Cat Barber’s historic 24 straight points lifts Shooting Stars over Stingers
Cat Barber scored a CEBL-record 24 consecutive points including the game-winning layup in Target Score Time to lead the Scarborough Shooting Stars (8-7) to a 103-92 win over the Edmonton Stingers (11-6) on Saturday.
With the score 79-78 for Scarborough midway through the fourth quarter, Barber took over and outscored Edmonton 24-14 by himself the rest of the way. His 24 straight points for the Shooting Stars included all nine Target Score Time points and the game-winning layup.
“I just saw the ball go in and kept it going,” Barber said about his fourth-quarter heroics. “I just get in my mode like that sometimes.”
In addition to Barber’s league record, he finished the game with an impressive 36 points, three assists, and three rebounds.
“I didn’t even know I scored 22-23 straight,” he said “That’s how you know I just keep playing, I wanted to win the game no matter if it was me or some one else. I just did my part.”
The Stingers had their thumb all over the first half, answering any Shooting Stars’ run with one of their own. The Stingers led 51-47 heading into the second half.
“Get the ball moving side to side,” Scarborough’s assistant coach Mike De Giorgio said about their offensive gameplan. “Obviously we got talented guys, but when the ball moves and everyone touches it, the ball seems to have a bit more energy.”
Despite the Stingers holding a lead for most of the first half and edging out a small lead heading into the third quarter, Scarborough continued to hang around. They tied up the game 72-72 heading into the fourth before Barber’s heroics.
De Giorgio reflected after the game on how he helped the team stay focused throughout.
“Just being consistent across forty minutes,” he said. “You don’t win the game at halftime, you don’t win the game after the third quarter. You got to play all the way to the end. So, if we can hang in there, show consistent effort mentally and physically for forty minutes, we can put ourselves in a good spot to win the game.”
Stingers head coach Jordan Baker explained what went wrong for the team after the game.
“Our defence tonight left lots to be desired,” Baker said. “You’re not going to be able to stop someone one-on-one that’s feeling themselves like that. We did a poor job away from the basketball supporting that point of attack, whether it was a ball screen or an isolation catch with multiple defenders. Lots to work on tomorrow as we get into Niagara.”
What’s next for both teams?
The Shooting Stars look to carry the momentum into Tuesday when they face off against the Montreal Alliance. The Stingers will try to bounce back tomorrow against the Niagara River Lions in their second game in as many days.
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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.
