RATTLERS SEASON ENDS WITH PLAYOFF LOSS AT SCARBOROUGH

The Scarborough Shooting Stars advanced to CEBL Championship Weekend 2022 with a 108-96 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers at home on Sunday.

The Shooting Stars will take on the Niagara River Lions in the semifinals.Saskatchewan and Scarborough started the game with a fast pace. Saskatchewan set the tone getting in transition off rebounds and pushed out to a lead that they held through the first five minutes of the quarter. Scarborough shot 50 per cent from three in the first quarter while Saskatchewan shot 44. At the end of the first quarter, Scarborough led 21-19.

Saskatchewan continued pushing the pace in the second quarter. The efficiency shifted more into the hands of the Shooting Stars but as the quarter winded down the game remained close. Saskatchewan and Scarborough traded runs through the quarter and Scarborough held a 43-39 lead at halftime.

Jalen Harris and Teddy Allen pushed the Shooting Stars lead to double-digits in the third quarter, 55-45. The Shooting Stars came out locked in on defence and supporting that with efficient attack on the offensive end. The Rattlers tried to get the ball inside and Devonte Bandoo and Carr continued to use their aggressiveness to take advantage of lanes to the rim. Scarborough tied a CEBL record for most points ina playoff quarter with 36 in the third quarter, tying Niagara who scored 36 points in the second quarter of their quarterfinal win over Guelph on August 6. At the end of the third, the Shooting Stars led 79-64.

Bandoo and Carr tried to reel the Rattlers back in the fourth with their attack. Every time Saskatchewan went on a run to push back on the deficit, Scarborough answered back with their defence and efficiency, holding on to their double-digit lead. Going into Elam time, the Shooting Stars led 97-81, the target score set at 106.

Carr started Elam time at the free throw line where he made one of two to give the Rattlers 82 points. Robertson from close range gave the Shooting Stars 99 points and Jordy Tshimanga answered at the rim to put back a layupand give the Rattlers 84. Tshimanga at the rim once again gave the Rattlers another two points and cut their deficit to 13, 99-86. Chatman stopped a Rattlers run and put Scarborough five points away from victory with two points underneath the rim. Fourpoints from Allen and a corner three from Robertson sealed the game for the Shooting Stars. Scarborough won 108-96 at home.

The Shooting Stars and Rattlers set a record for most combined points in Elam time with 26, as both offences were flowing. The previous record set at 24 when the Honey Badgers took on the River Lions on August 24 2019. The flowing offences set another record, that being the most points in a postseason game with 108for the victorious Shooting Stars, the previous record of 104 last tied by the Fraser Valley Bandits on August 15 2021 against Guelph.Carr scored 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out 15 assists. His performance sets a CEBL record for the first ever postseason triple-double and the most assists in a postseasongame, the previous record for assists set at 11 by Xavier Rathan-Mayes in 2019.

(CEBL Communications)