Stingers and River Lions Square Off for First Time this Season
The Edmonton Stingers host the Niagara River Lions Sunday in their first of two meetings this season.
The game begins at 4:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. ET at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, with live coverage available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+, and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. It will also be televised in Canada on Game+.
The Stingers are coming off a 93-90 loss against the Vancouver Bandits despite having four starters in double-digit scoring. Guard Davion Warren led the way with 23 points on 53 per cent shooting, while Elijah Miller, Brody Clarke and Nick Hornsby also contributed 13, 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Forward Ben Krikke was also great for the Stingers off the bench, scoring 15 points and snagging three rebounds in 19 minutes of play. Edmonton’s bench was one of their main bright spots against Vancouver, outscoring the latter’s reserves 31-7.
As for Niagara, they are coming off a 101-94 victory against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Guard Jahvon Blair led the scoring for the River Lions with 21 points on 46 per cent shooting. Blair also grabbed four rebounds and threw out two assists.
Forward Aaryn Rai was right behind Blair, scoring 20 points on 58 per cent shooting. Rai knocked down two shots from beyond the arc, snagged five rebounds and had four assists.
The River Lions put the pressure on Winnipeg’s rim, outscoring them 54-24 in the paint.
A matchup to look out for
The battle of two crafty guards in Blair and Warren could be a good one.
Warren has been having a great season for the Stingers, currently averaging 17.6 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Blair has also been on a tear for Niagara and is averaging 18.3 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.
Both guards have very similar playing styles. They can stretch the floor, create their shots off the dribble and attack the paint when needed.
2023 season series
In their only match-up in the 2023 CEBL Season, the Edmonton Stingers defeated the Niagara River Lions 99-94 on May 31, 2023.
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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.