BlackJacks continue playoff push against Rattlers

The Ottawa BlackJacks (7-10) host the Saskatchewan Rattlers (6-12) on Thursday night, with hopes of a postseason berth still hanging in the balance.

Live coverage from the Arena at TD Place begins at 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CST and fans can catch all the action on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.

Despite Ottawa being ahead by 1.5 games over the Brampton Honey Badgers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East, it’s still mathematically up for grabs. That is unless the BlackJacks win on Thursday and the Honey Badgers lose. If Ottawa can secure a victory and get some help from the Vancouver Bandits, they’ll clinch a postseason berth for a fifth consecutive season and avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

BlackJacks fans ought to feel good as the team enters the high stakes affair, as it’s coming off arguably the most impressive win of the season.

Ottawa set a franchise scoring record in a 122-113 victory over the East-leading Niagara River Lions, shooting 56 per cent from the field while making 17 threes on a 51 per cent clip.

It was an all-around effort for the BlackJacks as four of five starters finished in double figures, led by Tevin Brown who had 27 points via eight made threes on a 61 per cent clip. The impressive shooting display from downtown was tied for the fifth-most triples made in a single CEBL game all-time.

Lloyd Pandi also had an impressive night for the BlackJacks as he finished with 22 points, eight assists, two steals and two blocks. Meanwhile, Ottawa’s bench chipped in plenty as well, finishing the game plus-seven (42-35). Tyrrel Tate and Miryne Thomas led the second unit effort as they finished with 16 and 12 points each.

On the other side, the Rattlers have been eliminated from playoff contention after the Winnipeg Sea Bears secured the final spot following a win over the Calgary Surge on Tuesday. Despite the fact Saskatchewan is missing the post-season for a second consecutive season, it can end things on a high note by playing spoiler.

The Rattlers are on a three-game losing streak, and what better way to snap it than by beating the BlackJacks and making the race out east even more interesting.

And for what it’s worth, the team has made strides in its biggest area of concern, which has been the defence. Saskatchewan is holding opponents to 90.3 points per game during its recent skid, down from the 93.2 points per game it usually gives up. The Rattlers have also held their last three opponents to a combined average of 42.3 per cent shooting from the field.

Against the Sea Bears, in their most recent loss, the Rattlers were able to hold the league’s fourth best offence (92.9 points per game) to just 37 per cent shooting from the field.

But despite improved play defensively, Saskatchewan has had a new area of concern it needs to address and that’s rebounding. The Rattlers are minus-24 on the glass through their last three games, giving up an average of 19.3 offensive rebounds in that span.

Saskatchewan has done its job getting stops but hasn’t been able to secure the ball after getting said stops, creating extra possessions for their opponents. For instance, Winnipeg finished with 52 rebounds (plus-17) in its 97-93 win, 32 (plus-20) of which were on the offensive end. The end result was an extra 18 field goal attempts for the Sea Bears that made all the difference in a narrow victory.

The Rattlers may not have a postseason berth left to fight for, but they can still be a key player in how the standings shake out. And if there’s a team they can shake off the struggles on the glass against, it’s the BlackJacks who rank last in the league with 34.9 rebounds per game.

– CEBL –

About the CEBL

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube