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RECENT NEWS
July 21, 2025
The Niagara River Lions have their eyes on a trip to Winnipeg for Championship Weekend. They can feel safer thinking about booking those flights now as the defending champions cruised past the Scarborough Shooting Stars 96-81 on Sunday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. The River Lions expanded their lead atop the East to four games over the Shooting Stars with the victory. The 7-8 Ottawa BlackJacks remain 3.5 games back of the conference leaders. Niagara now sits at 12-5 following its fifth straight win, while Scarborough fell to 8-9. Head coach Victor Raso said the team had to go through the mud early in the season — including a pair of blowout losses to Scarborough and the Brampton Honey Badgers — to get to the point it’s at now. “You have to earn the belief back. And I think we're doing that now. We're connected on the defensive end. We're connected on the offensive end. Our quality of shots have gone up a lot. We turned the ball over way too much tonight, but we just kind of figured out our rotations where guys should be in and we're playing much better now,” he said. The River Lions’ latest victory was hardly ever in doubt. After a closely contested first quarter — which still ended in a five-point advantage for Niagara — the River Lions stretched their lead to 21 points by halftime. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time in the fourth, Niagara led 87-66. The Shooting Stars scratched and clawed to cut their deficit to 12 points, but River Lions guard Ron Curry closed things out with a free throw. “We’re just starting to figure out what our identity is, and we're starting to put it together a little bit. Everybody's playing to their potential, and we're starting to look better as a team,” Curry said. With the win, Niagara closed in on the East’s top seed — which comes with a bye to the semifinals and a guaranteed trip to Championship Weekend. The River Lions have never missed the playoffs in the CEBL’s existence. They’re now seeking to become the second team ever to go back-to-back. On Sunday, Ron Curry sparked the River Lions attack with an early flurry of three-pointers that created separation from Scarborough. Curry drilled three three-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 22 points, four rebounds and two assists. “Ron is a really good basketball player. If Ron never tore his ACL, he probably wouldn't be in the CEBL. But he's tough, and he's a shotmaker. And I'm glad he's on our team,” Raso said. While Curry feasted from beyond the arc, Khalil Ahmad lived at the free-throw line. Niagara’s leading scorer made 11 of 12 attempts from the charity stripe on the way to 23 points to go with four rebounds and two assists. Like Curry, River Lions captain Kimbal Mackenzie nailed three treys. He scored 16 points in all, adding six rebounds and six assists. “We’re locked in now,” said forward Eddie Ekiyor, who had 12 points and nine rebounds. “We’re doing pretty good. We gotta keep it going.” Scarborough, meanwhile, now has its work cut out as it continues to fight for playoff positioning. The Shooting Stars suddenly sit third in the conference after being limited to just 29 first-half points against Niagara. For the game, the Shooting Stars committed 15 turnovers and made just 27 per cent of their three-point attempts. Head coach Mike De Giorgio said the team’s first half was “terrible.” “We didn't win enough 50-50 balls. We gave up 18 offensive rebounds. That was No. 1 on the scale. We had to match their effort, had to match their intensity, and we came out a little bit flat. And I think just our message here to the guys is just staying together for the full game. I think how we respond to adversity is very important for us,” De Giorgio said. Terquavion Smith, who entered the game second in leaguewide scoring, put up 22 points to lead the way for Scarborough while also pitching in four steals and three assists. Cat Barber scored 15 points to become the second player in league history to reach the 1,500-point plateau for his career, including playoffs. River Lions guard Ahmed Hill is the only other player to accomplish the feat. All of Barber’s points came in the second half. Aaron Best made his season debut for the Shooting Stars after signing earlier on Sunday. The Scarborough native nearly posted a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. “It’s always fun playing at home,” Best said. Scarborough was missing four players due to NBA Summer League including star scorer Donovan Williams and big man Hason Ward. “I think overall we just needed to play better. And that's something we'll keep working on we as we go towards our next game,” De Giorgio said. The Shooting Stars made a run at a comeback in the third quarter, closing to within 12 points, but the River Lions punched back with a four-point play by Ahmad and a three-pointer from Mackenzie. By the end of the frame, the River Lions were back up 70-51. In Target Time, despite some testy moments, the result never truly came into question. Now, Niagara has a different lead to hold onto — its grip atop the Eastern Conference. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600654 Up Next Both teams are back in action Friday as the River Lions host the Montreal Alliance and the Shooting Stars visit the Brampton Honey Badgers. Next CEBL Action Just one game is on the docket for Monday as the Honey Badgers head to Ottawa to take on the BlackJacks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
July 17, 2025
Myles Dichter – July 16, 2025 Step 1 of the Niagara River Lions’ championship defence is complete. The River Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 97-79 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Wednesday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. It marked the fourth straight win for Niagara, which padded its lead atop the Eastern Conference at 11-5. The Honey Badgers have now lost six straight to fall to 4-14. Niagara has been in the playoffs every year since the CEBL’s inception. “We wanna win the East. We wanna win the championship,” head coach Victor Raso said. “Our standards are much higher. We expect to make the playoffs.” Niagara’s win was one of the comeback variety after trailing by 12 early in the second quarter. But the River Lions showed championship resolve, chipping away in the second frame before taking over in the third. Once Target Score Time rolled around, the River Lions led 87-67. Niagara forward Elijah Lufile finished the game off with a putback layup. “We didn’t start the game with the fight we needed, but we turned it around really quick and then the rest of the way we fought the way we needed to,” Raso said. With just one-third of the season remaining, the River Lions appear to be rounding into form at just the right time after a rocky start to the year. Niagara has now held four of its last five opponents under 80 points, while offensively it is continuing to receive contributions from up and down the lineup. Raso said increased defensive identity has led to the team’s run. “We’re just finally playing well. … We talked about winning the game to infinity — play every game, every single possession like it doesn’t matter what happened before or after. Our team needs to keep doing that,” he said. Leading scorer Khalil Ahmad paced the River Lions in the victory, putting up 24 points to go with eight assists and six rebounds. Montreal native Nathan Cayo added 14 points and five rebounds, while Ron Curry pitched in with 13 points and five rebounds Big man Elijah Lufile notched a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double off the bench. Ahmad said the team isn’t simply satisfied with a playoff spot. “It’s nice, but nowhere near close to the end goal. Nice little achievement to check a box, but we still got a lot more to do,” he said. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers’ playoff chances took another hit as they continue to sit in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Head coach Sheldon Cassimy said there are positives his team can take from the loss, but he wasn’t willing to look too far ahead. “I think it’s just by focusing on each day. We focus on each day and getting better each day as a team and individual,” he said. Canadian Marcus Carr led the way for the Honey Badgers with 20 points while also adding 10 assists and two rebounds. David Muenkat got off to a hot start with three triples in the first quarter, but didn’t make another until Target Score Time and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Longtime CEBLer Koby McEwen reached the 1,000-point mark for his regular-season career with a late three-pointer from the corner. He had 14 points and six assists for the game. Carr said it’s important for Brampton to focus on the positives in order to bust its slump. “Although obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted, we did do some good things out there so we have to try and build on that for the next game and then try to put it into ending the drought,” Carr said. Former Canadian Player of the Year Kadre Gray was in the house to take in the contest. The Honey Badgers burst out to a 26-17 lead after the first quarter, sparked by a trio of triples from Muenkat. But after Brampton pushed its lead to 12 in the second frame, Niagara fought back to head into the locker rooms at halftime trailing just 39-37. The River Lions then took control in the third quarter, winning the frame 34-13 to take a commanding 71-52 lead into the final 10 minutes. Despite a brief scare early in the fourth, Niagara held on to cruise to victory. Now, it knows it’s headed back to the playoffs. And another title is directly in sight. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600643 Up Next The River Lions host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday, while the Honey Badgers visit the Ottawa BlackJacks on Monday. Next CEBL Action A pair of Thursday games include the Edmonton Stingers heading to Ottawa while the Winnipeg Sea Bears welcome the Calgary Surge. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games. - CEBL-
July 9, 2025
