OT LOSS FOR STORM
Halifax scores hard-fought overtime win with Island Storm to even series at 1-1
Halifax evens NBL Atlantic Division final series with a 122-118 victory at home
There’s a reason why they call Clifford Clinkscales ‘The General’ around these neck of the woods.
Paced by the veteran point guard’s late-game heroics and Billy White’s monstrous double-double effort of 28 points and 11 rebounds, the Halifax Hurricanes squeaked by the Island Storm to salvage a split at home in the Atlantic Division finals with a 122-118 win Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Centre.
Terry Thomas led the visiting Island Storm with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Having sent the game to overtime earlier on a threepoint heave from nearly the hash mark of the Scotiabank Centre, Clinkscales drove to the basket and connected on the game’s deciding go-ahead basket with an over-the-shoulder lay-up with 18 seconds left.
With the home team up 120118, ‘The General’ stripped Storm guard Al Stewart, was fouled and put the cherry on top with a pair of free throws.
He earned his stripes according to opposing bench boss Joe Salerno.
“We were a little small because of foul trouble and we didn’t have much rim protection but hats off to Cliff, he made some huge shots for them tonight,” Salerno said.
Already down Ta’Quan Zimmerman (bruised heel) and
Mike Poole (hamstring), the Hurricanes may have received its most devastating blow when C.J. Washington (23 points, 12 rebounds) had to be helped off the court at the 4:36 mark of the fourth.
Come overtime it was White who was gone, via six fouls, at the 2:48 mark. And with the Hurricanes usually dominant bench being shredded once again with a 57-33 scoring deficit, Salerno knew an opportunity slipped away.
“I think both the games have given us confidence but we had confidence to begin with. Tonight, obviously was an opportunity we missed to put ourselves
in a very good position,” he said. “But we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Now it’s just about seeing what we’re made of and how we bounce back.”
To open the game, the No. 1-ranked Hurricanes came out of the tipoff like a bat out of hell. They stormed out to a 17-8 lead with 6:03 to play in the opening frame with a relentless attitude on the glass and defence doing the damage.
An ensuing timeout by Salerno, a throw down of Storm player Bradley States by C.J. Washington, and an ensuing scuffle was the alarm clock needed for the Storm.
The Storm responded with a
20-11 run the rest of the quarter.
Clearly energized from the incident, by halftime the Storm had already caused 11 Hurricanes turnovers and forced the home team into a 40.82 shooting percentage through a stingy 3-2 zone trapping zone.
Despite the split Halifax must stay alert, especially if they are without Washington, heading to Charlottetown as the Island Storm captured its lone two victories against the Hurricanes this past regular season at Eastlink Centre.
Games 3 goes Thursday at Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown at 7 p.m..
“We were a little small because of foul trouble and we didn’t have much rim protection but hats off to Cliff, he made some huge shots for them tonight.’’ Island Storm coach Joe Salerno on Hurricanes’ Clifford Clinkscales’ late-game heroics Tuesday night.