Shorthanded BlackJacks Aim to Tame Shooting Stars in Playoff Rematch

(Preview: Eastern Conference Semifinal)

There is every reason to count out the Ottawa BlackJacks.

The East’s second seed will be without their top scorer, Sixth Man of the Year candidate and home court when they host the third-seeded Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Saturday.

Yet Ottawa has thrived before in this same position — and if there’s one thing we know about the CEBL, it’s that we don’t know anything.

The knockout game — in which the winner moves onto Winnipeg for Championship Weekend — begins at 1 p.m. ET from Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau, Que., with live coverage available on TSN, CEBL+, TSN+ and NLSE.

It’s a rematch of the first round last season, when the BlackJacks stormed into Scarborough and emerged with an upset victory. In both instances, the Niagara River Lions awaited the winner.

Another stunner might be necessary if the BlackJacks want to book trips to Winnipeg.

While Ottawa is technically the home team, the game will take place across the Quebec border as The Masters Indigenous Games 2025 (MIG) occupies The Arena at TD Place in Ottawa.

Meanwhile, the league’s leading scorer, Javonte Smart, won’t play as he competes for Team USA at the FIBA Americup. Backup big Zane Waterman — who erupted for 36 points last time these teams squared off — is also absent due to an overseas commitment.

It all appears to set up nicely for the Scarborough Shooting Stars, who are seeking a measure of revenge from last year’s bout to reach their third Championship Weekend in four years.

Still, head coach Dave DeAveiro’s BlackJacks squad — aiming for its first CEBL Finals appearance — cannot be dismissed so easily.

The BlackJacks, who finished with a 12-12 record, ended the season on a high note, including four wins in their final six games — all against Eastern Conference playoff teams, including a 100-93 triumph over the Shooting Stars on July 29.

For the season, Ottawa was 2-1 against Scarborough, with its lone loss coming by a single point in May.

In fact, the BlackJacks should be licking their chops ahead of these playoffs after making their hay throughout the season in conference play. Ottawa won 10 of its 14 games against East opponents compared to dropping eight of 10 against the West.

With Smart, Waterman and Canadian guard Keevan Veinot all sidelined, the keys to the BlackJacks will likely be handed to Isaih Moore and Deng Adel.

Moore, who averaged 19.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, might be able to impact the contest against a Shooting Stars frontline that can sometimes be exposed as a weakness.

Adel, a Swiss Army Knife forward, is a constant floor-raiser, too.

On the other side, Scarborough endured a roller-coaster season that started with three straight wins followed by three straight losses and ended at 11-13.

That ride continued in the Shooting Stars’ first playoff game, when they took a CEBL-record 18-point lead into Target Score Time, only to see the Montreal Alliance push to within six points of the win themselves.

Instead, the Shooting Stars emerged victorious thanks to the dynamic duo of Terquavion Smith and Donovan Williams, who combined for 53 points. Smith’s seven three-pointers matched teammate Cat Barber’s playoff record.

Smith and Williams appeared to thrive in the playoff spotlight together, trading blows against an Alliance team that could not keep up.

And Ottawa, which allowed the most points per game in the regular season among teams that are still alive, could be ripe for the picking.

However, Scarborough was barely better on that end, coughing up 89 points per game compared to 89.3 for the BlackJacks. And Ottawa’s strength all season was its shooting, as it sat second in field-goal, three-point and free-throw percentage.

Even without two key players, that confidence in Ottawa should still carry over.

Perhaps, after a season full of chaos, the BlackJacks can author one more surprise.

2025 CEBL Playoff Schedule

Eastern Conference Semifinal – Saturday, Aug. 16 – SSS at OTT – 1 p.m. ET – Centre Slush Puppie – Gatineau, QC (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)

Western Conference Semifinal – Saturday, Aug. 16 – CGY at VAN – 12:30 p.m. PT / 1:30 p.m. MT / 3:30 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)

CW25 – Eastern Conference Final – Friday, Aug. 22 – TBD at NRL – 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)

CW25 – Western Conference Final – Friday, Aug. 22 – WPG at TBD – 7:30 p.m. CDT / 8:30 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)

CW25 – CEBL Championship Final – Sunday, Aug. 24 – TBD at TBD – 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)

For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games.