One game will decide a champion in the National Basketball League of Canada.
The Halifax Hurricanes scored 33 points in the fourth quarter on their way to a 112-101 victory over the London Lightning at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on Thursday night.
The victory kept the homer tag alive and well in the finals. The home team has now won all six games.
The Hurricanes opened with two victories before the Lightning reeled off three wins in a row at Budweiser Gardens.
This is the second time that the teams will play a one-game, winner-take-all contest for a title in the last three years.
London forced a Game 7 in 2016 only to have the Hurricanes take it on their home floor.
The Lightning wrapped up the 2017 title on their home floor in six games last June.
Halifax protected a slim lead for almost the entire game, but a Hurricanes’ turnover right at the end of the third quarter led to a game-tying three-pointer by Doug Herring Jr. to send the teams to the final 12 minutes tied 79-79.
London even took a four-point lead very early in the fourth on a pair of Kirk Williams Jr. free throws and a Williams Jr. lay-up. That’s when Halifax went on a 10-0 run to go ahead 91-85. From there, the Hurricanes held on for a must-have victory.
Halifax dominated in rebounds with 59 to London’s 36. Garrett Williamson led the Lightning with 27 points. Williams Jr. poured in 22. Marcus Capers returned to the Lightning lineup from injury and had three points and five rebounds in 19 minutes.
Antoine Mason recorded 10 of his 22 points for the Hurricanes in the first quarter before London began to clamp down on him defensively.
Game 7 will be played in Halifax on Friday, May 18 at 6 p.m. ET.
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