No starting back court, no problem for the Sudbury Five.

Despite the absence of Braylon Rayson and Jaylen Bland due to injuries, the Five scored a gutsy 116-114 win over the Express at WFCU Centre in Windsor.

That win came in large part because of Marlon Johnson and his six threes and team-leading 37 points on the night.

“He’s a special player,” Five head coach Logan Stutz said of Johnson. “He gives his best and is coachable. Marlon is going to play some very high-level basketball before his career is over.”

Johnson’s teammates, Dexter Williams Jr., and JR Holder, chipped in with 23 points each.

Jarryn Skeete, with 18 points, Josiah Moore, with eight, and Brady Skeens, with seven, rounded out the scoring for the Five.

“So proud of the guys, they played their hearts out this road trip and they found ways to win games,” Stutz said. “At the end of the day, a coach can’t ask for anything more.”

With the win, the Five improved to 10-6, good for second in the National Basketball League of Canada’s Central Division.

“We are in a good place right now,” Stutz said. “We need to get healthy. I am happy with 10 wins and we’ll start preparing for the next one.”

The Five led 21-19 after the first quarter and 53-46 at the half.

Sudbury was up seven at half, but Windsor that lead down to three in the third quarter, as both teams fought down low, attacking the basket.

That turn of events led to an increase in physicality, after-the-whistle extracurriculars, and a shift in momentum, as the Express were able to put a bit of an offensive run together.

Johnson, with a big one-handed put-back, Williams, with the fade-away jumper, and Skeete, with a pair of threes, put together some offence for the Five, but the Express’s offensive rebounding — 15 in total in three quarters of action — helped the home team hold a 82-78 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

But the Five battled back, as a back-and-forth game continued on in the fourth quarter, with both teams exchanging baskets.

Down 102-99, Holder drained a contested three and was fouled, but missed on the opportunity to turn in a four-point play.

Then, with the score tied 102-102, Windsor’s Kemy Osse took the basketball and made good on a three on the very next play, putting the Express back ahead.

With 1:25, Johnson fouled out of the game.

But that ultimately didn’t matter. The Five scored a four-point play, thanks to Holder, and then Moore secured a layup.

Holder missed one of two free throws with 18.5 seconds left, leaving the Express some time to tie the game, but the Five buckled down defensively and hauled in a rebound.

Holder went on to make one of two free throws, after getting intentionally fouled. After a missed free throw on Holder’s second attempt, the Express did not attempt a three to tie the game, and instead settled for a layup, cutting the Five’s lead to 115-114 with 2.5 seconds remaining.

Holder made one of two free throws, securing the win.

“I liked the way our offence was working down the stretch,” Stutz said. “Coming up with the stops was huge for us. I would have liked us to make more free throws in the fourth, but the fact we were attacking and being the aggressor, I really liked.”

Asked why Rayson and Bland did not suit up for the Five against the Express on Monday, Stutz said both players were simply banged up.

“The schedule we have is very difficult and I don’t like to risk players’ health,” Stutz said. “They will be back soon.”

The Five return to action on Wednesday against the St. John’s Edge, in a 7 p.m. at Sudbury Community Arena.

kdempse@postmedia.com

Twitter: @keith_dempsey