Myles Dichter – July 6, 2025 It was a momentous return to Montreal for Ahmed Hill and the Niagara River Lions. Hill, the former Alliance member, scored 12 points to become the first player to pass the 1,500- point plateau in league history (including playoffs), and the River Lions won 77-73 on Sunday at Verdun Auditorium — the site of their championship victory last season. The win marked a second straight for East-leading Niagara (9-5), while Montreal dropped under. 500 at 6-7 with the loss. “It was just a war. It felt like a playoff game a little bit,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said of a game in which the teams combined to shoot just 21 per cent from beyond the arc and 60 per cent from the free-throw line. After the River Lions controlled much of the contest, building an 11-point lead, a spirited Alliance comeback gave the home side a one-point advantage at the 5:16 mark. But the Verdun frenzy was short-lived as the River Lions responded with an 8-0 run. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time, Niagara led 68-61. The Alliance tightened their deficit to as little as three, but a raft of missed free throws prevented them from getting any closer. In the end, the game ended the same way Niagara’s last Montreal contest — the 2024 Finals — did, as Khalil Ahmad nailed the game-winner, this time from the free-throw line. Raso said the win wasn’t necessarily a pretty one. “It just became a slugfest. We did not shoot the ball well from three, but a couple guys stepped up,” he said. For Hill — the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer — it was a milestone night in one of the CEBL cities he once called home. The 30-year-old from Fort Valley, Ga., was competing in his 90th career game, which ranks third all-time and first among international players. Hill joined the CEBL in 2021 and spent two seasons with the Guelph Nighthawks before moving to Montreal for two more. He’s now in his first season as a River Lion, where he joined the reigning champions in search of his first career title. On Sunday, he came off the bench for the second straight game, making four of 10 field-goal attempts. “Truly blessed to be on a couple teams with great coaches, great teammates, who let me be me and shine,” Hill said. “Credit to everybody I played with and the organizations. And shout out to the CEBL.” Montreal native Nathan Cayo paced the River Lions in his hometown, scoring 18 points to go with six rebounds. Ron Curry, who recently returned to Niagara after a five-game absence, added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Eddie Ekiyor contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, it was a strangely quiet night for reigning Finals MVP and River Lions leading scorer Ahmad, who struggled with his shot en route to just six points on one-for-10 shooting. He also had seven assists. Still, his teammates picked up the slack. “It’s becoming not always about Khalil. We have guys who can make plays, we have guys who can score. We haven’t had guys healthy to do that for a while so for Khalil it’s kind of reassuring that he doesn’t have to score the ball as much,” Raso said. For a short-handed Montreal squad, a strong start fizzled quickly as the offence went dry. The Alliance made just six of 27 three-point attempts (22 per cent) and 19 of 31 free-throw tries (61 per cent) overall. Still, head coach Jermaine Small said he was proud of his team’s resolve. “You miss all those free throws, I’m a little bit frustrated about that, but I’m proud of the effort overall,” Small said. Leading scorer Tavian Dunn-Martin missed the game with an injury, while forwards O.D. Anosike and Michael Diggins Jr. were also absent. In their place, Canadian Quincy Guerrier — in his last game with the team before heading to NBA Summer League with the Toronto Raptors — led the way with a whopping 19-point, 15- rebound double-double. Day 1 Alliance member Alain Louis scored 15 points to go with five rebounds and five assists in the losing cause. Guerrier said the missing players could have made a difference, but the team needed to adjust accordingly. “I think defensively we were way better than the last four or five games. They’re a championship team, they’re a really good team. Our free-throw [misses] at the end, that was crucial,” he said. NBA champion and Montreal native Luguentz Dort was in the house to take in the game between his hometown Alliance and the defending CEBL champions. Montreal raced out of the gates with its game-opening 7-0 run and led 19-13 by the end of the first quarter. But Niagara took control in the second frame as a 7-0 run of its own powered it to a 41-34 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the River Lions stretched their lead to 11 and threatened to run away with things, but the Alliance cut their deficit back to six points entering the final frame. After a tightly fought fourth quarter, it was the River Lions who, familiarly, emerged victorious in Montreal. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600639 Up Next Montreal visits the Calgary Surge on Wednesday, while Niagara returns home for a championship rematch against the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday. Next CEBL Action Players hit the court next on Wednesday, when the Brampton Honey Badgers host the Ottawa BlackJacks in addition to the Alliance-Surge contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule
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RECENT NEWS
July 21, 2025
The Niagara River Lions have their eyes on a trip to Winnipeg for Championship Weekend. They can feel safer thinking about booking those flights now as the defending champions cruised past the Scarborough Shooting Stars 96-81 on Sunday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. The River Lions expanded their lead atop the East to four games over the Shooting Stars with the victory. The 7-8 Ottawa BlackJacks remain 3.5 games back of the conference leaders. Niagara now sits at 12-5 following its fifth straight win, while Scarborough fell to 8-9. Head coach Victor Raso said the team had to go through the mud early in the season — including a pair of blowout losses to Scarborough and the Brampton Honey Badgers — to get to the point it’s at now. “You have to earn the belief back. And I think we're doing that now. We're connected on the defensive end. We're connected on the offensive end. Our quality of shots have gone up a lot. We turned the ball over way too much tonight, but we just kind of figured out our rotations where guys should be in and we're playing much better now,” he said. The River Lions’ latest victory was hardly ever in doubt. After a closely contested first quarter — which still ended in a five-point advantage for Niagara — the River Lions stretched their lead to 21 points by halftime. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time in the fourth, Niagara led 87-66. The Shooting Stars scratched and clawed to cut their deficit to 12 points, but River Lions guard Ron Curry closed things out with a free throw. “We’re just starting to figure out what our identity is, and we're starting to put it together a little bit. Everybody's playing to their potential, and we're starting to look better as a team,” Curry said. With the win, Niagara closed in on the East’s top seed — which comes with a bye to the semifinals and a guaranteed trip to Championship Weekend. The River Lions have never missed the playoffs in the CEBL’s existence. They’re now seeking to become the second team ever to go back-to-back. On Sunday, Ron Curry sparked the River Lions attack with an early flurry of three-pointers that created separation from Scarborough. Curry drilled three three-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 22 points, four rebounds and two assists. “Ron is a really good basketball player. If Ron never tore his ACL, he probably wouldn't be in the CEBL. But he's tough, and he's a shotmaker. And I'm glad he's on our team,” Raso said. While Curry feasted from beyond the arc, Khalil Ahmad lived at the free-throw line. Niagara’s leading scorer made 11 of 12 attempts from the charity stripe on the way to 23 points to go with four rebounds and two assists. Like Curry, River Lions captain Kimbal Mackenzie nailed three treys. He scored 16 points in all, adding six rebounds and six assists. “We’re locked in now,” said forward Eddie Ekiyor, who had 12 points and nine rebounds. “We’re doing pretty good. We gotta keep it going.” Scarborough, meanwhile, now has its work cut out as it continues to fight for playoff positioning. The Shooting Stars suddenly sit third in the conference after being limited to just 29 first-half points against Niagara. For the game, the Shooting Stars committed 15 turnovers and made just 27 per cent of their three-point attempts. Head coach Mike De Giorgio said the team’s first half was “terrible.” “We didn't win enough 50-50 balls. We gave up 18 offensive rebounds. That was No. 1 on the scale. We had to match their effort, had to match their intensity, and we came out a little bit flat. And I think just our message here to the guys is just staying together for the full game. I think how we respond to adversity is very important for us,” De Giorgio said. Terquavion Smith, who entered the game second in leaguewide scoring, put up 22 points to lead the way for Scarborough while also pitching in four steals and three assists. Cat Barber scored 15 points to become the second player in league history to reach the 1,500-point plateau for his career, including playoffs. River Lions guard Ahmed Hill is the only other player to accomplish the feat. All of Barber’s points came in the second half. Aaron Best made his season debut for the Shooting Stars after signing earlier on Sunday. The Scarborough native nearly posted a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. “It’s always fun playing at home,” Best said. Scarborough was missing four players due to NBA Summer League including star scorer Donovan Williams and big man Hason Ward. “I think overall we just needed to play better. And that's something we'll keep working on we as we go towards our next game,” De Giorgio said. The Shooting Stars made a run at a comeback in the third quarter, closing to within 12 points, but the River Lions punched back with a four-point play by Ahmad and a three-pointer from Mackenzie. By the end of the frame, the River Lions were back up 70-51. In Target Time, despite some testy moments, the result never truly came into question. Now, Niagara has a different lead to hold onto — its grip atop the Eastern Conference. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600654 Up Next Both teams are back in action Friday as the River Lions host the Montreal Alliance and the Shooting Stars visit the Brampton Honey Badgers. Next CEBL Action Just one game is on the docket for Monday as the Honey Badgers head to Ottawa to take on the BlackJacks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
