St. Catharines, ON - The Niagara River Lions announced today the signing of 6’6 American guard, Curtis Hollis. Hollis joins the River Lions after starting the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season with the Vancouver Bandits where he averaged 11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14 games. “Curtis is a dynamic wing who we have admired from afar in the CEBL, and jumped at the opportunity to add him to our team”, said Head Coach and General Manager, Victor Raso. “Curtis will bring depth and insurance to our roster as we approach our playoff run, and this is a great opportunity to build a relationship with an emerging CEBL talent.” An Arlington, Texas native, Hollis played six games during the 2024 CEBL season, one with the Vancouver Bandits and five with the Montreal Alliance where he averaged 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 22.0 minutes played. Hollis played overseas during the 2024-25 season with Helsinki Seagulls in Finland’s Korisliiga , posting averages of 16.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 27.6 minutes in 38 games played. His global career also includes stops in South Africa, the Dominican Republic, the Central African Republic, Germany and NBA G League training camp invites with the Detroit Pistons’ affiliate, Motor City Cruise (2022), and Golden State Warriors’ affiliate, Santa Cruz Warriors (2021). Hollis played post-secondary basketball at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas where he helped lead the Blue Dragons to a Round of 16 appearance at the 2018 NJCAA DI men’s basketball championship. In his lone collegiate season, he averaged 6.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 34 games played. “I’m happy and excited about joining such a great organization and championship team. Coach Victor has an amazing high level system in place and it’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to be apart of this organization”, said Hollis. “I feel like I will fit in really well with the group and can’t wait to compete. I know a good amount of the guys on the team already so it will be super easy for me to get acclimated.” The Niagara River Lions are one of the original six teams of the CEBL and the league's reigning champions. Playing out of Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines, the River Lions represent the twelve municipalities of the Niagara Region while living up to the River Lions moniker of pride and strength of community. Visit www.riverlions.ca/tickets for more information. ### Media Contact: Mya Hastings Social Media & Marketing Coordinator mhastings@riverlions.ca

St. Catharines, ON - The Niagara River Lions announced today the signing of 6’9 Canadian forward Meshack Lufile, whose deal was finalized ahead of the team’s July 26 transaction deadline. The 32-year-old Burlington, Ontario native started the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season with the Ottawa Blackjacks where he averaged 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 7 games. “Meshack is a veteran Canadian 5 man, who will bring a veteran presence and depth to our team for our playoff run”, said Head Coach and General Manager, Victor Raso. “He’s a quality basketball player who is familiar with our team and organization, and we are glad to have him for the rest of the season.” Lufile is no stranger to the CEBL having suited up for the Guelph Nighthawks (now Calgary Surge ), Newfoundland Growlers, Edmonton Stingers , Scarborough Shooting Stars , and Ottawa Blackjacks . Lufile’s eight-year professional career has taken him overseas playing in The Netherlands, Romania and most recently KTP Basket of the Finnish Korisliiga League where he finished first in blocks (26), second in rebounds (154), third in points (335) and fifth in assists (42). Prior to his professional career, Lufile played for Cape Breton University from 2011 to 2016 where he was named to the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) First All-Star Team in 2014–15 and earned AUS Defensive Player of the Year honours in 2015–16. Lufile is part of a basketball family, with three of his brothers having CEBL experience. Meshack joins his brother Elijah currently on the River Lions,, while Abednego and Chadrack previously suited up for the Guelph franchise during the 2019 season. “I’m excited to be part of an organization that has championship pedigree, and learning from a great group of guys. I’m hoping to bring a veteran presence, hard work ethic and a low post threat to add to what they have already established”, said Lufiile, “I’m also excited to share the court with my brother, in what feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.” The Niagara River Lions are one of the original six teams of the CEBL and the league's reigning champions. Playing out of Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines, the River Lions represent the twelve municipalities of the Niagara Region while living up to the River Lions moniker of pride and strength of community. Visit www.riverlions.ca/tickets for more information. ### Media Contact: Mya Hastings Social Media & Marketing Coordinator mhastings@riverlions.ca

Down to their last gasp, the Niagara River Lions proved yet again why they are the defending champions. The River Lions mounted an insane 10-0 game-ending run to stun the Montreal Alliance on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., roaring back to pull a 91-89 victory from the jaws of defeat. Montreal — which trailed by 16 early — was two points away from a shocking comeback of its own but failed to convert on three consecutive possessions. Instead, two-time Clutch Player of the Year Khalil Ahmad sparked yet another defining night for Niagara, which, somehow, earned its franchise record-tying sixth straight win. “We just wanted it, simple as that. We buckled down on defence, we made shots on offence and we got the win,” Ahmad told sideline reporter Esfandiar Baraheni after the game. The East-leading River Lions improved to 13-5 on the season. Montreal, which could have clinched a playoff spot with a win and a Brampton loss to Scarborough, fell to 7-10. Meanwhile, Niagara’s dominance over Montreal marches on: the River Lions moved to 10-1 all-time against the Alliance, including an emphatic season series sweep this year. Montreal seemed well on its way to a signature victory as it led 82-75 when the clock stopped for Target Score Time. But River Lions star Khalil Ahmad responded with a fadeaway three-pointer from one corner to start the final phase of the game — then, after a Tavis Smith layup, he hit one from the other side of the court, too, to cut Niagara’s deficit to three. “No words for it, honestly,” Ahmad said. “When Target Time starts, it's a different mode.” As they had all game to that point, the Alliance punched back when a Smith steal and ensuing Quincy Guerrier layup put them four points away from victory. Montreal eventually pulled within two, and an inspiring comeback win seemed all but settled. Suddenly, though, the Alliance could not buy a basket. Meanwhile, an 8-0 River Lions run — an and-one from Ron Curry followed by another Ahmad triple and an Ahmed Hill dunk — put both teams within a bucket of victory. Then, a Montreal turnover gifted Niagara the ball, and head coach Victor Raso called timeout. Ahmad missed a three-point attempt, but Nathan Cayo collected the rebound and kicked to Hill, who darted to the rim, took contact and made a diving layup to clinch the win — and send the Alliance home stunned. “Ahmed played off the catch and just had an awesome attack to the rim. I mean, Ahmed struggled a bit to start the game, but that's a good feeling, playing against his former team, doing that,” head coach Victor Raso said. Raso said it was a “championship-calibre” win. “There's a no-give-up mentality with these guys, and they just believe. They believe that they can win every game they've been in. Like, even when we weren't playing well early this year, there's never a given in Target Time. If they haven't hit the target, then these guys feel like they can win,” Raso said. Meanwhile, Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said the loss was a continuation of Montreal’s woes throughout the year. “We've been saying kind of the theme this year is we felt like they didn't beat us, we beat ourselves. But like I said, we don't have time to regret and stuff. We’ve got to get back on the bus,” Small said. Ahmad paced the River Lions with 29 points — including nine in Target Time — to go with five rebounds and five assists. Curry, who played a major part in the comeback on the defensive end, also contributed offensively with 19 points in addition to four rebounds and three assists. Cayo was the only other River Lion to reach double-figure scoring, finishing the contest with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. The River Lions are now that much closer to booking their ticket to Winnipeg for Championship Weekend as the No. 1 seed in the East. “We just got to keep chipping away. We're trying to get the first-overall seed, and that win goes a long way to doing that,” Raso said. Starting Niagara guard and captain Kimbal Mackenzie missed the game. The loss for Montreal could sting extra badly after it had ended an ugly seven-game skid with a win over the Ottawa BlackJacks two nights earlier. Small said his team will rue its free-throw shooting. The Alliance shot just 10-for-20 from the charity stripe, including an 0-for-7 first half. “We had our opportunity to win. They made a great comeback. I just kind of talked about [how] the free-throw shooting really, really hurt us. But, like I told our guys, you win or you learn, and there's a lot of growth,” Small said. “No one’s going to feel sorry for us. Massive game Sunday [against the Scarborough Shooting Stars], so we got to prepare and shoot free throws tomorrow.” The Alliance were led offensively by Smith, who found a second-half spark — including a third-quarter buzzer-beater — to finish with 19 points along with five assists and four steals. Fellow reserve Michael Diggins Jr. poured in 17 points off the bench with five rebounds, while starter Brandon Porter added 11 points and six rebounds. The River Lions roared to an early 10-0 lead to start the game, including seven points from Ahmad alone. Niagara held a 27-18 advantage after the first frame, but Montreal fought back to within six points at halftime. Montreal then wrestled the lead away from Niagara in the third quarter, punctuated by the Smith triple to enter the fourth up 64-62. A playoff-like atmosphere only intensified as the teams exchanged words midway through the fourth quarter when Curry got into Smith’s face after taking a reach-in foul. One technical foul and two unsportsmanlike penalties were handed out. Then, the real madness ensued. And by the time the final buzzer had sounded, CEBL order had been restored in a way. The River Lions, yet again, were back on top. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600669 Up Next Both teams return to action Sunday when Niagara visits the Brampton Honey Badgers while Montreal hosts the Shooting Stars. Next CEBL Action Just one game is on the docket for Saturday as the Saskatchewan Rattlers head to Ottawa to take on the BlackJacks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The first thing that comes to Khalil Ahmad’s mind when he thinks back on his maiden CEBL title is a miss. Ahmad, long since known as the league’s Clutch King, was absent only the Championship Trophy to complete his wide-ranging, impressive set of league accomplishments. Yet with a chance to ice the Niagara River Lions’ first title, the sharp-shooting, cool-as-a-cucumber Corona, Calif., native missed a free throw. Before Ahmad knew it, then-Vancouver Bandits guard Koby McEwen nailed a three-pointer on the other end, and both teams were one point away from victory. But Ahmad had a shot at redemption. “And then it was kind of just, there was no play. It wasn't a play call. Just make something happen. And finished the play, got the chip. So that was all she wrote,” Ahmad recalled in a recent interview. Except, well, the story didn’t end there. A celebration ensued in Montreal as one of the CEBL’s most storied teams finally earned its first banner. Now, Ahmad and the River Lions are on the hunt to become the second team in league history to successfully run it back. At 12-5, Niagara leads the Eastern Conference by four games and has already punched its playoff ticket. “For guys to be able to sacrifice [their overseas off-season] and come back and compete and be together for something bigger than themselves, I think that's a testament to our togetherness and the amazing club that we have,” Ahmad said. Ahmad, 28, is in his fourth season with the River Lions, and quickly climbing the all-time league leaderboards. Somewhat ironically, given how the 2024 Finals played out, Ahmad has made more free throws and nailed more Target Score Winners than anyone in league history. He is also the CEBL’s all-time steals leader. It’s those finishes, though, that have become Ahmad’s calling card. His 28 winners are 10 more than second-place Cat Barber in the all-time ranks. He said compounding confidence in those situations has helped him continue to succeed. “Confidence can take you places you would've never expected to go before and have you do things you never expected to do,” he said. Growing up in California, it’s impossible that Ahmad would have ever expected to become the face of a Canadian professional basketball league. The CEBL didn’t even exist when Ahmad starred at Centennial High School in Corona. He went on to play four years at Cal State Fullerton, breaking the 1,000-point barrier for his career — as he’s now done in the CEBL, too — and reaching the NCAA tournament in 2018, when his 15th-seeded Titans fell to No. 2 Purdue. Still, Ahmad carries that cool southern California swagger with him even as he competes in southern Ontario. “I definitely would say that I'm pretty nonchalant as a person. My friends tell me that all the time, but it helps a lot, you know? I can keep a cool head, stay focused, stay in the moment, don't get too high, don't get too low. And I think that's the perfect level to be at,” Ahmad said. Head coach Victor Raso has been with Ahmad for all four years of his CEBL journey. They’ve experienced those up and downs together and shared the joy of that first championship one year ago in Montreal. For Raso, it’s comforting knowing he has such a reliable star player. “Like that that musician or painter, they're themselves in their own world but when they're doing the craft it's like this [different] person comes out and that's Khalil,” Raso said. “Since Day 1, he's a mental monster and he's physically gifted, he works hard and he's just coachable. And we've had our struggles too, we've gone through losses and recommitted to each other, each and every year. And to see him last year just a switch flip mentally, that he was going to be super solid, and he was going to show everyone that he's a winner … it's like, this is an unbelievable basketball player.” Outside of the court, Ahmad holds his Japanese heritage close to his heart. His father was born there — and he’s honoured his background with tattoos, in addition to learning the culture through his grandmother, through books and through cooking. If you’re wondering, Ahmad says his specialty is a Japanese-inspired salmon recipe. He said his hope is to one day represent Japan as a basketball player on the national team, though there are certain citizenship hurdles he still must jump through. “If I can get the opportunity to make that happen, that would be amazing,” he said. For now, Ahmad’s sights sets are set on a second consecutive title. His River Lions are once again among the league’s top teams — despite a rocky start to the season, they’ve won five straight to re-establish themselves as a legitimate threat. A trip to Winnipeg for Championship Weekend in August is starting to feel likelier than not. After a recent victory, in which the River Lions clinched a playoff spot, Raso said they weren’t done there. “We wanna win the East. We wanna win the championship,” he said. “Our standards are much higher. We expect to make the playoffs.” Likewise, Ahmad is focused on one goal only. “Hey, we're trying to run it back.” - CEBL -

