(Mississauga, ON -) The Mississauga team Powered through the London Lightning 109-90 for their home opener in front of 1,204 fans, including Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Toronto Raptors Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira, two-time WNBA All-Star and 2012 Champion Tammy Sutton-Brown and Mississauga’s very own Mayor Elect Bonnie Crombie, to get their season started with a 2-0 record.
The Power burst through to take an early 14-4 lead thanks to a strong team effort. Guard Tut Rauch’s confidence on the floor spread throughout the team and the Power eventually soared to a 14 point lead. The momentum was completely on Mississauga’s side when the tandem of guard Omar Strong and forward Kirk Williams Jr. combined for a three-ball, steal and slam dunk that added pressure on the Lightning and a shot clock violation on their next possession. Strong followed up two consecutive London turnovers with two three-pointers that sent the Power into the second quarter with a 36-17 lead.
Mississauga had a swagger on the court with their unselfish ball movement and pressure on the boards led by centre Paul Cooper and forward Jaushay Rockett. Forward Travis Releford kept the energy alive in the quarter with a steal for a breakaway dunk to push the Power to a 42-21 lead. Williams Jr.’s seven points in three minutes pushed the Lightning even further out of reach with a 52-28 lead and went into half time leading 59-35.
Mississauga Power’s Miguel Paul
The atmosphere at the Hershey Centre was electrifying and matched the High Energy Hoops on the court. The Black and White showed a level of hustle and intensity that Mississauga hasn’t seen before and they didn’t let up their game despite a 76-51 margin with four minutes left. The Power was running away with the match but guard Miguel Paul and Releford gave the fans some action with a jaw-dropping alley-oop and kept the excitement high for the fourth quarter.
Down 86-68, London caught their second wind to make a comeback in the last frame. The
Lightning surged for 22 points to come within 15 of Mississauga’s lead, but the Power shut off their momentum and eventually won the game 109-90.
Jaushay Rockett’s 16 point, nine rebound and five steal night won him Peak Performer of the Game, followed by a monster performance from Omar Strong who put up 32 points, two assists and rebounds, and was 8-for-14 from the three point line.
The Power are back on the court for their match-up against the Peel Region Rival Brampton A’s on Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. Tickets are available at:
http://tinyurl.com/kjfogl7
Tickets on sale now at the Hershey Box Office or
TicketmasterThe Mississauga Power are part of the National Basketball League of Canada. The National Basketball League of Canada founded in 2011, is a Canada’s only professional basketball league. There are currently 8 teams, with 2 divisions: Central and Atlantic. The NBLC is committed to being one of the leading professional basketball leagues in the world. The NBLC provides Canadians, international athletes, coaches and officials the opportunity to participate in the game they love at the professional level. The NBLC is dedicated to raising awareness of the sport of basketball throughout Canada, by providing fans with an exciting and entertaining experience.
For more information on the league, please visit www.nblcanada.ca
Courtesy Mississauga Power
Drew Ebanks
