The Ottawa BlackJacks (6-8) earned their most convincing win of the season on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Niagara River Lions (5-9) 92-69 at TD Place Arena in Canadian Elite Basketball League action.
The 23-point victory marked Ottawa’s largest win of the year and moved the BlackJacks into fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. It also extended the team’s winning streak to two games while handing Niagara its fourth consecutive loss.
Ottawa set the tone from the opening tip, jumping out to a 24-14 lead after the first quarter, fueled by efficient ball movement and balanced scoring. Forward Justin Jackson knocked down the game’s opening three-pointer, helping the BlackJacks establish an early rhythm.
The River Lions responded in the second quarter with a 14-point run spanning the end of the second quarter and the opening of the third, narrowing Ottawa’s advantage to 44-41 at halftime, threatening to erase the home team’s strong start.
The momentum shifted early in the second half when Isaih Moore threw down a thunderous dunk that energized both his teammates and the arena crowd. Ottawa responded with a dominant third quarter, outscoring Niagara 23-16 to carry a 67-57 lead into the fourth.
“There’s no place like home,” Moore said after the game. “Nothing like our fans in Ottawa, nothing like TD Place Arena. It’s great. Great atmosphere tonight.”
Moore, who re-signed in the nation’s capital just two days earlier, finished the afternoon without missing a shot, crediting the coaching staff and his teammates for putting him in positions to succeed.
“Following coach’s plan, doing the keys that he tells me to do when I step out on the court,” he said. “It was a great team effort, and I’m glad we came out with a win.”
When target score time arrived, the BlackJacks led 82-69, setting the target score at 91. Ottawa closed the game on a 10-0 run before Matthew Cleveland scored the winning basket to secure the victory.
While the win highlighted Ottawa’s recent resurgence, it also featured milestone performances from two of the league’s top players.
Javonte Smart entered the game needing just five points to become the second-leading scorer in BlackJacks franchise history. He reached the milestone early before finishing with a team-high 22 points.
“That means a lot,” Smart said. “I honour myself, I work hard for everything that I get. I’m truly proud and truly honoured to get that”.
Niagara guard Khalil Ahmad also reached a career milestone, becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer despite the loss, adding another achievement to his decorated CEBL career.
“I was just focused on winning,” Ahmad said. “We had much bigger things to worry about, so that was the main focus. I didn’t even think about it until halftime.”
Despite the individual accomplishments, BlackJacks head coach Justin Mazzulla pointed to the team’s growing chemistry as the biggest reason for Ottawa’s recent turnaround.
“There’s beauty in the struggle,” Mazzulla said about the switch from five losses in a row to two wins in a row. “Just because the results may not look the part, it built a stronger locker room and a stronger mentality. We dropped a few, yes, but that doesn’t identify or define our team.”
Mazzulla said the team’s improved energy has come from stronger relationships within the locker room.
“We are defending as a team, we are playing on offence as a team, we are stemming runs as a team, and really it’s just credit to the guys in the locker room,” he said. “They are trusting each other, they want to see each other win in all their roles, and we are functioning as a really good team.”
Niagara head coach Kimbal Mackenzie credited Ottawa for controlling the game.
“They’re talented. They’re well coached. And they took it to us tonight,” Mackenzie said. “I thought they were the team with more energy and more will. They were winning 50-50 balls, so I give them credit.”
With the victory, Ottawa strengthened its position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The BlackJacks will look to carry their momentum into their next match as they continue pushing toward the playoffs.
Photo by Tim Austen/Freestyle Photography
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