CEBL NEWS ARTICLES

A combined 58 points from Greg Brown III and Jameer Nelson Jr. propelled the Calgary Surge past the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday (June 15). The Surge weathered a late push from the Shooting Stars and buried a trio of long-range jumpers in Target Score Time to earn a 94-80 victory at WinSport Event Centre. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said his squad responded with “championship poise” to finish the game while praising the performances of Brown III and Nelson Jr. “[They were] just unbelievable today. They've been unbelievable for us the whole season. Just really proud of those two guys and really proud of our group. But obviously Jameer is our PG one. He sets the tone for us on both ends, he's a two way player, and so is Greg,” Canales said. Despite playing the bulk of the game in foul trouble, Brown III led all scorers and notched a CEBL career-high with 30 points while staying perfect at the line with nine free throws. Brown III credited his teammates for putting him in the right situations to score. “I kind of struggled coming out the game – just missing layups that I normally make – so my teammates just kept believing me, and just kept giving me the rock. And then it just turned on and kept clicking,” Brown III said. Nelson Jr. found a variety of ways to score, showcasing acrobatic finishes, a dangerous midrange jumper, and pinpoint shooting from beyond the arc. The former TCU guard netted 28 points to go along with four steals in the win. “I felt like offensively, I was efficient and defensively, I forced a lot of turnovers. I made it hard for who I was guarding, so I think I affected the game equally, offensively and defensively,” Nelson Jr. said. On an off night from the field, Sean Miller-Moore rounded out the Surge attack with 18 points Donovan Williams paced the Shooting Stars’ offence with 26 points after just two points in the opening quarter. Big man Hason Ward chipped in with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Cat Barber was limited to just six points on two-for-nine shooting. Calgary led by as much as 22 in the second half, but Scarborough managed to narrow the deficit to two points before the Surge closed it out in Target Score Time. “A lot of energy we expelled trying to come back, we kind of ran flat when it was actually time to win,” Williams said. Turnovers made the biggest difference in the contest, with Scarborough’s 22 giveaways leading to 27-16 points-from-turnovers advantage for Calgary. “You dig yourself a 22-point hole and you have to waste all your energy coming back and you don’t have any left at the end,” Shooting Stars’ head coach Michael De Giorgio said. “I’m happy they didn’t lay down and quit … we showed how we reacted well to [adversity], I just wish there was some more fight prior.” Both teams came out firing from deep to start the game. The Surge and Shooting Stars traded blows — with four lead changes and three ties — before the game settled into a defensive struggle. Nelson Jr. was the star of the show in the opening frame, scoring in a variety of ways with long-range shooting, floaters, a lefty layup and a back-to-the-basket finish. The Calgary defence held the Scarborough to no field goals in the last six minutes to head into the second quarter with a 20-14 lead. Ward ended the drought with a putback to start the second quarter for Scarborough, but Adelodun quickly responded with a triple. Calgary maintained its lead throughout the quarter, and a buzzer-beating trifecta from Olumide Adelodun bounced in to send the Surge into halftime up 48-39. Calgary came out firing to start the second half with a 9-1 run that forced a De Giorgio timeout. Nelson Jr. and Brown III continued to cook offensively for the Surge, extending the lead to 22 – Calgary’s largest of the afternoon. From there, the Shooting Stars pushed their way back into the game with a 15-0 run that featured a pair of trifectas from Williams and closed the gap to seven points. However, four straight points from Miller-Moore, including a buzzer-beating three on the run, extended the advantage back to double digits. Scarborough’s Ward proved difficult to deal with in the paint, delivering emphatic dunks and strong finishes at the rim, and helping to reduce the deficit to just two points. The Surge responded with a run of their own to go ahead 85-78 heading into Target Score Time. The combination of Brown III and Nelson Jr. made quick work of Target Score Time, with Nelson Jr. drilling a pair of wing threes before Brown III put the finishing touches on the win with a triple of his own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600594 Up next for both teams Calgary hosts Edmonton in another Battle of Alberta on Thursday (June 19) at Westerner Park Centrium, while Scarborough wraps up a three-game road trip in Montréal on Wednesday (June 18). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Stars know how to respond, and Jalen Harris showed how bright his game can be. After his quietest outing of the year — four points on 1-for-10 shooting — the import guard bounced back with a season-high 32 points as he led the Winnipeg Sea Bears (4-5) to a 91-84 win over his former Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-7) at the Canada Life Centre on Sunday. Harris’s buckets weren’t only plentiful, finishing a lights-out 7-of-10 from distance, they were also timely. Whether it was an and-one finish to give Winnipeg some breathing room when Saskatchewan pushed a once 16-point gap down to two right before Target Score Time, or his five points — capped off by a game-winning dunk — to seal the Sea Bears' third-straight win, the star guard routinely answered the call. “He was extra motivated,” Winnipeg head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said post-game. “His family arrived (for Father’s Day) and this is a former team of his … I had a feeling Jalen was going to have a big game today. “We knew at some point he was going to get it going. It was really a difference in the game.” Behind Harris’s heroics was Simi Shittu as he chipped in 18 points and 11 rebounds, his first double-double for Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Terry Roberts proved why he ranked sixth in the CEBL for assists entering the day, finishing with 10 dimes to go with his 15 points. Jaylin Williams did his part as well, scoring eight points with seven rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. The Rattlers have now lost three straight despite multiple strong efforts on Sunday. Jamir Chaplin led the way, finishing with 22 points with four triples to go with four rebounds and three steals. Behind him were Cody John and Nate Pierre-Louis who scored 20 and 19 points, respectively, and Jaden Bediako who added a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double. Taylor made one thing abundantly clear about Sunday’s matchup before tip-off: “It’s always a rivalry.” And the Father’s day matchup proved as much, the Western Conference foes spending the majority of the opening quarter deadlocked before a Kyler Filewich putback gave Winnipeg the lead in the waning moments and rewarded Roberts’ early effort — the import scored 11 points in the opening frame on a perfect 3-for-3 start from the field and 4-for-4 from the line. Not to be outdone, however, John matched Roberts’ 11 first-quarter points as he started 4-for-4 with three made triples, blowing kisses to the 9,620 in attendance after each deep make. His lone miss of the first — a side-step three-point attempt at the buzzer — proved to be the difference as his Rattlers trailed 25-24 after the first. Then came Harris’s turn to catch fire, single-handedly scoring Winnipeg’s first 14 points of the frame after a torrid 4-for-4 stretch from beyond the arc and a precursor of what was to come. The former NBAer helped the Sea Bears build their lead up to 49-43 at the break. “It was due time,” Harris said after the win. “The past few games I hadn’t been really getting a feel for it, but I got a couple easy ones early (on Sunday) and it helped me get in a rhythm.” Underscoring Winnipeg’s first-half lead was a heightened level of urgency on the glass, something Taylor emphasized entering the matchup. The Sea Bears held a 25-20 rebounding lead after 20 minutes, namely their nine offensive boards (plus-three) leading to a plus-seven edge (16-9) for second-chance points at the break. “What killed us was the offensive rebounds,” Bediako said after the loss. “Something to look back on in the tape and clean things up … we need to be the aggressive team. Winnipeg went on to finish with 50 rebounds (plus-nine), a more inspiring effort than the 39 they averaged entering Sunday, which ranked seventh in the CEBL. Again, most of their impact was on the offensive glass, finishing with 17 on that end and earning a 31-13 advantage on second-chance points for the game. “It’s really been a point of emphasis for us,” Taylor explained on his team’s improved rebounding. “That’s a testament to the players. When you get guys committing to the details and physical stuff like that, it’s really going to help your team.” Meanwhile, Harris didn’t stop there, his fifth triple of the day at the 1:44 mark of the third gave the Sea Bears the first double-digit lead — a margin they held and built to 72-59 after 30 minutes. The Rattlers did respond, however, going on an 11-0 run in the fourth as they cut their deficit to just 82-79 when Target Score Time got underway. Erasing what was once a 16-point deficit was in large part thanks to Chaplin — Saskatchewan outscored Winnipeg 20-10 prior to the clock stopping on the back of his 11 points. Saskatchewan’s comeback didn’t get any closer as the team was held to just one field goal and a couple free throws throughout Target Score Time. Fittingly, it was Winnipeg’s inspired effort on the offensive glass, from a team that entered the day ranked second last in that regard, which helped seal the victory. Roberts corralled a Tevian Jones miss from deep and astutely found Harris (who had also crashed in looking for a rebound) wide-open underneath the basket for a game-sealing slam. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600591 Up next The Rattlers return to the court on Friday, taking on the Brampton Honey Badgers (2-7) in the second contest of a three-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Sea Bears depart Winnipeg and begin a two-game stretch of away games, starting with a road matchup against the West-leading Vancouver Bandits (8-1) on Friday. Next CEBL action Sunday’s CEBL triple-header wraps up with a rematch of 2023’s Championship Final between the visiting Scarborough Shooting Stars and Calgary Surge at 4:00 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Limited early in the game thanks to foul trouble, Khalil Ahmad did what he seemingly always does and turned it on when it mattered most. The 2022 CEBL MVP scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Target Time to lead his team to a 90-89 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. Ahmed Hill and Nathan Cayo added 13 points each, with the former adding nine rebounds and the latter grabbing five boards and dishing out five assists. “I thought that he was bound to get going,” Niagara head coach Victor Raso said of his star player. “But we just couldn’t get him any minutes because he was getting into foul trouble and then he picked up his third and fourth with six and a half minutes to go in the third quarter. So, we put him in with eight minutes left and were trying to take him out on defensive possessions, but he just stuck with it. Khalil is a very good player in this league, and it’s a frustration experience for him and to play against him because he is so physical. I was proud that he kept his composure down the stretch and ultimately made the free throw for the win.” “Sometimes I do want to use him as a decoy. I have those thoughts of, “Okay, let’s go somewhere else’. But then I’m like, ‘You’re an idiot. Khalil scores all the time’. He didn’t score all the points in target time, but he did have the ball in his hands and he was making good decisions. Can I use him somewhere else or do I just get him the ball? He tends to get things done.” The River Lions came out hot and finished the first quarter with a 30-14 lead, thanks largely to their 14 rebounds and holding the BlackJacks to 5-of-16 from the field. Ottawa answered strongly in the second quarter, going on a 24-16 run to cut the lead to as little as six before Niagara went into halftime up 51-44. “We just changed a few things on defense,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said post game. “Sometimes as coaches you complicate things when you don’t need to. Just kept in simple in the second half and guys really stepped up and played a lot harder. We made the change, and I thought our guys did a tremendous job.” Despite the disappointing outcome, of number of players on the BlackJacks had standout performances. Isaih Moore had 23 points – including 15 in the second quarter – and added 16 rebounds, finishing one shy of the team regular season record in his first game since suffering an injury on May 21. Rudi Williams had 14 points off the bench and Tyrell Tate went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc to finish with 12. In his first start of the season, Justin Jackson finished just shy of a double-double, with seven points and nine rebounds. Zane Waterman made his BlackJacks debut Sunday afternoon after spending the previous three seasons with the Honey Badgers franchise, winning a title in 2022. He impressed the coaching staff with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench. “Zane adds a toughness, you saw of that today on the rebounding, and some shooting that we needed,” DeAveiro said of his new additions. “The hard part is figuring out the rule where you can only play three imports at a time and juggling that and making that work. You saw; three games on the road without (Moore). Maybe if he plays in those games it’s a different outcome. He’s just an impact guy like that. Having him back – and the addition of Waterman – will only make us better.” “It was nice to play with these guys,” Waterman said of his new squad. “I’ve played against them for three years and I really like their game, so it was nice to play with them for once. Came up short, but we played a really good game. It could have gone either way. It’s a credit to these guys. They helped me fit in well. Some nights it’s going to be your night. Tonight it was for me personally, but I wish we could have got the win.” The BlackJacks continued to crawl back into the game, going on a 16-4 run at the end of the third to close the gap to one. A Waterman basket at the 8:10 mark of the fourth quarter saw the team take their first lead of the game, a lead they would extend to as much as eight before being up 81-76 going into Target Time. But unfortunately for the home team, things played out much like they did when the squads faced each other in Ottawa’s season opener. “Something we’ve been preaching out here is that we have to get better at Target Time,” Moore said. “We got to finish games. He have to finish basketball games. We have to get better at finishing games.” “It’s a rivalry,” he added. “Last three games against Niagara have all been decided by three points. The lob from Khalil Ahmed last year, lost by two at the start of the year, and now lost by one. It doesn’t get closer than one point in this game. There’s no ties. Now we have to win. Three points, two points, one point; we have to win. It’s always going to be a good game against Niagara, it’s always going to be hard fought game to the end like that. But we have to get a win. One point. That hurts. I’m going to think about that all day.” The win improved Niagara to 2-0 in Ottawa this season. The BlackJacks fell to 1-2 at home on the year. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600588 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks hit the road once again to face the Scarborough Shooting Stars on June 20. On the same day, the River Lions will return to Niagara to host the Montreal Alliance. Next CEBL action On June 18, the Montreal Alliance will host the Scarborough Shooting Stars, streaming on Game+, RDS, CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Calgary Surge have added another physical big man to their roster, signing Canadian center Enoch Boakye for the 2025 CEBL season. Boakye, a 6’11”, 255-pound Brampton, ON native, brings elite rebounding instincts, shot- blocking ability, and physical toughness to Calgary’s lineup. He most recently suited up for Villanova University in the 2024-25 season, where he started all 36 games and helped lead the Wildcats to the College Basketball Crown (CBC) semifinals. Boakye averaged 4.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game, while shooting an efficient 65.9% from the field. His season was highlighted by a double-double performance of 11 points and 11 rebounds against UCF in the tournament semifinal game. Before transferring to Villanova, Boakye played for Fresno State during the 2023-24 campaign, posting 7.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the Mountain West Conference. A former top high school prospect, Boakye represented Canada at the international level and was widely recruited for his defensive prowess, strength, and upside as a rim protector. “Enoch immediately alters the game with his rare combination of length and physicality,” said General Manager Shane James. “He controls the paint on both ends—securing boards, protecting the rim, and powering us through contact. Adding him to our frontcourt gives us another dominant interior presence we’ve been seeking.” “I’m honoured to join an organization already chasing championships and eager to contribute wherever I can,” said Boakye. “Calgary’s energy is electric, and I can’t wait to connect with fans and immerse myself in this vibrant community.” Boakye becomes the latest addition to a growing list of high-level collegiate and pro talent joining the Surge for 2025 as the team prepares for another deep CEBL run. Tickets for the Calgary Surge’s ‘TRILOGY’ season are now available at calgarysurge.ca . This season includes regular season games at WinSport Event Centre and marquee events at the Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer (June 19) and the Scotiabank Saddledome (July 9 & August 10).  ### About the Calgary Surge The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). From day one, the Surge have been committed to being the Home Team for Calgary and a space where everyone is welcome. The Calgary Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over two seasons, the Surge have made back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023, hold the league’s single-game attendance record, and have sent over 4000 deserving kids and families to their games for free. Fans can expect even more excitement for 2025! For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca. About the Canadian Elite Basketball League A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ , TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .

Vancouver emerged victorious over Montréal in a battle between the best of both conferences on Saturday (June 14) at Langley Events Centre. The Bandits stormed back from a 20-point deficit in the first half to earn their third straight victory. A timely 15-0 run in the fourth quarter propelled the Bandits to the comeback, featuring clutch shooting from Curtis Hollis, along with inside finishing from Mitch Creek and Shamar Givance. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said certain possessions in the third quarter set the tone for the comeback. “We just kept talking about chipping away, and we talked a lot about the power of one possession and how it can change a game,” Julius said. Creek paced the Bandits’ attack with a game-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds. Hollis added 18 points, including the game-winner. “I knew we had to get one more bucket. I knew the guys were helping off me all game, which I really don't know why, but I saw he helped off me, and Shamar made a great pass and I just had to make a shot,” Hollis said. James Karnik and Corey Davis Jr. also made their season debuts for Vancouver, adding nine points each. Julius said incorporating new faces mid-season can be a challenge. “The chemistry of a locker room is fragile. You build your offence around a particular group, you build your defense around a particular group, and when certain pieces change, it can affect your scheme. And so, yeah, you have to tweak things all week,” Julius said. Meanwhile, Montréal guard Tavian Dunn-Martin proved difficult to stop despite second-half struggles as a team. He netted 20 points with four threes on eight-of-13 shooting overall. “We settled for too many threes [in the second half]. We didn't attack the basket … didn't get to the line. Then they got out in transition and made shots, and we didn't,” Dunn-Martin said. Montréal seized control early on, shooting 70 per cent from the field in the first quarter and forcing the Bandits into catch-up mode. Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said his squad was outrebounded in the second half but expects to get better from the loss. “You have to understand that you've got to play a 40-minute game. We got off to a really good start [and] obviously we tapered off a little bit. But it's just a good lesson … basketball is a long game, so I'm not worried about it,” Small said. Montréal began the game on a 14-4 run that culminated in back-to-back threes from Anthony Walker and Quincy Guerrier. Creek showed off his rebounding ability on the offensive glass, keeping the Bandits in the contest with three putbacks. However, the Alliance offence was on fire in the opening 10 minutes. Montréal closed the quarter on a 13-3 run, highlighted by a pair of Michael Diggins Jr. slams and a deep trifecta from Dunn-Martin, to take a 32-15 lead into the second. Guerrier connected on a free throw and a spin layup to extend Montréal’s lead to 20 early in the second before Vancouver went on a quick run fueled by transition finishes to narrow the gap. However, the Alliance stayed hot with another deep triple from Dunn-Martin and a corner three from former Bandit Malcolm Duvivier. The red-hot Montréal offence cooled off to end the half and Vancouver took advantage, closing the deficit to single digits by halftime at 48-41 with a 9-2 run. The third quarter turned into a defensive battle, with neither team scoring more than 15 points. The Bandits fought back to tie the game for the first time since the opening tip, powered by an 11-2 run in which the Alliance didn’t connect on a field goal. However, long-range shooting put Montréal back in front with back-to-back threes from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin. The Alliance carried a 62-56 advantage into the fourth quarter. Dunn-Martin continued to showcase his range with another deep three early in the fourth to bring the Alliance lead back to double-digits. But the Bandits demonstrated their resilience with a massive 15-0 run that put the home squad in front for the first time all game. Alain Louis made some clutch trifectas ahead of the final stretch, but a Creek and-one put Vancouver ahead 80-77 with an 89-point Target Score. After Guerrier kicked off scoring in Target Score Time with a transition slam, Davis Jr. buried a three, Creek got the hoop and the harm, and Givance scored in transition to put Vancouver one point away from victory. Hollis connected on a catch-and-shoot from the wing to complete the comeback and improve the Bandits’ record to 8-1. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600585 Up next for both teams Montréal returns to Verdun Auditorium on Wednesday (June 18) for a rematch with the Scarborough Shooting Stars, while Vancouver turns its attention to another home game against the Winnipeg Sea Bears next Friday (June 20). Next CEBL action Sunday sees a CEBL triple-header with the River Lions kicking things off against the Black Jacks in Ottawa, followed by the Rattlers visiting the Sea Bears and Shooting Stars wrapping up a road trip in Calgary. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

In the final minute of the first half, the Brampton Honey Badgers were inbounding the ball with three seconds remaining on the shot clock. Quinndary Weatherspoon fed Koby McEwen as he rounded the corner above the three-point arc. McEwen rose up, fading toward the sideline, and drilled a three-pointer to put his team up 46-45. It was Brampton’s first lead since the early stages of the game — and, after plenty of back and forth, it held up as the Honey Badgers beat the Edmonton Stingers 95-91 on Saturday at the CAA Centre. Brampton improved to 2-7 with the win, while Edmonton fell to 4-6. “We played well together. First five minutes we didn’t really lock in on the game plan, but we were able to regroup and turn things around and play through the runs, so good team win,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said. The Honey Badgers took an 85-83 lead into Target Score Time. Edmonton tied things on its second possession with a Keon Ambrose-Hylton floater, but Omari Kelly nailed a three to give Brampton back the lead on the following play. Scottie Lindsey then cut the Stingers’ deficit to one, but David Muenkat responded with a triple. After Muenkat knocked down a pair of free throws, Brampton was one point away from victory. But Edmonton wasn’t done yet. A Lindsey free throw and an and-one from Sean East II cut the Honey Badgers’ lead to 93-91 — and put both teams a bucket away from victory. Brampton got the first shot at victory and Quinndary Weatherspoon missed a layup, but the rebound went out of bounds off of Edmonton — and the Honey Badgers didn’t miss their second chance. Muenkat received a pass under the basket and turned around for a layup off the glass for his second game-winner of the season. “I had a little guy on me so kind of wanted to use that size advantage. It was just recognizing and try to attack the mismatch,” Muenkat, who was named player of the game, told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara after the contest. McEwen wound up as the team’s leading scorer with 23 points to go with six assists and three rebounds. Muenkat, the hometown kid, finished with a massive 15-point, 14-rebound double-double, while Kelly also had 15 points. Weatherspoon contributed 16 points and seven assists to the winning cause as well. McEwen, another GTA local who chose to play with the Honey Badgers so he could be closer to home, said the win felt good for the team. “I think for the most part we played well. We rebounded, we shot the ball and we defended when we needed to. A lot of things to clean up, but it’s always good to win,” McEwen said. Cassimy said McEwen’s strong performance started on the defensive end. “I have all the trust and faith in Koby. He’s a great player and he just focused on defence first and the offence came,” Cassimy said. The Stingers were coming