The Niagara River Lions are a Canadian professional basketball team based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. From 2015 to 2018, they were members of the National Basketball League of Canada. The River Lions play their home games at the Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines. Niagara is led by head coach Kimbal Mackenzie.
History In February 2014, the Niagara Basketball Group started the application process to get a local team. Over a year later, the NBL Canada announced that they would hold a press conference on the morning of April 8, 2015, regarding the expansion team. The group also held an online contest in which fans had the opportunity to make suggestions as to what the team's nickname should be. On May 14, 2015, the NBL held a Board of Governors' meeting, in which it was approved and confirmed that Niagara would compete in the 2015–16 season. At a press conference on May 28, 2015, it was announced that the team would be called the "Niagara River Lions," a nickname inspired by the Niagara Region's coat of arms, which depicts the same animal. Ken Murray, a successful Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) coach, came out of retirement to claim the head coaching and general manager (GM) position. However, during their inaugural season, Murray was fired from the team on February 20, 2016, and was replaced by assistant coach Grâce Lokole. Lokole would step down from the head coach position during the next season on March 11, 2017. He was replaced by local Niagara College head coach Keith Vassell on an interim basis while Lokole stayed on as an assistant. Joe Raso would be named the head coach for the 2017–18 season.
In 2017, River Lions' owner Richard Petko became one of the investors of a new basketball league called Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). On June 8, 2018, the River Lions announced that the franchise had moved to the CEBL after three seasons in the National Basketball League of Canada. The River Lions won the 2024 CEBL Championship, their first in franchise history. The following season the River Lions successfully defended their title, winning their second championship over the Calgary Surge 79-73.
Mascot For their first season, the River Lions announced that their mascot would be Dunkin the River Lion. Dunkin performs during every River Lions home game and attends events throughout the Niagara Region.
Players Current roster
Honours CEBL Top regular Season team (2): 2019, 2023 Regular Season Eastern Conference Winners (3): 2023, 2024, 2025 Eastern Conference champions (2): 2024, 2025 Champions (2): 2024, 2025
Season-by-season record LeagueSeasonCoachRegular season PostseasonWonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %ResultNBLC2015–16Ken MurrayGrâce Lokole1624.4003rd Central 0 3 .000 Lost div. semi-finals2016–17Grâce LokoleKeith Vassell 14 26 .350 5th Centraldid not qualify2017–18Joe Raso 17 23 4th Central 1 3 Lost div. semi-finalsCEBL2019Victor Raso 15 5 1st 0 1 Lost semi-finals2020Victor Raso 2 4 6th 0 1 Lost quarter-finals2021Victor Raso 10 4 2nd 1 1 Lost finals2022Victor Raso 13 7 2nd 1 1 Lost semi-finals2023Victor Raso 13 7 1st East 0 1 Lost semi-finals2024Victor Raso 14 6 1st East 3 0 Won CEBL Championship2025Victor Raso 14 10 1st East 2 0 Won CEBL Championship2026Kimbal Mackenzie 10 14 4th East 1 1 Lost semifinals NBLC totals4773 —16 CEBL totals9157 —86
Notable players Khalil Ahmad Javin DeLaurier Tidjan Keita Stephen Maxwell Elijah Mitrou-Long Xavier Moon Xavier Sneed
References
External links Official website