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Hamilton Drops CEBL Summer Series Opener Against the Niagara River Lions
CEBL Staff • July 26, 2020
Hamilton looks to bounce back on Monday, July 27 against the Guelph Nighthawks.
ST. CATHARINES, ON, July 25, 2020 – The Niagara River Lions and Hamilton Honey Badgers picked up right where they left off last summer at Championship Weekend in Saskatoon. Nearly a year ago Hamilton claimed an intense 104-103 victory to punch the Honey Badgers’ ticket to the CEBL Championship. The narrative a year later took a turn as the River Lions led early and often on their way to earning a 97-85
victory.
“As a team we play hard and we have a bunch of different lineups that we can put out,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said.
“I’m happy with our compete level – we were organized enough to win that game today, but we have to get a lot more organized quickly.”
Newcomer Daniel Mullings opened the scoring for the River Lions and showed no signs of slowing down early. The New Mexico State product scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting from the field.
“I knew this before Daniel showed up and then he solidified it when he was here at training camp,” Raso said. “I don’t really know what position Daniel Mullings plays, but I know he’s really good at basketball and that we’re better when he’s on the floor.”
It was a scoring by committee approach to begin the game for Hamilton as both Owen Klassen and Jean-Victor Mukama converted on three-pointers in response to the River Lions’ electric guard. The Honey Badgers continued to trade jabs with the River Lions throughout the quarter, but two late free throws by fan favourite and River Lions returnee Ryan Anderson padded a slight Niagara lead at 22-19 heading into the second frame.
Anderson remained active in the second quarter and displayed how proficient he can be from beyond the arc. Anderson led the River Lions in both three-pointers made and steals last season and midway through the second frame he cashed a cross-court swing pass from Kassius Robertson to pad the River Lions’ lead at 36-28. Niagara didn’t stop there as their size and grit paid dividends in the second quarter. A tip-in by Ryan Ejim at the three-minute mark gave the River Lions their first double digit lead of the game at 43-32.
The tide continued to turn in Niagara’s favour late in the second quarter as a corner three by Robertson extended the River Lions lead to 46-32 heading into the half-time break. Hamilton’s Brianté Weber stopped the bleeding for a moment with a lay-in, but Niagara’s forward and
fellow New Mexico State alumnus Tyrone Watson added a late lay-up to send Niagara comfortably into half-time with a 48-34 lead.
At the break, Niagara looked like the polished team from 2019 that finished last year’s regular season with a CEBL-leading 15-5 record. In the first half, Niagara shot 52 per cent from field goal range, compared to 34 per cent for Hamilton and outscored the Honey Badgers 16-to-7 in the fast-break points column.
Hamilton entered the second half determined to claw back, but Niagara kept its foot on the gas. A lay-up from Carleton graduate and reigning CEBL Canadian of the Year Guillaume Boucard pushed the lead to 58-39 just over three minutes into the half.
The Honey Badgers felt the absence of Derek Cooke Jr., who did not play. The lack of an interior post presence in Cooke, who averaged a near double-double with the Raptors 905 in 2018-19, allowed the River Lions to get to the rim and spread the floor following dribble penetration. The Honey Badgers showed signs of threatening to crack into Niagara’s lead in the third, as a three-pointer by former Ryerson University standout Manny Diressa with just shy of two minutes left in the quarter cut the River Lions’ lead to 66-54.
Niagara bent, but would not break. A corner three by Anderson helped solidify a score of 75-57 at the end of the quarter.
Despite the large deficit, the Honey Badgers would not fade without putting up a fight. Hamilton opened the fourth on an 11-4 run that was capped off with a lay-up by Raptors 905 export Duane Notice. Hamilton’s late push continued as once the Elam Ending was in effect, the Honey Badgers surged forward and cut the River Lions’ lead to just 9 points following a three-pointer by Alex Johnson. The nine-point cushion proved to be all Niagara would need as a lay-in by Mullings iced the game at 97-85.
For his efforts, Mullings was named player of the game. Mullings stuffed the box score with a line of 22 points, nine rebounds and two assists on 71 per cent shooting from field goal range.
“It was amazing. We’ve been off for so long and everybody’s been itching to get back on the court so for me it’s been a great experience and to start off and have the first game in front of everybody – I’m sure the fans couldn’t wait to see us get back in action,” Mullings said.
“I feel like with these guys, we mesh well together and it was a great experience and we took full advantage of this time to get back on the floor. Top to bottom, this organization and the team are well put together and we stay together throughout the whole thing.”
Brianté Weber led all Honey Badgers scorers with 22 points, six rebounds and three steals on 8-of-16 shooting from the field.
Hamilton will look to bounce back in their next contest on Monday, July 27 at 5 p.m. ET versus the Guelph Nighthawks.
“We just need to get a continuous gel. There was a spurt there and in the entire second half I think we showed what we’re capable of, especially on the defensive end,” Honey Badgers head coach Ryan Schmidt said.
Niagara takes on the defending CEBL Champions, the Saskatchewan Rattlers, tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. PT.
All CEBL Summer Series contests are available to watch on CBCSports.ca
and the CBC Gem App. A complete broadcast schedule can be found here.