off a win over the defending champion Niagara River Lions one night earlier, and the strong play continued in the first quarter with a seven-for-seven mark from deep. But, perhaps with tired legs on the second half of the back-to-back, the Stingers offence sagged from there, finishing with a 40 per cent mark from deep and 44 per cent overall. “(The Honey Badgers) punished us inside, they got shots that they wanted and we were OK with trading baskets and not really giving a full effort defensively but that’s a challenge of a back-to-back is trying to stay engaged and dialed in,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Sean East II once again led all Stingers scorers with 22 points, while Scottie Lindsey added 20 points, four rebounds and four assists. Do-it-all forward Nick Hornsby stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds. But Lindsey said his squad may just not have had enough left in the tank coming off Friday’s hard-fought win. “Tough loss for the team when we were building momentum, but every loss is something you can learn from and there’s always room for improvement,” Lindsey said. Edmonton’s Mason Bourcier left the game in the second half with an upper-body injury. The Stingers beat the Honey Badgers 99-81 in their first meeting of the season in May, and it looked like things were headed in the same direction in the early going. Edmonton’s perfect three-point shooting propelled it to a 33-24 lead after the first quarter. But Brampton ramped up its defence in the second frame and took a 49-47 advantage into halftime after two late threes of their own. A tightly contested third quarter ended in a 73-71 lead for the Honey Badgers, and they were able to hang on from there. Now with wins in two of three following a slow start to the season, Brampton appears primed to go on a run. “Early on in the season, we were trying to build the chemistry,” Cassimy said. “But we had basically a whole week to practice, so we’re gelling, we’re working together better and I think it’ll continue to go in the right direction.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600610 Up Next Brampton’s home stand continues with a game against the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday, while Edmonton heads to Red Deer, Alta., for a showdown with the Calgary Surge. Next CEBL Action A three-game Sunday slate includes Ottawa hosting Niagara, Winnipeg welcoming Saskatchewan and Calgary awaiting Scarborough. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

A convincing second-half performance lifted the Scarborough Shooting Stars past the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday (June 13) to snap a three-game losing streak. Scarborough guard Donovan Williams said the win was especially important. “Off of a three-game losing streak, you want to gain that confidence back – especially on the road,” Williams said. “Picking up a win right here now, it just gives us that confidence of going to Calgary to pick up one more.” The return of Cat Barber helped the Shooting Stars regain winning form to improve their record to 4-3 on the season. Barber scored four of his 19 points in Target Score Time, banking in the game-winner from mid-range to seal the 101-93 victory at SaskTel Centre. The dynamic duo of Barber and Williams proved difficult for the Rattlers to stop. After the game, Williams welcomed Barber back. “It feels good… when you have somebody that dynamic,” Williams said in a post-game interview. “For us as a team, [Cat’s] our engine. So having him back – I mean, that does a lot for us. The defence has to focus on him, they gotta focus on me, and we got all these pieces around us to help us win these games.” In Scarborough’s seven-point win over Saskatchewan at home on May 29, Williams netted a game-high 34 points. He followed up that performance with another stellar 26-point outing on Friday, showcasing a mix of long-range shooting and rim-rocking finishes. “Donovan and Cat really pushed the pace for us. I mean, Donovan was relentless getting into the rim. Every time he puts pressure on the rim, it just puts a lot of pressure on the defence,” Shooting Stars’ head coach Michael De Giorgio said. The Shooting Stars were efficient offensively in the win, finishing at 52 per cent from the floor, 41 per cent from three and 82 per cent from the free throw line. Scarborough won the battles in the paint and off the bench as well, but it was a big run towards the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth that created separation in a tight game. De Giorgio said the inside finishing helped extend the lead in the second half. “I thought in the second half, we did a way better job on the glass. We limited their easy buckets, and then we were able to run out and get transition buckets,” he said. On the other side, Jamir Chaplin helped cut the deficit to single digits four times in the final quarter but it wasn’t enough to earn Saskatchewan’s first home win of the season. Chaplin scored a team-high 25 points in the loss. “I just tried to attack, attack, attack. Let the threes come to me and try to get to the free throw line as best as I can,” Chaplin said. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz said the team needs to do a better job stopping transition offence and be more aggressive defensively. “We wanted to get the ball out of Donovan Williams’ hands and I think in the half court, we did a good job of that. I think we didn't do a good job of stopping the ball in transition,” Magdanz said,. The Shooting Stars opened the game by rocking the rim with three consecutive dunks from different players before Nate Pierre-Louis got in on the action with a slam of his own. Scarborough maintained a lead for the bulk of the quarter, fueled by efficient 64 per cent shooting from the field and 60 per cent from beyond the arc. Trailing by three to begin the second, Cody John connected from the corner to tie it at 23. Several possessions later, John drilled another corner three to give the Rattlers their first lead of the night and force a De Giorgio timeout. John and the Rattlers stayed hot throughout the second, but Scarborough hit timely triples of its own. The teams traded leads five times in the closing minutes of the quarter, and a buzzer-beating putback jam from Hason Ward inched the Shooting Stars ahead by two after 20 minutes. Saskatchewan regained the lead early in the third with a long-range connection from Grant Anticevich. However, the Shooting Stars struck back and maintained control for the majority of the quarter. Williams showed off his high-flying finishing ability with a pair of massive dunks, including one slam that kicked off an 8-2 run to close the quarter. The Shooting Stars extended the run to begin the fourth and went ahead by 11 points. Chaplin cut the deficit back to six points with a steal and slam to force a De Giorgio timeout, but Scarborough bounced back right away. Heading into Target Score Time, the Shooting Stars carried a 92-83 advantage. Ward tipped in the first bucket of the final stretch for Scarborough before Chaplin buried a three and John nailed a floater to cut it back to single digits. From there, Williams and Barber put the finishing touches on the win. Williams euro-stepped through contact for an and-one before Barber iced it with the final four points. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600606 Up next for both teams Both teams are back in action on Sunday (June 15) as Scarborough continues its three-game road trip against the Calgary Surge while Saskatchewan starts a road trip of its own against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Next CEBL action The Edmonton Stingers visit the Brampton Honey Badgers at CAA Centre on Saturday (June 14) while the Montréal Alliance head west for a matchup with the Vancouver Bandits. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

