On the Road: River Lions Ride Comeback Momentum into Away Territory for Crucial Saskatoon Matchup
St. Catharines, ON – With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Niagara River Lions head west for a pivotal two-game road trip that will determine their playoff fate. Fresh off a 27 point comeback victory against the Ottawa Blackjacks, Niagara improved to 10-12 and climbed into third place in the Eastern Conference, half a game back from Brampton. Saskatoon is next up on the horizon and these are now MUST-WIN games.
Saskatoon enters the matchup after securing their playoff spot in a 98-92 win at home against Brampton last week, and are sitting at 10-11 in the Western conference. Saskatoon won the lone meeting between the two teams this season, earning a convincing 104-77 win on Niagara’s home floor. Niagara now has an opportunity to even the season series while keeping its playoff hopes firmly in their own hands.
Niagara’s recent momentum has been sparked by crucial depth and defensive intensity across the roster. Forward Nathan Cayo has been one of Niagara's most consistent contributors during the team's recent surge, averaging 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, on 59/43/80 shooting splits over the past 5 games. On the perimeter, Keonte Kennedy and Munis Tutu have fueled Niagara's defensive identity, combining for 21 steals over the last five games while each averaging more than two steals per contest. Meanwhile, Khalil Ahmad continues to elevate his game at the perfect time, averaging 23.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists over his last six contests while shooting 58% from the field and 89% from the free throw line. "Mr. Clutch" has once again shown why he remains one of the league's most dangerous late-game scorers.
However, a matchup with the Saskatoon Mamba presents one of the most complete rosters in Canadian basketball. Featuring dynamic guard Tavian Dunn-Martin, who leads the charge with an explosive 17.2 points and 6.2 assists per game (5th in CEBL). Alongside him, Tevian Jones provides another dangerous scoring option, averaging 19.3 points and 4.7 rebounds a night. Inside the paint, Saskatoon relies on the relentless energy of center Jaden Bediako to set the tone on both ends of the floor, averaging 11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds (4th in CEBL), 1.8 blocks (1st in CEBL), and 59.5% shooting from the field (4th in CEBL). In addition to their star power, the Mamba also boast a deep, battle-tested rotation capable of turning defensive pressure into rapid transition scoring.
Sunday's comeback kept Niagara's hopes of hosting a playoff game alive. Now, with just two games remaining, the River Lions look to carry that momentum into the postseason. Another win would bring them one step closer to securing the second seed in one of the closer playoff races in recent CEBL history.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET at SaskTel Centre.
Fans can tune in live on CEBL+, CBC Gem, and YouTube.
Game Information
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2026
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Location: SaskTel Centre
Broadcast: CEBL+, CBC Gem, YouTube
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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Media Contact:
Cole Meyering
Communications Coordinator