River Lions looking for revenge in Guelph

The Niagara River Lions (6-4) and Guelph Nighthawks (3-8) will face off in the second half of a two-game mini-series August 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET at the Sleeman Centre. 

 

Guelph won the first contest, 92-81, on Friday night at the Meridian Centre, halting the River Lions’ three-game winning streak. Niagara will look for revenge today, as this is the last time these provincial rivals will face off in the 2021 regular season.

 

 

Guelph secured its third win of the year on Friday night, and this is tangible evidence of the team’s growth in recent weeks. 

 

The Nighthawks started Friday night’s game with great energy, playing like a team that was fighting for a post-season berth. Guelph led from the first quarter right through the Elam Ending, largely because the team executed on the little things down low. The Nighthawks won the battle in the paint, outrebounding a Niagara team that previously ranked first in the CEBL in boards per game, 50-33, and these extra offensive possessions helped extend the Nighthawks’ lead.

 

Guelph’s strong interior presence saw the team convert on high percentage shots and put-back baskets in the key. The Nighthawks shot an impressive 52 per cent from the field on Friday night and continued their dominance down low, outscoring Niagara, 54-36 in the paint. Guelph forward Matt Neufeld had his best offensive game of the season, registering 13 points on 66 per cent shooting, and TJ Lall was monstrous on the boards grabbing 15 rebounds in the win.

 

Guelph’s frontcourt performance was headlined by the Nighthawks’ leader throughout the season, Cat Barber. Barber currently ranks as the league’s third leading scorer, averaging 20.5 points per game. On Friday night, the six-foot-one guard contributed to his team’s points in the paint total by doing what he does best, slashing his way through defenders, and finishing at the rim. A always, Barber will be key for the Nighthawks as they pursue back-to-back victories over Niagara.

 

 

In order to rebound today with a win in Guelph, the River Lions must have a stronger start to the game. Niagara found itself in a hole early on Friday night, down nine points after the first quarter. The River Lions were able to cut this deficit to just one, but ultimately never took the lead. Bringing the fire right from the first whistle will be important for the St. Catharines squad today, as the team has trailed at the half in all four of its losses this season.

 

Niagara was able to put together solid stretches against Guelph, going on a few runs thanks to increased intensity on the defensive end. Getting crucial stops boosted the team’s energy level on offence. The River Lions’ on-ball pressure is strong, as the team tops the CEBL with 11.4 steals per game. Friday night against Guelph, Niagara forced 20 turnovers, and nine of them came in the second quarter where the River Lions came the closest to taking the lead, cutting the deficit just one point. Niagara will rely on its defence again tonight as the team looks to avenge the loss and get back into the win column.

 

 

Friday night’s victory moved the Guelph Nighthawks (3-8) two games ahead of the Saskatchewan Rattlers (1-10) for the sixth and final playoff spot. A win today would inch the Nighthawks closer to a playoff berth, moving three games up on Saskatchewan and would force the Rattlers to win all four of their remaining games as Guelph currently holds the tiebreaker.

 

While the River Lions have secured a playoff spot for the third-straight year, it is still unknown where Niagara will finish in the regular season. The team is pressuring the Hamilton Honey Badgers for the second seed, and breaking into the top two is crucial as these franchises receive a bye directly to Championship Weekend in Edmonton. Niagara will look to enter the post-season on a high note and secure a top four ranking at minimum, to ensure it has homecourt advantage for the single-elimination quarter-final game.

All CEBL games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service, CEBL+, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.

 

A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 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 typically runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.