Motivated Ekiyor returns to River Lions
No one is a bigger booster of Eddie Ekiyor than Niagara River Lions head coach/GM Victor Raso.
“I look for guys who impact winning in a variety of ways and Eddie does that and he does that at a position it usually doesn’t happen at the most which is the centre spot,” Raso said, of the River Lions’ latest signing. “Eddie is 6-foot-10, he’s athletic, he’s strong and he sees the game from a team perspective. He is very much a team guy and his best quality is probably his energy — not just the motor he plays with on the floor — but he has got an infectious energy every single day. He tries crazy hard in practice, he’s the most attentive guy in film sessions and Eddie is just a winner. He has won everywhere he has gone.”
The 27-year old Ottawa native was a no brainer to be signed last season but missed the 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball league campaign with a torn ACL. With Niagara in 2023, he led the River Lions in rebounds per game (5.6) and added 12.2 points and 0.9 blocks per game. He shot 41.7 per cent from outside the arc and 81.5 per cent from the foul line. Ekiyor earned CEBL defensive player of the year honours, was a finalist for league sixth man of the year and won the team’s Ben Zwolak Community Ambassador Award for his contributions to the community and positive attitude on and off the court.
“By the start of this season, that (ACL injury) will be 14 months in the past. He is training with a team in Greece right now and this will be the first time he plays coming off the injury but he’s in great shape and will be a big boost,” Raso said. “When he is healthy, he is one of the best Canadians in the league and probably one of the best players in the league. We have a motivated Eddie too because he was quite upset he wasn’t around for the championship last year.”
Ekiyor told the River Lions’ website that he is excited to be back with Niagara.
“We have, without a doubt, the best organization in the CEBL. The front office, coaches, players and our dedicated fans are unmatched and I can’t wait to do my part to help our team win another championship,” he said.
Ekiyor is the last Canadian to be signed and the team will soon begin to announce the American players.
“Over the next few weeks, we will be announcing our Americans. A couple of them will be returnees from last year and we will add one new one,” he said. “Then we have to backfill a little bit. Our season starts earlier this year and some of our best players aren’t around for the month of May. I will have to find even more guys to bring to training camp who will replace them during that time.”
Training camp will open May 8 with the home opener scheduled for May 16 versus the Calgary Surge. Ticket information can be found at www.riverlions.ca/tickets or by calling 289-273-5905.