The Niagara River Lions have their eyes on a trip to Winnipeg for Championship Weekend. They can feel safer thinking about booking those flights now as the defending champions cruised past the Scarborough Shooting Stars 96-81 on Sunday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. The River Lions expanded their lead atop the East to four games over the Shooting Stars with the victory. The 7-8 Ottawa BlackJacks remain 3.5 games back of the conference leaders. Niagara now sits at 12-5 following its fifth straight win, while Scarborough fell to 8-9. Head coach Victor Raso said the team had to go through the mud early in the season — including a pair of blowout losses to Scarborough and the Brampton Honey Badgers — to get to the point it’s at now. “You have to earn the belief back. And I think we're doing that now. We're connected on the defensive end. We're connected on the offensive end. Our quality of shots have gone up a lot. We turned the ball over way too much tonight, but we just kind of figured out our rotations where guys should be in and we're playing much better now,” he said. The River Lions’ latest victory was hardly ever in doubt. After a closely contested first quarter — which still ended in a five-point advantage for Niagara — the River Lions stretched their lead to 21 points by halftime. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time in the fourth, Niagara led 87-66. The Shooting Stars scratched and clawed to cut their deficit to 12 points, but River Lions guard Ron Curry closed things out with a free throw. “We’re just starting to figure out what our identity is, and we're starting to put it together a little bit. Everybody's playing to their potential, and we're starting to look better as a team,” Curry said. With the win, Niagara closed in on the East’s top seed — which comes with a bye to the semifinals and a guaranteed trip to Championship Weekend. The River Lions have never missed the playoffs in the CEBL’s existence. They’re now seeking to become the second team ever to go back-to-back. On Sunday, Ron Curry sparked the River Lions attack with an early flurry of three-pointers that created separation from Scarborough. Curry drilled three three-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 22 points, four rebounds and two assists. “Ron is a really good basketball player. If Ron never tore his ACL, he probably wouldn't be in the CEBL. But he's tough, and he's a shotmaker. And I'm glad he's on our team,” Raso said. While Curry feasted from beyond the arc, Khalil Ahmad lived at the free-throw line. Niagara’s leading scorer made 11 of 12 attempts from the charity stripe on the way to 23 points to go with four rebounds and two assists. Like Curry, River Lions captain Kimbal Mackenzie nailed three treys. He scored 16 points in all, adding six rebounds and six assists. “We’re locked in now,” said forward Eddie Ekiyor, who had 12 points and nine rebounds. “We’re doing pretty good. We gotta keep it going.” Scarborough, meanwhile, now has its work cut out as it continues to fight for playoff positioning. The Shooting Stars suddenly sit third in the conference after being limited to just 29 first-half points against Niagara. For the game, the Shooting Stars committed 15 turnovers and made just 27 per cent of their three-point attempts. Head coach Mike De Giorgio said the team’s first half was “terrible.” “We didn't win enough 50-50 balls. We gave up 18 offensive rebounds. That was No. 1 on the scale. We had to match their effort, had to match their intensity, and we came out a little bit flat. And I think just our message here to the guys is just staying together for the full game. I think how we respond to adversity is very important for us,” De Giorgio said. Terquavion Smith, who entered the game second in leaguewide scoring, put up 22 points to lead the way for Scarborough while also pitching in four steals and three assists. Cat Barber scored 15 points to become the second player in league history to reach the 1,500-point plateau for his career, including playoffs. River Lions guard Ahmed Hill is the only other player to accomplish the feat. All of Barber’s points came in the second half. Aaron Best made his season debut for the Shooting Stars after signing earlier on Sunday. The Scarborough native nearly posted a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. “It’s always fun playing at home,” Best said. Scarborough was missing four players due to NBA Summer League including star scorer Donovan Williams and big man Hason Ward. “I think overall we just needed to play better. And that's something we'll keep working on we as we go towards our next game,” De Giorgio said. The Shooting Stars made a run at a comeback in the third quarter, closing to within 12 points, but the River Lions punched back with a four-point play by Ahmad and a three-pointer from Mackenzie. By the end of the frame, the River Lions were back up 70-51. In Target Time, despite some testy moments, the result never truly came into question. Now, Niagara has a different lead to hold onto — its grip atop the Eastern Conference. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600654 Up Next Both teams are back in action Friday as the River Lions host the Montreal Alliance and the Shooting Stars visit the Brampton Honey Badgers. Next CEBL Action Just one game is on the docket for Monday as the Honey Badgers head to Ottawa to take on the BlackJacks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Myles Dichter – July 16, 2025 Step 1 of the Niagara River Lions’ championship defence is complete. The River Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 97-79 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Wednesday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. It marked the fourth straight win for Niagara, which padded its lead atop the Eastern Conference at 11-5. The Honey Badgers have now lost six straight to fall to 4-14. Niagara has been in the playoffs every year since the CEBL’s inception. “We wanna win the East. We wanna win the championship,” head coach Victor Raso said. “Our standards are much higher. We expect to make the playoffs.” Niagara’s win was one of the comeback variety after trailing by 12 early in the second quarter. But the River Lions showed championship resolve, chipping away in the second frame before taking over in the third. Once Target Score Time rolled around, the River Lions led 87-67. Niagara forward Elijah Lufile finished the game off with a putback layup. “We didn’t start the game with the fight we needed, but we turned it around really quick and then the rest of the way we fought the way we needed to,” Raso said. With just one-third of the season remaining, the River Lions appear to be rounding into form at just the right time after a rocky start to the year. Niagara has now held four of its last five opponents under 80 points, while offensively it is continuing to receive contributions from up and down the lineup. Raso said increased defensive identity has led to the team’s run. “We’re just finally playing well. … We talked about winning the game to infinity — play every game, every single possession like it doesn’t matter what happened before or after. Our team needs to keep doing that,” he said. Leading scorer Khalil Ahmad paced the River Lions in the victory, putting up 24 points to go with eight assists and six rebounds. Montreal native Nathan Cayo added 14 points and five rebounds, while Ron Curry pitched in with 13 points and five rebounds Big man Elijah Lufile notched a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double off the bench. Ahmad said the team isn’t simply satisfied with a playoff spot. “It’s nice, but nowhere near close to the end goal. Nice little achievement to check a box, but we still got a lot more to do,” he said. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers’ playoff chances took another hit as they continue to sit in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Head coach Sheldon Cassimy said there are positives his team can take from the loss, but he wasn’t willing to look too far ahead. “I think it’s just by focusing on each day. We focus on each day and getting better each day as a team and individual,” he said. Canadian Marcus Carr led the way for the Honey Badgers with 20 points while also adding 10 assists and two rebounds. David Muenkat got off to a hot start with three triples in the first quarter, but didn’t make another until Target Score Time and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Longtime CEBLer Koby McEwen reached the 1,000-point mark for his regular-season career with a late three-pointer from the corner. He had 14 points and six assists for the game. Carr said it’s important for Brampton to focus on the positives in order to bust its slump. “Although obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted, we did do some good things out there so we have to try and build on that for the next game and then try to put it into ending the drought,” Carr said. Former Canadian Player of the Year Kadre Gray was in the house to take in the contest. The Honey Badgers burst out to a 26-17 lead after the first quarter, sparked by a trio of triples from Muenkat. But after Brampton pushed its lead to 12 in the second frame, Niagara fought back to head into the locker rooms at halftime trailing just 39-37. The River Lions then took control in the third quarter, winning the frame 34-13 to take a commanding 71-52 lead into the final 10 minutes. Despite a brief scare early in the fourth, Niagara held on to cruise to victory. Now, it knows it’s headed back to the playoffs. And another title is directly in sight. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600643 Up Next The River Lions host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday, while the Honey Badgers visit the Ottawa BlackJacks on Monday. Next CEBL Action A pair of Thursday games include the Edmonton Stingers heading to Ottawa while the Winnipeg Sea Bears welcome the Calgary Surge. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games. - CEBL-

