Second Place on the Line as River Lions Host Honey Badgers
By Jack Lewis
St. Catharines, ON – The Niagara River Lions return home Thursday night looking to extend their winning streak to four games after earning a 91-81 road victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Tuesday. The win improved Niagara to 8-10 on the season and moved the River Lions into a three-way tie for third place in the Eastern Conference.
Now, the River Lions look to complete the home-and-home series against the Brampton Honey Badgers, who sit in second place, just one game ahead of the River Lions in a tightly contested Eastern Conference Playoff race.
Niagara enters Thursday’s contest with momentum after three straight victories since the additions of Kyle Vinales, Gorjok Gak, and Munis Tutu. The trio has provided immediate production on both ends of the floor, giving the River Lions greater scoring depth, rebounding and defensive versatility. Vinales and Tutu have made an immediate impact, with Vinales averaging 16.0 points and 3.3 assists, while Tutu has contributed 10.0 points and 2.3 steals per game.
The addition of Kyle Vinales has strengthened Niagara’s lineup, forming one of the league’s most dangerous backcourts alongside Khalil Ahmad and Keonte Kennedy. With an additional scoring threat, opposing defenses have struggled to contain Ahmad, who has averaged 25.0 points on an outstanding 65.6% shooting over the last three games. Keonte Kennedy has continued his strong play, averaging 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals through 18 games while being one of the River Lions’ top perimeter defenders. Phil Jordan Tchuente has continued to provide valuable minutes off the bench, bringing energy, defensive intensity, and hustle plays that often don't show up in the box score.
Brampton enters Thursday’s matchup with a 9-9 record after a tough 91-81 loss to the Niagara River Lions on Tuesday. The Honey Badgers currently occupy second place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Former Chicago Bulls forward Trentyn Flowers leads the way for the Honey Badgers after recently joining the team, averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Sean East II remains unavailable while participating in NBA Summer League with the Cleveland Cavaliers. East’s absence from the lineup could play a significant role in this one as he is an engine for Brampton on both ends of the floor, averaging 22.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists (2nd in CEBL), and 2.3 steals (2nd in CEBL) per game. Tyson, who recently returned from NBA Summer League with the Golden State Warriors, leads the CEBL with 4.5 made three-pointers per game while ranking third in three-point percentage at 44.2 percent.
With a chance to extend their winning streak to four games and pull even with Brampton for second place in the Eastern Conference, Thursday night's matchup could have major playoff implications as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET at Meridian Centre.
Fans can tune in live on CEBL+, CBC Gem, and YouTube.
Game Information
Date: Thursday, July 16th, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Meridian 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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