2015–16 NBL Canada season

The 2015–16 NBL Canada season was the fifth season of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). The regular season began on December 26, 2015 and concluded on April 30, 2016. There were 40 total games played by each team, eight more than the previous year. The new expansion Niagara River Lions team are competing in their first season. The Halifax Hurricanes also began play, replacing the defunct Halifax Rainmen. During the offseason, the Mississauga Power folded to make way for Raptors 905 of the NBA Development League. Prior to the season, the league also enforced new policies to help improve its standard, including rules regarding sportsmanship, addressing the brawl that ended the 2015 NBL Canada Finals. The first regular season game featured the Island Storm and the Saint John Mill Rats.[1]

2015–16 NBL Canada season
LeagueNational Basketball League of Canada
SportBasketball
DurationDecember 26, 2015 – April 30, 2016
Number of games160 (40 per team)
Number of teams8
Total attendance187,939 through 94 Games
(1,999 per game)
TV partner(s)EastLink TV,
The Score, Rogers Media
Draft
Top draft pickErik Copes
Picked byNiagara River Lions
Regular Season
Top seedHalifax Hurricanes
Top scorerLogan Stutz (Niagara River Lions)
Playoffs
Finals
ChampionsHalifax Hurricanes
  Runners-upLondon Lightning

Transactions

Coaching changes

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 2014–15 season 2015–16 season
Halifax Hurricanes Hugo López
London Lightning Carlos Knox Kyle Julius
Niagara River Lions Ken Murray
Orangeville A's Dave Magley Chris Thomas
Saint John Mill Rats Julian King Rob Spon
Windsor Express Bill Jones Tony Jones (interim)

Preseason

Out-of-league

On October 23, 2015, Raptors 905 of the NBA D-League, who replaced the Mississauga Power earlier in the offseason, announced that they would be facing two NBL Canada teams—the Windsor Express and London Lightning—in their three-game preseason schedule. The team would visit the WFCU Centre to face the Express on the road and compete with the Lightning at their home arena, the Hershey Centre.[8][9] On November 5, Raptors 905 defeated the Express, 117–114. Adrian Moss, who scored 38 points, helped Windsor make a comeback after facing an 18-point deficit at halftime.[10] Raptors 905 picked up another win over the Lightning on November 9, after pulling off a 126–111 victory. Tyshawn Patterson, a draft combine addition, led London with 26 points.[11] The Windsor Express played another preseason game against the Lima Express of the Midwest Professional Basketball Association (MPBA) on December 13 at the St. Clair College SportsPlex in Windsor, pulling off the 108–82 win.[12] Maurice Bolden led Windsor with 24 points while Lima's Jody Hill put up a game-high 26 points.[13]

December 13
7:30 pm
Windsor Express 108, Lima Express 82

In-league

On December 18, 2015, the Halifax Hurricanes and Island Storm competed in a preseason game at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, with the Hurricanes winning, 106–103.[14] Centre 200 is expected to be the home of the future NBL Canada team, the Cape Breton Highlanders. On December 19, the London Lightning defeated the Windsor Express, 97–87, behind 19 points from Chad Posthumus and Stephen Maxwell.[15] The Hurricanes also won their second preseason contest over the Moncton Miracles, that same day, pulling away for a 110–91 victory.[16] On December 21, the Miracles defeated the Storm, 115–110, in a fundraising game at Crandall University. Moncton's James Justice led all scorers with 27 points.[17] On December 23, the Saint John Mill Rats defeated the Miracles, 128–110, behind 33 points from Doug Herring, Jr. They set a franchise record for most fans at the Harbour Station, with an attendance of 6,646.[18][19]

December 18
8:00 pm
Island Storm 103, Halifax Hurricanes 106
December 19
7:00 pm
Windsor Express 87, London Lightning 97
December 19
7:00 pm
Moncton Miracles 91, Halifax Hurricanes 110

Regular season

Standings

# Atlantic Division
Team W L PCT GB Div GP
1 Halifax Hurricanes29110.725014-740
2 Saint John Mill Rats25150.625413-940
3 Moncton Miracles15250.3751410-1340
4 Island Storm14260.370157-1540
# Central Division
Team W L PCT GB Div GP
1 London Lightning26140.650014-940
2 Windsor Express21190.525515-1040
3 Niagara River Lions16240.4001010-1340
4 Orangeville A's14260.350127-1440

Statistics

As of February 24, 2016.

Individual statistic leaders

CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic
Points per gameLogan StutzNiagara River Lions23.8
Rebounds per gameStephen MaxwellLondon Lightning12.7
Assists per gameSammy ZeglinskiNiagara River Lions8.8
Steals per gameBrandon RobinsonWindsor Express2.8
Blocks per gameAnthony StoverSaint John Mill Rats3.9
Turnovers per gameSammy ZeglinskiNiagara River Lions4.3
Fouls per gameGabe FreemanSaint John Mill Rats4.2
Billy WhiteHalifax Hurricanes
Minutes per gameBrandon RobinsonWindsor Express41.2
FG%Mike GloverHalifax Hurricanes0.640
FT%Corey AllmondSaint John Mill Rats0.923
3P%Brandan KearneyMoncton Miracles0.519
Double-doublesStephen MaxwellLondon Lightning13
Triple-doublesAnthony StoverSaint John Mill Rats1

