Stingers tame Rattlers in back-and-forth battle

The Edmonton Stingers prevailed over the Saskatchewan Rattlers in a tight 92-89 contest on Thursday (May 22) to earn their first win of the season.

Timely runs and efficient three-point shooting propelled the Stingers to victory in a game in which no team held a lead larger than eight points.

Sean East II spearheaded the Stingers’ attack, netting a game-high 27 points that included five triples. The 25-year-old American guard corralled eight rebounds and added two steals as well.

“We can always improve, but it's better to improve off a win than a loss,” East said after the game.

The duo of former Rattlers Devonté Bandoo and Scottie Lindsey also made a major impact on their old home court at SaskTel Centre.

The familiar faces made big shots, with Lindsey hitting the game-winning free throw as part of a 13-point performance. Bandoo contributed 15 points, including three connections from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter and Target Score Time.

Bandoo said it felt great to play in front of his former home crowd and it will always be home.

“It's always a great feeling, hitting shots ... I think every basketball player loves to see the ball going in, so I'm excited to see [it], especially coming back from injury,” Bandoo said.

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan relied heavily on Nate Pierre-Louis and Cody John in the narrow defeat.

Pierre-Louis notched the third triple-double in franchise history and seventh in league history, with 20 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. He added a steal and block for good measure.

The New Jersey product said hard work off the court is finally showing up.

“I wasn't trying to get [a triple-double], I was just trying to win a game. So I'm grateful but I just wish we got the W,” Pierre-Louis said.

John also made an immediate impact for the Rattlers in his season debut, putting up a team-high 25 points in the loss.

Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker said the team needs to be better the finer details, but he praised the resilience and shot-making down the stretch.

“I mean, it seemed like it was much harder than we needed it to be. But credit to Saskatchewan. They played hard, played right to the end, and made some big plays on both ends of the floor,” Baker said.

Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz was pleased with the level of competition coming off a 40-point loss in the season opener against Vancouver.

“I'm really happy with the response. We challenged them this week about who we want to be this season and they showed up and proved that we're going to be a team to contend with,” he said.

The game began with two minutes of scoreless basketball before the Rattlers and Stingers started exchanging blows. Lindsey and Bandoo got on the board early, with Lindsey hitting the 500-point milestone in his CEBL career.

Edmonton went on a 9-2 run to snag a six-point lead, but Saskatchewan rallied to head into the second quarter down one.

The western squads continued a close battle in the second frame. Elijah Ifejeh showed his prowess on both ends, blocking a mid-range shot on defence before capitalizing with a transition slam to force a Baker timeout.

Saskatchewan and Edmonton jostled for the lead throughout the opening 20 minutes, with 10 lead changes and six ties in the first half. A floater and wing three from East late in the frame provided Edmonton with a 40-39 lead entering the locker room.

East continued to cook in the third quarter, going on a 10-3 personal run on the Rattlers that extended back to the first half. Saskatchewan made big plays of its own, with a lead-changing three from Chaplin and a massive dunk from Pierre-Louis.

However, in his CEBL debut, Cameron McGriff stopped the Rattlers’ momentum after the aforementioned plays, answering with a triple of his own and an and-one after the Pierre-Louis dunk.

The Rattlers kept battling, with Isaac Simon scoring six straight points and forcing a travel on the other end to keep it a one-point game after three.

An 8-2 Edmonton run early in the fourth that featured triples from East and Bandoo forced a Magdanz timeout. The Stingers weathered each Rattlers’ push prior to Target Score Time, taking an 83-79 lead into the final stretch.

John stayed hot for Saskatchewan early in target time, pulling the Rattlers within one point. However, a layup from Lindsey to go along with threes from East and Bandoo put the Stingers one point away from victory.

Saskatchewan fought back and had a shot to win— Jamir Chaplin’s three hit back rim —before Lindsey drew a foul and sealed the game at the line.