Matthew Cleveland shines, despite tough BlackJack's loss

The Ottawa BlackJacks took a 101-98 loss back at home against the Saskatoon Mamba last night. It was a battle fought until the last possession, but it just didn’t go the BlackJacks way. 

Despite the loss, there are many positives to this team, a main one being G-League player Matthew Cleveland. 

Cleveland is currently third in the league for points per game, averaging 25.4 and fifth in the league for rebounds, averaging 8.2. 

In last night’s game, Cleveland finished with 33 points, six rebounds and three assists. 

When asked about his impact in his first year in the league he responded, “It means a lot. It means my teammates and coaches have put a great deal of confidence and respect in me.” 

Another bright spot on the team is Javonte Smart, the franchise record holder for points in a single game. Last night, he finished with 32 points and 10 assists for another double-double performance. 

Smart is third in the league for assists, averaging seven per game. 

Even though the team is on a tough losing streak, the BlackJacks are doing a lot of things right. They lead the league in defensive rebounds with a total of 339 on the season.

They also lead the league in blocks, with a total of 76. Alex Fudge is second in the league for blocks, with a total of 20, averaging 1.8 per game.

“Our players are doing the best that they can, and they're striving for greatness every single day, and this is making them better,” said Head Coach Justin Mazzulla. 

The BlackJacks have a day to reset before they play the Scarborough Shooting Stars at home tomorrow. The Shooting Stars are currently first in the Eastern Conference and have only taken one loss, which was also to the Saskatoon Mamba, back at the end of May. They are currently on a six-game winning streak, including a win against the BlackJacks on Friday.