Alliance Takes Control Early in Statement Road Win Over Ottawa
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The Montreal Alliance continued its strong start to the season Saturday night with an impressive 96-87 road victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks at TD Place in the first meeting between the two teams this season.
Montreal controlled the pace for most of the night and stayed in command throughout the game, building steady momentum behind strong rebounding, efficient scoring, and timely defensive stops whenever Ottawa attempted to shift the momentum.
Javon Freeman-Liberty delivered a dominant performance for Montreal, finishing with 32 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and one block. The star guard knocked down several deep three-pointers throughout the night, shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the arc while finishing with an extremely efficient 70.6% from the field.
Kevin Osawe also turned in a strong all-around performance with 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, providing a consistent presence on both ends of the floor.
Montreal once again showcased its depth, getting 24 points from the bench. Jalin Anderson led the second unit with 12 points, while Ben Stevens provided highly efficient minutes with eight points and five rebounds in just over 11 minutes of action while shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.
The Alliance continued its dominance on the glass, outrebounding Ottawa 49-37 and turned those extra possessions into 21 second-chance points.
Ottawa mounted a late push heading into Target Score Time, but Montreal answered with poise down the stretch, coming up with key defensive stops and executing offensively when it mattered most to close out the victory.
The BlackJacks were led by Matthew Cleveland’s 22 points, while Justin Harmon added 18 points. Javonte Smart, who entered the game averaging 24 points per contest, was held to 20 points on the night despite adding 10 assists and six rebounds, thanks in part to strong defensive pressure from Lue Williams III.
With the victory, Montreal continues to build momentum early in the season through its defensive intensity, physical presence on the boards, and balanced offensive attack.
The Alliance now returns home to the Verdun Auditorium on Tuesday, May 26 at 7:30 PM to face the defending CEBL champion Niagara River Lions as Montreal looks to carry its momentum into another important matchup early in the campaign.