In the end, the Rattlers came up short against a team that they are chasing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League Western Conference standings with a 95-87 loss Sunday to the Calgary Surge at SaskTel Centre.
Surge 95, Rattlers 87
In what was an almost must-win scenario, the Saskatchewan Rattlers did everything they could to win through three quarters of play.
In the end, however, they came up short against a team that they are chasing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League Western Conference standings with a 95-87 loss Sunday to the Calgary Surge at SaskTel Centre.
“Thirty-two minutes of great basketball by us,” said Rattlers head coach Larry Abney. “Again, in this league, that’s not enough. Again, we need the whole 40 minutes (four quarters). We saw the collapse, at the end, for different reasons. Unfortunate, but, we’re able to still stay (alive) in the playoff hunt and take a lesson from it.”
Once again, the Rattlers ran out of steam in the final quarter Sunday before 2,200 fans in the Snake Pit, this time after leading 71-67 after three quarters.
Saskatchewan actually led by as many as 12 — 46-34 — in the first half but watched that cushion evaporate as the second quarter played out.
The Rattlers gave up a 13-0 run in the final frame during Sunday’s loss as they fell to 6-10 for the season, having lost eight of their last nine games.
Meanwhile, the Surge improved to 9-7 as they look to lock up one of the flour playoff spots available in the West.
“We got stagnant,” said Abney. “We couldn’t get into the paint. Our first half, we got a lot of paint touches that led to us being able to attack some close-outs and get open three’s, get to the pain and get to the three-point line. I don’t think we got to the free-throw line at all (in the fourth). They got into a rhythm and we couldn’t stop it.”
Saskatchewan and the Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-8) are currently fighting for that last spot.
Teddy Allen led Saskatchewan with 28 points, hitting six of 17 three-point attempts.
Emmanuel Bandoumel — who was thrust into a starting role following the departure of a number of starters mid-season — added 25 points, four rebounds and four assists.
“I’m giving them (Surge) a lot of respect because they put up a lot of good shots, and timely shots as well,” said Bandoumel. “At the same time, I felt like we had a role to play in this (loss), which is not executing as well offensively. It wasn’t really like us going dry. It was us not taking quality shots, I think, and making it a little tougher on us, offensively. They’re a great transition team, so, as soon as they get a rebound, they’re out and running. It’s the easiest bucket they can (make), which is in transition. They get to the basket or try and find the kick-out and spring us for a three-pointer. That’s where it started for us.”
Cody John had 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal for Saskatchewan, which led 49-44 at the half. Newcomer James Montgomery led the team with 10 rebounds to go with five points but he struggled with his shots from within close, shooting just 16 per cent.
Stefan Smith led Calgary with 29 points to go with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Matthieu Kamba had 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Former Rattler Jordy Tshimanga and Corey Davis Jr. added 14 points apiece with Davis contributing 10 assists and Tshigmanga grabbing seven rebounds and blocking three shots.
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