Sea Bears Push Hard in Montreal But Fall Short in Back-to-Back, 97-91

The Winnipeg Sea Bears came out swinging in Montreal Friday night, but a quiet third quarter and a cold night from beyond the arc proved to be too much to overcome, as the Alliance held on for a 97-91 win at Verdun Auditorium.

Winnipeg led 25-24 after the first quarter and kept it close heading into halftime. But a third quarter where the Sea Bears managed just 15 points allowed Montreal to build a six-point cushion they would never fully surrender. A 28-point fourth quarter showed the fight in this group, but the hole was too deep.

Teddy Allen was once again the engine, delivering his second consecutive double-double with 33 points and 10 rebounds on 10-of-21 shooting. He was virtually automatic at the free throw line, converting 13 of 14 attempts, but went 0-for-9 from three, a reflection of a tough night from deep for the team as a whole. The Sea Bears shot just 5-of-31 from beyond the arc on the night.

"We had 20 turnovers, we had opportunities to put points on the board, and we actually fed their offense with some of our decisions. We didn't shoot it well, but there were enough opportunities for us to find ways to impact the game a little bit more," said Head Coach Mike Raimbault.

Trey McGowens contributed 18 points in 16 and a half minutes, while Simon Hildebrandt added 12 points and eight rebounds. Mason Kraus came off the bench and knocked down three triples, finishing with nine points. David Walker, who made the trip to Montreal to help fill the Canadian void, saw just under six minutes of action.

"To be honest, I don't think the back-to-back was the problem today. We still put ourselves in position to win the game. We played last night, we lost by 6 today, I feel like we still had a chance to win," said Trevon Scott.

For Montreal, Davion Warren led the way with 23 points, while Ant Nelson controlled the pace with 12 assists. Warren was particularly dangerous in the closing moments, and the Sea Bears couldn't find an answer.

"I know his game. We both know each other, so it's kind of fun guarding him. He just had a great game and got at it," said Mason Kraus on defending Warren. "We shot 16% from three, which is unusual for us. They played hard and we just didn't match it."

Raimbault's message heading home was simple. "We'll get home, get a little rest, and continue to clean up the things we think we can get better at and keep moving forward."

The Sea Bears drop to 4-4 on the season but return home with plenty to look forward to. Next up is Filipino Heritage Night on Friday, June 12 at Canada Life Centre as Winnipeg hosts the Calgary Surge. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM CT. Get your single game tickets here.