Five things to watch when the refigured CEBL Summer Series tips off

When the Canadian Elite Basketball League tips off its 26-game Summer Series on Saturday, it will be the first professional, non-exhibition team sports action in the country since COVID-19 shut leagues down in mid March.

Here are five things to watch:

Last-Shot Heroics: Every game will produce a game-winning shot, since the series is using the Elam Ending. At the first stoppage in play in the final four minutes, nine points will be added to the leading team’s score. The first team to hit that mark is the winner. For example, if the score is 80-79 at the stoppage, the first team to hit 89 is the winner.

“Over 26 games, we will have 26 winning buckets. It can be a free throw, it could be an alley-oop dunk, it could be a three pointer, but we will guarantee a winning bucket to finish every day,” said Mike Morreale, the league’s commissioner and CEO.

“It’s like when you were a kid, and it was first to seven, first to 11, it’s that mentality. It becomes a much more free-flowing game without those kind of rule violations that coaches use to get back in, meaning the ticky-tack fouls and the use of timeouts.”

Elam scoring was used for the NBA all-star game, which ended in free throws.

Carleton Reunion: Former members of the powerhouse Ravens, who have more than two dozen Canadian university titles to their name, will get to test their talent at a professional level with the expansion Ottawa BlackJacks. Led by brothers Phil and Thomas Scrubb, and Johnny Berhanemeskel, the Ravens-heavy lineup has just two players — Kyle Landry and Shaquille Keith — who don’t have ties to the Ottawa/Gatineau region. 

Former Ravens standout Osvaldo Jeanty coaches the BlackJacks, the only all-Canadian team in the CEBL. Longtime Ravens coach Dave Smart, who led Carleton to 14 national titles, is the team’s GM.

Home-Grown Content: Approximately 80 per cent of league rosters are Canadian, more than any other pro league in Canada. With a changeover of about 75 players, the league arguably boasts more talent than it did in its inaugural season, and provides a chance for both Canadian players — most of whom haven’t played a game the pandemic began a few months ago — and coaches to develop at home.  

“The talent has risen dramatically,” Morreale said. “You have your top G-league guys or your Phil Scrubbs, your Tommy Scrubbs, you name it, the list goes on and on.

“And they haven’t played in four months, right? So this serves as not only an opportunity to get back onto the court and put a few bucks in your pocket, but as that really necessary game film for them to either continue their career or for the younger guys to start their career.”

Revenge of the River Lions?: The Niagara Rivers Lions will be playing on their home court at Meridian Centre, under the guidance of the 2019 CEBL coach of the year Victor Raso. The River Lions stayed with virtually the same roster as last season, when they led the league in the regular season (15-5). Niagara was upset 104-103 by Hamilton in last year’s championship semifinal.

Pandemic Prepared: After careful consulting with Ontario health officials, the CEBL will be the first professional league to host regular-season games in Canada. Players gathered in St. Catharines, Ont., just over a week ago, and have gone for a couple of sessions of COVID-19 testing. There are three safe zones — the Meridian Centre, the hotel, and the practice venue. Officials will use electronic whistles, AI-technology will be used in broadcasting games, with minimal crew in the building, and each team has its own safety officer.

How the next three weeks play out could provide a framework for other sports and leagues to return to the playing field.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2020.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press