketball League of Canada Stories from December 8, 2013
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- Express Keep Rolling Along - Windsor Express
- SkyHawks lose a close one against St. John Millrats - Ottawa SkyHawks
- Levett's Hot Hand Late Lifts Mill Rats over SkyHawks - Saint John Riptide
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