Carl English was having a tough night shooting Wednesday at Mile One Centre. Then he adjusted his sights just in time.
The St. John’s Edge’s star had missed 10 of his first 11 three-point attempts in the Edge’s National Basketball League of Canada game against the Windsor Express, but he made his final one. They proved clutch as it came in the final minute of what turned out to be a 105-103 win.
Keith Gosse/The Telegram — Braylon Rayson (2) of the Windsor Express tries to wrest the ball away from St. John’s Edge guard Tyler Haws during National Basketball League of Canada action at Mile One Centre Wednesday night.
The result gave the Edge (9-5) a split of a two-game series against the Express (7-9), who had prevailed 111-103 on Tuesday in St. John’s first home game of 2018.
In the rematch, St. John’s led 77-68 through three quarters, but Windsor warmed up and St. John’s cooled down, resulting in the visitors going ahead 95-90 with just over 3 and ½ minutes remaining in the contest.
But St. John’s drew even, thanks to a couple of layup baskets by Alex Johnson, a three-pointer by Charles Hinkle and a few misses by the Express.
Then, with 34 seconds left and the score 100-100, English used a good screen by Jarion Henry to find space and nail a trey, then followed up with two successful free throws.
English was only 7-for-24 shooting overall, but still led the way for St. John’s with 20 points, adding five rebounds. Desmond Lee, who had replaced an injured Rashaun Broadus in St. John’s starting lineup, had 16 points, as did Hinkle.
Shaquille Keith scored a game-high 23 points for the Express, while Logan Stutz contributed 21 and 10 rebounds.
Grandy Glaze and Jarryn Skeete each had a dozen points for St. John’s, while Ramsford Brempong and Tyler Haws, both playing their second games for the home side, had nine and seven points, respectively.
Glaze grabbed eight boards to lead St. John’s, while Johnson topped the team with seven assists. English added six helpers in playing an Edge-high 37 minutes. But perhaps the number drawing as much attention from many of the 2,300 who took in Wednesday’s game were personal fouls; the night after being ejected from the game for two technicals and then sounding off on the officiating, English was charged with three PFs in the rematch.
Related stories
League will start using out-of-province refs
New addition to the Edge is a 36-year-old comeback kid
Things are working out for Curcic
The Edge finish up a four-game homestand Friday and Saturday as they host the KW (Kitchener-Waterloo) Titans. The start time for both games is 7 p.m.
