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Scarborough Shooting Stars visit Niagara River Lions in rematch of 2022 Championship semi-finals

Zulfi Sheikh • June 8, 2023

The Scarborough Shooting Stars (+118) visit the Niagara River Lions (-163) on Thursday night for CEBL action from the Meridian Centre at 7:00 pm ET. 


The game will be available for streaming live on TSN+,
CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.


Looking back to last year, these teams faced-off twice in the regular season and split the series 1-1. The tiebreaker came in the playoffs where the two teams met in the Championship weekend semi-finals, one win away from competing for the title. It was the Shooting Stars who came out on top in that game, taking the 93-81 victory, ending the River Lions’ season in the process.


Fast-forward to this season and both Scarborough and Niagara head into this contest looking for just their second win so far. Despite the identical records, the one-win teams have been trending in opposite directions. Scarborough won their first game of the season but have now lost three straight, while Niagara started their campaign on a three-game skid before picking up their first win.


The Shooting Stars head into this game on the heels of a 96-84 loss to the Saskatchewan Rattlers where they never held a lead outside of the first three minutes of the game. They were outshot from the field, distance, and the free-throw line. Most notably, their three-point shooting left something to be desired as Scarborough hit only seven triples in the game on 25 per cent.


Outside of their struggles beyond the arch, it was the Shooting Stars bench production that stood out as a weakness on the night. The second unit was a -9 in the game, scoring nine points on a combined 2-14 from the field in the process. A rather uncharacteristic performance for a bench that averaged 28 points per game heading into that matchup. 


The starters performed admirably for Scarborough, doing what they could to make up for that lack of additional scoring. Four of their five starters scored in double figures, with Cat Barber leading the way via his 27 points. That made it four straight games scoring 23 or more points, bumping the guard’s average to 26 points per game, ranking second in the league.


His backcourt partner Jalen Harris struggled on the night, scoring just nine points, but there was a silver lining with tertiary guard Kassius Robertson having his best performance of the season. After going scoreless in their game against the Winnipeg Sea Bears (Robertson’s 2023 debut), he bounced back by notching 17 points against the Rattlers while knocking down four triples. 


If the trio of Harris, Barber, and Robertson can manage to play well on the same night, it’ll give the Shooting Stars a fighting shot in this contest. Two games ago when Robertson made his debut, Harris described their backcourt’s potential as “limitless,” once they got some chemistry. All eyes will be on said backcourt in this one, to see if they’ve figured things out.


On the other side, Niagara enters this contest beating that same Saskatchewan team that Scarborough just lost to. It was their best performance of the season by far, as the team breezed by the Rattlers in a 116-74 win. Coming out of a 42-point win, there’s not many negatives to point out for the River Lions to improve upon. Looking at the box score, they had the edge in literally every single category. They were the better team scoring the ball, defending the ball, and on the glass.


A contributing factor in that success was the return of 2022 league MVP Khalil Ahmad. In his first game this season, the guard nearly logged a triple double by tallying 17 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists. He was helped by Jahvon Henry-Blair and Antonio Davis Jr. as they scored 21 and 20 points respectively. 


It’ll be hard for Niagara to replicate a performance that dominant, as 42-point wins aren’t a common occurrence no matter how good the team is. However, the team has shown signs that a performance like that wasn’t a total anomaly. They’ve increased their scoring output every single game, seeing an uptick in makes and field goal percentage game-over-game through the early season. If the River Lions can continue that trend in this matchup, it’ll give the team a good shot at winning their second game in a row.


All games will also be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Full list of betting props available on
BetVictor.


A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball. The CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

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The following season, the team finished in first in their conference and hosted the Canada West Final Four for the first time in the program’s history. Prior to joining the Huskies, Rawlyk spent over two decades coaching with Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon. During his time with the Crusaders, he led them to 11 City Championships as well as three Provincial Championships. “It is a privilege to remain with the Rattlers for 2025. The opportunity to work with Rattlers President Lee Genier and the rest of the staff, as we work to build the Rattlers brand will be both exciting and rewarding,” said Rawlyk. “We have a blueprint in place for building a roster that will compete in a very challenging environment and give our fans a lot to be excited about.” Canadian Elite Basketball League free agency opens February 1, 2025 with player announcements to follow. The full 2025 Rattlers schedule has been released, which features a new 24-game slate. The 2025 CEBL Playoffs are scheduled to begin Thursday, August 14 with the Conference Play-In games, followed by the Conference Semifinals on Saturday, August 16. The winners will advance to CW25 to join the Winnipeg Sea Bears (host team) and the top-ranked team from the Eastern Conference who are automatically seeded into the Conference Finals. The full playoff schedule with tipoff times will be announced at a later date. General public and returning season ticket members can claim their seats for the entire Rattlers 2025 season by using Account Manager . Season tickets starting at $235 in the bronze. All tickets can also be purchased through the Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website , or via Ticketmaster . The Holiday Pack can be purchased online or at the Rattlers Front Office , which features four-tickets in any section with a bonus gift card. Single game tickets will be available later this spring. For more seating options, suites, and group rates; fans can contact an account executive . About the Saskatchewan Rattlers The Saskatchewan Rattlers are Saskatchewan’s professional basketball team, one of the six original teams in the CEBL – the Rattlers won the 2019 inaugural season championship. Playing out of SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – the Rattlers offer an entertainment-focused environment surrounded by some of the world’s top professional athletes. The Rattlers are a community-first organization and take pride in their ability to bring communities together while making sport more accessible to the province. 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For more information on the Saskatchewan Rattlers professional basketball team - visit therattlers.ca . 
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Before transitioning to a front office role, Anderson had an impressive 14-year playing career (2004-18) that totaled more than 80 international games representing Canada. He also suited up in 294 games for 15 teams in eight different countries across Europe from 2008-17. An Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute graduate, Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing while playing at Fordham University. He averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 30.2 minutes in 111 games during a four-year tenure with the Rams. Following his playing career, Anderson became a player development coach for Canada Basketball, handling player relations duties that ensured players had access to training facilities and health care across the country. In 2018, Anderson founded the Fifty For Free Youth Community Initiative, a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto and Halifax focused on building character, cultivating financial literacy, and developing basketball skills with youth from underserved communities. Anderson’s announcement follows the reveal of the Honey Badgers expanded 2025 schedule in December, featuring a slate of 24 games. Brampton’s campaign opens on the road May 18 against the Montreal Alliance, followed by a visit to the nation’s capital May 21 to take on the Ottawa BlackJacks. The Honey Badgers will then return home to host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on May 25 in the club’s home opener. Ticket packages to catch all of the action at the CAA Centre are now available, including season tickets , half season pack , group experiences , and more! Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact [email protected] for more information. ### About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca . About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (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 12 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. Twenty-two 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 . 
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The holiday season is about spending time and celebrating with friends and loved ones while also supporting important causes and initiatives in the community. The Honey Badgers front office staff visited the Regeneration Marketplace and the Regeneration Marketplace on Tuesday afternoon to sort food donations, portion meals, stock shelves and assist guests with food selection. “As leaders in our Brampton community, it is extremely important for us to collaborate with local organizations that continue to make a positive impact in the lives of others on a daily basis,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “Our organization is committed to continue to make strides in our community growth, not only during the holiday season but throughout the calendar year.” Regeneration Marketplace is a local food bank in the heart of downtown Brampton, operating to provide quality, helpful food and household items for those in need in the community. Open 365 days a year, they proudly serve 39,000+ meals annually with more than 1,100 households receiving the necessary food and goods on a weekly basis. “Right now we are just inundated with donations, and the work the Honey Badgers did to help us sort saved us so much time,” said Katie Cleland, director of development at Regeneration Outreach Community. “This will help us get the food on the shelves much quicker so that we can serve more people this week.” The Honey Badgers staff were also joined by Amisha Moorjani, owner of The Food Quotient, and Rod Power, City of Brampton Councillor of Wards 7 and 8. This is one of many initiatives that the Honey Badgers and Councillor Power have collaborated on this holiday season, including turkey drives and Christmas dinners for underprivileged youth. To learn more about how you can contribute to the Regeneration Office & Meal Program or Regeneration Marketplace, please contact [email protected] or visit www.regenbrampton.com .
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