‘We could have put it away’
Island Storm misses golden chance to finish off Saint John
Terry Thomas’s fourth-quarter heroics aside, the Island Storm lost a chance to close out the Saint John Riptide after a 107-97 loss Sunday in Charlottetown.
The best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal is tied 2-2. Game 5 in the National Basketball League of Canada matchup goes Tuesday in Saint John, N.B., at 7 p.m.
Down 85-66 after three quarters, Thomas drained a gamehigh 36 points, including 25 in a torrid fourth-quarter comeback that fell short and ruined the potential series-clincher.
“It was an opportunity lost. We could have put them away. We were definitely flat,” said Thomas. “But they’re a good team and were hitting tough shots, step-back threes, banks, and we didn’t have a lot of energy.
“(In the fourth) we tried to put some possessions together and I started to hit some shots.” The Storm won Game 3 130123 in overtime on Saturday. Sunday, the team learned the league suspended guard Al Stewart for Game 4 after inappropriate contact with a fan in Game 2 in Saint John. Forward Akeem Ellis of the Storm and Olu Famutimi of the Riptide were also suspended in Game 4 after they were caught leaving the bench during an altercation in Game 2. Thomas said more came into play than those developments. “We were behind the whole game. We were missing two key players, but they’re a good ballclub.”
Saint John certainly had the better flow throughout the game, taking a 30-25 lead into the second quarter and a 57-48 edge into halftime.
Gabe Freeman and company piled onto that lead with a 28-18 third quarter that gave the Riptide the 19-point bulge heading into the fourth.
Saint John held Jahii Carson, who went for 32 points in Game 3, to seven points in Game 4. He dished-out a game-high 14 assists.
But, said Freeman, the Riptide set the tone quickly. “The whole series they’ve been coming out hard, but (Sunday) they definitely were flat,” said Freeman, who had 24 points.
Thomas led the field in rebounds with 12.
Terrell Baines had 26 points and Rashed Whack chipped in 12. Darin Mercy led the Riptide with 25 points while Anthony Anderson paced Saint John in rebounds (7) and assists (10) and had 17 points.
Storm 130, Riptide 123 OT Saturday, the Storm took the series lead with a 130-123 overtime win in Charlottetown.
Carson led all scorers with 32 points, shooting 10-of-20 from the field and going 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, and dished out a game-high 12 assists. Al Richter drained 28 points, including eight three-point shots, and Thomas chipped in 19.
After a 30-30 first quarter, the Storm won the second frame 28-18 for a 58-48 halftime edge.
But Saint John rallied in the third with a 33-20 quarter, and took an 81-78 lead into the fourth.
Carson capped a back-andforth final period with a twopointer with two seconds left that tied the game 110-110.
Then a solid 20-13 edge in the extra frame gave the Storm the win.
Anderson had 27 for Saint John while Chris Commons sank 24 points. Freeman added 22 and led Saint John with seven rebounds.
Whack grabbed a game-high eight boards.