Individual game highs

CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic
PointsAnthony AndersonSaint John Mill Rats51
ReboundsStephen MaxwellLondon Lightning22
AssistsSammy ZeglinskiNiagara River Lions18
StealsAdrian MossWindsor Express7
BlocksAnthony StoverSaint John Mill Rats10
Three PointersClinton Springer-WilliamsNiagara River Lions10

Team statistic leaders

CategoryTeamStatistic
Points per gameSaint John Mill Rats111.6
Rebounds per gameNiagara River Lions50.8
Assists per gameWindsor Express25.2
Steals per gameHalifax Hurricanes10.6
Blocks per gameSaint John Mill Rats5.9
Turnovers per gameNiagara River Lions20.4
Fouls per gameHalifax Hurricanes29.1
FG%Halifax Hurricanes0.486
FT%Saint John Mill Rats0.773
3FG%London Lightning0.376

Attendance

TeamHome
Games
AverageTotal
London Lightning205,659113,176
Island Storm201,95039,009
Halifax Hurricanes201,92938,581
Saint John Mill Rats201,77435,480
Moncton Miracles201,54530,896
Niagara River Lions201,30526,108
Windsor Express201,26225,249
Orangeville A's203416,822
League1601,971315,321

[20]

Awards

Players of the Week

WeekPlayerTeamRef.
Dec. 27Doug Herring, Jr.Saint John Mill Rats[21]
Logan StutzNiagara River Lions
Jan. 3Justin JohnsonHalifax Hurricanes
Jan. 10Brandon RobinsonWindsor Express
Jan. 17Tyshawn PattersonLondon Lightning
Jan. 24Mike GloverHalifax Hurricanes
Stephen MaxwellLondon Lightning
Jan. 31Nick OkorieLondon Lightning
Feb. 7Anthony StoverSaint John Mill Rats
Feb. 14Kyle HuntHalifax Hurricanes
Feb. 21Anthony AndersonSaint John Mill Rats
Feb. 28Brian AddisonIsland Storm
Mar. 6James JusticeLondon Lightning

Playoffs

Division Semifinals Division Finals NBL Canada Finals
         
1 Halifax 3
4 Island 0
1 Halifax 4
Atlantic Division
2 Saint John 0
2 Saint John 3
3 Moncton 1
A1 Halifax 4
C1 London 3
1 London 3
4 Orangeville 0
1 London 4
Central Division
2 Windsor 2
2 Windsor 3
3 Niagara 0

Notable occurrences

Offseason

The A's relocated from Brampton (top) to Orangeville, Ontario (bottom) during the offseason.

References

  1. "Scores & Schedule". NBL Canada. Archived from the original on 2 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  2. "MILL RATS RETURN CHAMPIONSHIP COACH". NBL Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  3. "Windsor Express coach Bill Jones fined $4K, suspended 1 year". CBC. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  4. "NBL Canada Unanimously Hires New Commissioner". NBL Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  5. "Express Hire Tony Jones as Interim Head Coach". WindsorExpress.ca. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  6. "Lightning dismiss Knox". LightningBasketball.ca. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  7. "London Lightning welcome Kyle Julius to club". LightningBasketball.ca. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  8. "Raptors 905 Announce Preseason Schedule". NBA.com. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  9. "Windsor Express to play Raptors 905 from NBA D-League". CBC. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  10. Shalapata, Ian. "Windsor Takes Raptors 905 To The Wire". Windsor Square. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  11. Dalla Costa, Morris. "D-League Raptors beat London Lightning in exhibition game". London Free Press. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  12. "LIMA EXPRESS TO JOIN MPBA". TheLimaExpress.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  13. "Express Beat Lima in International Exhibition Game Sunday". NBL Canada. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  14. Jala, David. "Hoops sneak preview at Sydney's Centre 200". Cape Breton Post. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  15. "Lightning Zap Express in Pre-Season Match". OurSportsCentral. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  16. Mosher, Monty. "Criswell makes case for roster spot with 20 points in Hurricanes win". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  17. "MonctonMiracles on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  18. "RECORD CROWD SEES MILL RATS DISMANTLE MIRACLES 128-110". MillRatsBasketball.ca. Saint John Mill Rats. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  19. "NBL Canada Takes Show On The Road". NBL Canada. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  20. "NBLC Weekly Report Feb21". NBL Canada. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  21. "NBL Players of the Week" (PDF). NBL Canada. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  22. "Niagara River Lions Officially Arrive in the NBLC". NBL Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  23. "The Mississauga Power Join MLSE To Become Raptors 905". NBL Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  24. "Professional basketball returning to Halifax for 2015-16 NBLC season with local ownership". NBL Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  25. "Halifax Rainmen file for bankruptcy". NBL Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  26. Inscoe, Robin. "UPDATE: National Basketball League of Canada approves Brampton A's move to Orangeville". Orangeville Banner. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  27. MacDonald, Glenn. "Group expected to announce NBL team for Sydney on Tuesday". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  28. "Mill Rats Unveil New Logo and Sign Two NBL Canada MVP's". NBL Canada. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  29. "NBL CANADA Board Make Rulings to Improve League". NBL Canada. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  30. "NBL Canada's Defending Champion Adds Local Ownership Group". NBL Canada. Archived from the original on 19 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  31. "Logan Stutz & Doug Herring Jr. Named NBLC Co-Players of the Week". NBL Canada. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
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