The Rattlers finished their game against the visiting Niagara River Lions without four starters and top scorers as they dropped a 94-87 decision Saturday night before 2,400 fans at SaskTel Centre.
River Lions 94, Rattlers 87
The Saskatchewan Rattlers were left running on empty.
The Rattlers finished their game against the visiting Niagara River Lions without four starters and top scorers as they dropped a 94-87 decision Saturday night before 2,400 fans at SaskTel Centre.
It was Saskatchewan’s fourth straight loss as it fell to 5-6 in the Canadian Elite Basketball League Standings.
The Rattlers opened Saturday’s game without starting forward Maurice Calloo and point guard Elijah Harkless, who got injured in pre-game warm-ups. To add further insult to injury, the Snakes went on to lose leading scorer Jalen Harris at the end of the first half to injury and then, as the final blow, forward Bryson Williams got fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
The short-staffed Saskatchewan squad put up a valiant effort, only to come up short and merely out of gas.
“They did everything I asked them to do — they battled to the end,” said Rattlers head coach Larry Abney. “One of our players had a total of four or five minutes (of playing time) prior to tonight and they did everything we could ask and I like that because it’s something we can build on. We’ll have some help coming in pretty soon, get some guys back healthy. If the guys who played tonight can come with that enthusiasm and energy, then we’ll be in a good place to get out of the bottom (of the Western Conference standings).”
It was a supporting cast that led the way against Niagara.
Cody John paced the Rattlers with 23 points, hitting four of six three-point attempts, to go along with three assists and two rebounds. Emmanuel Bandoumel added 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds. Williams had 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists before getting fouled out. Isaac Simon came off the bench for 14 points. Harris scored 10 points to go with six assists and five rebounds before leaving the game at half-time.
Niagara had four players hit double-digits in scoring, led by Khalil Ahmed who had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
The Rattlers will head to Edmonton on Monday for a nationally televised game against the red-hot Edmonton Stingers (8-3), who crushed the Vancouver Bandits (8-3) on Saturday to take over top spot in the league.
“Now, we’ve got to get everybody healthy,” said Abney. “That’s the first thing. That would be great. But, again, we’re right there. We’re in the games, even short-handed. We’ve got to have more points than them when the time is up.”
SNAKE-BITES: Harris got injured on the second-last play of the first half, staying down on the offensive baseline until halftime. He did not return for the remainder of the contest due to a leg injury … Next home action for the Rattlers is Friday, July 5 (7;30 p.m., SaskTel Centre) against the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
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