On ring night in Niagara, it was the Edmonton Stingers who showed championship quality. The Stingers opened the game on a 9-0 run and led wire-to-wire en route to a 106-88 victory over the River Lions on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. Edmonton dominated through the first 25 minutes or so and opened a 71-46 lead midway through the third quarter when Niagara offered a taste of the championship mettle that earned them diamonds, chipping away to cut the lead to six in the fourth quarter. But Edmonton still held a 97-88 lead at Target Score Time — and it was all Stingers from there. With the River Lions held scoreless after the clock turned off, it was Edmonton’s Scottie Lindsey who ultimately ended the proceedings with a three-pointer and a dunk. “Basketball is a game of runs, and it was exemplified by that tonight. I mean, obviously, we played well in the first half, and to start the third, but credit to them, they battled back,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. “But Target Time is when games are won and lost, and we managed to hold them scoreless, which is a good win for us.” Edmonton dominated from the field and on the glass, shooting 48 per cent from three-point range and outrebounding Niagara 46-37. The Stingers had three players in double-digits by halftime, with Lindsey ultimately leading the team in scoring with 32 points. The win for Edmonton (4-5) was its second straight after losing two in a row, while Niagara (5-3) saw a two-game win streak of its own come to an end. “We just gotta keep playing with the same intensity we’ve been playing with,” Lindsey, who was named player of the game, told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara in a post-game interview. River Lions head coach Victor Raso said his side did not come out with the proper intensity. “They punched us in mouth at the start of the first half, start of the second half, start of Target Time. We just didn't have it tonight. Simple as that,” he said. Stingers guard Sean East II continued his torrid start to the season after entering third leaguewide at 24 points per game. The Louisville, Kent., native and CEBL rookie had 30 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Nick Hornsby neared a first-half triple-double with seven points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He failed to score in the second half, but finished with a 10-rebound, 10-assist double-double. Forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton also contributed 18 points and seven rebounds. East II said the team now hopes to take its good vibes into a Saturday night showdown in Brampton. “Just keep stacking and keep focusing on defensive end, playing hard (and) having fun out there,” he said. Baker said the team’s offensive success was about sharing the ball. “I think we played with pace. I mean, we had 17 assists in the first half, ended with 29, like when we were moving it, sharing it, being unselfish, we got some skilled guys out there that can make plays,” he said. The River Lions made a valiant second-half comeback effort as they ramped up their defence to fuel their offence and chip away at the Stingers’ lead. However, a slow start and poor shooting night — Niagara made just four of 29 three-point attempts — ultimately proved its undoing. “That's what this league really is, is that if one team's ready to go, they always win, and that team was ready to fight. They were desperate,” Raso said. For Niagara, reigning Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad led the way with 30 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Ahmad reached 300 career assists (including playoffs) with his first helper, joining Kadre Gray, Cat Barber and Alain Louis as the only players to accomplish the feat in league history. “I mean, it's a great accolade, like, I appreciate it from the league and the recognition and whatnot, but just focused on the main goal, which is the championship,” Ahmad said. Eddie Ekiyor (14 points) and Nathan Cayo (10) were the only other River Lions scorers in double digits. Canadian point guard Jahvon Blair made his season debut after finishing a campaign in France, posting seven points and three rebounds in nearly 17 minutes of action. In a pre-game ceremony, commissioner Mike Morreale and River Lions executives Richard Petko (owner), Michael Skrtich (owner) and Michelle Biskup (president) presented players, coaches and support staff their 2024 CEBL championship rings. A banner commemorating the title run was unfurled from the rafters of the Meridian Centre. “That was amazing, just like a cherry on top the big season last year. It's a 10-out-of-10 moment I'll keep with me for a long time,” Ahmad said. On the other hand, he’ll hope to forget the game that ensued rather quickly. The Stingers led 34-25 after the first 10 minutes and extended their advantage to 61-44 at halftime. Niagara put together a 20-6 run in the middle of the third quarter to cut a 25-point deficit to 12 heading into the final frame. But while Niagara cut things even closer from there, it could not close the deal — and ultimately walked away with rings, but without a win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600604 Up Next Edmonton is back at it Saturday with a visit to the Brampton Honey Badgers, while the River Lions head to Ottawa to face the BlackJacks on Sunday. Next CEBL Action In addition to the Stingers-Honey Badgers game on Saturday, a battle of conference leaders will occur as the Vancouver Bandits host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Lytics and Boogey The Beat set to perform at CEBL Conference Final doubleheader as part of CW25

The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-1 American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters. ### About the Vancouver Bandits: The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

Simi Shittu couldn’t have made a better first impression if he tried. Facing the prospect of blowing a 19-point lead, the Canadian forward played hero in his Winnipeg Sea Bears debut to seal a 92-89 victory over the Montreal Alliance in the CEBL’s milestone 500th game on Wednesday. “I’m kind of speechless,” Shittu said after scoring five points in Target Score Time, including a game-winning hookshot. “The crowd was there with us the whole time, obviously it wasn’t a perfect game … but we’ve got a lot of chemistry already.” The win marked the Sea Bears' first time this season winning back-to-back games, doing so emphatically by handing the East-leading Alliance their first loss of the year while snapping a three-game home losing streak. Winnipeg got plenty of contributions outside of Shittu’s team-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting, starting with Tevian Jones and Jaylin Williams, who chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively. Terry Roberts added a double-double effort of 10 points and 12 assists, while Jalen Harris added a career-high tying nine assists despite finishing with just four points. On the other side, Montreal was led by captain Quincy Guerrier, who scored a game-high 25 points, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter, on 8-of-12 shooting. Meanwhile, Tavian Dunn-Martin and Dontay Bassett rounded out the Alliance’s double-digit scoring efforts with 14 and 17 points each. “We tried to fight all the way to the end,” Dunn-Martin said after the loss. “We didn’t start off too hot, but we showed our fight and we showed our heart.” Although Shittu’s late-game heroics stole the show, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact in his first minutes as a Sea Bear. The former CEBL All-Canadian selection nailed his first two shots of the game, starting with a three for Winnipeg’s first points and then a dunk in transition after sealing off his defender in the paint — bringing the 6,505 fans in attendance at the Canada Life Centre to their feet. And while Shittu was forced to the bench shortly after due to two quick fouls in the first, that leak out from him