Ottawa Blackjacks vs Niagara River Lions Final Score 102-106 — Jul 26, 2026 | Iskor, Box Score at Stats

This Eastern Conference matchup pits two evenly matched teams on paper—both 9-12 and fighting for playoff position—but the underlying trends favor Ottawa. The Blackjacks have dominated the head-to-head series 2-1 this season, most recently crushing Niagara 92-69 on June 28. Their offensive firepower, anchored by Smart Javonte (23.5 PPG, 6.7 APG) and M. Cleveland (22.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG), is significantly superior to Niagara's distributed scoring led by Ahmad Khalil (19.1 PPG). Ottawa scores at 92.2 PPG to Niagara's 87.6 PPG, a meaningful edge in the CEBL. However, both teams are fragile: Niagara just lost to Scarborough (75-82) and Edmonton (91-102), though they bounced back with wins over Brampton; Ottawa has dropped its last two games (losses to Montreal and Scarborough), leaving them vulnerable to a River Lions side that could benefit from home court at Meridian Centre. The pace matchup favors Ottawa—they push tempo and force mistakes—but Niagara's recent form (3-2 in last five before yesterday's loss) and home environment create genuine upset risk. This is a tight game decided by offensive execution and whether Niagara's defense can tighten around Khalil and role players like C. Hollis (13.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG) and N. Cayo (10.6 PPG). Expect a mid-80s/low-90s scoring environment typical of CEBL play, with Ottawa's superior scoring depth marginalizing Niagara's depth advantage.