While the Rattlers’ playoff hopes took a big hit Thursday night with a 91-87 loss to the visiting Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan, now at 6-11 on the season, still remains alive in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference standings after the Winnipeg Sea Bears saw their record drop to 7-9 with a 103-92 loss to the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday.
Stingers 91, Rattlers 87
The Saskatchewan Rattlers find themselves on the ropes with three games remaining, all on the road.
But not all is lost.
While the Rattlers’ playoff hopes took a big hit Thursday night with a 91-87 loss to the visiting Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan, now at 6-11 on the season, still remains alive in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference standings after the Winnipeg Sea Bears saw their record drop to 7-9 with a 103-92 loss to the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday.
Those two teams — who meet Saturday in Winnipeg — are fighting for the final playoff spot in the West.
“It’s really frustrating,” admitted Rattlers head coach Larry Abney. “We’re a very capable group, capable individuals who make up a capable group. We just have these lapses, each game, for a period of time that sets us back, and then they fight and show their capability. If we can get this group to put it together for 40 minutes — for three games and 120 minutes left — then we can be in a good place.”
On Thursday, the Rattlers jumped out to a 13-4 lead and were in a good place early. They led 24-22 after the opening quarter, but trailed by as much as 15 in the third quarter and we’re down 14 at one point in the fourth before mounting a valiant comeback attempt.
The Rattlers fought back to knot the score at 85-85 during the Elam-ending target score time on a three-pointer by guard Cody John but couldn’t quite close it out.
“Our season’s on the line,” said John. “We just kept fighting … Our urgency in the third quarter wasn’t there. Guys stepped up — (Jeremiah) Mordi came and started getting some stops and started leading us; he kind of gave a little spark for us coming off the bench and kind of helped us bring us back into the game.”
In the end, a controversial foul assessed to Saskatchewan’s Rattler Teddy Allen, for contact on a Stinger player making a pass to his teammate, resulted in a decisive four-point swing. The officials somehow let the basket count and Edmonton retained possession, converting for another two points to put them just one point away from the game-winning target-score.
Allen led the Rattlers with 24 points and eight assists. John chipped in with 20 points, with three crucial three-pointers in target time.
Jordan Bediako added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Saskatchewan, which trailed 69-62 after three quarters.
Brody Clarke led Edmonton with 22 points, including the game-winning basket.
“Good player, super active — I told our guys,” Abney said of Clarke. “It’s a group of new guys and a lot of them hadn’t seen him yet. He’s super active. You’re trying to hit a moving target. He did really well.”’
The Rattlers will finish the regular season with games in Winnipeg, Otttawa and Montreal.
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