Halifax Hurricanes to once again face off against London in NBL finals

For the third consecutive season the Halifax Hurricanes basketball team has blown away almost all of their competition, earning them a spot in the National Basketball League of Canada championship finals. 

The Hurricanes finished the season with the best record in the league, giving them home-court advantage in the first two games in the best-of-seven final starting on Sunday against the London Lightning.

Head coach Mike Leslie said he's proud of the team's work this year.

"I think that every team in our league would love to be in the position we're in to be in the finals for three years in a row," Leslie told CBC's Information Morning. 

"I think that it proves that there's a commitment here to put a very, very good product on the floor."

'A fantastic product'

Last year, London defeated Halifax four games to three. In 2016 the Halifax Hurricanes, who had replaced the folded Halifax Rainmen franchise, beat the Lightning to win the title. 

"To play in a league final for three consecutive years, I think, says something about the direction we would like to continue to go," said Leslie, who wants to grow the team's fan base. 

"I've had so many people who have come to games for the first time and said, 'This is just a fantastic product.'"

Leslie said it's important not to look to far ahead in a series like the upcoming final. 

'You can't get too high'

"I've often said that in the playoffs your biggest asset is a lack of a short-term memory," he said.

"You can't get too high with a win or a success or too low with a loss because you have to turn around within a day and play again."

The Lightning have won three of the six NBL Canada titles since the formation of the league in 2011. The Windsor Express has won two and Halifax one. There are currently 10 teams in the league with an 11th, Sudbury, set to join this fall.

Game 1 takes place Sunday at 2 p.m at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.