July 17, 2025
Myles Dichter – July 16, 2025 Step 1 of the Niagara River Lions’ championship defence is complete. The River Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 97-79 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Wednesday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. It marked the fourth straight win for Niagara, which padded its lead atop the Eastern Conference at 11-5. The Honey Badgers have now lost six straight to fall to 4-14. Niagara has been in the playoffs every year since the CEBL’s inception. “We wanna win the East. We wanna win the championship,” head coach Victor Raso said. “Our standards are much higher. We expect to make the playoffs.” Niagara’s win was one of the comeback variety after trailing by 12 early in the second quarter. But the River Lions showed championship resolve, chipping away in the second frame before taking over in the third. Once Target Score Time rolled around, the River Lions led 87-67. Niagara forward Elijah Lufile finished the game off with a putback layup. “We didn’t start the game with the fight we needed, but we turned it around really quick and then the rest of the way we fought the way we needed to,” Raso said. With just one-third of the season remaining, the River Lions appear to be rounding into form at just the right time after a rocky start to the year. Niagara has now held four of its last five opponents under 80 points, while offensively it is continuing to receive contributions from up and down the lineup. Raso said increased defensive identity has led to the team’s run. “We’re just finally playing well. … We talked about winning the game to infinity — play every game, every single possession like it doesn’t matter what happened before or after. Our team needs to keep doing that,” he said. Leading scorer Khalil Ahmad paced the River Lions in the victory, putting up 24 points to go with eight assists and six rebounds. Montreal native Nathan Cayo added 14 points and five rebounds, while Ron Curry pitched in with 13 points and five rebounds Big man Elijah Lufile notched a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double off the bench. Ahmad said the team isn’t simply satisfied with a playoff spot. “It’s nice, but nowhere near close to the end goal. Nice little achievement to check a box, but we still got a lot more to do,” he said. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers’ playoff chances took another hit as they continue to sit in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Head coach Sheldon Cassimy said there are positives his team can take from the loss, but he wasn’t willing to look too far ahead. “I think it’s just by focusing on each day. We focus on each day and getting better each day as a team and individual,” he said. Canadian Marcus Carr led the way for the Honey Badgers with 20 points while also adding 10 assists and two rebounds. David Muenkat got off to a hot start with three triples in the first quarter, but didn’t make another until Target Score Time and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Longtime CEBLer Koby McEwen reached the 1,000-point mark for his regular-season career with a late three-pointer from the corner. He had 14 points and six assists for the game. Carr said it’s important for Brampton to focus on the positives in order to bust its slump. “Although obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted, we did do some good things out there so we have to try and build on that for the next game and then try to put it into ending the drought,” Carr said. Former Canadian Player of the Year Kadre Gray was in the house to take in the contest. The Honey Badgers burst out to a 26-17 lead after the first quarter, sparked by a trio of triples from Muenkat. But after Brampton pushed its lead to 12 in the second frame, Niagara fought back to head into the locker rooms at halftime trailing just 39-37. The River Lions then took control in the third quarter, winning the frame 34-13 to take a commanding 71-52 lead into the final 10 minutes. Despite a brief scare early in the fourth, Niagara held on to cruise to victory. Now, it knows it’s headed back to the playoffs. And another title is directly in sight. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600643 Up Next The River Lions host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday, while the Honey Badgers visit the Ottawa BlackJacks on Monday. Next CEBL Action A pair of Thursday games include the Edmonton Stingers heading to Ottawa while the Winnipeg Sea Bears welcome the Calgary Surge. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games. - CEBL-
July 9, 2025
