SUMMERSIDE — The Summerside Storm begins a stretch of three games in four days tonight.
The Storm (15-10) will host the London Lightning (23-2) in a battle of division leaders in the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada. The opening tip-off at Eastlink Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Storm, members of the Atlantic Division, remains home to host the Halifax Rainmen (12-14) in the front end of a home-and-home series on Friday at 7 p.m., and then pays a return visit to the Halifax Metro Centre on Sunday at 2 p.m.
“We’re excited to get back out on the floor,” said Storm head coach Joe Salerno. “I think we have a bit of a salty taste in our mouth from the last game with Oshawa. “London and Halifax will certainly be a good test.”
Against the Oshawa Power on Sunday, the Storm blew a 20-point lead at the half and lost 117-114, snapping a six-game winning streak.
It will be the first of four regular-season meetings between the Storm and Lightning.
Salerno feels the Storm matches up well with the Central Division’s Lightning.
“They actually play a little bit smaller than people would expect with (Jeremy) Williams up front for them with Elvin Mims, a couple of guys six-seven, six-five. They are very athletic, and rebound the ball well.
“I think we can look to take advantage and try to push the tempo a little bit on them, and at the defensive end we want to get out and pressure them as much as possible and make them uncomfortable to try and take them out of the half-court game, which they are very good at.”
Against Halifax this season, the teams have split their first four meetings.
The Storm won in Halifax 113-90 on Dec. 16 and 103-92 on Dec. 21 while the Rainmen won on their home court 117-110 on Nov. 25. In the lone meeting
thus far in Summerside on Dec. 26, Halifax prevailed 118-113.
Salerno confirmed Josiah Turner, a six-foot-three point guard from Sacramento, Calif., will make his Storm debut this week.
The Storm announced his signing on Monday, and he practised with the
Storm for the first time on Tuesday.