proved to be a precursor for the Sea Bears’ efforts in the opening frame. They pushed the pace on makes, misses and turnovers alike, rattling off an 8-2 run en route to a 25-21 lead after 10 minutes. “Complete difference-maker,” Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said of Shittu post-game. “He started so strong, he had such a great start, and then the fouls limited him in the first half. But the rest of the team, the bench players, really stepped up … I was really pleased with the team effort.” Winnipeg kept up that high temp throughout the second quarter, but its defence ultimately did the heavy lifting, forcing five turnovers in the frame from a typically disciplined Montreal team that entered Wednesday averaging a CEBL-low 11.0 giveaways. “We started off slow, playing careless basketball,” Dunn-Martin said of his team’s uncharacteristic ball-handling miscues on Wednesday. “They played way more aggressive than us in the beginning … We got punched in the mouth.” The Sea Bears' defensive activity not only led to 11 points off the seven total turnovers forced through the first half, but also helped them limit the Alliance to just 16 points in the second. And Winnipeg’s offence rewarded the effort on the other end as it finished the quarter on a 10-2 run, capped off with back-to-back threes — Jaylin Williams nailed his second of three triples in the game at the halftime buzzer to extend the Sea Bears' lead to 52-37. “We’re in a great position,” Williams said on the team’s outlook moving forward after his 6-for-6 shooting performance on Wednesday. “We still have room to grow.” To the Alliance’s credit, they came out of the break and responded, doing so largely thanks to their success on the glass. Montreal’s first three field goals of the second half all came on putbacks to extend its lead on second-chance points to 17-4 after 30 minutes — that margin was extended to 19-9 by the end of the game thanks to a total of 13 offensive rebounds. And while that effort helped the Alliance chip their deficit back down to single digits throughout the frame, it didn’t hold. The Sea Bears' hot shooting — punctuated by back-to-back triples from Harris and Williams — ultimately rebuilt their double-figure advantage, going up by as many as 19 points before taking a 78-61 lead into the fourth. Not to be outshone, however, Winnipeg’s defence made the statement play of the third quarter as Williams swatted a turning hookshot attempt from Kevin Osawe to close the frame. That miss brought Montreal’s field goal percentage below 40 per cent through three, before the Alliance eventually finished the game shooting 43 per cent from the field (32-of-74) while their two-game streak of scoring 100-plus points was snapped. The Alliance did make things interesting to close the game, starting the final frame on a 9-0 run, making it an eight-point deficit on a Dunn-Martin triple at the 7:27 mark of the fourth. And although the Sea Bears did stymie some of that momentum, rebuilding their advantage to double digits off a slick transition lob feed from Roberts to Shittu, the Alliance persisted. Montreal sparked a 9-2 run, punctuated by five straight points from Bassett to bring the deficit heading into Target Score Time down to 83-79. The Alliance then got big makes from their leading scorers, back-to-back triples from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin to take their first lead since the 4:57 mark of the opening frame. But like Winnipeg had done all game, it responded. Emmanuel Akot dropped two timely layups with the clock stopped — part of 13 points and nine rebounds from the Winnipeg native — before Shittu sealed the deal. The forward corralled a slick bounce feed from Harris, who made his first appearance at Canada Life Centre since joining the Sea Bears, and Shittu made sure not to waste the high-percentage look to cap off his storybook debut in Winnipeg. “Jalen actually called that last play for Simi,” Taylor explained post-game when describing the final possession. “So, as a coach, when you see these two new guys work for each other on the floor, that’s a really good sign. “Really proud. It didn’t come easy, and it shouldn't. We want to keep developing and keep working, but it was a great win.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600602 Up next The Alliance return to the court on Saturday, wrapping up a three-game road trip by visiting the Vancouver Bandits for a battle between No. 1 seeds. Meanwhile, the Sea Bears retake home court on Sunday as they host the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Next CEBL action The 5-2 River Lions welcome the 3-5 Edmonton Stingers to Niagara at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT for the first game of a Friday night CEBL doubleheader. Shortly after, the 2-5 Rattlers host the 3-3 Scarborough Shooting Stars at 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

It rained triples in Edmonton on Tuesday. The Stingers used a flurry of three-pointers to snap a two-game skid and beat the Ottawa BlackJacks 93-74 on Tuesday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Edmonton improved to 3-5 with the win, while Ottawa fell to 2-5. Scottie Lindsey led the way for the Stingers with a breakout 23-point performance, including 18 by halftime. He added nine rebounds and five steals. In all, the Stingers shot 50 per cent from beyond the arc after entering the game fourth leaguewide at 34 per cent. “You put yourself in a great position to win basketball games, but I think it was the quality of our shots. We’d struggled a little bit with too much isolation in the last couple, so it was great to see us get to the paint, share the basketball and get open looks for each other,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Edmonton entered Target Score Time up 83-69 after a 13-3 run, and its strong shooting continued with the clock stopped. Mason Bourcier scored his first points as a Stinger with a three-pointer to get things going, Lindsey knocked one down to put Edmonton within three, and the Stingers salted away the win after layups from Sean East II and Keon Ambrose-Hylton. “Guys executed, guys played hard, we had lots of contributions top to bottom. So we’re certainly happy but we’re not satisfied,” Baker said. East II finished the game with 20 points and six assists, while Ambrose-Hylton added 13 points and eight rebounds and Elijah Miller contributed 12 points off the bench. Miller, of Rexdale, Ont., said it was a “great win.” “It’s gonna take time during the season, but as the games go on we’re definitely starting to click,” he said. Lindsey, the 29-year-old Illinois native, came to Edmonton after a year with Winnipeg last season in which he shot 42.1 per cent from the field en route to 13.5 points per game. But while he was still at 13 per game as a Stinger to start this season, his field-goal percentage had slumped to 30.4. Lindsey busted out of that slump in a big way on Tuesday. “When he lets the game come to him, he’s pretty damn good offensively. We try to put him in some spots, but he did a good job moving away from the ball and we found him early and often. And when he gets going, he really gets going,” Baker said. For Ottawa, meanwhile, the loss marked its third straight as it remains fourth in the Eastern Conference. Justin Jackson came off the bench to lead the BlackJacks with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Meshack Lufile (11 points) and Christian Rohlehr (10 points) were the only other scorers in double digits. Head coach Dave DeAveiro said his team kept things close through three quarters but struggled to close — an emerging trend during the losing streak. He added that the BlackJacks need “mental toughness” to snap out of it. “I find when things are not going our way, that’s when we’re not at our best,” DeAveiro said. Ottawa captain Tyrrel Tate notched nine points and five rebounds. He said the team is still learning each other’s