Anyone who likes basketball and is looking forward to sunnier days will want to pencil this date on their calendar: May 26.
That’s the first game the Montreal Alliance will play in its second season as the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), has announced its new schedule.
But fans will notice some changes.
The CEBL will now operate under a two-conference system, similar to how the NBA works.
“The CEBL is a Canadian basketball mainstay, and we are looking forward to its milestone fifth season with a brand new conference model of play and an exciting postseason format,” said Mike Morreale, commissioner and co-founder of the CEBL.
The league’s 10 teams are now divided into Eastern and Western conferences.
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Montreal will be part of the Eastern Conference along with the Brampton Honey Badgers — the current champions – the Niagara River Lions, the Ottawa BlackJacks and the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
Montreal will face those teams three times in the regular season. They will also face off against the Western Conference teams once.
The winner of each conference will have a shot at the title.
Montreal Alliance general manager Joel Anthony says this new format will be better for players since it will make travel easier but it will also be great for fans and the game.
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“In terms of the competition I think that’s where the fans will [sic] see a team more often,” Anthony said at a jam-packed event at the Montreal Casino for season ticket holders. “We’re able to now have a greater chance to develop rivalries, that type of competitiveness is something that a lot of fans will be able to get into and we’re really excited for this format change.”
The Alliance’s first game on May 26 will be in Montreal at the Verdun auditorium against the Niagara River Lions.
Anthony says they are working on putting the team roster together, they’re in talks with players and he says fans can expect a great season with lots of surprises this year.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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