Will History Repeat Itself For Niagara and Fraser Valley In Intriguing CEBL Semifinal

Watch live at 7:00 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CEBL+, CBC Gem. 

 

Niagara finished the regular season on a tear, winning the final four games of the regular season, while holding opponents to just 74 points. Two of those wins came against Hamilton, which secured the River Lions seeding at number two, and a direct berth into the CEBL Championship Weekend. 

It was those same Honey Badgers who broke the hearts of Niagara fans two years ago in the league’s semifinal contest.

After finishing first in the 2019 regular season with an impressive 15-5 mark, the River Lions were upset in the final four to Hamilton, 104-103. They were knocked out in last season’s quarterfinal again to the Honey Badgers,85-83. Thanks to the Ottawa BlackJacks, who upset Hamilton last week, the River Lions have a different foe to worry about in Friday’s matchup. 

With the late additions of Phil and Tommy Scrubb, and the return of Javin DeLaurier from the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Summer League, the River Lions arguably have the most talented lineup among the CEBL semifinal teams. The only thing that slowed down Niagara’s momentum was a Covid-19 protocol, which forced many players into self-isolation and the team was required to spend more time on video over the past week than on a basketball court. With the high I.Q. of the River Lions roster, they still come into the game as the favourites.

The Fraser Valley Bandits had a tale of two seasons packed into one. They started the 2021 CEBL campaign winning four straight, en route to a 5-2 record at the halfway mark. They lost their mojo, losing five consecutive games before salvaging the fourth-place finish with a pair of wins against the lowly Saskatchewan Rattlers to close out the regular season at 7-7.

In their 104-84 quarterfinal dominance over Guelph on Sunday, the Bandits looked revitalized. Fraser Valley set a CEBL playoff record with 29 assists, led by Sixth Man of the Year Award nominee Shaquille Keith, who recorded nine dimes to go along with a bench-high 14 points. Brandon Gilbeck, the dominant force in the middle, recorded game highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds. His team was on fire, shooting .560 (40-72) from the field and 12-for-22 (.540) from beyond the arc. They will need to continue that explosive offence against Niagara to stand a chance against the River Lions. 

The Bandits are looking to return to the CEBL championship game for the second straight season. Only if they are firing on all cylinders can Fraser Valley get to Sunday and another shot at the CEBL trophy. They have played nearly flawless basketball at home but have managed just two wins on the road this season. With a little swagger from the big quarterfinal win on national television, confidence may be the difference maker on Friday night.

A win for Fraser Valley, and it’s like putting a song on repeat. A victory for Niagara and different stories are told for two franchises still searching for glory.

Season Series

It’s hard to use the season series between Niagara and Fraser Valley as a barometer for Friday’s semifinal tilt. Each team crushed their opponent at home, resulting in a 1-1 record against each other during the 2021 campaign. The Bandits defeated the River Lions, 104-81, on June 29 in Abbotsford, while Niagara returned the favour with a 103-82 victory in St. Catharines on July 8. 

 

The second semifinal game takes place Friday (9:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. MT, live on CBC Gem and CEBL+, replayed on CBC TV on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. MT) when the defending champion and host Edmonton Stingers (13-1) tip off against the sixth-seeded Ottawa BlackJacks (4-10, 1-0), who upset the third-ranked Hamilton Honey Badgers on Saturday.

Championship Weekend Schedule

Semifinals: Friday, August 20, 2021

No. 2 Niagara River Lions vs. Fraser Valley Bandits (7 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. MT)

No. 1 Edmonton Stingers vs. Ottawa BlackJacks (9:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. MT)

 

Championship Game: Sunday, August 22, 2021

Semifinal Winner 1 vs. Semifinal Winner 2 (4 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. MT)

 

All CEBL Playoff games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service CEBL+, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.

A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube