EXPRESS MUST MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS
Coach Jones taking the all-star break to evaluate roster as playoffs approach
The Windsor Express has shown it's as good as any team in the new Basketball Super League.
What the team has been unable to show is it's a better team than anyone in the league.
In their final game before the league all-star break, the Express had a chance for its first threegame winning streak of the season. Instead, Windsor produced its worst defensive performance of the season in a 130-120 loss to the Newfoundland Rogues on Wednesday before a crowd of 1,945 at the WFCU Centre.
“Giving up 130 is going to be hard to win against anybody,” Express forward Paul Harrison said. “They're a strong, high-powered offensive team, but it's also us. We've got to lock down and play better in all aspects of the game.”
The Express came in with back-to-back wins that included a comeback effort against the Rogues at home on Saturday, but simply had no jump.
“To be able to have an opportunity to solidify yourself as one of the top teams in the league after a big win in London (on Sunday),” Express head coach Bill Jones said. “To come back and not play well, not up to expectations to this point.
“This is a league where they have good players. One guy (Marquis Collins) hit 35, one guy (Armani Chaney) hit 31 and on our keys to win, we had to contain them and we didn't do a good job. It was an easy 130 points. It wasn't like they struggled to get points. We didn't take them out of doing anything they wanted to do. We just didn't get it done.”
With an unbalanced schedule for the league, winning percentage will determine the top four playoff teams. A win Wednesday would have put the Express at 10-6 and a .625 winning percentage for third in the league. Now, they sit 9-7 for a .563 winning percentage and drop to fifth.
“We want to get that top seed, if we can, but the most important (thing) is to make the playoffs,” Express guard Latin Davis said. “Most of our games all came down to nail biters. If we can finish out those games, we'll be OK. We're just missing that little switch and once we hit that moment, we'll be OK.”
With a week off for the all-star break, Jones plans to once again evaluate his roster.
“Just looking at our roster trying to see if anyone out there can help us,” Jones said. “Big guy that can score inside, post up, defend, rebound. It's always tough, but I have a couple days.”
The Rogues scored 68 points in the first half and the Express were chasing most of the game. Windsor rallied to tie the game at 81-81 in the third quarter, but Newfoundland closed the quarter on a 23-11 run to seize control.
Harrison finished with 38 points for the Express, while Amir Yusuf came off the bench to score a season-high 19 points against the Rogues (9-6). Davis and Tyler Groce each had 14 points, while Shadell Millinghaus finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds and Trendon Hankerson chipped in with 11 points.
After the all-star break, the Express will have just 10 games left in the season and players know it's time to lock in.
“After the all-star break, everybody knows playoffs are coming really fast and you have to be in the mindset every game from here on out is (that it's) just like a playoff game just to get into the playoffs and every game from that point on is win or go home,” Harrison said.
This is a league where they have good players . ... And we didn't do a good job. It was an easy 130 points.