The Sudbury Five opened the Basketball Super League (BSL) finals Thursday night with a hard-fought 103-100 overtime victory over the Windsor Express at Sudbury Community Arena.
The win gives the Five a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five games series.
Post-season scoring leader JD Miller delivered when it mattered most, scoring seven of his game-high 27 points in overtime while adding 14 rebounds for his fifth double-double in six playoff appearances.
Duane Notice contributed 18 points, Diego Bernard had 13, Jelani Simmons added 11 and Jermaine Haley chipped in 10 for the Sudbury team.
A strong start
“I loved our start, we set the tone from the start,” said Sudbury head coach Logan Stutz in a post-game press conference.
The Five opened the game with a 10-0 run and led 25-19 after the first quarter, but Windsor clawed back, briefly taking the lead in the fourth before Sudbury forced overtime, tied 92-92.
In the extra frame, the Five held the Express to just three field goals on nine attempts while Miller sealed the win with five clutch free throws.
“We started off great, with our effort and everything, then we started getting a little lazy and letting them come back,” said Simmons in a post-game news conference.
“What we have been learning this whole end of the season is we’ve got to finish our games.”
Simmons finished strong, recording a key block and a jump shot in overtime.
Defence was key late in the game
Defence proved decisive for Sudbury, which limited Windsor’s opportunities in overtime.
Simmons emphasized its importance: “Defence – that’s what gets us going, for real. Once our defence is going, once we get running and we get up and down the court, that’s what gets us going.”
Stutz praised his team’s defensive effort, noting they held Windsor under 100 points in regulation.
“They’ve been playing really good defence the last three or four games,” he said.
“That’s one thing I have been challenging them to do. Defence is going to be our staple and that’s what’s going to win us the next games.”
Windsor’s newly crowned BSL MVP, Latin Davis, led the Express with 20 points, while Markus Golder and Jaire Grayer each added 19 for Windsor.
Davis’ scoring outburst in the third quarter briefly swung momentum to the visiting ballers, but Sudbury adjusted.
“We know how good he is at the rim, we know how good he is at the mid-range and we know how good he is at threes,” Stutz said.
“You’ve got to pick your poison with him.”
Both teams faced a quick turnaround after their semifinal series, with Sudbury adjusting to Windsor’s slower, guard-driven style compared to the up-tempo Jamestown Jackals in their last series.
“We’ve got a bunch of pros on our team, guys who are veterans and we know what to do to take care of our bodies,” Simmons said.
“Jamestown got us prepared for the finals because that’s the type of team that never gives up.”
Game 2 is set for Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Sudbury, with Game 3 shifting to Windsor on Wednesday.
If necessary, Games 4 will be played in Windsor on April 25, with a potential Game 5 back in Sudbury on April 29.
