‘Lots of promise ahead of us’: NBL Canada optimistic following return from two-year absence

When the National Basketball League of Canada’s board members gathered for a meeting in London, Ont., on Tuesday, there was much more to celebrate compared to the last couple years.

Although just four teams emerged from the rubble of the pandemic, the league was able to find a way to conduct its 10th season without the hindrance of health and safety regulations that had kept the NBL-C off the court since March of 2020.

For the 2021-22 season which began in February and culminated with the London Lightning crowned as champions in early June, the NBL-C formed a partnership with The Basketball League.

The NBL-C decided to join forces with a familiar face in David Magley, the president of the TBL. Magley was a familiar face as he had previously served as commissioner of the NBL-C.

The partnership saw the NBL-C’s four remaining teams – all based in Ontario – play a total of 24 games against eight teams from the United States-based TBL in addition to its own regular-season slate.

“We finished playing a very important season for our league and I'm extremely pleased that we played our 10th anniversary season,” said Audley Stephenson, who is on the verge of being promoted from vice president of basketball operations to commissioner of the NBL-C.

“We knew collectively that we just wanted to build on that. So, yes, we played a historic 10th season, but now we're looking ahead and want to make sure that we're firmly in place for the next 10 years as a league. Things look good.”

Stephenson indicated that the NBL-C has decided to continue as well as expand the partnership with the TBL.

The league will still crown its own champion each season, but is exploring the idea of also holding a Cup championship with the TBL.

For the time