First place in the standings.

Season series.

A perfect home record.

A seven-game win streak.

Potential finals preview.

All on the line over 40 minutes.

The Edmonton Stingers (11-4) are bringing its league-best seven-game win streak to Meridian Centre on Friday night to take on the Niagara River Lions (12-3), who are a flawless 8-0 at home and own the top spot in the league standings by a slim-one game margin.

(Tickets available at TicketMaster. Watch via CEBL TV or the CBC Gem App ).

In their last meeting, the Stingers defeated the River Lions 105-99 back on June 28 in Edmonton. The victory marked consecutive wins at home against Niagara, accounting for two of the River Lions’ three losses all year (June 12, 107-95 at Hamilton). What’s more remarkable about the Stingers’ six-point win is that they accomplished the feat without the CEBL leading scorer, Xavier Moon, and the league’s top rebounder, Jordan Baker. Moon and Baker combined for 102 of Edmonton’s 184 points in its first two games against the River Lions.

Looking at the statistical history between these two teams can be misleading, as they have played one game in overtime (Edmonton won at home, 118-105, on May 10), and one game representing the most lopsided contest in league history (Niagara won at home, 108-66, on May 16).

While team numbers may not help, individual performances sure stand out. Fans know that River Lions guard Ryan Anderson likes to shoot three pointers. He leads the CEBL with 49 triples made on the season. In the three-game series against Edmonton, Anderson is averaging 18.0 points and 4.3 rebounds but only six of his 34 shots taken against the Stingers have been attempted inside the arc. Niagara’s leading scorer, Guillaume Payen-Boucard (16.4 ppg) has totaled just 19 points, while shooting .300 (six-for-20) from the field in the last two games versus Edmonton. Have the Stingers found the keys to shutting down this lethal scoring tandem?

This game means a lot. The season series could become a determining factor if a tiebreak is required in the final standings. Either Edmonton wins three-of-four, and by doing so earns top spot, or Niagara squares the series at 2-2 and would take first place due to a current +23 plus/minus against the Stingers. The winner of the regular season will likely avoid the Hamilton Honey Badgers in the CEBL Championship Weekend semifinal.

Edmonton closes the campaign with a pair of games against both Saskatchewan and Fraser Valley, not having to return to Ontario again. Niagara plays two contests against lowly Guelph and must travel across the country to Fraser Valley on August 8, before concluding the regular season in Hamilton six days later.

As the story of the inaugural CEBL season unfolds, there are certain games in which fans, from any of the six teams, will circle with great curiosity. Friday night’s game at Meridan Centre is one such game. We didn’t know the impact this one matchup would have when the season started, but we all feel it now.

Enjoy it.

Tip-Off is 7PM ET.

 

 

 

 

 

May 10, 2019 at Edmonton: Edmonton 118, Niagara 105 (OT)

Leading scorers: Edmonton (X. Moon, 36), Niagara (G. Payen-Boucard, 25)

Leading rebounders: Edmonton (A. Ellis / M. Gueye, 8), Niagara (N. Mitrovic, 6)

May 16, 2019 at Niagara: Niagara 108, Edmonton 66

Leading scorers: Edmonton (A X. Moon, 26), Niagara (R. Anderson, 21)

Leading rebounders : Edmonton (J. Baker, 14), Niagara (Y. Dalembert / G. Payen-Boucard, 8)

June 28, 2019 at Edmonton: Edmonton 105, Niagara 99

Leading scorers: Edmonton (T. Daniels, 20), Niagara (R. Anderson, 21)

Leading rebounders: Edmonton (G. Glaze, 12), Niagara (D. Pinson, 9)