Myles Dichter – July 6, 2025 It was a momentous return to Montreal for Ahmed Hill and the Niagara River Lions. Hill, the former Alliance member, scored 12 points to become the first player to pass the 1,500- point plateau in league history (including playoffs), and the River Lions won 77-73 on Sunday at Verdun Auditorium — the site of their championship victory last season. The win marked a second straight for East-leading Niagara (9-5), while Montreal dropped under. 500 at 6-7 with the loss. “It was just a war. It felt like a playoff game a little bit,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said of a game in which the teams combined to shoot just 21 per cent from beyond the arc and 60 per cent from the free-throw line. After the River Lions controlled much of the contest, building an 11-point lead, a spirited Alliance comeback gave the home side a one-point advantage at the 5:16 mark. But the Verdun frenzy was short-lived as the River Lions responded with an 8-0 run. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time, Niagara led 68-61. The Alliance tightened their deficit to as little as three, but a raft of missed free throws prevented them from getting any closer. In the end, the game ended the same way Niagara’s last Montreal contest — the 2024 Finals — did, as Khalil Ahmad nailed the game-winner, this time from the free-throw line. Raso said the win wasn’t necessarily a pretty one. “It just became a slugfest. We did not shoot the ball well from three, but a couple guys stepped up,” he said. For Hill — the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer — it was a milestone night in one of the CEBL cities he once called home. The 30-year-old from Fort Valley, Ga., was competing in his 90th career game, which ranks third all-time and first among international players. Hill joined the CEBL in 2021 and spent two seasons with the Guelph Nighthawks before moving to Montreal for two more. He’s now in his first season as a River Lion, where he joined the reigning champions in search of his first career title. On Sunday, he came off the bench for the second straight game, making four of 10 field-goal attempts. “Truly blessed to be on a couple teams with great coaches, great teammates, who let me be me and shine,” Hill said. “Credit to everybody I played with and the organizations. And shout out to the CEBL.” Montreal native Nathan Cayo paced the River Lions in his hometown, scoring 18 points to go with six rebounds. Ron Curry, who recently returned to Niagara after a five-game absence, added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Eddie Ekiyor contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, it was a strangely quiet night for reigning Finals MVP and River Lions leading scorer Ahmad, who struggled with his shot en route to just six points on one-for-10 shooting. He also had seven assists. Still, his teammates picked up the slack. “It’s becoming not always about Khalil. We have guys who can make plays, we have guys who can score. We haven’t had guys healthy to do that for a while so for Khalil it’s kind of reassuring that he doesn’t have to score the ball as much,” Raso said. For a short-handed Montreal squad, a strong start fizzled quickly as the offence went dry. The Alliance made just six of 27 three-point attempts (22 per cent) and 19 of 31 free-throw tries (61 per cent) overall. Still, head coach Jermaine Small said he was proud of his team’s resolve. “You miss all those free throws, I’m a little bit frustrated about that, but I’m proud of the effort overall,” Small said. Leading scorer Tavian Dunn-Martin missed the game with an injury, while forwards O.D. Anosike and Michael Diggins Jr. were also absent. In their place, Canadian Quincy Guerrier — in his last game with the team before heading to NBA Summer League with the Toronto Raptors — led the way with a whopping 19-point, 15- rebound double-double. Day 1 Alliance member Alain Louis scored 15 points to go with five rebounds and five assists in the losing cause. Guerrier said the missing players could have made a difference, but the team needed to adjust accordingly. “I think defensively we were way better than the last four or five games. They’re a championship team, they’re a really good team. Our free-throw [misses] at the end, that was crucial,” he said. NBA champion and Montreal native Luguentz Dort was in the house to take in the game between his hometown Alliance and the defending CEBL champions. Montreal raced out of the gates with its game-opening 7-0 run and led 19-13 by the end of the first quarter. But Niagara took control in the second frame as a 7-0 run of its own powered it to a 41-34 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the River Lions stretched their lead to 11 and threatened to run away with things, but the Alliance cut their deficit back to six points entering the final frame. After a tightly fought fourth quarter, it was the River Lions who, familiarly, emerged victorious in Montreal. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600639 Up Next Montreal visits the Calgary Surge on Wednesday, while Niagara returns home for a championship rematch against the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday. Next CEBL Action Players hit the court next on Wednesday, when the Brampton Honey Badgers host the Ottawa BlackJacks in addition to the Alliance-Surge contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule
July 5, 2025
