More than 2,000 fans packed the Stride Bank Center for what they were hoping to be the last Enid Outlaws game of the year. Up 1-0 over the Syracuse Stallions in the TBL 3-Game Championship series, Enid had two chances at home to take the title but only needed one.
The Outlaws beat the Stallions 120-107 in Game 2 Saturday night, winning the TBL Championship.
Chance Comanche, the 2021 TBL MVP, did what he did all season long. He used his length and athleticism to dominate the post and boards in the process of a 38 point, 10 assist night.
Enid got out to a quick double digit lead in the first quarter, using their size advantage and a Syracuse shooting slump to their advantage. However, the Stallions didn’t roll over.
Elijah Minnie provided a spark off the bench for Syracuse, doing so on both sides the floor. Minnie provided a key block in transition, then proceeded to slam home a reverse alley-oop jam on the subsequent transition possession.
Syracuse stormed back to tie the game up at 48 heading into the locker room at halftime.
In Game 1 of the series, Enid turned an 8-point deficit to a 10-point lead. That was not the case Saturday night. Enid and Syracuse went blow-for-blow in the third quarter with several lead changes. Both offenses started slow out the break, neither scoring in the first 2:30 of the second half. Eventually the shots for both teams began to fall from beyond the arc.
This intensity of momentum swings in the third quarter led to a minor scuffle between the two teams. After a five minute half of play, the only result was offsetting technical fouls leading to no free throws and a rowdy crowd.
A big moment for Enid was the moment Kyle Steward caught fire. Steward drilled a three at end of the third quarter, then followed it up with a three-pointer at the beginning of the fourth, Steward finished with 19 points, 5-7 from 3PT range.
The fourth quarter was all Enid, despite Syracuse’s best efforts. The duo of MVP Chance Comanche and team captain Tavares Sledge controlled the paint and gave Enid just too many second chance possessions.
The final four minutes of regulation were a mere formality as Enid has seized control of the game and held a double-digit lead with no signs of slowing down.
Following the final buzzer, Wayne Runnells, from Watonga, OK, thanked the Outlaw faithful who packed the Stride Bank Center.
Enid Head Coach Ed Corporal Corporal is already the winningest coach in TBL history, but he has now won his first TBL Championship.
In their first season in Enid, the Outlaws finish the season at 30-3, the best record in TBL history.
