* Disclaimer : With Niagara playing host to Edmonton on Friday night, the following preview was written in advance of the River Lions’ back-to-back contests. Data used for the July 27 preview will not include the July 26 game between Niagara and the Stingers.
The Niagara River Lions (12-3*) will complete its third and final back-to-back of the season when it travels to Guelph (4-11) on Saturday night to finish an exciting week of CEBL action.
Back-to-backs in professional basketball can either be a blessing or a curse. Some players enjoy playing on consecutive days as it keeps them fresh and can help carry momentum from a hot shooting hand. Conversely, if the first game went into overtime or was a physical contest, the second game can be a burden.
The River Lions have seen both sides of back-to-backs. They opened the CEBL season with a win in Saskatchewan, only to drop the next night, 118-105 , at Edmonton, losing steam as the game went into an extra frame. Niagara swept its second set of consecutive games, crushing Fraser Valley by 21 points on May 31 and carrying the scoring touch to Guelph the next night, defeating the Nighthawks 93-85 at Sleeman Centre.
Guelph is on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention. A loss on Saturday, combined with a Hamilton win against Saskatchewan earlier in the day, and the Nighthawks will be playing out the calendar. However, Guelph has played Niagara very tough in the first two meetings, and could still play the role of spoiler should they not make it to CEBL Championship Weekend.
An incredible 43-point fourth quarter was not quite enough for the upset on June 14 when the Nighthawks fell 112-109 to the River Lions at Meridian Centre. In both meetings against Niagara, it wasn’t the finish that was the issue, it was how the Guelph started that put them in a hole too dip to surface from. The Nighthawks were down 60-39 at halftime in the June 14 tilt, and fell behind, 58-38, at the break as part of an eight-point loss, 93-85 on June 1, which was also the second-half of Niagara’s last back-to-back contests.
Pressure the perimeter, keep the ball away from prolific scorer, Guillaume Payen-Boucard, and try to force the play inside – it’s the only way the Nighthawks will be able to slow down an explosive River Lions offence hungry to close the door on Guelph’s hopes.
June 1, 2019 at Guelph: Niagara 93, Guelph 85
Leading scorers: Guelph (C. Johnson, 16), Niagara (G. Payen-Boucard, 17)
Leading rebounders: Guelph (C. Lufile, 8), Niagara (G. Payen-Boucard, 11)
June 14, 2019 at Niagara: Niagara 112, Guelph 109
Leading scorers: Guelph (M. Lewis, 26), Niagara (K. Robertson, 20)
Leading rebounders: Guelph (M. Kabongo, 11), Niagara (Y. Dalembert, 9)