Myles Dichter – July 4, 2025 In the battle between struggling Niagara and Winnipeg, one team was assured of a get-right win. The River Lions made sure it was them. Niagara dispatched of the Sea Bears 93-82 on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., snapping its two-game skid and padding its lead atop the Eastern Conference. Winnipeg, meanwhile, suffered its fourth consecutive loss. Niagara now sits at 8-5, while Winnipeg falls to 5-9. “I mean, it was the bounceback that we needed,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said. “I thought we played hard the entirety of the game. We played better basketball than we have been in the past, so that was a big step in the right direction.” The River Lions controlled most of the game, leading by double digits much of the way, until the Sea Bears injected a scare with a fourth-quarter run that cut their deficit to five. It was as close as they would get. Niagara led 83-74 when the clock stopped for Target Score Time, which began explosively. After Jalen Harris hit a two-pointer to start the proceedings, the teams traded three-pointers on four straight possessions with Khalil Ahmad and Ron Curry hitting for Niagara, while Harris hit both for Winnipeg. Shortly after, Ahmad reinforced yet again why he has become known as the Target Score King, splashing home a step-back three-pointer to seal the River Lions victory. “it's all about continuity and putting together that game after game after game after game, so if we can stay continuous, then we'll be alright,” Ahmad said. For Niagara, the long-awaited win came on the back of its defence. The River Lions entered Friday’s action allowing the most points against per game in the league and having given up a combined 193 points in its two losses. But on Friday, they held the Sea Bears to just 34 points in the middle two quarters and forced 19 total turnovers. “We defended really well, especially for the first three quarters up in the game, really up until the points of the game where Jalen Harris started making shots, I thought we were defending quite well,” Raso said. Ahmad led the way for Niagara with 26 points to go with four assists and three rebounds. He made nine of 17 field-goal attempts, and two of his three triples came during Target Score Time. Elijah Lufile came off the bench for a near-double-double of 10 points and nine rebounds, while do-it-all guard Kimbal Mackenzie contributed 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Ahmed Hill, the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer, had 12 points to move within five of becoming the first player in league history to reach the 1,500-point plateau (including playoffs). Ron Curry returned for the River Lions after a five-game absence, scoring eight points and dishing three assists. But Ahmad also credited his team’s defence for the win. “Defensive toughness, defensive intensity, just being together on defence because offence isn't really our problem. We just got to stay consistent defensively,” he said. On the flip side, Winnipeg’s defence — which entered just one-tenth of a point better than Niagara per game and will exit with the dubious title of league’s worst defence — continued to struggle. Niagara’s offence made 45 per cent of its three-point attempts and five different players scored in double digits. Head coach Mike Taylor pinpointed focus as the reason for his team’s losing streak. “We really had a spirited comeback, put ourselves in a good position, but there were too many possessions in the early part of the game where we kind of got in our own way. And it's been a theme at times. We've been inconsistent,” he said. “And today that put us behind the eight ball to 19 turnovers. We've been a team that's taken care of the basketball really well all year. Unfortunately, today, we were a little bit disorganized.” Sea Bears leading scorer Simi Shittu was ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter after picking up his fifth personal foul. In his place, Winnipeg native Emmanuel Akot paced his squad with 22 points to go with six rebounds and two assists. Harris ended with 21 points after his Target Time splurge. Akot said Winnipeg let Niagara build too big of an early lead, but he was happy with his team’s spirit to fight back. “But at the end of the day, winning is what matters, and we just got to go back to the office and figure things out,” Akot said. Canadian Olympian Dillon Brooks, who was recently traded from the NBA’s Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns, attended the game. The River Lions led 28-24 after a fast-paced first quarter and extended their lead to 51-38 by halftime. They took a 73-58 advantage into the final frame. But in the end, it was Ahmad — as per usual — coming up clutch when it mattered most, and Niagara was able to leave its home arena with a win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600635 Up Next Niagara heads to Montreal to face the Alliance on Sunday, while Winnipeg wraps its three-game road trip in Saskatchewan against the Rattlers next Friday. Next CEBL Action The surging Ottawa BlackJacks visit the Rattlers in Saturday’s lone contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games.
