Rattlers use 2nd-half dominance to hand Alliance 6th consecutive loss

Devonte Bandoo scored a game-high 28 points as the Saskatchewan Rattlers handed the Montreal Alliance their sixth loss in a row with a 98-86 win on Sunday in Saskatoon.

For Montreal (3-8), who entered this one after a blowout loss to the Fraser Valley Bandits, a quick start led to an even faster collapse that the team never recovered from.

A 10-2 run allowed the Alliance to take a 17-9 lead in the opening frame, six of which came from Nathan Cayo. However, Montreal ended up going scoreless for the final three-plus minutes of the quarter.

Saskatchewan (5-4) on the other hand, finished on a 12-0 run to go up 21-17. It didn't stop there..

In the second, the Alliance held the Rattlers from taking a lead of more than six early on, but Saskatchewan closed out the final five minutes of the frame on an 18-9 run to make it 49-40 at halftime.

After a third quarter where Saskatchewan gradually pushed its lead to 15, it only continued to get worse for Montreal in the final frame.

Bandoo scored 12 of his 28 points in the fourth, with Scottie Lindsey adding eight of his 21 as the Rattlers carried an 18-point lead into the Elam Ending. The Alliance cut the deficit down to as little as 10, but that was as close as Montreal would get.

Dominic Green's 22-point, nine-rebound effort led the way for the Alliance, with Cayo adding 19 in the loss.

Saskatchewan will look to push its win streak to three games when they next play the winless Newfoundland Growlers on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Montreal on the other hand will look to put an end to a nightmare-like three-week stretch of losses when they face the formidable Scarborough Shooting Stars on July 3 at 2 p.m. ET.

Both games can be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, CBC Sports App, and CBC Gem.

WATCH | CEBL on CBC: Saskatchewan Rattlers vs. Montreal Alliance:

CEBL: Montreal Alliance @ Saskatchewan Rattlers

2 years ago

Duration 2:13:14

Watch CEBL action as the Rattlers host the Alliance in Saskatoon.

Undermanned Bandits hold off winless Growlers late

Later on Sunday, Alex Campbell's game-winning layup lifted the undermanned Fraser Valley Bandits to a 94-92 win over the Newfoundland Growlers in Langley, B.C. 

Tied at 92-92, Newfoundland's Brandon Sampson took a handoff from teammate Jahvon Blair near half-court, with Campbell in front of him defending.

As Sampson looked up to scan the court, Campbell quickly stripped him of the ball. Teammate Kyle Adnam took hold of it and sent Campbell down the court for the game-winner.

The league-leading Bandits (8-2), who were missing key players Thomas Kennedy, Shane Gibson and Murphy Burnatowski, extended their win streak to five games.

Newfoundland (0-8) on the other end has lost its last three games by seven or less as the team continues its search for a win in its inaugural season.

After taking a 29-25 lead in the opening frame, the Growlers pushed it to as much as nine in the second. However, Fraser Valley, as it has plenty of times this season, answered back with a 9-2 run to go into the half down 53-50.

That trend continued in the third as Newfoundland engineered a 13-2 run, seven coming from Jermel Kennedy, as they went up 12 at the 6:05 mark. The Bandits swung the momentum back into their favour as they closed out the frame on a 19-9 run of their own to be down two.

After a slow start to the final frame with Newfoundland and Fraser Valley scoring 10 and eight points, respectively, the Elam Ending provided all the drama.

The Bandits went on an 8-0 run, with Adnam scoring the final five, as they went up 89-85.

After a Terry Thomas three put Newfoundland up 92-90, James Karnik answered for the Bandits to tie it up at 92. On the ensuing possession, Campbell became the hero to cap off a 17-point effort.

Maxie Esho scored a team-high 19, with Adnam adding 18 of his own for Fraser Valley. 

Brooks led the way for the Growlers with 20 points and nine rebounds, with Sampson scoring 19, and Thomas contributing 17.

The Bandits will look to extend their win streak when they next play the Shooting Stars on Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET. All games can be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, CBC Sports App, and CBC Gem.