In terms of excitement, it will be hard to top Monday’s thrilling 112-111 St. John’s Edge win over the KW Titans.
But you could forgive coach Steve Marcus and his Edge players if they could do without the drama heading into tonight’s Game 3 of their National Basketball League of Canada Central Division final in Ontario.
Game time in Kitchener Friday night is 8:30 (NL time).
At Mile One Centre Monday, the Edge at one point in the fourth quarter held a 20-point lead. That was until the Titans went on a 16-2 run to close within six points with 2:30 left in regulation time.
St. John’s would widen the gap to nine points with 1:18 remaining, but the relentless Titans would fight back, coming within two and then taking a one-point lead on an Ashton Smith three-pointer with nine seconds remaining.
With just five seconds left on the clock, Glen Davis of the Edge was fouled on an inbounds play and the former NBA star nailed both free throws for the win.
Saturday’s 101-94 Edge win was a little less of a nail-biter.
Carl English of St. John’s appears not to have missed a beat after missing two months while recovering from thumb surgery. English led the Edge in scoring in both games with 22-point efforts, going four-for-eight from three-point range in both games.
The Titans return home to the Kitchener Auditorium where they’re 10-12 this season, including losses in their only two home playoff games, against the London Lightning in the opening round.
As for the Edge, they’re 10-12 away from Mile One this year. One of the losses is a setback to the Sudbury Five in northern Ontario in the first round of their Central Division semifinal.
Game 4 goes 3:30 Sunday afternoon (NL time), with Game 5, if necessary, 8:30 p.m. (NL time) next Tuesday in Kitchener.
If Games 6 and 7 are required, they’ll be played in St. John’s.
