BlackJacks Ink First Win in Team History with Nailbiting Defeat of the Bandits
July 31, 2020
ST. CATHARINES, ON, July 30, 2020 – It wasn’t the start that the Fraser Valley Bandits wanted. After winning their first two contests, the Bandits entered Thursday night’s action riding the confidence of a two-game winning streak to open the CEBL Summer Series. The Ottawa BlackJacks came in eager to prove the doubters wrong after dropping their first two games of the series. In the end, the gritty Bandits overcame a 14-0 deficit to start the game and clawed back only to fall just short, 78-76, in a thrilling Elam Ending finish.
Johnny Berhanemeskel was an early source of offence for the BlackJacks, scoring nine of those first 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers. The Bandits looked sluggish as they searched for their stroke throughout the first half. At halftime the Bandits trailed by a score of 46-36. It was the best first-half from the BlackJacks so far this Summer Series. At the break, the BlackJacks controlled the box score in nearly every statistical category, including points in the paint where they owned a +10 advantage.
“I think we just played better (tonight),” said BlackJacks head coach Osvaldo Jeanty. “Our guys did what they’re supposed to in terms of defending. We won the rebounding battle today and we got easy shots. We just stuck to what we do and offensively it came easily.”
The Bandits made it interesting down the stretch but failed to convert on key opportunities in the paint and at the free throw line in the game’s closing moments. The win is the first in Jeanty’s career as a professional coach.
“It feels good – I just think we need to keep on building on what we did today,” Jeanty said. “I think we’re trying as much as possible to still find our identity and make the adjustments. We have to keep on trying to win games rather than playing not to lose.”
The Bandits made their push in the second-half, outscoring Ottawa 40-32 in the final two quarters of play. Despite Fraser Valley’s resurgent offence in the second half, the BlackJacks were able to withstand the Bandits’ comeback attempt thanks to the steady contributions of their core four of Berhanemeskel, Thomas Scrubb, Olivier Hanlan and Kyle Landry.
Together, they combined for 58 of Ottawa’s 78 points. A key juncture of the contest arrived during the climactic Elam Ending, which featured an electric finish that ultimately saw Ottawa outlast the Bandits thanks to a clutch and-one bucket from Hanlan, who recognized a mismatch opportunity in the game’s late moments. Hanlan drove to the rim and was fouled by the help-side defender. Hanlan’s free throw made the game 77-75 for Ottawa.
Moments later, a foul by Junior Cadougan while vying for a loose ball sent Berhanemeskel to the line where he converted a free throw to ice the game at 78-76.
Despite the loss, Bandits head coach and general manager remained positive heading into the team’s next game Saturday against Hamilton.
“I love that locker room,” Julius said. “I know them as human beings first, and I love those guys. I’ve been to battle with those guys in many different situations, so I just love our group as people. We play together, we play unselfish and hard. I think we’ve defended at a decent level as far as our overall intensity, and I’d say our games have been pretty low scoring for our opponents for the most part. Our defence is for sure ahead of our offence as far as executing.”
Ottawa improves to 1-2 with the win and will next play Hamilton (1-2) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET. Fraser Valley falls to 2-1 and will take on the Honey Badgers on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. PT). Saturday’s game will be a national broadcast that is available to watch on local CBC channels across the country.
All CEBL Summer Series games are available to watch on Twitch, CBCSports.ca and the CBC Gem App. A complete broadcast schedule can be found here.
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