Bench Bonanza
Reserves Power Jackals To Play-In Win

The Jamestown Jackals’ Devante Jamison flies to the basket in front of the London Lightning’s Scottie Lewis during a Basketball Super League postseason play-in game Tuesday at Jamestown Community College’s Physical Education Complex. Photo courtesy of Shelly Phillips
Deon Stroud and Devante Jamison scored on back-to-back possessions with under a minute remaining as the Jamestown Jackals broke a 98-all tie with the London Lightning on their way to a 104-100 victory in the Basketball Super League playoffs Tuesday at Jamestown Community College’s Physical Education Complex.
Jamestown’s top four scorers all came off the bench as the Jackals’ reserves outscored London’s bench 88-13. Brent Price scored 26 points, Jamison had 24, Stroud had 16 and Tafari Beckford added 15.
With the play-in game victory, the fourth-seeded Jackals advance to the best-of-five semifinal series against the top-seeded Sudbury Five. Games 1 and 2 will be in Sudbury on Friday and Sunday, followed by Game 3 next Wednesday back at JCC. If Game 4 is necessary, it would be Friday, April 11 at JCC with an if-necessary Game 5 back in Sudbury on Sunday, April 13.
The Lightning led 26-22 after the first quarter and 30-24 at halftime before a 29-18 third quarter gave Jamestown a 75-74 lead entering the fourth quarter. London led by as many as 17 with 7:08 left in the third quarter.
The Lightning tied the game at 78 with 10:14 remaining in the game and again at 84 with 6:51 left before taking an 86-84 lead on Jeremy Harris’ layup with 6:19 to go.
Price then gave the lead back to the Jackals on a 3-pointer with 5:59 left before a Scottie Lewis dunk made it 88-87 London with 5:35 left.
A Jamison layup with 5:19 remaining made it 89-88 in favor of Jamestown. It would never trail again.
Calvin Godfrey tied the game for the Lightning with an even minute remaining, but Stroud scored 6 seconds later to give the lead back to the Jackals. Jamison added a layup to make it 102-98 before a pair of Jaylon Tate free throws with 35 seconds left made it 102-100.
Jamestown then used the entire shot clock before a missed layup, but Price grabbed an offensive rebound and London was forced to foul.
After two free throws from Price, the Lightning missed a pair of 3-point attempts in the closing seconds.
Beckford had a team-high 11 rebounds and Jamison had seven assists for the Jackals, who shot 35 of 80 from the field, including 8 of 24 from 3-point range, and scored 12 points off 11 London turnovers.
Billy White led the Lightning with 26 points and 13 turnovers; Godfrey had 22 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots; Harris had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists; and Lewis had 14 points.
The sixth-seeded Pontiac Pharaohs will take on the third-seeded KW Titans in the second play-in game tonight. The winner will take on the second-seeded Windsor Express in the other best-of-five semifinal.
LONDON (100)
Lewis 4-11 4-6 14, Harris 7-15 2-2 16, Tate 2-7 4-8 9, White 10-18 4-6 26, Godfrey 9-14 4-6 22, Collin 1-4 2-2 4, Ottey 1-4 0-0 3, Towns II 1-2 0-0 2, Obeng-Mensah 0-1 2-2 2, Austin 0-0 0-0 0, Steers 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 36-77 22-32 100.
JAMESTOWN (104)
Gracey 1-2 0-0 2, Colter 1-8 2-2 4, Duvall 0-2 0-0 0, Collier 0-2 1-2 1, Pickett 3-10 3-4 9, Price 9-14 5-6 26, Stroud 5-10 4-6 16, Beckford 5-12 3-5 15, Jamison 8-16 8-9 24, Hinson 3-4 0-0 7, Bell 0-0 0-0 0, Mulamba 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-80 26-34 104.
London 26 30 18 26 — 100
Jamestown 22 24 29 29 — 104
3-point goals–London 6-20 (Lewis 2-6, Harris 0-1, Tate 1-3, White 2-4, Collins 0-3, Ottey 1-3), Jamestown 8-24 (Gracey 0-1, Colter 0-4, Collier 0-1, Price 3-5, Stroud 2-5, Beckford 2-4, Jamison 0-2, Hinson 1-2). Total rebounds–London 38 (White 13), Jamestown 48 (Beckford 11). Assists–London 19 (Harris 6, Tate 6), Jamestown 19 (Jamison 7). Total fouls–London 25, Jamestown 26. Fouled out–Godfrey, Ottey.