Gray Paces BlackJacks Past Guelph
The Ottawa BlackJacks earned their first win of the Canadian Elite Basketball League season with a 96-79 win over the Guelph Nighthawks at the TD Place Arena Monday night (June 28).
Kadre Gray turned in another strong performance for the BlackJacks, as they evened their record to 1-1 on the season. Gray, a former USports Player of the Year and an Academic All-Canadian with the Laurentian Voyageurs, had 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Ottawa. The BlackJacks had dropped their first game of the season to the Niagara River Lions.
“I think Kadre was well prepared by having to carry a team in USports the way he did,” said head coach Charles Dubé-Brais. “He was able to carry an offensive load for them so I think he built some mental toughness doing that throughout his college career and I think he’s carrying that to the pro game right now. I think he’s got a great future, he’s going to be a stud in this league and he’s got some great, great years ahead of him.”
The BlackJacks got off to a strong start and never looked back. They led by 12 points at the end of the first quarter, and they grew their lead to 17 at the half.
“We just kept thinking about last game, how we got punched in the face,” Gray said after the game. “We wanted to take that game and use it as a lesson for the rest of the season.”
Gray was in the starting line up for the first time this year, but did not make a big deal out of it.
“If I’m in the starting line up, that’s great, but if I come off the bench that’s great, too,” he said. “I’ll do whatever the team needs.”
Nick Ward also had a big game for the BlackJacks, with strong play in the paint and around the rim and finishing with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
The BlackJacks also got solid drives from guards Gray, Junior Cadougan, and Alain Louis, who drew defenders in and allowed open looks for the likes of Tyrell Green who made several open three-pointers and finished with 16 points.
“Remembering last game and how that felt, when I went home I thought, ‘Man I wish we could have that one back,’ because we were slow to start,” said Gray. “So when we came out today we just knew to pack the paint, we we’re locked in together. You could really see the family out there and that’s what we missed the first game.”
Cat Barber led the Nighthawks with 25 points. Justin Jackson was solid in his Nighthawks debut with 17 points and eight rebounds. The 6’7” forward scored from all areas on the court, making both three-pointers and put backs underneath the hoop. He scored nine of the Guelph’s first eleven points in his return to the Canadian court after spending the better half of the last five years playing in the United States.
The BlackJacks are in action again as they host the Hamilton Honey Badgers on Canada Day at 2:00 p.m. ET at the Arena at TD Place.
