CEBL expands to The Rock

River Lions coach Raso recalls games in Newfoundland

Canada Basketball’s first men’s division has added another franchise — and a fifth time zone — to its rapidly expanding lineup of teams.

After playing a pandemic-shortened 14-game season this year with seven teams, including the St. Catharines-based Niagara River Lions, the Canadian Elite Basketball League is scheduled to tip off a traditional 20-game season in May with 10 teams.

On Thursday, the spring-summer professional league announced the Newfoundland Growlers will join the Scarborough Shooting Stars and Montreal Alliance as part of its second expansion wave.

Launched in 2019 with six teams, the CEBL added the Ottawa BlackJacks the next year.

Instead of following the lead of the Canadian Football League and Intercounty Baseball League and cancelling the 2020 season due to COVID-19, the CEBL played a championship tournament without fans at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.

While hosting and visiting a team from Newfoundland will be new to the CEBL, the River Lions have already done it.