Shooting Stars punctuate emphatic win over Alliance with walk - off alley - oop

A game that was hardly ever in doubt for the Scarborough Shooting Stars was capped with an exclamation point.

Two points away from victory in Target Score Time, interim head coach Mike De Giorgio called timeout.

The team emerged from the huddle and guard Kadre Gray grabbed the ball for the baseline out-of-bounds play under the Montreal Alliance basket. He immediately tossed a high lob above the rim, which fellow guard Jalen Adaway skied to receive and threw down for the victory.

The final score was 91-71 in favour of the Shooting Stars in front of their home crowd at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on Tuesday.

The Shooting Stars improved to 9-7 with the victory as they seek to defend their title.

“I think it was a 40-minute effort,” De Giorgio said. “They only led for 16 seconds. We got a big boost from the bench, 45 points off the bench, so no matter what lineup we had in there we were moving the ball, getting the ball side to side and scoring early and often.”

The Alliance dropped to 4-13 with the loss. Head coach Derrick Alston Sr., said the game was “disappointing.”

“We’re in a big-time funk. We’re better than we’re playing — well, I think we’re better than we’re showing on the court, but we haven’t demonstrated that, so that’s what happens,” Alston Sr., said. “You play against a team at home that shoots the ball that well and you’re hoping they miss instead of making them miss, we kind of got a little down on ourselves. So it kind of snowballed from there.”

Despite losing three of its four top scorers in Donovan Williams, Tevian Jones and Jackson Rowe, plus big man Nick Ongenda and even head coach Devan Blair — who’s working as a New York Knicks assistant — to NBA Summer League, Scarborough stayed even-keeled and slowly pulled away from the Alliance as the game progressed.

Scarborough made 36 per cent of its three-point attempts (11 of 30), while Montreal was limited to just 12 per cent (three of 24).

Jaden Campbell led the way for the Shooting Stars with 16 points off the bench. The Brampton, Ont., native, splashed four of his seven three-point attempts and added two rebounds and an assist.

“I was just taking the open shots I had and my teammates were finding me and I was knocking them down, so it resulted in a win and that’s all that matters,” Campbell said.

As the Shooting Stars were looking for the game-winning basket, Cat Barber — who scored 24 consecutive points to close the team’s previous game — crashed to the floor after a layup and stayed down for a few moments while holding his left elbow.

Barber checked out of the game but did not appear to be seriously injured. De Giorgio said after the game that Barber could have re-entered the game if it was closer.

Scarborough led 28-20 after the first quarter and 47-40 at halftime.

The Shooting Stars then pulled away by doubling their lead with a 23-16 third quarter thanks in part to Campbell, who contributed to the cause with a pair of triples.

Scarborough took an 82-67 advantage into Target Score Time and poured in a pair of quick three-pointers, but was stifled by a suddenly feisty Alliance defence for multiple ensuing possessions in which they managed just a single point.

However, the smartly designed play by De Giorgio snuffed any hopes of a comeback.

Montreal has now lost eight of its past nine games. Alston Sr., said the goal for the remainder of the regular season is to “get better.”

“At the end of the day, we get a semifinal spot regardless of how the season ends or plays out. We just gotta be good for a weekend.”

One bright spot for the Alliance was Ahmed Hill, whose 16 points included two three-pointers, making him the second CEBL player ever to connect on 200 triples, including playoffs.

“It’s another great accomplishment,” Hill said. “Shout out to this league for accepting me and giving me the opportunity to shine and I just wanna continue to keep going.”

Over its next two games, Scarborough has the chance to close the gap on the Niagara River Lions, who are first in the East at 12-5. The Shooting Stars face Ottawa and Brampton in each of its next two — a pair of bottom-three teams in the East who, on paper, should struggle similarly to the Alliance keeping up offensively.

Two more victories would keep the pressure on the River Lions for the all-important first seed and a first-round playoff bye.

More importantly, it would push the Shooting Stars that much closer to a second consecutive championship.