The Montréal Alliance welcome the Ottawa BlackJacks to Verdun Auditorium Wednesday night for their final regular season home game, with significant playoff positioning implications on the line. Far from a mere regular season final, this matchup could dramatically alter the postseason landscape for both teams.

Ottawa currently holds third place in the Eastern Conference at 10-11, while the Alliance sit fourth at 8-13. However, with the Alliance facing Ottawa twice in their final three games, the positioning battle remains very much alive. The stakes are substantial: the third-place finisher hosts the play-in game against the fourth-place team, providing crucial home court advantage.

The Alliance face a challenging but achievable path to third place. If they can sweep both games against Ottawa this week and the BlackJacks fall to Vancouver in their finale, Montréal could leapfrog into third place and earn home court advantage for the play-in game. With enough favourable results, even second place remains mathematically possible.

This creates enormous stakes for Wednesday’s contest. A victory for the Alliance keeps their positioning hopes alive while putting pressure on Ottawa. A win for Ottawa would virtually lock up the Alliance in fourth place.

The BlackJacks bring one of the CEBL’s most explosive offensive weapons in Javonte Smart, who leads the entire league in scoring at 28.2 points per game. Smart’s scoring average puts him well ahead of the second-place scorer league-wide, establishing him as the premier offensive threat the Alliance will face this season. His 6.2 assists per game demonstrate his ability to create for teammates while shouldering the primary scoring load.

Isaih Moore provides Ottawa with dominant interior presence at 19.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, giving the BlackJacks a formidable inside-outside combination. Zane Waterman adds another scoring dimension at 16.1 points per game, while Deng Adel contributes 13.4 points and 6.3 assists, ranking fifth league-wide in assists per game.

The Alliance counter with their own proven core led by Tavian Dunn-Martin, who ranks third in the CEBL in assists per game at 6.4 while contributing 18.3 points and 3.3 rebounds. His playmaking ability creates an interesting matchup against Ottawa’s Adel, as both floor generals will look to control tempo and create advantages for teammates.

Quincy Guerrier provides consistent production with 17.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, giving the Alliance a versatile forward capable of matching up against Ottawa’s varied frontcourt options. Shamiel Stevenson enters Wednesday’s contest with momentum following his best performance of the season, adding depth and energy to an Alliance rotation that has found its identity in recent weeks.

The teams meet again Friday, August 8 at 7:30 PM in Ottawa, creating a unique back-to-back scenario where the Alliance could potentially clinch third place with a sweep. Both teams carry identical recent form (2-3 in their last five games) and one-game losing streaks, ensuring neither holds a psychological advantage heading into these critical encounters.

The Alliance have proven they can compete with elite teams when executing their system effectively. Wednesday’s test against Smart and Ottawa’s potent offense will serve as valuable preparation for the playoff intensity that awaits both organizations.

Game Information

Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Time: 7:30 PM ET

Doors: 6:00 PM ET

Location: Verdun Auditorium, Montréal

Broadcast: RDS.ca, CEBL+, TSN+