BlackJacks continue playoff push with road matchup against River Lions
As Niagara continues its march toward the playoffs, a feisty Ottawa team stands in its way.
The River Lions host the BlackJacks at Meridian Centre on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the second matchup between the teams this season. Broadcast coverage is available on Game+, while you can find live streaming on Game+, CEBL+ and TSN+.
Every win for the BlackJacks, who opened the season 1-5, is important for their uphill climb to the post- season. After splitting their last six games, the BlackJacks now stand 4-8 – a full game behind the 6-8 Brampton Honey Badgers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Niagara, meanwhile, sits first in the conference at 8-5, but may prefer to avoid an Ottawa team that’s already provided trouble.
In Ottawa last month, the BlackJacks raced to an early lead then held on for a four-point victory over the River Lions.
But Niagara has since added reigning Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Ahmad to its roster, and the American made an immediate impact. Ahmad has played over 25 minutes per game, averaging 15.3 points and 4.5 assists.
Ahmad’s strong return comes at an important time, too, as River Lions minutes leader Omari Moore gets set to join the Toronto Raptors’ NBA Summer League squad.
The BlackJacks have found their level over the past six games thanks in part to big man Isaih Moore, who averages nearly a double-double per game with 17.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game – both tops on Ottawa.
In its most recent game, Ottawa escaped with a one-point win over the last-place Montreal Alliance when Canadian Lloyd Pandi hit a game-winning layup with both teams within a bucket of victory.
The victory capped a 2-1 homestand for the BlackJacks, who now head on the road for three straight.
The River Lions and BlackJacks meet twice more during the regular season on July 20 in Ottawa and one week later back in Niagara.
Player spotlight
Ex-Shooting Star Shamar Givance and Tevin Brown, a CEBL rookie, made their BlackJacks debuts on Thursday against Montreal.
Brown started and led the team with 20 points, nailing six of his 12 attempts from beyond the arc and chipping in four rebounds to boot.
“I’m just looking to come out and run through the sets that the coaches give us, and whenever I can get an open shot it’s my job to come here and take them, and that’s what I did tonight,” Brown said after the game.
Givance, the Toronto native, played just 10 minutes in a bench role, but scored eight points and posted a team-high mark of plus-16 in the one-point win.
Both players now seem poised to play big roles in Ottawa’s playoff push.
Milestone watch
● Niagara’s Khalil Ahmad is 29 points away from 900 for his career, including playoffs
● Niagara’s Nathan Cayo is one assist away from 100 for his career, regular season only
● Ottawa’s Tyrrel Tate is six three-pointers away from 100 for his career, including playoffs
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.