Historic Night Sees River Lions Claim 11th Straight Win Over Alliance
St. Catharines, ON – Niagara entered Saturday night’s matchup against the Montreal Alliance looking to make history by becoming the first team in CEBL history to win 11 consecutive games against a single franchise.
The matchup also featured several familiar faces. Former River Lion Guillaume Boucard returned to the Meridian Centre for the first time since helping Niagara capture the 2025 CEBL Championship. Prior to tip-off, Boucard was presented with his championship ring by former Head Coach Victor Raso.
The game got off to a slow start, with neither team scoring during the first two minutes of action. Niagara big man JD Muila would open the scoring with a reverse layup. The River Lions defense was clearly ready to play, holding Montreal to two points through the first five minutes and to 13 points in the first frame as a whole. The Alliance shot 0-for-5 from three, while also turning the ball over seven times in the first quarter.
Nathan Cayo reached a milestone of his own less than a minute into the second quarter, scoring the 1,170th point of his CEBL career on a layup to tie him for sixth all-time in combined regular season and postseason scoring. Niagara grew their lead to 29-15 by the midway mark of the second quarter, at which point the Alliance had yet to hit a three-pointer. Niagara took an eight-point lead into halftime after controlling much of the opening 20 minutes. Quincy Guerrier provided the lone bright spot for the visitors, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds while shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field.
In the third quarter, it was Khalil Ahmad’s turn to make history. Ahmad knocked down a three-pointer to bring his career points total to 1,549, moving him into second place on the league’s all-time scoring list behind former River Lions teammate Ahmed Hill. Ahmad would finish the contest with 14 points, three assists, and a steal on the night. Ahmad had this to say about what the milestone meant to him: “It means a lot. Niagara has become my second home. The community, the team, my girlfriend and her family live here. So literally everything from top to bottom has made me comfortable and just helps me be me, so to be able to achieve that here, it means a lot.”
Kimbal Mackenzie praised both veterans following the game: “They are two guys that I've had the pleasure of playing with and now coaching. They are both high-level guys that know how to win, and they are CEBL legends, both of them. Just great pros.”
Niagara went on a roll extending their lead to 19 by the end of the third frame, outplaying the Alliance in all aspects of the game. One area of importance was the turnover battle. Niagara outscored Montreal 31-9 in points off turnovers while forcing the Alliance to turn over the ball 21 times during the game. Head Coach Kimbal Mackenzie credited Niagara’s defensive effort: “We were just in the right spots, starting with our fundamentals, our ball screen defense, our intensity on the ball, our compete level. I think that was the big difference tonight, and our offense flowed from there because we got some stops.”
After struggling to put together a complete performance in recent weeks, Niagara delivered arguably its most complete effort of the season.
Heading into Target Time, Niagara held an 84-68 advantage, their largest lead entering Target Time this season. Both offenses struggled to get going early into Target Time until Niagara pulled away, sealing their 93-75 victory on a JD Muila layup. Muila capped off the victory with the first Target Time game-winner of his career while recording his first double-double as a River Lion with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Muila had this to say about the win “It feels great, we were going through a hard time for a little bit, so it feels good to come out here tonight and get a great dub. Now we’re just going to have to build up the momentum and keep going.”
The win marked Niagara’s 11th straight victory over Montreal, setting a new CEBL record for the most consecutive wins against a single franchise. Kimbal Mackenzie had this to say about the victory “We try to approach every game as its own entity. Just try to come out here and be better tonight than we were last time. Montreal is a good team and they're well coached, so glad to get the win.”
Niagara now turns its attention to a rematch against the 7-2 Brampton Honey Badgers. The River Lions dropped the previous meeting 97-86 despite closing the game on a 20-2 Target Time run. With Khalil Ahmad back in the lineup, Niagara will look to even the season series.
The Niagara River Lions are one of the founding franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and the league’s reigning back-to-back champions (2024 & 2025). Competing out of the Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines, from May to August each season, the River Lions proudly represent the twelve municipalities of the Niagara Region, uniting fans through passion, pride, and purpose. Entering their second decade, the River Lions have earned a reputation for championship-caliber performance and community impact, embodying the strength and spirit of Niagara both on and off the court.
For more information, visit www.riverlions.ca or follow on social: @NiagaraRiverLions on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, & LinkedIn and @RiverLions on X.
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