In the final tuneup before hosting CEBL Championship Weekend , the Saskatchewan Rattlers (11-8) look to close out its inaugural regular season with its sixth consecutive victory as they take on the visiting Guelph Nighthawks (5-14) on Thursday night.
Tipoff is 7 p.m. (Tickets available at TicketMaster. Watch via CEBL TV or the CBC Gem App ).
The last time the Rattlers lost a game was July 18 - the last time these two teams faced off.
History was on the side of the Nighthawks that night, as forward Connor Wood set the CEBL record for triples in a game with nine, en route to a 93-75 win for his road team. Wood finished the contest with a game-high 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including nine-of-13 from beyond the arc. He surpassed the league high mark of seven, previously held by three players, most recently, Ryan Anderson of the River Lions, who hit seven triples against Hamilton on June 26.
Since that blowout defeat against Guelph, the Rattlers have been the hottest team in the league and have put some fear into the hearts of every Edmonton, Hamilton and Niagara fan. It’s not that Saskatchewan has been an offensive juggernaut, quite the contrary, they have only averaged 86.6 points over their past five victories. It’s the fact that teams can’t score against the Rattlers.
During this five-game win streak, Saskatchewan has allowed just 77.0 points against, with opponents shooting a dismal .378 (138-365) from the field. It’s a defensive run unmatched in the CEBL this season.
General Manager and Head Coach Greg Jockims made some major moves on July 22, bringing aboard American standout guard Maurice Jones and Canadian forward Shaquille Keith, who played three games with Hamilton. Since these roster additions, the Rattlers have not lost. They have gelled instantly, defeated then-top ranked Edmonton in back-to-back games, ending the Stingers league-best nine-game victory run.
After the regular season concludes on Thursday night, Edmonton will be playing the host team in Saskatchewan during the CEBL Championship Weekend semifinal. The Rattlers are a team who is walking with a swagger earned from a month of impressive basketball. A team with all of the momentum.
Tip-off is 7PM CT/ 9PM ET.
May 11, 2019 at Guelph: Saskatchewan 130, Guelph 110
Leading scorers: Guelph (M. Kabongo, 28), Saskatchewan (N. Webster-Chan, 28)
Leading rebounders: Guelph (E. Marshall, 10), Saskatchewan (A. Campbell, 8)
June 8, 2019 at Guelph: Saskatchewan 98, Guelph 86
Leading scorers: Guelph (J. Reynolds, 14), Saskatchewan (M. Johnson, 21)
Leading rebounders: Guelph (M. Kabongo, 8), Saskatchewan (T. Dawson, 8)
July 18, 2019 at Saskatoon: Guelph 93, Saskatchewan 75
Leading scorers: Guelph (C. Wood, 29), Saskatchewan (N. Webster-Chan, 19)
Leading rebounders: Guelph (O. Famutimi, 11), Saskatchewan (C. Posthumus, 13)