The Stingers, who boast the top offence in the league, averaging 89.5 points, have not played since August 3, earning a bye directly to the semifinal. Meanwhile, the BlackJacks, who have allowed a paltry 78.7 points per contest, best in the CEBL, played three games in three nights, culminating in a 83-75 quarter-final victory over Guelph on Thursday night.

The Stingers enter Saturday’s game as the hottest team in the CEBL, losing just one round robin game, a 113-100 defeat at the hands of second-seeded Fraser Valley. The BlackJacks have taken a more tumultuous path on their journey to the CEBL Summer Series semifinals. After dropping their first two contests in the round robin stage, the BlackJacks were 2-3 before facing the defending champion, Saskatchewan Rattlers, in a do-or-die game Wednesday night. The game determined which team advanced to the quarter-finals and which team would be the first eliminated from the Summer Series. Ottawa cruised to an 87-68 victory and continued a pattern of smothering defence.

The semifinal matchup is the second meeting between the Stingers and the BlackJacks. The two teams faced each other on July 27 with the Stingers coming out on top 89-82, reigning league MVP Xavier Moon recorded game highs of 24 points and nine assists. The Stingers went into the fourth quarter trailing, 60-58, but used their explosive offence to score 31 points in the final frame and come out with the victory.

Saturday’s game between the Stingers and BlackJacks is the second game of a nationally televised doubleheader on CBC and will tip-off at 3:50 p.m. ET (1:50 p.m. MT). It can also be viewed on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Gem App and on Twitch.Tv (cebleague), while fans in the capital region can listen to the game on TSN 1200 Ottawa. 

Baker vs Scrubb

One of the key matchups in the game will be between Edmonton’s Jordan Baker and Ottawa’s Tommy Scrubb. Baker, a front runner for Canadian Player of the Year honours, has led the league in rebounds with 9.8 per game. His dominance of the boards is echoed by his offensive production, with the Edmonton native averaging 13.0 points over the course of the Summer Series. Tommy Scrubb has flourished as the Summer Series has progressed, ranking third in points per game with 15.7. Scrubb has also been a dominant presence in the paint, picking up 6.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. 

Moon for MVP

Xavier Moon has become synonymous with the MVP race once again in 2020. After winning the award in 2019, Moon continues to exceed expectations and seems to improve with each game. His dazzling speed, playmaking ability (4.8 assists per game), and high-efficiency scoring (18.7 points on .500 shooting from the field) have made him one of the brightest stars in the CEBL. Moon is currently leading the league in both points per game and assists per game, making him the clear favourite for MVP heading into Saturday’s semifinal. Moon is also third in the league with 1.8 steals per game. As the Summer Series has progressed teams have faced the reality that Moon cannot be stopped, but instead they must hope that they may contain him. Even against the best of defences, Moon has found ways to make himself effective and breakdown opposing teams. The BlackJacks will have to find a solution to try to prevent another explosive performance from the young star. 

High-Powered Offense vs Rock Solid Defence

Edmonton enters today’s semifinals clash with one of the most highly potent offenses in the league. In addition to leading the CEBL in points, the Stingers are also tops in field-goal percentage (.472), and free-throw percentage (.791), however they rely heavily on their outside shooting, averaging just 18.3 attempts from the free-throw line, last in the league. The BlackJacks on the other hand have been less successful scoring points, averaging 80.7 points. What the BlackJacks may lack in point production, they make up for in defensive work. 

Big Boards

While Stingers forward Jordan Baker leads the league with 9.8 rebounds per game, the BlackJacks have been a dominant force as a team on the glass. Ottawa tops the CEBL at 13.7 offensive boards per contest, and ranks second in the league with 44.3 total rebounds per game. In the BlackJacks’ four wins during the Summer Series, they have led the rebounding category by an average of 10.0. During their three losses, the battle has been much tighter, averaging just a three-rebound advantage per game. If Ottawa can control the boards, they have a chance to play for the title.  

Next Up

The winner of this game advances to Sunday afternoon’s final and will face the winner of the game between the Fraser Valley Bandits and Hamilton Honey Badgers. Sunday’s final will be broadcast nationally on CBC and will also be available on cbcsports.ca, the CBC Gem App and twitch.tv (cebleague) at 12 p.m. ET (10 a.m. MT, 9 a.m. PT).