Stingers set to host Ottawa BlackJacks ahead of 3-game road trip
Sean East II Enters the Game Averaging 24.6 Points Per Game
The Edmonton Stingers will face the Ottawa BlackJacks (2-4) on Tuesday night in their first meeting of the season at Edmonton EXPO Centre with tip-off at 7 p.m MT.
The Stingers arrive back at the EXPO Centre after a loss to the undefeated Montreal Alliance at Verdun Auditorium last Friday.
On the other side of the court, Ottawa, who has been on the road since May 27, will end their current five-game road trip tonight in Edmonton. The BlackJacks are coming off a 107-93 loss to the Calgary Surge on June 8 and have registered one win in four matchups on the trip, coming from an 88-73 victory over the Winnipeg Sea Bears on May 31.
Both teams hold a two-game losing streak entering the matchup, but only one will put that streak to bed tonight.
Sean East II has led Edmonton in scoring all but once this season, and capitalizing on turnovers could be what it takes to record his fourth consecutive game with 25+ points and for the Stingers to get past the BlackJacks.
If Edmonton manages to take down Ottawa, it will also be in part due to Scottie Lindsey and Aaron Rhooms.
Lindsey is second in points per game, averaging 15 points at home this season for the Stingers and dropped 20 in Edmonton's last home game against Vancouver. Rhooms is tied for third in points per game at home this season with 11.7 and has been one of Edmonton's most valuable bench pieces. Over the past five games, he has shot an efficient 55.2 per cent from the field and a team-best 61.5 per cent from three.
A big night from them would go a long way in helping the Stingers record their third win of the season.
On the BlackJacks' side, the man to watch is Deng Adel. The forward leads Ottawa in points, rebounds and assists and is coming off a 24-point night in Calgary. Adel has been hot on the road trip, recording 20+ points and shooting 50% or higher from the field in all but one game.
Diving into the team stats, the two clubs are evenly matched when it comes to their offensive numbers.
The BlackJacks and Stingers rank fifth and sixth in the league for points scored per game, with Ottawa averaging 89 and Edmonton following at 88.7. And it's more of the same in field goal and three-point percentages.
And on the defensive side, the advantage also leans the Stingers' way. Ottawa gives up the third-most turnovers in the league, averaging 16.8 per game. It's an opportunity for Edmonton's Sean East II, who leads the team with 16 steals and is in the top five in the league for steals, to exploit the BlackJacks' offence and generate points in transition.
Examining the 2024 season series, the advantage also favours the Stingers. Edmonton swept Ottawa in the team's two meetings last year, defeating the BlackJacks 92-84 on May 29 and 92-91 on June 20.
The Stingers will look to expand on that recent span of winning against the BlackJacks and earn a victory tonight on home court.
Keys to the game
Can Sean East II create turnovers and lead the Stingers on offence?
Can Edmonton limit Deng Adel's offensive production and force others to step up?
Will Ottawa's efficient three-point shooting be too much for the Stingers, or can they limit their three-point shot opportunities?