Three For Three At Home!!
The Edmonton Stingers faced the Saskatchewan Rattlers on May 31, 2019. The Stingers managed to come on top once again in their home court as they continue to be undefeated. The fan base of Edmonton seemed more engaged than any other game the Stingers faced so far due to the prolonging rivalry between Saskatchewan and Edmonton. However, the Stingers managed to avenge Edmonton with the final score of 93-84. This win separates any other games that the Stingers played throughout the season so far due to multiple factors. With the Rattlers being one of the better teams in the CEBLeague, the suspense for this game tipping off was anticipating for both fan bases. Unlike Edmonton, Saskatchewan failed to win this game as they only managed to have a lead in the first quarter. However, the question remains, what was different in this game for the Stingers compared to the previous games?
What Was The Difference For This Game Compared To The Previous Games For The Edmonton Stingers?
The Stingers have finally found their strive to win games as they have continued to increase their chemistry on and off the court. However, Edmonton displayed their chemistry in this game with a different mindset compared to the previous games they played due to who their opponent was. From the Stingers showing unselfishness on offence to, committing high percentage shots, the main difference that was displayed between both teams was, their depth. Edmonton managed to have 54 points of their bench compared to the Rattlers 16. Although Ashton Smith managed to score 12 points with a clutch three-pointer to seal the game, the real story for the bench was Deondre Parks and Travis Daniels. With Parks scoring 18 points and Daniels scoring 19 points while managing to grab nine rebounds, shows why other teams in the league can not underestimate the Stingers roster. Despite Bruce Massey scoring an excellent 35 points for the Rattlers, it was not enough to defeat the Stingers as they were more balanced with their scoring. The Rattlers were clearly relying on their captain to carrying this team to a win; however, that plan failed as basketball is considered a team sport. The Stingers heavily relied on team basketball while running a small ball line-up compared to the Rattlers playing through their star player while having a big man line-up. In the way that basketball is played in the modern day whether its NBA or the Euro league, small ball line-ups and three-point shooting are how basketball is played today. Although both teams relied on the three-point line heavily, the advantage that the Stingers had was, having a small ball line-up compared to the other organizations in the CEBLeague.
As mentioned previously, the three-point line was heavily relied on in this game for both teams; however, the Stingers managed to shoot the ball slightly better from the three-point line. The Stingers averaged 36% from the three-point line compared to the Rattlers 30%. Although that deficit is that large from the three-point line, the Stingers overall field goal percentage is what determined this game. Saskatchewan managed to shoot a horrendous 37% from the field compared to the Stingers 44%. These percentages dictated the victory for the Stingers as they managed to shoot an average percentage compared to the Rattlers below average shooting. However, the one shooting percentage the Rattlers managed to dominate was, the free throw line. With an impressive 84% from the free throw line compared to the Stingers 55% with fewer attempts showed the one strength the Rattlers had on offence. Considering that the Rattlers had 25 attempts compared to the Stingers 18 shows what time of basketball the Rattlers were attempting to play. However, towards the fourth quarter, the Stingers managed to understand the type of offence the Rattlers were running, which caused the Stingers to change their defensive strategy. The Rattlers could have come back in this game; however, they failed to switch their offence, which is what cost them this game.
Although the Stingers overall shot the ball more efficiently than the Rattlers, that was not the only factor that determined this victory for Edmonton. Going into this game, the Rattlers had the edge in height as they had two players 6’10 or above, most people would assume that the Rattlers would destroy the Stingers in the rebounding stat. However, that was not the case for this game as the Stingers managed to grab 56 rebounds compared to the Rattlers 37. Out of the 56 rebounds from the Stingers, 16 of them managed to be offensive rebounds which resulted to 21-second-chance points. This stat is crucial to the final result of this game as the Stingers managed to grab double the amount of offensive rebounds compared to the Rattlers. With only 8 offensive rebounds by the Rattlers, they managed to only score 8-second-chance points. This is what costed the Rattlers from winning this game as they struggled to grab any rebounds despite having the height advantage. Typically in basketball games, the team that grabs more rebounds is usually the team that wins the game hence why the Stingers won this game.
Overall, this win has been the most successful win for the Edmonton Stingers. Not only did they manage to win this game by nine points, but they also managed to display unselfishness that this team possess. Every player on the Stingers roster played their role well and new what their tasks were on the court. That shows the amount of sacrifice as well as commitment the Stingers have as they only care about winning every game. Although the fans help the Stingers gain momentum, they need to learn how to rely on themselves on the road. If the Stingers can play this well moving forward, they have a very high chance into winning that championship that they are fighting for.
This was a hard game to go into for the Stingers as they faced their biggest rivalry in the CEBLeague being Saskatchewan. With Alberta and Saskatchewan being neighbors, the sports rivalry that both these provinces share seems to be much deeper than just a game. This was evident in this game by mainly the fan base of Edmonton. If any tourist watched the way, Edmonton acts when it comes to their sports, they would be amazed for how loyal they are. These fans were consistent throughout the whole game even when the Stingers were up by a considerable margin. The passion and strive that the Edmonton fans possess should be feared across the CEBLeague when playing at the Stingers nest.