BlackJacks stymie Shooting Stars to reach Eastern Conference Semifinal

The Ottawa BlackJacks have arrived in the 2024 CEBL playoffs.

Led by Isaih Moore’s 22-point, 10-rebound double-double, the BlackJacks played smothering defence and used a second-half surge to defeat the Scarborough Shooting Stars, 90-73, Friday night at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinal.

The 22 points Moore scored is a new BlackJacks single-game playoff record for most points scored in a game.

“Attack the paint. Coach told us about some matchups that we would have … and we have guys that can really create their own shot and penetrate off the dribble and get something good,” said Moore after the game. “So that was one of the keys to winning tonight. Definitely part of our game plan.”

The BlackJacks made a concerted effort to get the ball inside via dribble penetration, with Moore the beneficiary on a number of plays waiting to finish things off. This proved to be very

effective as Ottawa hammered Scarborough inside, racking up 50 points in the paint.

“Isaih puts pressure on the rim with the lobs and then we can get into the paint with our guards in the pick and roll and that forces them to decide whether you’re gonna tag [Moore} on the lobs or if you’re gonna give up a three,” said BlackJacks head coach James Derouin. “So that is how we play, and Isaih is one of the best at it in terms of his field-goal percentage, hands and finishing. It puts a lot of pressure on the defence.”

Ottawa was able to dominate the paint despite Shooting Stars big man Nick Ongenda doing his best to protect it with a CEBL playoff record five blocks on Friday night.

“Shoutout to him, he’s a good shot blocker,” Moore said of Ongenda. “We knew that coming into the game, and that’s why coach told us to play off two feet and give him a pump fake or two.”

Unfortunately for Scarborough, however, the strongest defence Friday was seen from the entire BlackJacks team.

With the exception of the first quarter, the BlackJacks were completely locked in defensively, allowing the Shooting Stars to just score 42 points over the last three periods of the game.

Overall, Ottawa stymied Scarborough, holding it to just 35.1 per cent shooting from the field and a dreadful 9-for-38 mark from three-point range, a stat that’s even more impressive when you consider the fact that the Shooting Stars came out on fire, shooting 6-of-12 from deep in the first quarter alone.

Scarborough is a team predicated on the three-point shot, and was the most prolific three-point shooting team during the regular season, but a mixture of excellent Ottawa perimeter defence and a loss of confidence in seeing open shots just rim out appeared to be Scarborough’s ultimate undoing.

“It was team defence,” said BlackJacks guard Lloyd Pandi, who is a nominee for Defensive Player of the Year, about how his team was able to stop Scarborough’s lethal three-point assault. “Even though I’m up for the award it’s really a testament of our team.”

Added Shooting Stars head coach Mike De Georgio: “I thought we found some good shots but they just didn’t go. But I also thought we got forced into some tough ones, too, which kind of broke out rhythm after the first quarter.”

Scarborough led 31-18 after one, and with the way they were shooting the ball in that frame it looked like their title defence would be moving onto the next stage in just a matter of hours.

And carrying a 43-35 lead into the half, there was little reason to believe that the Shooting Stars wouldn’t keep on cruising, despite being held to just 12 points in the quarter.

The third is when things all changed, however. The Blackjacks opened the period on a 13-4 run to briefly take a 48-47 lead and kept their foot on the gas to enter the final period tied 62-62.

In the fourth quarter, Ottawa then asserted its will, entering Target Score Time leading 81-65 as its defence only surrendered three points before the clock turned off.

With so much cushion to work with, there was simply no way that the BlackJacks were going to lose.

Up Next

There won’t be much time for Ottawa to prepare for its Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup with the Niagara River Lions. That game goes Sunday in St. Catharines.

As for the Shooting Stars, their title defence ends more prematurely than they would have liked. The next time we will see them play is in 2025.

About the CEBL

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.