Buzz is real with Stingers riding eight-game winning streak
The hottest team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League is coming back to town.
The Edmonton Stingers, currently on an eight-game winning streak, will host the Fraser Valley Bandits (7 p.m.) at the Expo Centre Thursday. The Stingers are currently second in the league standings with a 12-4 record behind the 13-4 Niagara River Lions.
“I’m not surprised, the way we’re playing, because I knew we had some key guys coming back from injury and whatnot,” said Stingers head coach Jermaine Small. “I am surprised that we’re on an eightgame winning streak. You never think you’re going to win eight games in a row, but it’s been fun and it’s been nice to see guys growing together and meshing together and finding our identity, sticking to it and winning these tight games especially.”
The Stingers latest victory was a 105-98 overtime win against the River Lions in St. Catharines, Ont. Niagara thought it had won the game on a buzzer-beating three-pointer, but guard Guilluame Payne-bouchard had his foot on the line and it was counted as a two-pointer.
“That game was special to be a part of, the crowd was crazy and we were down five with less than a minute left and then pushing it to overtime. It just shows a lot of how our team handled adversity,” said Stingers guard Adika Peter-mcneilly. “There is a lot of emotions, everyone is talking and just trying to get settled and just try to get focused on the next play and how we’re going to win the game.”
Edmonton dominated the extra session, outscoring Niagara 13-6.
“I talk about character a lot and one of the things I say with our group is that when it gets tougher, that’s when we have to get tighter,” Small said. “They know it’s a 40-minute war and I always talk to them about that and I feel once we get into overtime we go to another gear and just have fun with it.
“We have some really good leadership and even when times get tough, Akeem Ellis, Travis Daniels, Jordan Baker, we have a lot of good leadership where if it gets tight, then we just go out and talk about just having five more minutes to play, let’s just do it. They understand the moment very well and because our group is so tight on and off the court, when things like that happen, we kind of just enjoy it and will ourselves to win.”
Small has yet to lose a game as head coach since taking over from Barnaby Craddock, who stepped down in June to focus on the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
“System-wise, we’ve made some tweaks defensively. And offensively, guys have got more comfortable with each other,” Small said. “I’m very big on defending and rebounding and I’m big on offensive freedom. They’re pros and they know their identities as basketball players and I’m just trying to put them in positions to be as successful as we can be.”
Keeping the core group together throughout the season has also been instrumental in the team’s success. As a first-year, six-team professional league, there were some questions about the calibre of play heading into the season. The Stingers found quality players and have stuck with them through the course of the year.
“If you look at our roster, we’ve had the least amount of changes in the whole league and I think that speaks to our record and it takes time,” Small said.
By virtue of their record, the Stingers have qualified for Championship Weekend at the end of the month in Saskatoon, where the top four teams will meet to decide the inaugural league title.
The Stingers are aiming to be the top-seeded team Aug. 24 and 25.
“I think everyone is unselfish, we put the team first and we’re just happy for each other’s success, so when someone is having a good game, you just want to egg them on and make sure the confidence is there,” Peter-mcneilly said. “We’re doing the little things and that’s why it’s so special ... we’re just making it count.”
Small said he is comfortable putting all 10 players on the floor and each is contributing in their own way. The Stingers have come together quickly considering players are coming from different parts of North America.
“Everyone knows what they have to do on the court and off the court, it’s pretty special,” Peter-mcneilly said, “and everyone accepts that role and you kind of make the most out of all of that.”