Montreal to host CEBL Championship Weekend next year, locking up final-4 spot for Alliance

The city of Montreal has been tapped to host next year's Championship Weekend, the marquee event for the Canadian Elite Basketball League, giving the hometown team an automatic pass to that season's playoff bracket.

The Montreal Alliance has finished last in the CEBL in its first two seasons, yet its home games at the Verdun Auditorium are often sold out. 

In recent years, local players like Bennedict Mathurin, Luguentz Dort and Chris Boucher have made their marks in the NBA, helping shine a spotlight on the city's basketball culture.

Mike Morreale, the league's commissioner, says choosing Montreal to host Championship Weekend was a no-brainer given the "palpable" support the city has shown the team.

"The fans are so close to courtside. There's the who's who of the basketball community and NBA players are sitting courtside and the DJ is doing his thing. It's just a perfect recipe for excitement," Morreale said following Wednesday's announcement.

Kemy Ossé, the first player to sign with the Montreal Alliance, relishes the opportunity to play high-pressure games in front of a home crowd.

"I'm born and raised here. I learned how to play basketball here in Parc-Extension," he said.

"If I can get a chance to play in front of my family, friends, the people I grew up around here, in the playoffs, that's unbelievable."

The goal is to create a festival-like atmosphere around the championship games, with activities and events.

Annie Larouche, the president of the Montreal Alliance, said the team wants to co-ordinate with merchants on nearby Wellington Street to make the weekend as successful as possible.

"We want to show what the city is all about: diversity, traditions. We want to have the kids involved," she said.

Wednesday's