BlackJacks overcome Sampson's record performance, defeat Growlers in Elam Ending battle for 1st win of season
Montreal Alliance hand Guelph Nighthawks 3rd straight loss
The expansion Newfoundland Growlers nearly captured their first-ever CEBL victory in tremendous fashion on Sunday.
But in the end, it was heartbreak — despite Brandon Sampson breaking the league record for points in a single game with 42.
Deng Adel posted a team-high 20 points, including six in a tightly-contested Elam Ending, to power the Ottawa BlackJacks (1-3) to an 86-85 road win over the Newfoundland Growlers (0-2).
The 25-year-old former Raptors 905 player also had eight rebounds and six assists to help head coach James Derouin capture his first professional win.
Cold-blooded. Clutch. <br><br>Our forward Deng Adel <a href="https://twitter.com/Foreverdeng?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Foreverdeng</a> with the Elam Ending winning shot. 🎯💰<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToTheChip?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToTheChip</a> <a href="https://t.co/OErFi1jTx0">pic.twitter.com/OErFi1jTx0</a>
—@ott_blackjacksSampson outdid three-time league MVP and former Edmonton Stinger Xavier Moon, who set the previous single-game record with 39 points in a victory over the Fraser Valley Bandits last season.
Moon is now in a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and their G-League counterpart Agua Caliente Clippers.
"Definitely not the outcome we wanted, but big thanks to my teammates. They trusted me to give me the ball in situations like these. The shots were going down, so it was feeling good for me tonight," said Sampson, who also had three assists and three rebounds to his name, in a post-game interview.
"[We] just got to take it on to the next game and try to keep it rolling."
◼️ HIGHLIGHTS ◼️<br><br>All the best moments from a RECORD-SETTING heartbreaker at the Field House.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROCKtheHOUSE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROCKtheHOUSE</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/CEBLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CEBLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/UNkIvkJNig">pic.twitter.com/UNkIvkJNig</a>
—@GrowlersbballThe Growlers will now travel to Scarborough, Ont., to face fellow expansion team Shooting Stars on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, while the BlackJacks will visit the Guelph Nighthawks (1-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
In other CEBL action on Sunday, Dominic Green and Isiah Osborne combined for 42 points to propel the Montreal Alliance past the visiting Nighthawks 94-74, who suffered a third straight loss.
Ahmed Hill led the Nighthawks with 25 points.
Isiah Osborne 🐺😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeviensUnAlli%C3%A9?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeviensUnAllié</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BecomeAnAlly?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BecomeAnAlly</a> <a href="https://t.co/Igphjmi7XL">pic.twitter.com/Igphjmi7XL</a>
—@mtl_allianceMontreal (3-2) will next face the defending champion Edmonton Stingers in a road game next Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.
On Monday, the Niagara River Lions will host the Stingers 7 p.m. ET.
All games will be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.
WATCH l 'CEBL Weekly' Sean Woodley, CBC Sports' Vivek Jacob preview CEBL season:
