Basketball fans on 'edge' as St. John's wins first playoff game at home
CBC News | Posted: April 6, 2018 10:28 AM | Last Updated: April 7, 2018
Edge beat Windsor Express 123 to 120 in double overtime
It's been a year of unimagined success for the St. John's Edge.
They won Friday's first playoff game at Mile One Stadium by just three points in double overtime.
St. John's Edge beat the Windsor Express 123 to 120, and Carl English sank a couple more points with just six seconds left on the clock.
English was named Most Valuable Player of the National Basketball League of Canada just hours before Friday's game.
And the team headed into it in second place in their division.
They're also second in the league for drawing crowds.
"These fans? They're into it," Edge coach Jeff Dunlap told the St. John's Morning Show.
The initial goal was to get an average crowd of about 1,500 per game, he said. But they're averaging around 3,500 fans a game — second in the league behind London, Ont.
"I was told this was a hockey town," Dunlap said.
The introduction of a National Basketball League of Canada team to St. John's has been a big win for Carl English, who also happens to be second in the entire league for scoring.
"I had so many doubts, you wouldn't believe," he said. "I was super nervous and had all these emotional things like, 'Should I do it? Should I not come back?'"
But the decision to return to his hometown, after more than 20 years away, has been "amazing," English said.
"Newfoundland's always been home, and that's where my heart was."
Kids were the tipping point
It's been especially good for English's kids to settle into St. John's, the player said. They love their friends and family here and they love all the activities they're involved in.
In fact, he said it was his kids that were the factor that convinced him to come back.
In fact, he said it was his kids that were the factor that convinced him to come back.
It wasn't just his kids though that drew him home. His brother recently had a kidney transplant, with the organ donated by another English brother.
"We're very close and I felt I wanted to be home for that," English said.
He was also drawn by the opportunities he saw in the community to bring basketball back to the heights it was when he was a teenager.
"I felt there was many ways I could touch the community," he said.
Had offers to leave, but turned them down
He's had a lot of offers to play for other teams this year, he said, but he turned them all down so he could keep his family in St. John's and keep playing for his hometown.
A few years ago, English was on deck to be drafted for the NBA, but wound up playing high-level ball overseas. He said he never imagined he'd ever play for the National Basketball League of Canada.
"I probably would never play in this league if it wasn't in St. John's," the 37-year-old said.
"But what better way to finish up my career?"