Game Six: Shooting Stars back on track with blowout win over Alliance
After four straight losses entering the Verdun Auditorium, Scarborough Shooting Stars head coach Chris Exilus’ plan to turn the team’s season around remained unchanged. After the two home losses especially, Exilus reiterated “starting on time,” better defensive coverages and making the most of the open looks at the basket.
These solutions were meant to break the ongoing patterns: allowing and trying to overcome early deficits, and generating late surges that ultimately fell short of complete comebacks.
Finally, the narrative favoured Scarborough on June 11.
The 104–72 blowout win over the Montreal Alliance (2–4) not only puts the Shooting Stars back in the win column, but becomes the prime starting point to find the much-needed consistency.
“It was a very big win for us,” Kameron Chatman said after the game.
Chatman, who contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes, said the win is “something to build off of” for the team moving forward with an extended break before the next home game.
“[We] just emphasis playing hard and everything will take care of itself.”
As one of the returning players from last year’s inaugural season, Chatman believed his familiarity with the coaches and organization helped him take on more of a leadership role in year two.
It was this experience the team needed amid the early losing streak and finding a way to stop the bleeding.
And in Montreal, the Shooting Stars came prepared to play a complete game from start to finish.
The offence started on time.
Four minutes into the first quarter with the Alliance ahead 11–10, the Shooting Stars would go on a 16–2 run.
The second quarter was no different, and Montreal would never lead again or seriously challenge the growing deficits.
Along with Chatman, the Shooting Stars were led offensively by Cat Barber and Zeke Moore.
Barber led the way with 25 points, five rebounds and four steals.
This comes after he endured his worst outing of the season against the Niagara River Lions on June 8, scoring 13 points on 5/13 shooting.
As for Moore, who finished with 19 points and four assists, he continues to fill in on the backcourt for Jalen Harris, who was absent from the lineup once again.
By halftime the Shooting Stars were firmly in control, 53–28.
David Walker entered the game in the third quarter, making his CEBL debut.
The TMU Bold guard contributed 10 points and two steals for Scarborough in 17 minutes while contributing grit and hustle on both ends of the floor. Walker was the Shooting Stars’ second round pick in the recent CEBL draft.
With the score 78–58 in the fourth, Montreal mounted one last push, going on a 10–0 run.
Scarborough responded with its own run after Moore hit a three to swing the momentum back in their favour.
Before Target Score Time, the Shooting Stars outscored Montreal 16–3.
Alliance head coach Vincent Lavandier decided to switch to his bench, ending any possibility for another offensive push.
Montreal was led by Blake Francis’ 23 points and Treveon Graham’s 22 points and game high 15 rebounds.
The Shooting Stars return home to host the Brampton Honey Badgers at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on June 18.
Scarborough defeated the Honey Badgers, 80–78, at the CAA Centre on May 26.
The next home game will also be Filipino Night, celebrating the east end’s large and vibrant Filipino community.
