Energetic leader pumps up River Lions on way to title

It was late in the first quarter of the Niagara River Lions’ Canadian Elite Basketball League championship win when Kimbal Mackenzie hit a mid-range jumper to retake an early lead.

The River Lions’ captain shook his head, as if to say “game on,” then shouted “Let’s go!” at his opponent on the Calgary Surge while backpedalling back to defence.

In a moment that otherwise went overlooked by anyone who wasn’t sitting court side, the heartbeat of the River Lions had a pulse.

Being the energy source of the River Lions is a staple for Mackenzie, a product of Oakville, Ont., who carries his captaincy proudly. His overall impact on the club supersedes the final numbers in the box score, and that was once again the case on Sunday night at Canada Life Centre.

“Playing with a chip on my shoulder,” said the 6-1 guard, shortly after hoisting the trophy following Niagara’s 79-73 victory over the Surge.

Mackenzie finished with eight points while dishing out five assists and grabbing two rebounds in 21 minutes.

“I’m a little undersized out here. There’s some guys that can jump a little higher than me, so I gotta bring a little extra to the game in terms of getting my teammates going, getting myself going, being loud, being vocal, no matter how I’m playing. That’s where it comes from.”

Mackenzie continued to make his presence felt as the game wore on, talking his trash after each basket and enthusiastically encouraging his teammates throughout the game. He hardly sat down during the contest, even when he was on the bench.

Meanwhile, his defence against the toughest guards on the Surge was akin to watching a dog on a bone.

“What can I say about Kimbal? I have no words,” said forward Elijah Lufile. “Every day in practice, not even games, he brings that energy, and it’s just his charisma, joking here and there, but he knows when to switch it on and be professional. That’s what kind of draws me closer to him, and you want to be with guys like him, not even just talking about basketball, just guys like him as a person.

“I’m better because of him, and the rest of this coaching staff and all these other players. I would love to have him on every other team that I played for, to be honest.”

As far as Canadians who had an impact on the championship game, Mackenzie was joined by Montreal, Que. product Nathan Cayo, who scored 14 points, handed out three assists and pulled down six rebounds in 34 minutes.

Cayo also hit two clutch free throws in Target Score Time, while recording a plus-10 rating when he was on the floor.

The 27-year-old forward spent two seasons with the Montreal Alliance before joining the River Lions in 2024, where he took on an important scoring role, averaging 13.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

He did much of the same this season, averaging 9.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals across 20 games — all while maintaining his status as a fan favourite in Southern Ontario.

Cayo and Mackenzie proved to be two key cogs in a balanced scoring attack that saw four River Lions reach double digits on Sunday.

“Guys are just ready to go,” said Mackenzie. “We know what we’re gonna get out of Leo (Guillaume Boucard), Ron (Curry), out of Kayo — the step up from Med (Ahmed Hill), the step up from Curtis (Hollis) today, Elijah (Lufile) on the glass. I could go down the list. Everyone was ready to go. Everybody contributed, top to bottom. Happy to win.”

Despite their strong performances, neither were the highest scoring Canadian. That honour belonged to Sean “Rugzy” Miller-Moore, who led all players with 19 points.

“We have Ahmed Hill coming off the bench. He’s the leading scorer in CEBL history,” said River Lions head coach Victor Raso. “That’s what bothers me when people talk about us this year the way they did… this was a really, really, really good basketball team, and when it mattered, we were awesome.”

Playing in his sixth season in the CEBL, Mackenzie’s captaincy is easy to understand. He’s become ingrained within the fabric of Niagara’s since joining the roster in 2023.

Earlier this year, he was hired as a full-time brand and community ambassador for the River Lions’ organization, becoming the first person to hold such a title in the CEBL. His tasks are to strengthen the team’s ties to the community and grow the game across the Niagara region.

He was also the interim head coach at Niagara College for the Knights women’s basketball program last year. Now a resident of Grimsby, Ont., he received the Ben Zwolak Community Ambassador Award last season for his dedication to service.

“Just being a resident there now, playing for Niagara now for three years, it’s just an area that I love and I want to see continue to grow and continue to make great basketball players, great teams,” he said.

“Our fans are unbelievable. How many of them travelled out here today? So just thankful to be a part of the community and continue to give back.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

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