This is not a pleasant, sight-seeing jaunt through the Maritimes.
The St. John’s Edge are on the road this week, moving from Nova Scotia, to New Brunswick, to Prince Edward Island and then back to N.B., as part of what has to be their most trying away stretch of the season, a trek that has them playing six National Basketball League of Canada games in nine days, with no back-to-back matchups against the same opponent.
And it’s happening during a storm-swept, cold January, not the colourful autumnal cool of September.
That was emphasized Wednesday as the Edge embarked on the longest travel day of their trip, busing from Sydney, N.S., to Saint John, N.B., where they take on the Riptide tonight (7:30 p.m. NT).
On a clear summer’s day, it’s a drive that could take six-and-a-half hours. But in the midst of winter, in a region that had just been socked by a blizzard, then freezing rain, it takes that much longer. What’s more, there was an extra three hours tacked on to the Edge’s trip Wednesday when all high-sided vehicle vehicles, including the team bus, weren’t permitted to cross the Canso Causeway until windy conditions subsided.
At least the mood on the bus had to be helped by the fact St. John’s (8-6) was coming off a victory, a 102-95 decision over the Cape Breton Highlanders Tuesday night in Sydney. It’s a result that gives the Edge seven wins in its last eight games and a 2-1 record through the first three games of this road trip.
The loss in the stretch came over the weekend against the Halifax Hurricanes, in a game that St. John’s head coach Doug Plumb had to have circled as a toughie when he first looked at his team’s regular-season schedule.
The Edge had defeated the league-leading Moncton Magic Saturday night, then travelled to Halifax to take on the Hurricanes in a contest with a start time that came less than 17 hours after they wrapped up the win over the Magic.
After getting a day off, the Edge rebounded for a steady performance against the Highlanders, although there were few there to witness their showing. Stormy conditions meant the announced attendance was 546, while the actually number of people in the seats was far, far less than that.
Those that were there got to see the Edge’s Dez Lee score 23 points, giving him six straight games with 20 or more and Maurice Jones deliver a game-high 26 points as part of what was the all-around stats line he normally churns out — the 5-7 guard also had seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
And the folks at Centre 200 watched as Obinna Oleka registered 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, giving him his fourth double-double in seven games with St. John’s.
What they didn’t see was Glen ‘Big Bay’ Davis play. The former NBA star took the warm-up and was his normal animated self on the bench, but he didn’t see a minute of floor time.
Given the Edge’s gruelling schedule on this trip and the fact that the 32-year-old Davis, playing in his first competitive five-on-five league in three years, is still working his way into game shape, it’s a fair assumption Davis was just getting a rest day.
Plumb didn’t exactly confirm that Wednesday, but did hit hint at it. When asked about Davis’s night off, he simply messaged “Getting him acclimated slowly and steadily. Can’t win a championship in January …. but you can lose one.”
However you read that, it certainly shows how much of an impact the St. John’s coach feels a fully fit Davis could have come playoff time, especially based on what he’s done of late, even as he scrapes off rust. In the first two games of this road swing, Davis averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, putting in 25 and 29 minutes off the bench, respectively.
While it remains to be seen how much floor time, if any at all, Davis sees tonight against the Riptide, it’s a certainty that star guard Carl English won’t be playing. The 38-year-old reigning NBL Canada MVP, who has been dealing with ankle and calf problems this season, was placed on injured reserve last week, and didn’t travel with the team. Although English technically could be reactivated now, the feeling is that it’s better to let him continue to recuperate (Plumb’s quote could apply here, too).
That’s especially because once the Edge finish this trio Sunday, they’ll have nearly two weeks before they play again. That will be Jan. 19 as they start what will be a four-game home stand at Mile One Centre as they square off against the two-time defending champion London Lightning.
Scribbles on the Edge
Dez Lee’s steady offensive production has moved him into the top six in league scoring, with an average of 18 points per game, while teammate Maurice Jones is in the NBL top 10 in that category with 17.5 ppg … Obinna Oleka is still a couple of games short of officially qualifying to be among the league leaders, but if he did, he would be the NBL Canada top rebounder. Oleka had averaged 12.6 boards per game for the Edge. Former St. John’s player Grandy Glaze, now with the Sudbury Five, is the league’s top official rebounder, with 11.6 per outing … There are no ex Edge players on the Riptide, but the team does have power forward Chris Early, who was drafted by St. John’s after the league’s 2018 summer combine. But Early was traded before the start of the season to the Windsor Express and then waived by the Express before signing with the Riptide, with whom he’s found success, averaging 14.8 points per game. He’s second on the team in scoring, behind only Frank Bartley (15.8) … Tonight’s game at Harbour Station is the first meeting this season between the Edge and the Riptide (3-9), who will be playing their second game in as many nights. The Riptide lost 114-110 in a Wednesday matchup against the visiting Halifax Hurricanes … After tonight’s game, the Edge head over to P.E.I., where they’ll take on the Charlottetown-based Island Storm Friday. Then, they’ll backtrack to Saint John for a Sunday afternoon rematch with the Riptide …
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Twitter: @telybrendan
