The Edmonton Stingers could not recover from a slow start against Cangrejeros of Puerto Rico as the 2021 Canadian Elite Basketball league (CEBL) champion lost 68-89 to end their first-ever group stage window of the Basketball Champions League of Americas (BCLA) in Polideportivo Alexis Argüello, Nicaragua.
Chad Posthumus led Edmonton in scoring and rebounding finishing with a double-double as he recorded a team-high 18 points and game-high 14 rebounds. Trahson Burrell also chipped in with 17 points and 10 assists. Isaac Sosa top-scored for Cangrejeros with a game-high 22 points.
“We started slow and missed shots we typically make and the other team in contrast is knocking everything down. It's tough, couple of those shots go, the game gets closer, energy changes. It's one of those (games) we can’t really look too much into. Onto the next one, prepare for the next round and come back stronger”, said Posthumus.
After a historic victory against Real Esteli on Monday , Edmonton were unable to maintain offensive efficiency as they got outscored 9-22 in the first quarter. Cangrejeros scored swiftly from the paint and performed strongly on both sides of the floor.
Mikhael MicKinny got the Stingers offence going to a certain extent as he scored 13 points in the second quarter keeping the score to within striking distance. However shooting vows continued for Edmonton especially from beyond the perimeter as they shot only 16.1% from the three compared to 39% for Cangrejeros.
Isaac Sosa and Davon Jefferson combined for 38 points for Cangrejeros as Edmonton were unable to slow down the duo. Cangerjeros especially dominated in the paint as they outscored the Stingers 50-28. Edmonton further committed 13 turnovers resulting in 18 points, 11 more than Cangrejeros.
Despite tonight’s loss, the Stingers will go in with a lot of confidence into the second window of the BCLAs when they take on Real Estelí on January 29, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. ET in Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The game will be live on CEBL+ internationally and available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca, the CBC sports app and the CBC Gem app.
Edmonton faced tough opponents in Real Estelí, who became Liga Superio De Baloncesto (LSB) champions after emerging as BCLA finalists last year but came out with an upset win. Cangrejeros are an experienced team who have come off a strong season in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). Apart from needing to adjust to a fast-paced style of play that this competition is known for, the Stingers also had to compete in from a raucous hometown all while dealing with the loss of former New Jersey Nets starter and 2006 NBA draft pick Josh Boone to groin injury which he suffered in warmup on Monday night.
“I said to the guys, we either win or learn. We’ll learn from this and be more prepared for the second window” said Jermaine Small, Head Coach and General Manager, Edmonton Stingers. “Its our first tournament and we now know our opponents better so we just have to be better prepared overall”.
The Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA) is the best continental league in the Americas. It’s created through an innovative partnership between FIBA, federations and leagues with 12 teams competing from the continent.
The CEBL are representing Canada in the BCLA as the 2021 champion Edmonton Stingers enter competition in this league for the first time. The CEBL season begins its fourth season in May 2022. A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .