It was never in doubt. The Edmonton Stingers became the first repeat champions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) with a convincing 101-65 win over the Niagara River Lions in front of 2,710 ecstatic fans at the Expo Centre in Edmonton.
Xavier Moon, the only MVP the league has ever known, added another title to his basketball resume by claiming the Finals MVP Award presented by Jostens. The Stingers guard recorded a double-double with game highs of 28 points (24 in the second half) and 10 assists. He shot 12-for-18 from the field, including four-for-five from beyond the arc.
Despite the spotlight on Moon, this was an incredible team performance. Edmonton registered 36 assists on 41 field goals. It was the most assists ever by a team in any CEBL game – regular season or playoffs.
“It’s what we set out to do,” said a champagne-soaked Jermaine Small, head coach of the Stingers and 2021 CEBL Coach of the Year. “You visualize these things and they happen. It almost feels like it’s not real sometimes. And then it just became reality. They came out and they played real hard. I got to give them (Niagara) a lot of credit. They’re good. We just wanted more.”
It was the play of Calgary, Alberta native Mathieu Kamba that put this game out of reach early. The Stingers forward took control of the second quarter, pouring in 12 points, missing only one shot in the frame. Kamba vaulted Edmonton to a 42-29 lead at halftime. He finished the game with 18 points, four rebounds and two steals.
The 29 points by Niagara was the fewest in any half in CEBL playoff history. via Ansh Sanyal READ MORE AT CEBL.COM
