River Lions Look to Extend Win Streak to Four Against BlackJacks
The Ottawa BlackJacks (1-5) host the Niagara River Lions (4-2) Saturday in the first of four matchups between the two clubs this season.
The game begins at 7:30 p.m. ET at Ottawa’s TD Place, with live coverage available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+, Courtside 1891 (outside of North America), and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. It will also be televised on NLSE in the United States.
The River Lions are fresh off a 94-80 victory against the Montreal Alliance this past Thursday.
Omari Moore registered just the fourth triple-double in CEBL history and first of the 2024 season, scoring 16 points on 50 per cent shooting with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Moore also blocked three shots and had five steals in the win.
Jahvon Blair also had an impact, scoring 21 points on 46 per cent shooting. Blair had it going from beyond the arc in the game, knocking down three threes, while also adding five rebounds and three assists.
Niagara’s stifling defence was key to helping the team secure the win, holding the Alliance to 29 per cent shooting from three and 37 per cent from the field.
As for the BlackJacks, they are coming off a 105-91 loss to the Scarborough Shooting Stars this past Thursday.
Despite the loss, Tyrrel Tate had a solid game for Ottawa, scoring 21 points off the bench. He also grabbed nine rebounds, had two steals, and dished out three assists.
One of the bright spots for the BlackJacks in the game was their ability to score in the paint, posting a 54-34 advantage over Scarborough in that area.
A matchup to look out for
The battle between forwards Nathan Cayo and Isaih Moore could be a good one.
Moore is currently leading the BlackJacks in scoring with 17.8 points per game. He is also averaging 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and shooting 40 per cent from three.
Cayo has also been solid for Niagara, averaging 12.8 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and shooting 32 per cent from beyond the arc.
Both forwards can get hot from the perimeter quickly and knock down key shots. It will be interesting to see how the opposing defences prepare to slow these marksmen down.
2023 season series
Ottawa and Niagara also faced off four times in the 2023 CEBL season with the River Lions getting the better of the BlackJacks three times.
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About the CEBL
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.