The Sudbury Five paid a visit to the Windsor Express on April 6 and came away with a 112-109 win.
With each team 14 games into the season, the Five sit in third place in the National Basketball League of Canada standings, one ahead of Windsor.
Windsor jumped out to an early first quarter lead, but Sudbury’s offence started to find its footing halfway through the frame and went on a tear from the around the nine-minute mark to the four-minute mark, earning 20 points to Windsor’s eight.
The Express would gain steam though as the quarter wound down, rebounding their offence to finish the frame just two points behind Sudbury, 30-28.
The second quarter would see the two teams trade the lead several times. Both would stay within a couple of points of the other until the Express jumped ahead without around five minutes less, pulling ahead by six buckets at one point. Windsor would hold onto that lead going into the third quarter.
Windsor would hang onto that lead through the third, though the Five gradually whittled away at it, pulling within a point or two and tying things up on occasion for the entire frame.
The Express weren’t able to shut down Sudbury’s offence enough to pull away, and the fourth quarter saw more of the same with the teams staying close, though Windsor managed to maintain a slim lead from much of the quarter.
The Five rallied late and with 30 seconds on the clock, Jaylen Bland’s smooth layup notched the game at 100-100 and sent it to overtime.
Five minutes of OT were all that Sudbury needed. Windsor jumped out ahead, making a few buckets to give them a slight lead. The Five weren’t about to give up though and kept the pressure on. They tipped the lead in Sudbury’s favour with about a minute left and the score at 109-106 for the Five thanks to a three-pointer from Jeremy Harris.
The Five would add three more while holding the Express to just three for a final score of 112-109.
Sudbury is back in action at home on April 9 when they welcome the KW Titans. Tip-off is 7 p.m.
