RIVER LIONS SIGN AMERICAN GUARD KEONTE KENNEDY AHEAD OF OPENING NIGHT
St. Catharines, ON – The Niagara River Lions announced today the signing of 6’5 American guard Keonte Kennedy for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Kennedy will join the team for their season opening game tonight versus the Ottawa Blackjacks.

Kennedy joins the team after just days ago finishing his season with Imortal Albufeira of the Liga Betclic in Portugal where he led the team with 17.4 points per game and averaged 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24 games.
The Austin, Texas native graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where, in his lone year with the Bears, he started all 25 games he played, averaging 9.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists. He finished the season strong, shooting over 42% from three-point range across the final eight games and recording 13 double-figure scoring performances.
Prior to Cal, Kennedy averaged 9.2 points per game at the University of Memphis and enjoyed a breakout season at University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) 2021-22, where he posted 14.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.
Kennedy began his professional career with Umea BSKT of the Swedish Basketball League (SBL) for the 2024-2025 season and finished that year with Sporting FC in Portugal.
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 IG, FB, TikTok, & LinkedIn and @RiverLions on X.
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Media Contact:
Cole Meyering
Communications Coordinator