June 30, 2025
Zulfi Sheikh – June 29, 2025 No Quinndary Weatherspoon, no problem for the Brampton Honey Badgers. Even without the services of their leading scorer, the home team managed to earn a wire-to- wire 91-66 win over the defending champion Niagara River Lions on Sunday afternoon. It was the Honey Badgers’ first double-digit victory of the season and improved the squad to a winning 4-3 record at the CAA Centre this season, all while evening the regular-season series 1-1 in after the second of four matchups between the conference rivals. Meanwhile, the loss dropped Niagara into a tie with the Scarborough Shooting Stars atop the East standings and made it back-to-back defeats, both by double-digits. David Muenkat led that charge as he finished with a season-high (and game-high) 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting and five made threes, capping his third consecutive game of scoring 20 or more. Behind him were the pair of Koby McEwen (19 points, 10 assists) and Amari Kelly (15 points, 12 rebounds), who chipped in double-double efforts. Rounding things out was Marcus Carr, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the final frame to go with eight assists on the night. “I thought we were solid with our energy throughout the game,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said post-game. “There were some runs, at times when we might’ve gotten flustered, but I thought we were able to weather Niagara’s runs and play a full 40 minutes.” On the other side, Ahmed Hill led the way with 13 points, the lone River Lions starter to shoot over 40 per cent from the field. Behind him was Khalil Ahmad with 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. Meanwhile, Kimbal Mackenzie chipped in 12 points and five assists off the bench — spearheading a 29-9 edge in second-unit scoring, one of the few areas Niagara won on Sunday. “We’re not a good team right now, we can’t make shots.” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said after his team finished 33 per cent from the field (21-of-63) and 17 per cent from distance (5-of-17). “Can’t make shots, can’t consistently get stops, we’ve just lost our confidence … it’s not good enough.” It was clear as early as the opening frame that the Honey Badgers — after losing their first matchup of the season against the River Lions by 14 points — had revenge on their mind. And after carving out a 31-16 lead after 10 minutes of play, it’s safe to say some of that comeuppance was exacted. Brampton earned that big early lead thanks to a lights-out shooting effort, using a 3-for-3 start from downtown to spark an 11-2 run. The Honey Badgers, not long after, took the game’s first double-digit lead on yet another deep make, Ali Sow hitting their fourth triple of the quarter. “It was just about sharing the ball,” Cassimy explained of his team’s hot-shooting start. “We were giving up good shots to get great shots, getting into the paint and kicking the ball out, so it generated better team shots for us.” The Honey Badgers ultimately went 7-for-8 from beyond the arc in the opening frame, more than they made in the entirety of their 14-point loss to the River Lions, and in stark contrast to the 8.1 they usually make per game, which ranked second-fewest. All the while, Niagara went 0- for-7 from distance in the first, underscoring what was a struggle scoring all around as the River Lions went just 3-for-15 (20 per cent) from the field. “Disappointing,” Mackenzie said after the loss. “Not a good loss for us. Anytime you lose, it doesn’t feel good … they played better than us. It’s never just making (or missing) shots.” That trend only continued in the second quarter despite the River Lions cutting the deficit down to 10 points on a Mackenzie triple at the 8:25 mark, just their first long-distance make of the game. The Honey Badgers responded immediately with a 10-0 run, ballooning their lead as high as 23 points en route to a 56-35 advantage at halftime. Muenkat led that charge as he scored 12 of his game-high 17 halftime points in the second quarter, including Brampton’s final eight points going into the break. He shot 6-for-8 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc through 20 minutes. The Honey Badgers ended up making a season-high 15 threes, two shy of their franchise’s all- time single-game mark, doing so on a 45 per cent clip. The River Lions did build a bit of momentum toward the end of the third, however, capping off the quarter on an 8-2 while holding the Honey Badgers scoreless for the final two minutes to shrink their deficit to 16 points (67-51). Although that effort was short-lived as Brampton outscored Niagara by seven points through the first six minutes of the final frame, pushing its lead to 82-59 headed into Target Score Time. Carr was in charge of that response as he scored the Honey Badgers' first eight points in the fourth quarter. It was smooth sailing for the Honey Badgers from there, again, in part due to the Toronto native. He scored five of the necessary nine points for Brampton once the clocks stopped while Kelly bookended the effort with a pair of layups. “We can play, we’re not a pushover team,” Muenkat said when asked what beating the defending champions proved. “I don’t think our record is a real representation of the kind of team we are.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600622 Up next The Honey Badgers return Thursday to host the 8-4 Calgary Surge to wrap up a five-game homestand. Meanwhile, the River Lions head back to Niagara as they’ll host the 5-7 Winnipeg Sea Bears on Friday with hopes of putting an end to their skid. Next CEBL action Sunday’s double-header wraps up with a cross-conference matchup between the visiting 7-5 Scarborough Shooting Stars and 6-6 Edmonton Stingers at 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games.
June 29, 2025
The Niagara River Lions have announced the following roster updates in advance of its Sunday, June 30 game on the road against the Brampton Honey Badgers:Ron Curry has made the decision to step away from the team for personal reasons. We support Ron’s choice and are grateful for the professionalism, and competitive nature he brought to our organization. Jahvon Blair will also be unavailable for the remainder of the season due to overseas basketball obligations and his ongoing involvement with Canada Basketball. We’re proud to support Jahvon as he continues to represent at the highest levels and thank him for his valuable contributions to our squad. Head Coach and General Manager Victor Raso will be actively exploring all options and working diligently to fill these roster spots as soon as possible.  ### Media Contact: Mya Hastings Social Media & Marketing Coordinator mhastings@riverlions.ca
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