Stingers hold off River Lions for win on ring night in Niagara

On ring night in Niagara, it was the Edmonton Stingers who showed championship quality.

The Stingers opened the game on a 9-0 run and led wire-to-wire en route to a 106-88 victory over the River Lions on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont.

Edmonton dominated through the first 25 minutes or so and opened a 71-46 lead midway through the third quarter when Niagara offered a taste of the championship mettle that earned them diamonds, chipping away to cut the lead to six in the fourth quarter.

But Edmonton still held a 97-88 lead at Target Score Time — and it was all Stingers from there.

With the River Lions held scoreless after the clock turned off, it was Edmonton’s Scottie Lindsey who ultimately ended the proceedings with a three-pointer and a dunk.

“Basketball is a game of runs, and it was exemplified by that tonight. I mean, obviously, we played well in the first half, and to start the third, but credit to them, they battled back,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said.

“But Target Time is when games are won and lost, and we managed to hold them scoreless, which is a good win for us.”

Edmonton dominated from the field and on the glass, shooting 48 per cent from three-point range and outrebounding Niagara 46-37.

The Stingers had three players in double-digits by halftime, with Lindsey ultimately leading the team in scoring with 32 points.

The win for Edmonton (4-5) was its second straight after losing two in a row, while Niagara (5-3) saw a two-game win streak of its own come to an end.

“We just gotta keep playing with the same intensity we’ve been playing with,” Lindsey, who was named player of the game, told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara in a post-game interview.

River Lions head coach Victor Raso said his side did not come out with the proper intensity.

“They punched us in mouth at the start of the first half, start of the second half, start of Target Time. We just didn't have it tonight. Simple as that,” he said.

Stingers guard Sean East II continued his torrid start to the season after entering third leaguewide at 24 points per game. The Louisville, Kent., native and CEBL rookie had 30 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds.

Nick Hornsby neared a first-half triple-double with seven points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He failed to score in the second half, but finished with a 10-rebound, 10-assist double-double.

Forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton also contributed 18 points and seven rebounds.

East II said the team now hopes to take its good vibes into a Saturday night showdown in Brampton.

“Just keep stacking and keep focusing on defensive end, playing hard (and) having fun out there,” he said.

Baker said the team’s offensive success was about sharing the ball.

“I think we played with pace. I mean, we had 17 assists in the first half, ended with 29, like when we were moving it, sharing it, being unselfish, we got some skilled guys out there that can make plays,” he said. 

The River Lions made a valiant second-half comeback effort as they ramped up their defence to fuel their offence and chip away at the Stingers’ lead.

However, a slow start and poor shooting night — Niagara made just four of 29 three-point attempts — ultimately proved its undoing.

“That's what this league really is, is that if one team's ready to go, they always win, and that team was ready to fight. They were desperate,” Raso said.

For Niagara, reigning Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad led the way with 30 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

Ahmad reached 300 career assists (including playoffs) with his first helper, joining Kadre Gray, Cat Barber and Alain Louis as the only players to accomplish the feat in league history.

“I mean, it's a great accolade, like, I appreciate it from the league and the recognition and whatnot, but just focused on the main goal, which is the championship,” Ahmad said.

Eddie Ekiyor (14 points) and Nathan Cayo (10) were the only other River Lions scorers in double digits.

Canadian point guard Jahvon Blair made his season debut after finishing a campaign in France, posting seven points and three rebounds in nearly 17 minutes of action.

In a pre-game ceremony, commissioner Mike Morreale and River Lions executives Richard Petko (owner), Michael Skrtich (owner) and Michelle Biskup (president) presented players, coaches and support staff their 2024 CEBL championship rings.

A banner commemorating the title run was unfurled from the rafters of the Meridian Centre.

“That was amazing, just like a cherry on top the big season last year. It's a 10-out-of-10 moment I'll keep with me for a long time,” Ahmad said.

On the other hand, he’ll hope to forget the game that ensued rather quickly.

The Stingers led 34-25 after the first 10 minutes and extended their advantage to 61-44 at halftime. Niagara put together a 20-6 run in the middle of the third quarter to cut a 25-point deficit to 12 heading into the final frame.

But while Niagara cut things even closer from there, it could not close the deal — and ultimately walked away with rings, but without a win.

Up Next

Edmonton is back at it Saturday with a visit to the Brampton Honey Badgers, while the River Lions head to Ottawa to face the BlackJacks on Sunday.

Next CEBL Action

In addition to the Stingers-Honey Badgers game on Saturday, a battle of conference leaders will occur as the Vancouver Bandits host the Montreal Alliance.