Fast forward 11 months and both teams are set to clash together once more at 1:30 p.m. PT on national TV courtesy of the CEBL’s 3-year broadcast partner, CBC Sports. The rematch will set the stage for an exciting 15 days of basketball as seven teams from across four provinces battle for Canadian basketball supremacy at the CEBL Summer Series.

Today’s game between the River Lions and Honey Badgers is available to watch nationally on your local CBC channel, as well as CBCSports.ca and the CBC Gem App. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. ET.

Adding and Refining

Last year’s semifinal required a dramatic finish that saw Niagara, a team that finished the regular season with a 3-and-1 head-to-head record against Hamilton, fall to the Honey Badgers, who were able to hit their stride at Championship Weekend in Saskatoon thanks to the elite scoring efforts of Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Ricky Tarrant Jr. After coming close to solidifying a league championship birth, head coach and general manager Victor Raso signed for another season. Although he took home the trophy for CEBL Coach of the Year, Raso has his sights firmly set on one piece of hardware: a CEBL championship.

During the offseason, Niagara said goodbye to fan favourites Nem Mitrovic (retired) and Yohanny Dalembert (signed with Guelph during free agency). Raso has retooled his roster with athletic guards and forwards, including former New Mexico State star Daniel Mullings and bruising interior presence Grandy Glaze, who excelled with the Edmonton Stingers in 2019. Kassius Robertson has also returned to the River Lions for the Summer Series after a call from the Charlotte Hornets at the 2019 NBA Summer League cut his CEBL campaign short. Raso’s ability to incorporate these new pieces will be crucial toward Niagara’s ability to replicate last season’s regular season success.

905 Ties

The NBA G League connection is alive and well in Hamilton. New bench boss Ryan Schmidt replaces Chantal Vallée, who returns as assistant head coach after leading Hamilton to the 2019  Championship game. Schmidt has served as an assistant for Raptors 905 the past three seasons, where he has prided himself on player development. One protege is Duane Notice, who has played two consecutive seasons with the 905. Another 905 alumnus is Derek Cooke Jr. a high-flying 6-foot-9 forward with a knack for highlight reel dunks, Cooke Jr. has suited up at NBA Summer League for the Phoenix Suns and nearly averaged a double-double for the Raptors 905 in 2018-19 with a line of 9.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game across 27 contests for the 905. Schmidt’s familiarity and ability to draw on players of G League pedigree and with the Canadian National team that he has helped develop will play a key part in dictating Hamilton’s performance at the Summer Series.

Three-Point Proficiency

Thanks to the CEBL’s incorporation of the Elam Ending, being able to score in bunches can be a huge asset when all a leading team has to do once the target score is established is connect on three consecutive three-pointers. No team was deadlier from beyond the arc last season than Niagara. One of Niagara’s leading gunners is Ryan Anderson. The University of Nebraska product led the River Lions in both three-pointers and steals last season and shot above 40 per cent from long distance in 2019. Fellow three-point specialist Mitrovic retired following last season, so Anderson’s three-point antics will be even more relied upon.

The departure of Mitrovic will loom large for the River Lions as Raso will look to lean on guards like Robertson and Dorian Pinson to pick up the slack.

If Niagara can channel its three-point shooting prowess from 2019, they will look ready to prove that perhaps 2020 is their year.