2021 CEBL Season Tips Off Thursday, June 24th
The third ever Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) seasons tips off on Thursday, June 24th. The opening night match will see the Ottawa Blackjacks take on the Niagara River Lions at 7:00PM ET at TD Place in Ottawa.
Seven teams from across Canada will compete for the title. The Edmonton Stingers are the reigning champions from 2020. All seven teams will be in action between Thursday and Monday:
| Date & Time | Opening Weekend Matchup |
|---|---|
| Thursday, June 24, 7:00PM ET | Ottawa Blackjacks vs. Niagara River Lions |
| Saturday, June 26, 4:00PM ET * | Edmonton Stingers vs. Hamilton Honey Badgers |
| Saturday, June 26, 7:00PM ET | Fraser Valley Bandits vs. Saskatchewan Rattlers |
| Monday, June 28, 7:00PM ET | Ottawa Blackjacks vs. Guelph Nighthawks |
* The game this Saturday between the reigning champion Edmonton Stingers and the Hamilton Honey Badgers at 4:00PM ET will be nationally televised on CBC.
According to the CEBL, 75% of players in the league are Canadian, and that includes 53 players from Ontario (on current training camp rosters). The Guelph Nighthawks (13) and Hamilton Honey Badgers (11) have the most Ontario players on their current rosters. Eleven Ontario university players were chosen in the 2021 CEBL – U SPORTS draft on April 14th, including Emmanuel Owoo-toah of Brock University, Isiah Osborne of Carleton University, and Ali Sow of Wilfrid Laurier University – All drafted in the top 5.
The CEBL was created to showcase Canadian basketball talent, dedicating a certain number of roster spots to Canadian players and attracting former NBA, G League, and overseas talents:
“A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its 2020 rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA and U SPORTS programs.” – CEBL
The CEBL is on track to continue expanding the league, announcing earlier this year that Montréal has been chosen as the next city for expansion in 2022, and the first CEBL team for the province of Québec.
The opening night matchup between Ottawa and Niagara this Thursday at 7:00PM ET can be viewed on CEBL+, CBC Gem, and Twitch. Good luck to all Ontario players competing in the CEBL this season!
Links
CEBL, CBC Announce 2021 Broadcast Schedule, On-Air Talent. (CEBL)
CEBL Reveal Statistics on Elite Talent Forming 2021 Training Camp Rosters. (CEBL)
Montréal Fans to Help Choose CEBL Franchise Name, Colours. (CEBL)
Eleven Ontario University players selected in 2021 CEBL – U SPORTS Draft.
Cover image source: facebook.com/NiagaraRiverLions