Charge Edge Mad Ants in OT

FORT WAYNE, IN – The Cleveland Charge (3-1) won their second target score overtime game of the 2022-23 season with a 122-119 victory over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2-3) at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

Down 10 to start the fourth quarter at 93-83, Cleveland came out with a 20-4 run that included holding the hosts scoreless for 2:43 of game time.  The Charge extended their lead to 113-105 with 3:35 left in the game, but the Mad Ants got a pair of buckets each from Gabe York and Jermaine Samuels Jr. to help tie the game up and force overtime.

Each team scored four points to start the extra period, but Sam Merrill ended it for Cleveland with a three-pointer just like he did in the team’s other target score overtime game in the home opener.  The Charge snapped a five game road losing streak to Fort Wayne with today’s win. 

Sharife Cooper set a new season-best mark with 43 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, to go along with nine rebounds, 10 assists and four steals for his fifth double-double of the season.  Merrill finished tying his season-high with 28 points on 5-of-8 from three-point range and 10-of-14 from the floor overall in 37 minutes.  Isaiah Mobley posted his fifth double-double by scoring 20 points and grabbing a season-high 19 boards in 40 minutes.  Nate Hinton added 16 points and seven rebounds in 36 minutes. 

Samuels Jr. paced Fort Wayne with 28 points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals in 39 minutes.  Justin Anderson scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 39 minutes.  Trevelin Queen scored 22 points with eight rebounds and a pair of steals in 43 minutes.  David Stockton scored 18 points and dished six assists in 33 minutes.

The Charge are teaming up with Twitter’s favorite basketball artist for NBA Paint Crossover Night presented by Cleveland-Cliffs on Friday, January 13^th at 7:00 p.m.  The Charge will host the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee Bucks) at CSU’s Wolstein Center for a night of hoops with a different perspective.  Click here to get in on the action with tickets starting at just $5!

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