It’s been a successful 2025 for the Niagara River Lions and Welland Jackfish.
Both teams were crowned regular season champions in their respective leagues – the River Lions in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and the Jackfish in the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL).
What makes the dual accomplishment even more impressive, both teams did it with games in hand – Niagara with five games left in the regular season, the Jackfish with four.
The River Lions, who earned an automatic bye to Championship Weekend in Winnipeg late last month. finishes their regular season Sunday in Calgary.
Former league MVP, and whom the team refers to as the Lion King, Khalil Ahmad leads Niagara with 19.9 points per game entering the final two games of the regular season.
“We want to win the championship,” Ahmad said. “We’re trying to run it back”
‘Run it back’ s the team’s motto this season
Ahmad is also the only River Lion to start in every game he’s played.
“Since Day 1 (when he arrived in Niagara), he’s a mental monster and he’s physically gifted, he works hard and he’s just coachable, explained River Lions General Manager and Head Coach Vic Raso to cebl.ca
“And we’ve had our struggles too, we’ve gone through losses and recommitted to each other, each and every year. And to see him last year just a switch flip mentally, that he was going to be super solid, and he was going to show everyone that he’s a winner … It’s like, this is an unbelievable basketball player.”
Niagara’s depth will be tested in what should be a very competitive and interesting Championship Weekend in Winnipeg. The Vancouver Bandits are the current top team in the west and top team overall at (17-5) on the campaign.
The Jackfish (28-10) wrapped up their third straight IBL regular season pennant this past week.
“Winning the league was a goal from the beginning of the season. Three years in a row is quite an accomplishment,” said Welland skipper Brian Essery.
The Jackfish are an unconscionable (17-2) away from the Rose City in 2025 and sport a run differential of plus-167 runs.
Second place Barrie is the only other team to have a plus in the runs category with 39.
Welland Starter Teodoro Ortega leads the league in wins with seven, while battery mate and catcher Robert Mullen is tops in the IBL in runs batted in with 38 and tied for the lead in home runs with 10.
Late season acquisition, the return of James Smibert has been a big one. The utility player is hitting .538 in four games back in the Rose City.
“JS extends our lineup that much more. He’s a big bat in the middle of the order,” Essery said.
The Jackfish have two home games left in the regular season and continue to impress not only on the field, but off it as well. The team will surpass 50-thousand home fans at next Thursday’s game against the Kitchener Panthers.
“We’re not done, the goal now is the championship,” added Essery.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
