Preview: Sudbury Five at Montreal Toundra

MONTREAL (Interstat) — A key Basketball Super League matchup between two of the league’s top teams will tip off Friday when the Sudbury Five visit the Montreal Toundra at Toundra Arena.

The Five (8-4) enter with a better overall record, but the Toundra (6-5) have won three of their last four games and will be looking to avenge a 121-110 road loss to Sudbury on Jan. 3. That result is the only previous meeting between the clubs this season.

Sudbury is coming off a narrow 116-113 home victory over KW on Feb. 28, a game that required a major performance from star forward Charlie Marquardt. He scored 31 points in 43 minutes, continuing a run of high-minute, high-output games. Over his last four contests, Marquardt is averaging 21.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, often playing nearly the entire contest. He will be the primary focus of the Sudbury offense.

Montreal counters with its own versatile forward, Shakur Daniel, who is coming off a strong weekend series against Windsor. In two wins on Feb. 28 and March 1, Daniel averaged 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, showcasing an all-around game that fuels the Toundra. His performance will be critical in matching up with Sudbury’s offensive weapons.

The game features two teams heading in opposite directions recently. While Montreal has found a rhythm, Sudbury has struggled on the road, with three of its four losses coming in away games, including two recent tight defeats at KW and a double-overtime loss at Windsor.

This contest begins a critical home-and-home series, with the teams set to meet again in Montreal on Saturday. The result could provide early positioning in what is becoming a tightly contested league standings race.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT Friday at Toundra Arena.