Recap The Court

Photo: CEBL

Jacob Smith

The Edmonton Stingers opened the 2024 CEBL season on the road against the Calgary Surge in front of a record crowd. 12,327 fans were in attendance to start the season and watch Edmonton continue what’s led them to their championship ways in a 97-79 win over the Surge.

Edmonton started the game off going to their reliable paint presence that they’ve had throughout the years, and it was Brody Clarke posting up and taking care of the glass for a precise and quick Edmonton offence. They got the ball up the floor quickly and got up shots early in the shot clock, taking advantage of a Surge defence that wasn’t totally set.

When the Stingers can use the decisive movements and passes of their guards Evans and Nuga, to find Ben Krikke and Clarke in favourable positions around the rim, they are at their best offensively, and it opens up options for the guards.

When the Stingers weren’t attacking the post with their forwards, their guards, specifically Nuga, was going to work with screens and shot creation, constantly keeping pressure on the interior of the surge defence and the rim protection.

Edmonton found a lot of success off constant pressure on the interior of the Calgary defence, and on the other end, their own defence put a lot of pressure on the Surge.

Despite the athleticism of Rugzy Miller-Moore or the attacking of Malcolm Duvivier, the Surge had trouble getting through the quick hands of the Stingers and gave Edmonton a lot of opportunities in transition for quick outlet passes.

With the score 87-72 Stingers going into elam time and the target score at 96, it was Edmonton’s interior defence swarming the Surge guards to hold onto their lead. Adika Peter-McNeilly hit the game winning three for the Stingers.