Next Man Up: Charge Overcome Herd with Standout Performances
The Charge, missing the firepower of Emoni Bates and Isaiah Mobley, found new heroes in Pete Nance and Sharife Cooper, who stepped up to fill the void with standout performances. They overcame the absence of their top scorers from the season opener and the team rallied to a hard-fought 107-102 victory over the Wisconsin Herd.
The Charge set the tone early, ending the first quarter with a commanding 27-15 lead. The Charge set an aggressive pace from the start, ending the first quarter with a 12-point lead. The Herd, showcasing their fighting spirit, managed to close the gap to just two points by halftime. The third quarter saw the Herd momentarily seize the lead until an unexpected power outage halted their momentum. But the Charge, true to their name, surged back with resilience, regaining the lead but closing the quarter trailing by just three points.
Pete Nance, who had been scoreless in the first game, emerged as a dominant force, contributing 19 points and 10 rebounds. His effort and physicality were pivotal in the Charge's control of the paint against the Herd's sizeable lineup. Coach Mike Gerrity praised Nance's significant contribution, saying, "Pete was a stud tonight. He had 19 points, 10 rebounds, went seven for seven from the free throw line… his effort, his focus, his physicality with the bigs that they had and the size that they had on that side of the floor, I thought he did an incredible job of protecting the paint and rebounding for us."
Sharife Cooper, reflecting on the team's performance and the absence of Bates and Mobley, remarked, "With losing them, we got to step up and a lot of guys stepped up... everybody had a big night which kind of softened the punch of losing those two guys." Cooper's leadership was evident as he navigated the team through the Herd's runs, maintaining confidence that the Charge would regain control. "The first three minutes (of the 3rd quarter) they went on the run so you know that was something that we had to stop… I feel like it's a game of runs so we were going get it back," Cooper added.
The bench also played a crucial role in last night's victory, with Devontae Shuler adding 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 19 minutes off the bench. Rob Edwards also provided a significant boost, scoring 15 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in 24 minutes, showcasing the depth and versatility of the Charge's roster.
The Cleveland Charge have kicked off their season in impressive style. They've shown they're tough to beat, even without some of their main scorers. Now, they're getting ready to take on the Sioux Falls Sky Force on the road on Tuesday, November 14th. They're aiming to keep their winning streak alive and show that their team spirit and winning attitude travels with them.