May 30, 2024
Montreal Alliances plays its home opener against the Edmonton Stingers
The Verdun auditorium tonight welcomed back the Montreal Alliance for their third season of CEBL action, when they played their home opening match against the Edmonton Stingers.
Montreal played their first two games of the season out on the west coast where they were defeated in a lop-sided fashion by the Vancouver Bandits on May 23rd and lost again two days later to the Saskatchewan Rattlers who came from behind to defeat the Alliance late in the final quarter, in a game that should have gone Montreal’s way.
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The Alliance had played well enough to walk away with the win against Saskatchewan, taking a slender lead into the Target Score period – but were unable to pull the plug on the game, and allowed the Rattlers to come from behind and snatch the win from under their feet.
Montreal got off to an early lead and fought hard to maintain it. At times, they lead by more than ten points, but at the half, lead by a score of 49 to 43. More importantly, they dictated the play throughout the first two quarters and while the Edmonton Stingers had come to play, the Alliance looked the better side as they have in all but one game so far this season.
With Montreal up by a single point, the target score was now set at 80. This being the second consecutive game that the Alliance entered the Target Score period with the lead, and the result both times would ultimately be the same. Montreal had their chances to put the game away, but weren’t able to sink their three-point throws, and ultimately Edmonton grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.
The positive for Montreal is that they are a better team than last year, and are on the verge of earning victories. Excluding their loss to Vancouver, Montreal has not only been in their games, but have lead at the the half and at the Target Score period in both games since their lop-sided loss to the Bandits. Surely, the Alliance are on the verge of righting their wrongs and once they do, the wins will start to flow.
Former Detroit Piston Chris Smith slammed home the bucket and earned the foul that he converted for the plus one, tying the game at 77. The game was now one three-point throw away from victory. Back and forth it went, both teams looking to sink the three and not finding the room to do it. Ahmed Hill turned over the ball and Edmonton stormed down the court but had to settle with two points. Everything was still to play, and it was Montreal’s ball.
The whole arena was now on its feet. With three seconds on the shot clock, the throw went wide.
Edmonton had a chance to end it but the ball bounced off the rim and the rebound was collected up by Smith – but was challenged and lost control of the ball and Montreal paid the price as it was slammed into the bucket for a Stingers win.
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The Alliance had lead practically the entire match just to have it all snatched away in the final, heart breaking moments. Such is sports. If there is any consolation; Montreal may well be 0-3 but they deserved to win their last two games.
The Montreal Alliance will host the Brampton Honey Badgers on June 2nd at the Verdun auditorium. Tickets are available here.
