Express Escape Skyhawks’ Talons
Sunday January 12th, 2014, 7:29am
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The claws were squeezing tightly around Windsor’s wheels. But, the Express broke free from their grasps. In a close game that saw Ottawa nearly put a stop to Windsor’s hot streak, Stefan Bonneau led the charge. He scored an incredible 34 points on the night, and conducted the Express to an 88-86 nail-biting win over the Skyhawks.
In addition, Kevin Loiselle net 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. DeAndre Thomas had 9 points and 15 rebounds.
The Express did a very good job keeping Skyhawks star Ryan Anderson at bay, holding him to just 2 points.
Chris Commons and R. J. Wells were not in the lineup for the Express due to injuries
Bonneau started Windsor’s engines, and his teammates followed suit. Soon after, though, Ottawa began double-teaming Windsor’s smaller playmakers and forcing turnovers. The Skyhawks had a short lead until Papa Oppong Sank a three-pointer to tie, and then Paul Williams hit another three to take the lead. Before the quarter ended, Ottawa hit a three-point shot of their own to tie the game at 17 after the first.
A slow paced second had both teams getting their share of chances. The highlight of the quarter (and possibly the game) was undoubtedly Kevin Loiselle’s dunk. When the ball bounced off the rim and up, he slammed it down with a roar that resonated around the arena. The crowd responded with roars and cheers of their own. Still, the Skyhawks weren’t too fazed. The low-scoring half finished with Windsor up 40-35.
The third quarter belonged mostly to Bonneau. He quarterbacked the plays, and hit four consecutive baskets early on. Whatever Windsor did, however, Ottawa matched it. Back and forth, up and down the court, the teams took turns taking the lead. The Express broke free at the end of the quarter, but only by three.
The Skyhawks were beginning to prey on the Express. They regained the lead with a three-pointer and a dunk. They grabbed the advantage, and weren’t letting go. Windsor was pressing though. The Express picked up a quick steal off an inbound attempt to tie the game. In the late stages of the fourth, Darren Duncan hit two foul shots to give Windsor the lead – and eventual win. A crazy ending couldn’t be avoided, but the Express beat the Skyhawks 88-86.
Windsor’s next game is this Wednesday, January 15th at 7:00pm. The Express welcome the London Lightning for the “Clash at the Colliseum” as the teams will battle it out at Caesar’s Windsor. Attendance is for all ages.