The 2019–20 NBL Canada season was the ninth season of the National Basketball League of Canada. The regular season was supposed to run from December 26, 2019, to April 23, 2020. However, on March 12, the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.
On April 1, the season was officially cancelled with the league saying they will "begin preparations for its tenth season in 2020–21". The 2020–21 season was also cancelled.
League changes Because of financial difficulties, two of the league's teams, Saint John Riptide and Cape Breton Highlanders, were granted a one-year sabbatical, with the goal of finding new sponsors in order to rejoin the league next season, reducing the league to eight teams. The decrease in the number of teams also caused a change in the playoff format with the top two teams in each division qualifying for the postseason.
Offseason coaching changes The Halifax Hurricanes hired Ryan Marchand as head coach after the Hurricanes' head coach for the previous three seasons, Mike Leslie, was named team president and general manager. The London Lightning hired Doug Plumb, who had most recently been the head coach of the St. John's Edge. Plumb replaced Elliott Etherington who had been promoted during the previous season after the Lightning had fired Keith Vassell. The St. John's Edge removed the interim status of head coach Steven Marcus.
Teams 2019-20 National Basketball League of Canada Division Team City Arena Capacity Atlantic Halifax Hurricanes Halifax, Nova Scotia Scotiabank Centre 10,500 Island Storm Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Eastlink Centre 4,000 Moncton Magic Moncton, New Brunswick Avenir Centre 8,800 St. John's Edge St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Mile One Centre 6,750 Central KW Titans Kitchener, Ontario Kitchener Memorial Auditorium 7,312 London Lightning London, Ontario Budweiser Gardens 9,000 Sudbury Five Sudbury, Ontario Sudbury Community Arena 4,640 Windsor Express Windsor, Ontario WFCU Centre 6,500
Map of teams
Regular season Standings as of March 11: Atlantic Division Moncton Magic 23 19 4 — St. John's Edge 20 11 9 6.5 Halifax Hurricanes 24 8 16 11.5 Island Storm 23 6 17 13
Central Division London Lightning 24 15 9 — Sudbury Five 23 13 10 1.5 Windsor Express 22 11 11 3 KW Titans 25 9 16 6.5 z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs c – Clinched home court advantage for the division playoffs x – Clinched playoff spot
Attendance As of games played 11 March 2020
Awards
Player of the Week award For gamesin week endingPlayer of the weekCanadian player of the weekPlayerTeamPlayerTeam December 29, 2019 Damon Lynn KW Titans Alex Campbell Island Storm January 5, 2020 Xavier Moon London Lightning Alex Campbell (2) Island Storm January 12, 2020 Karrington Ward St. John's Edge Garrett Williamson London Lightning January 19, 2020 Chris Jones Windsor Express Shaquille Keith Windsor Express January 26, 2020 Billy White Moncton Magic Junior Cadougan St. John's Edge February 2, 2020 Akeem Ellis KW Titans Jarryn Skeete Sudbury Five February 9, 2020 A.J. Gaines London Lightning Alex Campbell (3) Island Storm February 16, 2020 Cane Broome St. John's Edge Marvell Waithe Halifax Hurricanes February 23, 2020 Billy White (2) Moncton Magic Kemy Osse Windsor Express March 1, 2020 Cameron Forte London Lightning Tyrell Green London Lightning
Coach of the Month award MonthCoachTeam January Joe Salerno Moncton Magic February Joe Salerno (2) Moncton Magic
References
External links NBL Canada website