Charles in charge: Hinkle has 53 points as St. John's Edge rally to beat Express in Windsor

Earlier this week, the National Basketball League of Canada tipped its hat to St. John’s Edge forward Charles Hinkle for his 22-point, 13-rebound effort in a loss to the K-W Titans, giving Hinkle its “Line of the Night” recognition.
After Hinkle’s performance Friday night in Windsor, Ont., the league might have to tip every piece of headwear it has in its closet in the direction of the 25-year-old from southern California,.
Hinkle had 53 points, the second-highest total in league history, as the Edge rallied for a 103-99 win over the Windsor Express.
Only Devin Sweetney, who sank 56 points for Moncton in a March 2013 game against the Montreal Jazz, has scored more in an NBL Canada contest.
Hinkle made 72 per cent of his shots Friday, going 18-for-25. That included a phenomenal 12-for-18 on three-pointers. In fact, if Hinkle had made one more long bomb, he would not have only tied Sweetney’s single-game points record, but also would have equalled the league record for successful three-pointers in a single game — Ryan Anderson of the London Lightning had 13 treys in a game last season.
Hinkle’s best work Friday came in final quarter when he had 17 points, helping the Edge work its way back from what had been a 20-point deficit late in the third stanza.
Resiliency has been an early-season hallmark for the Edge (8-3) and it was on full display in Windsor, where the visitors kept chipping away until they drew even with a couple of minutes remaining in the game and eventually took a lead they wouldn’t surrender as Carl English hit a three-pointer with 79 seconds left.
English had 28 points as he and Hinkle combined to supply nearly 80 percent of St. John’s offensive output on the night.
Alex Johnson added 11 points for the winners, who only got three points from bench players on Friday, although Jarion Henry did register 10 rebounds.
Hinkle grabbed 13 boards to lead all Edge players.
Chad Frazier, with 21 points, and Logan Stutz, with 20, were the top scorers for the Express (3-4). Windsor’s Devin White joined Hinkle in the double-double category with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Former Memorial Sea-Hawks star Vasilije Curcic, signed by the Edge earlier this week, made his pro debut with a brief — less than a minute of floor time — appearance in the second quarter.
The Edge close oout a three-game road trip and the 2017 portion of their first-ever regular-season schedule Sunday afternoon in London, Ont., where they take on the defending champion Lightning.