tendencies while awaiting some players who have yet to debut. “We’re just trying to build some chemistry within the guys we have now. I think we’ve grown in a lot of areas but we still have a lot of growing room to go so just learn from this, watch the film, get ready to take care of business when we get back home,” Tate said. The BlackJacks’ Miryne Thomas appeared injure his shoulder during the third quarter and did not return. The Stingers led 25-23 after the first quarter on the strength of five-for-eight shooting from three-point range. Edmonton’s lead ballooned to 50-44 by halftime as the threes kept falling. In the third quarter, the Stingers finally gained some separation, but a late run by the BlackJacks cut Edmonton’s lead to just four points entering the final frame. Yet the Stingers responded, built a double-digit lead and cruised through Target Score Time. Now, Edmonton sports fans will turn their focus to the Stanley Cup Final, where the hope is that the Oilers make like the Stingers and earn a bounce-back victory of their own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Up Next Both teams face the Niagara River Lions in their next game — the Stingers visit Niagara on Friday, while the BlackJacks host the reigning champions on Sunday. Next CEBL Action The 500th game in league history, including playoffs, takes place Wednesday when the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday the signing of American forward Chris Smith. This will be Smith’s second year in the CEBL. Smith recently completed an international season playing for the Ironi Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Winner-League, averaging 29 minutes, 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 24 games in his fourth pro-season. Before joining the CEBL, Smith played several seasons in the NBA G-League. Smith began his pro career in 2021-22 with the Motor City Cruise, appearing in 19 games and averaging 9.4 points and 23.2 minutes played. He joined the Salt Lake City Stars for the 2022–23 season but appeared in only one game due to injury. In 2023–24, Smith began the season with the Grand Rapids Gold, before transferring to the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 3.3 points and 10.9 minutes in 23 games. Following his 2024 season in Iowa, Smith made his first CEBL appearance with the Montreal Alliance. Smith scored a season-high 24 points on three separate occasions – on July 14th, June 19th and 16th, while playing against Ottawa, Brampton and Saskatchewan. Post-season, Smith was named All-CEBL Second Team and CEBL rebounding champion (2024). “We are very excited to be able to bring Chris to Edmonton for the remainder of the season.” said Head Coach and General Manager Jordan Baker. “His versatility, size, and athleticism will provide an immediate boost on both ends of the floor. I know he will enjoy playing in front of our passionate fans at The Hive!” The 6’9” forward also has several collegiate seasons under his belt, playing at UCLA. During his time as a Bruin, he scored a collegiate-best of 30 points on Jan 30, 2020 while playing against Colorado. He was also named First-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Most Improved Player that same year (2020). Smith and the Stingers will return to the Edmonton EXPO Centre on June 10th to host the Ottawa Blackjackets. Tickets are available for as low as $20 per seat and can be purchased online or by contacting the Stingers head office via email ( [email protected] ) or phone (1-87STINGERS).

(Preview: Week 6) Time flies when you’re having fun, eh? It feels like not so long ago that the Canadian Elite Basketball League burst onto the scene in 2019 as a trailblazer in the country. For the first time, there was a Canada Basketball- and FIBA-affiliated place for Canadians to play professional basketball — right at home. On Wednesday, the CEBL will witness its 500th game (including playoffs) when the ball is tipped as the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. It’s a fitting matchup between two teams who did not exist in Year 1 but have come to represent the league’s rapid growth and will have hosted consecutive Championship Weekends, with Niagara emerging victorious in Montreal last year and Winnipeg set to welcome the CEBL world to the Canada Life Centre this year. And there will even be a throughline to Game No. 1: Alex Campbell, who scored 19 points for the Saskatchewan Rattlers in that league-opening 99-97 loss to the River Lions, is set to suit up for the Sea Bears. Campbell is the only player in league history to reach the 100-game barrier. Now, he’ll be part of No. 500, too. Undefeated Alliance look to keep rolling On the topic of Montreal, the CEBL’s lone Quebec-based team is also its lone franchise without a loss on its ledger this season. Yes, the Alliance have only played four games — the Vancouver Bandits opened their season 5-0 and now sit 7-1 — but even still, their dominance is hard to ignore. In those games, Montreal has outscored its opponents by 85 points, with each win coming by at least 20. The Alliance are allowing the fewest points against per game in the league at 77, with Vancouver second at 81.5. And only the Bandits (100.4) score more points per game than the Alliance’s 98.3 per contest. As luck would have it, those two powerhouses will collide on Saturday in B.C. Montreal may not be undefeated by then — it has the game in Winnipeg two nights prior — but either way, the game promises to be a doozy. Is it too early to say championship preview? Harris to face former team Jalen Harris has changed sides in the Battle of the Prairies. The former Toronto Raptors guard recently signed with the Sea Bears after spending last season with the Rattlers. Just four games into his Winnipeg career, he’ll meet his former team at home on Sunday. Harris, who also played two seasons with the Scarborough Shooting Stars, is off to a strong start with the Sea Bears, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 assists and four rebounds per contest. Winnipeg scuffled to a 1-5 start to its season but is coming off a dramatic win over the Shooting Stars — in which Harris foiled his other former team with the Target Score game-winner — and can freely build toward Championship Weekend at home. Weekly schedule (nine games) Game #36 -- Tuesday, June 10 - OTT at EDM – 7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #37 – Wednesday, June 11 – MTL at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #38 – Friday, June 13 – EDM at NRL – 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #39 – Friday, June 13 – SSS at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST / 9:30 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #40 – Saturday, June 14 – EDM at BHB – 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #41 – Saturday, June 14 – MTL at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #42 – Sunday, June 15 – NRL at OTT – 2 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #43 – Sunday, June 15 – SSK at WPG – 2 p.m. CDT / 1 p.m. CST / 3 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #44 – Sunday, June 15 – SSS at CGY – 2 p.m. MT / 4 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

