The Niagara River Lions are as soon as once more kings of the Canadian Elite Basketball League jungle.
The River Lions, who completed first within the five-team Jap Convention with a pedestrian 14-10 report, defeated the Calgary Surge 79-73 on Sunday at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg to win back-to-back titles.
The River Lions edged the Vancouver Bandits 97-95 in final 12 months’s championship ultimate.
Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad led the River Lions with 16 factors and 9 rebounds, whereas Nathan Cayo had 14 factors and 6 rebounds. Ahmed Hill chipped in with 13 factors and 6 rebounds.
Sean Miller-Moore scored 19 factors for the Surge, who had their seven-game win streak halted. Jameer Nelson Junior, Evan Gilyard and Khyri Thomas all scored 13 factors for Calgary.
“It feels unimaginable. It actually does,” mentioned River Lions head coach Victor Raso. “It’s as particular of a second as I’ve ever had as a coach. This one, for these guys, it simply cemented them. I’m actually completely happy for them.”
“And he’s (Ahmad) the best participant to ever play on this league and he’s only a phenomenal individual, so he gained’t say all of the issues that I say, however that’s the reality,” Raso mentioned.
Captain Kimbal Mackenzie echoed his coach’s sentiment.
“(It is) getting slightly bit ridiculous at this level, fairly frankly,” Mackenzie mentioned. “When he (Ahmad) hit that shot towards Scarborough (within the 93-91 East ultimate victory), I used to be like, ‘What number of instances is that this man gonna do that?’ He simply has a knack for when these moments get large, simply taking part in off his instincts.”
Miller-Moore, the league’s all-time main Canadian scorer, got here up simply brief at his third Championship Weekend.
“Each loss is a heartbreak. Even once we lose within the common season, it’s a heartbreak. So, in fact, this was the final recreation and the final time I’m gonna be with this explicit group, so it harm extra, however we have been a great crew all season, and we simply got here up brief right this moment,” Miller-Moore mentioned.
For Niagara, by Raso’s personal admission, this season — the longest in CEBL historical past, with 24 video games per crew — was harder than final, as a roster that includes a number of returning gamers struggled at instances to search out motivation in the course of the summer-long grind.
Round midseason, nevertheless, the River Lions ripped off a seven-game profitable streak to clinch first place within the Jap Convention. And the crew discovered its motivation.
“It took some time for this crew to jell and discover its rhythm. We have now Ahmed Hill coming off the bench. He’s the main scorer in CEBL historical past. That’s what bothers me when folks speak about us this 12 months the best way they did,” Raso mentioned. “This was a very, actually good basketball crew, and when it mattered, we have been superior.”
Niagara led 42-36 at halftime and took a 63-51 lead into the ultimate quarter. When the clocks stopped for Goal Rating Time, a River Lions lead that was as soon as 16 had been lower to 3 factors at 70-67.
BASELINES: The River Lions be a part of the 2020-2021 Edmonton Stingers as the one groups to win back-to-back titles. They’re additionally the one franchises in league historical past to assert a number of crowns. The mother and father of Chad Posthumus — a CEBL lifer and Winnipeg native who died in November at age 33 — have been available to current the championship trophy.
