Written by Zackaray Nadeau
There’s a lot to say about what happened during this game and why it was so special. It was a day that will be remembered in the Blackjacks franchise forever. It was the first time the team was able to play in front of fans, and the energy in the building went through the roof because of it. Get excited because LIVE SPORTS ARE BACK IN OTTAWA!
When the Ottawa Blackjacks were announced as the newest team to join the CEBL, it was met with excitement and apprehension. On the one hand, there was a new professional sports team to cheer for, but on the other hand, fans wouldn’t be able to see them live for a long time. Thankfully, things are slowly getting back to normal, and just in time, because it looks like the Blackjacks are starting to make a comeback in the season.
Going into yesterday’s matchup, Ottawa was 2-5 and 5th in the standings, and the Edmonton Stingers were 7-0 and 1st in the standings. Edmonton came off a win against Hamilton, and Ottawa coming off a very close loss to the Guelph Nighthawks. Ottawa had been practicing all week for this game, and they came out hungry for a win in front of the fans. It was fantastic to see Tyrell Green in the starting lineup; he’s been improving the most in my opinion.
Edmonton superstar Xavier Moon was quiet this quarter, with Mathieu Kamba starting things off for the Stingers. Starting the first quarter, Ottawa was all over the Stingers defensively and got an early lead. A couple of mistakes allowed the Stingers to climb back, as the Blackjacks continued to look frustrated. Junior Cadougan set up Nick Ward for a one-handed dunk that got the crowd to its feet. Ottawa pulled ahead going into the second quarter, with the Blackjacks score at 20-16.
The second quarter had me feeling nervous because my guy Johnny Berhanemeskel was 1 for 7 in this quarter. He had some good looks but had some unlucky shots too. This was the Blackjack’s worst quarter for me, but it wasn’t entirely their fault. The refs made abysmal calls in this one. The crowd really let the refs know about it, and Nick Ward kicked a chair going off to the bench and wouldn’t come back to the third quarter. Two fouls were given to Ward for some pretty skeptical reasons, and I’m not the only one who thought so. Edmonton’s 2nd biggest threat, but their tallest player: Marlon Johnson Jr, really helped Mathieu Kamba keep the pressure on the Blackjacks. But when it seemed like Ottawa was slipping behind, Junior Cadougan stepped up and got us the points we needed to finish the quarter 32-34, only behind Edmonton by two points.
During halftime, world-famous violinist superstar Kayri came out for a well-received performance. Something about hip-hop beats and violins works together. The CEBL also brought out the championship and announced that next year’s summer series will occur in Ottawa. The third quarter was incredibly tight; both teams were hungry to pull ahead, with neither of them refusing to give in yet. When Nick Ward returned to the court, the crowd cheered, and some even started chanting MVP. For a good reason too, Ward got eight more points in the quarter, with Kadre Gray and Junior Cadougan getting some critical points. Marlon Johnson Jr also exploded in this quarter, showing off both his size and shooting ability. Going into the last quarter, the score was tied 53-53.
It all comes down to the 4th quarter every time right? Especially with the ELAM ending that’s so unique to the CEBL. And this one was no exception. This was the defining moment that would decide whether or not Edmonton’s undefeated streak would end, or Ottawa would end the streak and win their first game in front of a crowd. Everyone in the building knew what was on the line here, and Nick Ward would have to be Superman. Fortunately for us, he was. In fact, the entire team deserves to be called Supermen. Junior Cadougan had the crowd screaming every time he’d sink a crucial basket. But Edmonton wasn’t ready to give up yet, especially Xavier Moon. Expect the phrase “Moon don’t miss” to catch on because he finished this game with 17 points, scoring the most in the 4th. Kadre Gray tied the game off a crazy shot with lots of coverage, and once the ELAM ending came into effect, Ottawa turned on the jets. Junior Cadougan once again proves to be the clutch player in the 4th quarter scoring the game-winner for the second home game in a row. The final score was 79-74. I felt incredibly lucky to be a part of one of the first pro sports games in front of a crowd since the global shutdown and be there to see the Blackjacks beat the best team in the CEBL right now.
Ottawa doesn’t have any easy games ahead of them because every game counts at this point. Ottawa is still 5th in the league at 3-5. With the Niagra Riverlions taking the last playoff spot with a record of 4-3, our best hope is they lose every game going forward. Looking at the schedules between us, that seems pretty unlikely. Ottawa still plays them three more times this season, and none of them are at home for Ottawa. Seeing the team as they are, I believe in their chances of pulling ahead this season. Who knows? This may be the start of a big win streak for Ottawa.
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