Day One Is In The Books!!!
History was made on May 10, 2019, as Albertan’s got to witness their very own starter project of the Edmonton Stingers, which is apart of the CEBLeague. The turn out for game one against the Niagara River Lions was overwhelming as Edmonton erupted with the incredible fan support. Witnessing the fans of Edmonton unlocked a whole new atmosphere for the Edmonton Stingers with the unimaginable support that was evident in game one. The privilege of witnessing such unbelievable fan support made not only myself but also the organization realize that the Stingers are not alone. The one thing that was consistent about game one was, no matter what circumstance the Stingers were in, the fans were always cheering and erupting. Being on the sideline witnessing such a magnitude of support made myself appreciate what I'm apart off and what to expect in the coming games.
Being apart of the Edmonton Stingers media team was a very moment-ace experience for myself for game one. It brought perspective and appreciation of being apart of a new sports franchise in the city. The environment of being around other sports networks and writers had a very warm feeling in my heart. Having the privilege to be a liaison writer for the Edmonton Stingers is a new start for what I want to do with the franchise as well as my career. Having the privilege to speak to head coach Barnaby Craddock gave me understanding to what role I am possessing which is an honor. Also speaking to starting point guard Xavier Moon about how he found the Edmonton Stingers opened my eyes to the type of player he is. Connecting with Moon gave myself perspective of what approach he has to not only the team but for the franchise, as he stated,
“I heard about this organization from a friend and after watching the support from these fans, im happy to be here”
From the beginning, everyone could tell that the Edmonton Stingers came to play. With an early impressive run of having at one point a 14 point lead, all hope was lost for the River Lions. However, once the second quarter started, it seemed as if the fans were watching a three-point contest as both teams were going back and forth with their volume shooting behind the arc. Although the Lions were making an impressive run to get back to the game, the Stingers had the advantage the whole game due to, the eruption of the amazing fan base of Edmonton. From the beginning it felt as if the Stingers were going to win game one due to the explosion of the incredible fandom. However, the lions kept fighting as they managed to bring it back to single digits with, a few zone plays. The Stingers had to answer back and they did with the impressive offensive strides off, Xavier Moon, Jordan Baker, and Grandy Glaze. Having a player like Grandy Glaze on any team is an automatic win due to, his energy and strive that he brings to the game. It appeared that Glaze at times would be the momentum push for the team. Coach Craddock barely gave Blaze a chance to take a break due to what his energy was. Having Glaze on the defensive side of the game helped the Stingers as the fans witnessed what type of hustle he brings to the game. Although Glaze was a huge part to keeping the Stingers alive in this game, the contribution of Xavier Moon was the cherry on top for the Stingers success. With the impressive contribution of Xavier’s well appreciated 36 points, it gave the Stingers the edge for success. It seemed as if the fans new what Moon was capable of as, fans were chanting Moons name every time he had the ball.
When the second half started, the Lions needed to make a push as they were struggling to put the ball in the basket. With the Lions making an impressive comeback with hitting threes as well as displaying zone offense, things started to turn up for the Lions. Part of the Stingers early success was, their fast break points which was solely from the three. However when it came to the second half, shots were not falling for the Stingers. The trend that was evident was, the more the Stingers struggled the more the arena felt elevated. The consistency of fans bursting into cheers brought the Stingers momentum. The Stingers felt the need to still fight for the city due to the support from the fans as they managed to push the game to overtime.
Overtime felt as if the Stingers were a new breed off players. The Stingers played aggressively in order to show the Lions who’s boss. With the Stingers making an impressive offensive run off scoring 18 points to the Lions 5 in only 5 minutes of action, it gave the Stingers their first win of the season. The Lions could not match what the Stingers were doing due to once again the eruption from the fans. With the consistent shooting of the Stingers, the Lions seemed to lose their composure as they could not land any shot in the basket. The Stingers executed their task by, getting into the Lions head as, the Stingers seal the deal and win the game with the final score being 118-113.
Game one expressed a message of fear for other teams as the Stingers have put themselves on the map. With the fans elevating the arena, the Stingers made an impressive run from their first game victory. In all the years of watching basketball, I have never seen such an enthusiastic fan base that Edmonton displayed. The Edmonton Stingers have put notice to the other teams in the CEBLeague as they flushed out the Niagara River Lions with the overwhelming fan base that erupted.