Sudbury Five drop Game 2 ‘heartbreaker,’ trail KW Titans 2-0 in BSL finals

Sudbury Five fall 95-92 to K-W Titans in Game 2 of BSL final, now trail the best-of-five series 2-0.

The Sudbury Five’s bid to defend their Basketball Super League championship grew more difficult Sunday afternoon, as the visiting Five fell 95-92 to the KW Titans at The Aud in Kitchener in front of a crowd of more than more than 1,125.

The loss puts Sudbury in a 2-0 hole in the best-of-five BSL Championship finals. KW entered the playoffs as the first-place seed, while Sudbury claimed the second seed. The Titans won Game 1 by a 113-104 score.

Perhaps the most significant storyline coming out of Sunday’s contest was the noticeable absence of the Sudbury Five’s veteran guard and newly crowned BSL 2026 Most Valuable Player, Charlie Marquardt.

The league’s top individual talent was nowhere to be found on the court during Game 2, leaving the Five to navigate the championship waters without one of their cornerstones – however, the Sudbury roster adjusted accordingly, with Duane Notice, Emmanuel Akot and the rest of the lineup shouldering an even heavier load in the MVP’s absence.

Fourth-quarter rally falls just short

The Five trailed by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, with KW taking a 72-53 lead late in the period. But Sudbury mounted a furious comeback in the final frame, outscoring the Titans 30-18 over the last 10 minutes.

Sudbury cut the deficit to three points in the dying seconds. Devante Jamison buried a three-pointer with three seconds remaining to make it 94-92. After a KW free throw, the Five had one final chance, but Allen Billinger’s three-point attempt at the buzzer missed.

Notice led the Sudbury attack with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists in 48 minutes of action. He shot 8-for-17 from the field and 4-for-10 from three-point range.

Akot contributed 17 points and five assists, while Jamison added 17 points off the bench on 6-for-13 shooting.

KW’s depth proves decisive

Tarkus Ferguson paced the Titans with 24 points and seven rebounds, connecting on five of seven attempts from three-point range.

James Towns added 13 points and four assists for KW.

The KW bench outscored Sudbury’s reserves 47-29, a key factor in the game’s outcome.

Sudbury shot 41.9 per cent from the field and 31 per cent from three-point range, while KW connected on 50.7 per cent of its field goals and 45.5 per cent from beyond the arc.

The Five held advantages in points in the paint (42-34), points off turnovers (35-14) and second-chance points (14-10). However, Sudbury committed 15 turnovers and struggled at the free-throw line, making just 21 of 35 attempts.

Technical fouls mark physical contest

The game featured three technical fouls — one assessed to Sudbury’s Nervens Demosthene and two to KW’s Tyshon Pickett and Jaylen Bland.

Pickett fouled out with six personals, while KW’s Ty Groce also fouled out with five. Sudbury’s Notice, Billinger and Jamison each finished with five fouls.

Looking ahead

“That’s 2 down, 1 more to go,” KW wrote on social media following their win.

“Heartbreaker,” the Five wrote in their own social media post following the game.

The series now shifts to Sudbury for Game 3 on Tuesday. The Five, who entered the playoffs as the defending BSL champions, will look to extend the series on home court at the Sudbury Community Arena.