Canton Charge steam Maine Red Claws in tight finish
For the most part they outshot us, out rebounded us, out free shot us and pretty much ran the table for most of the game but the Canton Charge managed to stay within reach and when it really mattered come from behind in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter for the win.
The Canton Charge (17-24), powered by the Cleveland Cavaliers, defeated the Maine Red Claws (17-24), 96-93, at First Responders Night at the Canton Memorial Civic Center Wednesday night. The Charge are now winners of four of their last five contests and sit five games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with nine games remaining.
It looked grim for the home team as Maine took an early 13-3 lead and ramping up the score to 13 during the first twelve minutes. Canton came back in the second with a 10-3 run of their own cutting the lead to two at 33-31. The Red Claws fought back hitting for seven points for a 54-47 lead going into the half.
The two teams traded blows during the entire third quarter with both only hitting for 38%. At one point they tied at 22 all but the Red Claws still managed to squeak a seven point lead going into the finale. With 8:23 remaining in the game and trailing by seven Canton tore off a 10-1 run as they took the lead for the first time at 85-83.
As the clock ticked away and with a precarious one point lead the Charge’s Grant Jerrett broke free for a resounding dunk for a 94-90 score. Maine was not to be outdone as they answered with a three pointer from T.J. Peak. This would be the last score for the Red Claws as two London Perrantes free throws put the game away in spite of a valiant Red Claw three point try with mere seconds on the clock.
Cavaliers assignee Ante Zizic recorded his fourth consecutive double-double in a Charge uniform, posting 15 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out after 31 minutes of action. Fellow Cavaliers assignee Marcus Thornton scored a team-high 21 points off of the bench for the home team. Perrantes finished with seven points and a game-high 12 assists, his eighth game this season with double digit assists. John Holland added 15 points while JaCorey Williams scored 14 off the bench.
Boston Celtics assignee Guerschon Yabusele posted a game-high 24 points while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing four assists in 41 minutes. Devin Williams came off of the bench to provide Maine with 16 points and 14 rebounds in a workman-like 26 minutes of relief.
The Charge will host the Grand Rapids Drive (Detroit Pistons) on Friday, March 2nd at 7:00 p.m., with Dollar Dogs presented by Sugardale and free 2018 Cedar Point passes for all kids 14 & under! 2018-19 Charge Nation Memberships are on sale NOW! Place your $100 per seat initial payment today and receive the rest of the 2017-18 season for FREE in addition to all the other great benefits of being a Charge Nation Member. Visit CantonCharge.com or call 866-444-1944 to sign up today.
The Canton Charge are part of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena organization and are also owned by a group led by Cavaliers Chairman and Quicken Loans Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert. The group also owns and operates the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League, both of which play their games at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland.