The Calgary Surge's struggles continued Wednesday night as they dropped their sixth consecutive game, falling 88-76 to the Niagara River Lions in a rematch of the 2025 CEBL championship series. The game, played at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, saw the River Lions dominate from the opening tip, building a double-digit lead in the first quarter and never looking back.
Game Recap
The Surge, who entered the game with a 2-8 record, struggled offensively, shooting just 38% from the field and 28% from three-point range. Forward Malik Brooks led Calgary with 18 points and 7 rebounds, but the team had no answer for Niagara's balanced attack. The River Lions had five players in double figures, led by guard Jalen Harris with 22 points and 6 assists.
Niagara jumped out to a 28-14 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 50-36 at halftime. The Surge mounted a brief rally in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 10 points, but the River Lions responded with a 12-2 run to put the game out of reach.
Key Factors
- Turnovers: Calgary committed 17 turnovers, leading to 22 points for Niagara.
- Rebounding: The River Lions outrebounded the Surge 44-32, including 14 offensive boards.
- Bench Scoring: Niagara's bench outscored Calgary's 34-16.
The loss drops the Surge to 2-9 on the season, tied for last place in the CEBL standings. They will look to snap their skid when they host the Edmonton Stingers on Friday night.
Looking Ahead
Head coach Mike Morley remained optimistic despite the loss. "We're going through a tough stretch, but I believe in this group," he said. "We need to clean up our turnovers and get better looks on offense. The effort is there, but we need to execute better down the stretch."
The Surge will have two days to prepare before facing their provincial rivals. The Stingers are 6-4 and currently in third place in the Western Conference.
