Niagara River Lions leave Guelph Nighthawks behind
GUELPH – The Guelph Nighthawks just didn’t get a chance to do much of anything in the Elam ending of their Canadian Elite Basketball League match Tuesday night at the Sleeman Centre.
Cat Barber of the hosts sank a two-point shot with 3:56 to go to narrow the gap to the Niagara River Lions to six points, at 86-80, and set the target score at 95 — first to 95 wins.
Niagara River Lions 95 Guelph Nighthawks 84
The River Lions hit a three-pointer and added a layup after the Nighthawks missed a layup to narrow the gap to the win to four points. Guelph hit a jumper for two, Niagara sank a free throw, the locals dropped two free throws in and then Khalil Ahmad sank a three-pointer for the River Lions to bring the game to an end.
Barber led Guelph with 29 points while A.J. Lawson had 15 and Ahmed Hill added 13. Lawson also had five rebounds, Barber had four assists, Hill had three steals and Sean Miller-Moore had two blocks.
Ahmad led Niagara with a game-high 33 points while Jaylen Babb-Harrison had 14 and Alonzo Walker collected 13. Walker and Tidjan Keita each had 10 rebounds while Ahmad had six assists and Munis Tutu had four steals.
The Nighthawks led 23-22 at the end of the first quarter, but trailed 46-41 at halftime and 71-58 at the end of the third quarter.
The River Lions dominated under the basket, grabbing 44 rebounds to 27 for the Nighthawks and they also had 14 steals, five more than the locals.
Niagara had 27 points from turnovers, 22 on fast breaks, 11 on second chances and 29 from their bench. All those numbers topped Guelph as the Nighthawks had 20 points from turnovers, 17 on fast breaks, six on second chances and 19 from their bench.
After two home games, the Nighthawks are 1-1 – the same as the Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan Rattlers and Hamilton Honey Badgers. Fraser Valley Bandits are 2-0 while the River Lions and expansion Montreal Alliance are both at 2-1. Ottawa BlackJacks and expansion Scarborough Shooting Stars are both at 0-2 while the Newfoundland Growlers, this year’s third expansion team, have yet to begin their season.
The Nighthawks have a pair of road games later this week as they’re to play the Honey Badgers at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre Thursday at 7 p.m. and the Alliance at the Verdun Auditorium Sunday at 4 p.m.
Hamilton’s 1-1 at home and Montreal’s 2-0 at home.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Niagara River Lions leave Guelph Nighthawks behind
GUELPH – The Guelph Nighthawks just didn’t get a chance to do much of anything in the Elam ending of their Canadian Elite Basketball League match Tuesday night at the Sleeman Centre.
Cat Barber of the hosts sank a two-point shot with 3:56 to go to narrow the gap to the Niagara River Lions to six points, at 86-80, and set the target score at 95 — first to 95 wins.
Niagara River Lions 95
Guelph Nighthawks 84
The River Lions hit a three-pointer and added a layup after the Nighthawks missed a layup to narrow the gap to the win to four points. Guelph hit a jumper for two, Niagara sank a free throw, the locals dropped two free throws in and then Khalil Ahmad sank a three-pointer for the River Lions to bring the game to an end.
Barber led Guelph with 29 points while A.J. Lawson had 15 and Ahmed Hill added 13. Lawson also had five rebounds, Barber had four assists, Hill had three steals and Sean Miller-Moore had two blocks.
Ahmad led Niagara with a game-high 33 points while Jaylen Babb-Harrison had 14 and Alonzo Walker collected 13. Walker and Tidjan Keita each had 10 rebounds while Ahmad had six assists and Munis Tutu had four steals.
The Nighthawks led 23-22 at the end of the first quarter, but trailed 46-41 at halftime and 71-58 at the end of the third quarter.
The River Lions dominated under the basket, grabbing 44 rebounds to 27 for the Nighthawks and they also had 14 steals, five more than the locals.
Niagara had 27 points from turnovers, 22 on fast breaks, 11 on second chances and 29 from their bench. All those numbers topped Guelph as the Nighthawks had 20 points from turnovers, 17 on fast breaks, six on second chances and 19 from their bench.
After two home games, the Nighthawks are 1-1 – the same as the Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan Rattlers and Hamilton Honey Badgers. Fraser Valley Bandits are 2-0 while the River Lions and expansion Montreal Alliance are both at 2-1. Ottawa BlackJacks and expansion Scarborough Shooting Stars are both at 0-2 while the Newfoundland Growlers, this year’s third expansion team, have yet to begin their season.
The Nighthawks have a pair of road games later this week as they’re to play the Honey Badgers at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre Thursday at 7 p.m. and the Alliance at the Verdun Auditorium Sunday at 4 p.m.
Hamilton’s 1-1 at home and Montreal’s 2-0 at home.
- Guelph Sports Journal