Scarborough Shooting Stars Survive Late Comeback in 85-83 Win Over Ottawa BlackJacks

Zulfi Sheikh • June 21, 2023

Thomas Kennedy’s 18-point double-double led the Scarborough Shooting Stars to their third consecutive win in a row and an 85-83 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks on Tuesday night.


The forward’s season-high scoring mark and third double-double of the season helped his team get back to .500 and a four-way tie for the best record in the Eastern Conference. None of his baskets were more important than his emphatic slam over friend turned opponent Kadre Gray.


“The crowd’s playing a role [in the game-winning dunk],” Kennedy Said. “But also my man Kadre [Gray] is playing a role, that guy can hoop and get up. I knew I had to try and get higher than he can…I came out lucky and came out just a little bit higher this time.”


It was the Walker and Walker duo of Kyree and David who did the secondary scoring for the Shooting Stars on the night, with both notching 17 and 14 points respectively while each shooting over 40% from the field.


On the other side it was Deng Adel who led the way with his game-high 23 points. Despite the strong scoring night, the forward did have his fair share of struggles as he ended up with seven of his team’s 26 turnovers. 


It was Kyree Walker who was especially proud of that outcome as he made it his personal goal down the stretch to limit Adel and his production.


“Deng [Adel] had 14 at half and in the locker room I told all the coaches, I got it,” Walker said. “That matchup was personal for me, I told the coaches don’t switch anymore…I’m going to lock him up and that’s what I did.”


The first quarter of this game went almost identically to how the previous matchup between these teams went down. Ottawa despite committing five turnovers in the frame, found themselves up 27-18 heading into the second. Largely due to the team’s team’s ability to push the pace and find quality baskets – just like they did in that previous win. The BlackJacks were a +7 on transition baskets while also missing just five shots in the period on a stellar 66 per cent shooting.


What was different for Ottawa this time around was who led the way – with it being Adel doing most of the damage via his eight first quarter points. The forward was yet to join the BlackJacks the last time these teams faced off and looked determine to make his presence felt in this one.


As they tend to do, the Shooting Stars kept fighting to keep things close as back-to-back Kassius Robertson triples – followed by a Danilo Djurcic splash – had the lead that was up to 13 at one point, back down to five. However, that margin didn’t budge any closer as Scarborough uncharacteristically began giving the ball away.


The league’s most disciplined team at just 11 turnovers a game, passed that number with 13 by the end of the first half, eight coming in the second frame alone. The 14 points as a result of those giveaways had the Shooting Stars down 45-37 as they went into half-time. 


However, Scarborough did end the frame by giving the home crowd a jolt of optimism through an 8-2 run – punctuated by a Cat Barber floater at the buzzer.


That optimism wasn’t left unfulfilled as the Shooting Stars found their way back into the game throughout the third quarter. After trailing for almost the entirety of the frame, the team rattled off a 16-4 run to end the period up two points. It was David Walker – who after scoring just two points in the first half – took over in the third by scoring eight of his team’s final 10 points and putting them up 64-62 heading into the fourth.


“I just seen the rim open up,” David Walker said. “that’s one of my strengths. I kept attacking and going at the rim, that’s one of my strengths.”


Scarborough looked ready win their third game in a row as they began the final period on a 12-4 run led by their big man off the bench Thomas Kennedy. He scored the team’s first six baskets in the fourth, also grabbing a rebound on route to a double-double well before the end of the contest, helping his team to a 76-68 lead with Target Score Time to go.


No strangers to making comebacks of their own – already having made a double-digit comeback once this season, the BlackJacks were looking poised to do it yet again. They began the final frame on a 17-4 run to find themselves all the way back up 83-82 and just two points away from ending the game. 


The teams then traded possessions back-and-forth with neither able to seal a win as a raucous Scarborough crowd watched as they stood on their feet. It was Kennedy who then told everyone it was time to go home as he picked off Adel and then rose up over Gray for the game-winning dunk, 85-83 the final.


It wasn’t just Scarborough’s ability to capitalize on turnovers (25 points off giveaways), it was also their dominance on the glass. The team came into the contest averaging just under 40 per game and finished at 48 and a +6 on the boards, while grabbing 19 on the offensive side. Unsurprisingly the team generating 20 extra possessions out of those boards and scored 16 second chance points as a result.


Neither team will have much time to revel or dwell on the results of today as both teams return to action in just two days. The BlackJacks will head home to take on the Montréal Alliance on Thursday while the Shooting Stars stay home to host the Edmonton Stingers. The Eastern Conference standings now has four teams with a 4-4 record as the race to CEBL postseason and CEBL Championship Weekend heats up.


All games are available on TSN+ and
CEBL+ Powered by BetVictor.


A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball. The CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

April 17, 2025
Le Montréalais revient chez lui dans une signature qui marque une nouvelle ère pour l’équipe
April 17, 2025
Montréal native returns home in signing that marks a new era for the organization
April 16, 2025
Current Assistant Coach with the Utah Jazz joins club as Senior Advisor, Basketball Management
April 16, 2025
Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa de la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB), la plus grande ligue professionnelle de sport au Canada, ont annoncé aujourd’hui l’ajout de Scott Morrison, entraîneur adjoint actuel du Jazz de l’Utah (NBA), à leur personnel des opérations basketball pour la saison 2025, à titre de conseiller principal, gestion du basketball. Originaire de Morell, à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Morrison a passé les deux dernières saisons comme entraîneur adjoint au sein du personnel de l’entraîneur-chef du Jazz, Will Hardy. Il joue un rôle clé dans toutes les décisions liées aux opérations basketball dans le cadre de ses fonctions avec les BlackJacks. « Nous sommes extrêmement heureux d’accueillir Scott au sein de notre personnel basketball. Son expérience au plus haut niveau du jeu sera un atout précieux pour les BlackJacks alors que nous travaillons à bâtir une formation de calibre championnat », a déclaré le directeur général des BlackJacks, James Derouin. « Sa passion pour le développement du basketball au Canada sera un véritable moteur pour cultiver la prochaine génération de vedettes canadiennes, et son parcours fait instantanément de lui l’un des candidats les plus impressionnants de la LECB. Il connaît très bien le talent présent à Ottawa, ayant recruté dans la région de la capitale durant sa carrière dans le réseau U SPORTS, et il répondait à tous les critères que nous recherchons pour renforcer notre personnel des opérations basketball cet été. » Il s’est joint au Jazz de l’Utah après la saison 2022-2023, au cours de laquelle il a dirigé les Stars de Salt Lake City dans la NBA G League à titre d’entraîneur-chef, menant l’équipe à une fiche de 20 victoires et 12 défaites ainsi qu’à une participation aux séries éliminatoires. Avant son passage avec les Stars, l’actuel entraîneur adjoint principal de l’Utah a occupé le poste d’entraîneur-chef des Perth Wildcats dans la NBL australienne pendant la saison 2021-2022. Morrison a amorcé sa carrière d’entraîneur dans la NBA comme adjoint avec les Celtics de Boston, poste qu’il a occupé de 2017 à 2021. En 2014, il est nommé entraîneur-chef des Red Claws du Maine (G League), où il est sélectionné pour diriger l’équipe de l’Est lors du Match des étoiles 2015. Il a également reçu le prix Dennis Johnson remis à l’entraîneur de l’année dans la G League, après avoir mené son équipe à une fiche de 35-15, à égalité pour le meilleur dossier de la ligue cette saison-là. Morrison a commencé sa carrière d’entraîneur en 2001 comme adjoint auprès de l’équipe féminine de l’Université Dalhousie, avant d’être promu entraîneur-chef en 2002, à l’âge de 24 ans. En 2003, il est nommé entraîneur-chef de l’Université Lakehead, où il a œuvré pendant dix saisons. Il a mené son équipe à quatre participations consécutives au tournoi national CIS Final 8 (2010 à 2013) et a été nommé entraîneur de l’année de la conférence OUA en 2010. Diplômé de l’Université de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Morrison a joué cinq saisons comme garde avec les Panthers. Il détient toujours le record de l’établissement pour le plus grand nombre de tirs de trois points réussis en carrière (220) et se classe troisième pour le nombre moyen de tirs de trois points par match (2,2) ainsi que pour le nombre total de passes décisives (332). Il a joué sous la direction de son père, George Morrison, qui a été entraîneur-chef de l’équipe masculine de basketball de l’UPEI pendant 17 saisons (de 1983-1984 à 1999-2000). En 2024, Morrison et sa conjointe, Susanne, ont créé la fondation To the Max après que leur fils Max eut reçu un diagnostic d’autisme à l’été 2022. La fondation a pour mission de soutenir les familles et les enfants touchés par l’autisme, en favorisant la sensibilisation et en offrant des ressources à ceux qui en ont besoin. Il est actuellement possible d'acheter des forfaits de billets flexibles en visitant le site theblackjacks.ca/fr-ca/tickets . Les abonnements de saison des BlackJacks 2025 sont disponibles dès maintenant. Pour plus de détails, les amateurs sont invités à envoyer un courriel à [email protected] ou à composer le 613-690-0519. ### À propos des BlackJacks d'Ottawa Première franchise d'expansion de la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB), les BlackJacks d'Ottawa présentent le meilleur du basket-ball et du divertissement dans la capitale nationale. Le bureau de direction d'Ottawa apporte à la franchise son expérience de la NBA, de la NBA G League, de l'équipe nationale, de la NCAA et des grandes ligues professionnelles internationales. Dirigée par le directeur général James Derouin et l'entraîneur-chef Dave DeAveiro, l'équipe d'Ottawa joue ses matchs à domicile dans l'aréna de classe mondiale de la Place TD, dans le parc Lansdowne. Pour plus d'informations, visitez le site theblackjacks.ca .
April 16, 2025
La chaîne sportive majeure nord-américaine diffusera 33 matchs cet été
April 16, 2025
Leading North American sports channel to broadcast 33 games this summer
April 16, 2025
The Mississauga, ON native has played in 218 professional games in five different countries including the NBA G League
April 16, 2025
Moore averaged 11.5 points and a team-best 5.5 rebounds in 16 games with the River Lions en route to a CEBL Championship last summer
April 15, 2025
Givance averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 assists in 17 appearances between Ottawa and Scarborough last season
April 15, 2025
The Georgia-native signed an NBA Exhibit-10 contract with Dallas in 2024 following a five-year collegiate career at South Florida and Little Rock
More Posts