The Montreal Alliance demonstrated the quality of its squad during the first home game in its history, Sunday at the Verdun Auditorium. The new team of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) won 80-71 against the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
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If basketball fans in Montreal did not know the 25-year-old winger Dominic Green, he introduced himself in the best way to the Quebec metropolis. He propelled his team to victory with 36 points, 14 more than anyone else, on Sunday.
Remember that the LECB uses the “Elam Ending” rule to end the match. When four minutes remain in the last quarter, the clock disappears and the score to be reached to end hostilities is nine points higher than the score of the team which has the lead at that precise moment. The Alliance led 70-61 when the target of 79 points was set.
Captain Kemy Ossé thus played the heroes with a basket of two to provide the Montreal team with the first victory in its history.
After sorely lacking opportunism in the first half, Vincent Lavandier’s troops showed more explosiveness at the end of the match. His defensive game also tightened to limit the Shooting Stars to 25 points in the second half.
Thus, it was really at the end of the meeting that the atmosphere went up a notch at the Verdun Auditorium.
After trailing by several points throughout the game, the Alliance tied the game 47-47 in the third quarter thanks to two straight baskets from Green.
It was the Washington State native winger again who lifted the roof of the Montreal home by threading the needle on a jump shot to give the Alliance their first home lead.
The Alliance will host the Ottawa BlackJacks on Tuesday for the third game of its season. It was down 80-72 against the Hamilton Honey Badgers in its inaugural game.
