Highlanders fall to River Lions
Niagara overcomes first half deficit to claim overtime road win over Cape Breton
The visiting Niagara River Lions overcame a 10-point halftime deficit before upending the Cape Breton Highlanders 113-109 in overtime on Sunday.
The outcome was disappointing for the Centre 200 crowd of 1,007 that showed up for the National Basketball League of Canada matinee.
The loss was also contrary to what may have been expected after the Highlanders stunned the River Lions with a 33-point first quarter. At one point in the second quarter, Cape Breton had built up an 18-point lead.
But the visitors didn’t give up. Niagara outscored the Highlanders 29-27 in the second quarter to finish the first half on the short end of a 60-50 score line.
Then the game got away from the hosts in the second half. In fact, the Highlanders, who scored just two more points in the third and fourth quarters combined than they did in the first quarter, needed a Duke Mondy three-point basket in the waning seconds to even the game at 95-95.
The five-minute overtime went back and forth, but when the final whistle blew the Highlanders were on the wrong end of a 113-109 score.
Niagara’s Jaylon Tate scored seven of his game-high 25 points in the overtime period to lead the River Lions, while Omar Strong added 23 and Guillaume Boucard chipped in with 22 points.
Tydran Beaty, Shane Osayande and Haakim Johnson each netted 18 points for Cape Breton, while Mondy with 17 and Bruce Massey with 15 also scored in double-digits for the Highlanders. Osayande also had a game-high 10 rebounds.
The loss dropped the Highlanders record to 2-7, while the River Lions improved to 6-4 in the 10-team NBL of Canada.
Cape Breton is back in action on Tuesday when the Moncton Magic (5-5) roll into Centre 200. The game tips off at 7 p.m.
The Highlanders take on the Magic again on Wednesday, but fans should note the match is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. as the club celebrates Youth Day. The squad will wear special edition green jerseys that will raffled away with proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cape Breton - Whitney Pier Youth Club.
The team will then travel to Halifax for a Friday evening contest against the Hurricanes, before returning home to host the Saint John Riptide on Boxing Day. They wrap up 2017 with another away game in Halifax on Dec. 29.