Windsor Express basketball is back after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the tenth season for the National Basketball League of Canada and a bittersweet one at that. The league had been forced to downsize to four teams this season due to the departure of The Moncton Magic, the Halifax Hurricanes, the St. John’s Edge, and PEI’s Island Storm not being able to field a team this year. In a creative move to fill the void this season, the NBLC has partnered with American league TBL (The Basketball League) to feature inter-league contests. The result is the same competitive and entertaining games Express fans have come to expect.
This past Saturday, March 12, The Express hosted The Kokomo Bobkats in one of those inter-league matches. This was only the second game of the season for Kokomo, the first being a 102-98 loss to Flint United. Fans were treated to an exciting match with plenty of scoring and thrills on the court. Windsor took an early lead in the game and held tough throughout the match. Although Kokomo pressured and threatened to close the gap a few times, Windsor kept Kokomo at bay most of the game and played strong defence to finish with a score of 114 to 100. This was Windsor’s second win against a TBL team, the last being a crushing win over the Dayton Flight, 134-105. Marcus Lewis had a great night scoring 35 points for the home team. The Bobkats are coached by former Detroit Piston Cliff Levingston, who also played with the Chicago Bulls for two championship seasons.
The games are very family oriented and a great way to spend an evening out with the family.
Saturday was also Cartoon and Anime Night, and some young fans dressed in their favourite character for a costume contest at half-time. There were other contests at the half-time as well. The Windsor Express makes an effort to create a fun, family-friendly atmosphere at the games. Local singer-songwriter Melody Grace performed in the Crown Royal room pre-game.
The crowd was a decent size for just coming back from a pandemic shutdown, but there are plenty of seats available. The games are very family-oriented and a great way to spend an evening out with the family. Tickets are reasonably priced starting at $17.95 + $2.90 processing fee and can be purchased at the WFCU ticket office or online at Windsor's premier multi-purpose entertainment complex - The WFCU Centre.
