Third time was the charm when the Niagara River Lions renewed their Canadian Elite Basketball League playoff rivalry with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Eastern Conference final Friday night in Winnipeg.

Unlike 2022 and 2023, when Niagara lost to Scarborough in the semifinals in the spring-summer pro league’s final four Championship Weekend, this time the River Lions prevailed in a 93-91 nail-biter, thanks in large part to Elijah Lufile, who came down with a game-high 15 rebounds, the last that set the stage for Khalil Ahmad’s game-winning three for the defending champion.

The Shooting Stars, clinging to a one-point lead, were two points away from advancing to the title game when Lufile grabbed the rebound, held off a Scarborough defender, and held onto the ball long enough to pas

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