Ottawa BlackJacks put a stop to Vancouver win streak, while making franchise history
The Ottawa BlackJacks just beat the number-one seeded team in the Western Conference, and made history in the process.
The 114-105 win over the Vancouver Bandits was dominated by G-League stars Justin Harmon and Matthew Cleveland.
Harmon finished the game with 36 points, and Cleveland finished with 35. This is the first game in BlackJacks history where two players have finished with 35 points or over.
“It's history. Harmon's a great player,” said Cleveland about his dual teammate. “[They] did a great job of opening up the floor for us.”
Harmon and Cleveland both come from the Salt Lake City Stars, the G-League affiliate of the Utah Jazz.
“Salt Lake City BlackJacks,” dubbed Harmon as his new name for the duo.
Their experience playing with each other and their personal connection could be a big reason that the energy was so high on the bench.
“I ain't never had another person score 30 with me. So it was just super fun,” continued Harmon. “It felt like we were just trading baskets out there.”
When asked about what the historic moment meant to him on a personal level, Harmon responded, “Everybody dreams of scoring 30 points.”
Head Coach Justin Mazzulla confirmed that a big reason for the BlackJacks dominant win was the chemistry radiating from the Salt Lake duo.
“They want to see each other win,” said Mazzulla. “That locker room is really tight-knit right now, and that's what's clicking.”
Another bright spot joining the team was Drew Cisse, a center who played his first game at home tonight. After a dominant game in Montreal on Sunday, he was here to show BlackJacks fans what he can do on home court.
“I just want to keep building and keep going and winning with everybody,” said Cisse about his next steps to finding his place on the BlackJacks team.
One place where the BlackJacks have struggled in the past, was the rebounding game, and Cisse is proving to be the solution they’ve been looking for. With eight boards on the night, and nine on the road on Sunday he’s looking to continue to fill this gap.
“I feel like that's the key to win. That’s a big recipe for us. And if I do that at a consistent level, I think we can win consistently,” said Cisse.