Myles Dichter – July 6, 2025 It was a momentous return to Montreal for Ahmed Hill and the Niagara River Lions. Hill, the former Alliance member, scored 12 points to become the first player to pass the 1,500- point plateau in league history (including playoffs), and the River Lions won 77-73 on Sunday at Verdun Auditorium — the site of their championship victory last season. The win marked a second straight for East-leading Niagara (9-5), while Montreal dropped under. 500 at 6-7 with the loss. “It was just a war. It felt like a playoff game a little bit,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said of a game in which the teams combined to shoot just 21 per cent from beyond the arc and 60 per cent from the free-throw line. After the River Lions controlled much of the contest, building an 11-point lead, a spirited Alliance comeback gave the home side a one-point advantage at the 5:16 mark. But the Verdun frenzy was short-lived as the River Lions responded with an 8-0 run. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time, Niagara led 68-61. The Alliance tightened their deficit to as little as three, but a raft of missed free throws prevented them from getting any closer. In the end, the game ended the same way Niagara’s last Montreal contest — the 2024 Finals — did, as Khalil Ahmad nailed the game-winner, this time from the free-throw line. Raso said the win wasn’t necessarily a pretty one. “It just became a slugfest. We did not shoot the ball well from three, but a couple guys stepped up,” he said. For Hill — the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer — it was a milestone night in one of the CEBL cities he once called home. The 30-year-old from Fort Valley, Ga., was competing in his 90th career game, which ranks third all-time and first among international players. Hill joined the CEBL in 2021 and spent two seasons with the Guelph Nighthawks before moving to Montreal for two more. He’s now in his first season as a River Lion, where he joined the reigning champions in search of his first career title. On Sunday, he came off the bench for the second straight game, making four of 10 field-goal attempts. “Truly blessed to be on a couple teams with great coaches, great teammates, who let me be me and shine,” Hill said. “Credit to everybody I played with and the organizations. And shout out to the CEBL.” Montreal native Nathan Cayo paced the River Lions in his hometown, scoring 18 points to go with six rebounds. Ron Curry, who recently returned to Niagara after a five-game absence, added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Eddie Ekiyor contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, it was a strangely quiet night for reigning Finals MVP and River Lions leading scorer Ahmad, who struggled with his shot en route to just six points on one-for-10 shooting. He also had seven assists. Still, his teammates picked up the slack. “It’s becoming not always about Khalil. We have guys who can make plays, we have guys who can score. We haven’t had guys healthy to do that for a while so for Khalil it’s kind of reassuring that he doesn’t have to score the ball as much,” Raso said. For a short-handed Montreal squad, a strong start fizzled quickly as the offence went dry. The Alliance made just six of 27 three-point attempts (22 per cent) and 19 of 31 free-throw tries (61 per cent) overall. Still, head coach Jermaine Small said he was proud of his team’s resolve. “You miss all those free throws, I’m a little bit frustrated about that, but I’m proud of the effort overall,” Small said. Leading scorer Tavian Dunn-Martin missed the game with an injury, while forwards O.D. Anosike and Michael Diggins Jr. were also absent. In their place, Canadian Quincy Guerrier — in his last game with the team before heading to NBA Summer League with the Toronto Raptors — led the way with a whopping 19-point, 15- rebound double-double. Day 1 Alliance member Alain Louis scored 15 points to go with five rebounds and five assists in the losing cause. Guerrier said the missing players could have made a difference, but the team needed to adjust accordingly. “I think defensively we were way better than the last four or five games. They’re a championship team, they’re a really good team. Our free-throw [misses] at the end, that was crucial,” he said. NBA champion and Montreal native Luguentz Dort was in the house to take in the game between his hometown Alliance and the defending CEBL champions. Montreal raced out of the gates with its game-opening 7-0 run and led 19-13 by the end of the first quarter. But Niagara took control in the second frame as a 7-0 run of its own powered it to a 41-34 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the River Lions stretched their lead to 11 and threatened to run away with things, but the Alliance cut their deficit back to six points entering the final frame. After a tightly fought fourth quarter, it was the River Lions who, familiarly, emerged victorious in Montreal. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600639 Up Next Montreal visits the Calgary Surge on Wednesday, while Niagara returns home for a championship rematch against the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday. Next CEBL Action Players hit the court next on Wednesday, when the Brampton Honey Badgers host the Ottawa BlackJacks in addition to the Alliance-Surge contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule