Ottawa BlackJacks clinch playoffs in final game against Edmonton
The Ottawa BlackJacks clinched the playoffs in a game (and season) that came down to the wire.
In their final game of the regular season out in Edmonton, it was simple. Win or go home.
The BlackJacks came out strong, creating a deficit of as many as 10 points heading into the halftime break. Javonte Smart was leading the offence, in typical fashion, heading into the quarter break with 18 points.
“He’s our engine; he brings energy on both sides of the basketball,” said Head Coach Justin Mazzulla at the halftime sideline interview with reporter Sarah Ryan.
Smart finished with his fifth double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 assists.
Coming out of the halftime break, the BlackJacks certainly revved their engine, turning the deficit against Edmonton into as many as 18 points.
But when it came to Target Score Time, the BlackJacks seemed to coast a little bit, and the Stingers were able to tie it up, despite the BlackJacks going into Target Score Time with a 10-point lead.
The Target Score was 96, and they were back to square one, tied at 87. The Stingers were looking to end the BlackJacks' season, but Ottawa knew they could make it to the finish line.
Sitting at 94 points for a couple more possessions than they probably would’ve liked, the BlackJacks couldn’t seem to get anything to fall. But then here comes Isaih Moore with a layup to take the win against his former team, and bring his current team straight to the playoffs.
The BlackJacks will now head to Brampton for the first round of playoffs, Thursday at 7 p.m. A win there means they’d have the possibility of hosting an Eastern finals game. But first, they have to tackle a monster they have yet to slay this season.
“It’s tough to beat a team [five] times, and so we’re gonna just give them our best shot,” said Mazzulla.
The BlackJacks faced the Brampton Honey Badgers four times in the regular season, and Brampton took every one of those games. So now, with an Eastern Conference finals spot on the line, the BlackJacks look to do what they haven’t been able to do all season long.
But first, it’s important to reflect on what the BlackJacks overcame to make the playoffs. Coming off a five-game losing streak before facing Edmonton, and another five-game losing streak previously in the season, the BlackJacks now sit in third in the Eastern Conference.
The wins that mattered really mattered because when it came down to differentials between the Niagara River Lions and the Montreal Alliance, the BlackJacks were able to take that win, despite all three teams sitting at a 10-14 record.
“Quite the journey,” said Mazzulla. “We were faced with a lot of ups and downs, more downs on the back stretch.”
“I didn't want the guys to experience six losses in a row,” continued Mazzulla.
Mazzulla credits the final playoff push to the togetherness and the care that the team has for each other.
If the BlackJacks beat Brampton, they will face either the number-one-seeded Scarborough Shooting Stars or the number-four-seeded Niagara River Lions, depending on who wins that Thursday night game in Scarborough.
And if the River Lions can somehow upset the currently 19-4 Shooting Stars, they would travel to Ottawa, and the BlackJacks would host their second playoff game, Saturday at 1 p.m.
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