McDonald Nets Win As Express Drops KW

Released: January 25, 2019

(WINDSOR, ON) – Marking the head coaching debut of Aaron McDonald, the Windsor Express extended their winning streak with a 138-134 overtime win over the Kitchener-Waterloo Titans. McDonald was filling in for the ailing Bill Jones and guided the team to their sixth straight victory.

The Express carried an 8-point lead from the 1st quarter through to the half as the Titans wouldn’t back down from the challenge. Try as hard as Windsor might to distance themselves, KW continually fought back to remain in the hunt.

The visitors scraped 3 points closer in the 3rd quarter and forced overtime by taking the 4th frame 36-31. Windsor was up by two when KW’s Joel Friesen sunk two from the line to tie the game with 43 seconds on the clock. After Horace Wormely set up Juan Pattillo for a go-ahead layup, Greg Morrow forced OT with a bucket 7 seconds from the horn.

Morrow then coughed up the ball to open overtime, allowing Tyrrel Tate to put Windsor ahead. They never relinquished the lead from that point on.

Player of the game Juan Pattillo drops two over top of Kitchener's Justin Strings (4) as Ed Horton watches the graceful maneuver. Pattillo put up 40 points as the Express registered their sixth-straight win, 138-134, in overtime.
Photo by Ian Shalapata.

The theme of the night was Wormey to Pattillo for the alley oop. The play was repeated often over the course of the evening  indicating the further dovetailing of skillsets as the Express become a more cohesive unit.

Wormely threw up 11 assists along with 10 points for a double-double. Pattillo posted an outstanding game high 40 points in the win and was named player of the game. Chris Jones came off the bench for 24 points and starter Tate contributed 23.

Windsor's Horace Wormely turns toward the basket during the 1st quarter against the KW Titans on 22 January 2019. Wormely logged a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists. He sits 2nd in the NBL Canada with 134 helpers.
Photo by Ian Shalapata.

The win boosted Windsor (11-8) into 2nd place in the NBLC Central Division just a half game behind St John’s. Over the past 10 games the Express have the league’s best trend at 9-1. They take their show on the road for three games in four nights on the east coast beginning Thursday evening in Saint John.

Friday they meet the Hurricanes (10-10) in Halifax before concluding the road trip in Cape Breton (14-7) on Sunday. Windsor next tips off at home on Sunday, February 3, at 2pm, when they again welcome the Titans (8-10).

Angelo Griffis (32) pushes past Kitchener's Justin Strings during a meeting in Windsor on 22 January 2019. The Express outlasted the Titans in overtime 138-134 for their 6th straight victory.
Photo by Ian Shalapata.