It didn’t take long for Montreal to break its own franchise record for most points in a game. Last game, they scored 105 points. Tonight, they dropped 108 in the Ends. It was Montreal’s first game facing a team with a winning record (3-2), but Montreal started to pull away in the third quarter. Scarborough’s fatigue was beginning to surface in the second half and they lost 108-88. “I think it’s a long stretch for us,” Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio said about playing three games in four nights. “Playing a game on the road and two at home with only one off-day in between. Not having Hason Ward shortened our bench for sure. We needed his size.” Montreal took full advantage in the third quarter when they quickly built up a 13-point lead. Tavian Dunn-Martin (game-high 26 points) threw a beautiful pocket bounce pass into Ben Stevens at the right elbow for an easy bucket. Scarborough missed a lay-up, and Anthony Walker (game total 16 points) nailed a triple on the other end while drawing a foul. He missed his free throw, scored on his own miss, and his five-point play seemed to deflate Scarborough. “Our depth is definitely a strength of ours. And it’s good because it keeps guys engaged. It’s been four games now and everyone’s getting in and they’re happy,” said Montreal head coach Jermaine Small. “Especially someone like Ant (Anthony) Walker, he’s been more aggressive. He got into foul trouble early on, but I think he came back on and had a really strong second half.” Walker continued to be impressive in the third, swatting Cat Barber and then threw a cross-court pass to Kevin Osawe (game total 11 points) that allowed him to drive to the hoop and draw a foul. Most notably, the 20-point lead was established in the third when Quincy Guerrier hit a triple, assisted by none other than fellow Montrealer Alain Louis. Louis, the only returning Alliance player from last season and who has been with them since its inception, became the all-time regular season assist leader with 332, surpassing another U SPORTS-to-CEBL pathway player Kadre Gray. “My biggest thing has always been, I gotta represent the U SPORTS players ,” said Louis after the game, reflecting on his individual record. “And for me to be the leader now, that just goes to tell you that U SPORTS guys can play. We’re good enough. That’s my biggest thing for sure.” Guerrier also had a strong all-around game, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four stocks. “Look at the weapons they have,” play-by-play commentator Rod Black summed up Montreal’s firepower in the third. They stopped relying on Dunn-Martin, who had exploded for 21 points in the first half, shooting nine-for-13 from the field and three-for-five from downtown. The 5-foot-8 guard would have impressed another diminutive guard, Jamal Shead, who watched from the sidelines along with Raptors players Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Ulrich Chomche. True to their team name, Scarborough has been consistently drawing celebrities to the sidelines as Olympic gold medalist Andre De Grasse was there just a few days ago at their last home game against Winnipeg. Records weren’t only being achieved by Montreal, however. It was CEBL’s all-time second leading scorer Cat Barber’s first game back, and he reached 300 regular season assists. Coach De Giorgio remains excited about the potential a Cat Barber-Yuri Collins backcourt could achieve, and recognized the need to limit turnovers as they head out on a three-game road trip. Scarborough saw a spirited effort from its role players. David Walker, last year’s Developmental Player of the Year finalist, had an impressive 21 points on seven-for-11 shooting. Sharp shooter Danilo Djuricic tried to fill in for Hasan Ward’s absence by grabbing some key defensive boards in the second quarter (game total seven boards). The league’s leading scorer, Donovan Williams, had a team-high 23 points, and recorded a big block in the second quarter after a massive two-handed block in the fourth against Winnipeg last time out. The 6-foot-6 star continues to be impressive at both ends of the court, but will be looking to make a mark in the fourth quarter as Scarborough looks to end its three-game losing streak. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600596 Up next for both teams Montreal (4-0) will continue their road trip as they head west to face the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Last Saturday night’s rematch will take place on Wednesday, June 11 at Canada Life Centre. Scarborough (3-3) will be looking to end their three-game losing streak on the road. They begin their three-game road trip against the Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-5) at SaskTel Centre on Friday, June 13. Next CEBL action The Ottawa BlackJacks (2-4) will face the Edmonton Stingers (2-5) at the EXPO Centre in Tuesday’s lone contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Vancouver Bandits (7-1) improved to 4-0 on the road this season with an emphatic 101-76 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-5) on Sunday evening. It was déjà vu for the franchise-record 3,518 fans in attendance at the SaskTel Centre as Vancouver took the second of four regular-season meetings in a similarly dominant fashion to their first matchup — now having won both by an average margin of 32.5 points. The Bandits used a full-team effort for their latest victory as seven different players made at least two field goals, while four scored in double figures. And just like he did last time against the Rattlers, Tyrese Samuel led the way as the Canadian put up 21 points. Behind him was Izaiah Brockington, who scored 18 points with three triples, while Shamar Givance and Mitch Creek added 16 points each. “Really happy with the win,” Vancouver head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said post-game. “Pleased with the energy, togetherness and connectivity of the guys.” On the other side, Cody John spearheaded the Rattlers as their two-game win streak got snapped, finishing with a team-high 18 points. Meanwhile, Jamir Chaplin chipped in 16 points, while Grant Anticevich and Jordan Bowden off the bench scored 11 points, respectively. It was no secret that the Rattlers entered Sunday looking for revenge after last month’s home-opener was spoiled thanks to a 40-point loss to the Bandits — a franchise-record win for Vancouver. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz admitted as much pre-game, noting the rematch had been marked on the calendar. Unfortunately for his Rattlers squad, the Bandits' league-leading offence continued to prove troublesome as they shot 66 per cent from the field (12-of-18) in the opening frame. The hot start sparked a 13-2 run that helped carve out a 30-16 lead after the first. Practically identical to last time, when Vancouver led by 11 points after 10 minutes into the first matchup. “We had moments where we fought back, but that’s got to be consistent for 40 minutes,” Magdanz said post-game. “We’ve improved in some areas, but we have some growth yet to happen … we (previously) found success by playing together, playing as a team and we lacked that today.” The Bandits have now scored at least 100 points in six of their eight games and are the only team in the CEBL averaging 100-plus points per game. And it’s been done collectively as four Bandits (Creek, Kyle Mangas, Samuel and Curtis Hollis) rank top 30 in the CEBL for scoring. “Not trying to be arrogant, but we seem to be getting everyone’s best game,” Julius said on his team’s mindset entering the contest. “But when you’re one of the top teams in the league, everybody really prepares for you, and so we really thought today was going to be a significant challenge.” As has been the case for much of the season, Vancouver asserted their dominance by spreading the wealth as all five starters scored in the first quarter — led by Brockington, who had eight points on 3-for-3 shooting, including two triples. Also like last time, the Bandits held onto the momentum from there, building their lead up to 20 points (56-36) at the break. Seven different players on Vancouver finished the half with five-plus points, spearheaded by Mangas’s nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. Unlike the first matchup, however, the Rattlers came out of halftime with a much better response. Rather than getting outscored by 17 in the third like the previous mid-May matchup, Saskatchewan won the frame on Sunday — the first-time beating Vancouver for a quarter this season — and chipped into the deficit, down 72-54. And that was largely thanks to John, as the Mississauga, Ont. native single-handedly scored the Rattlers' first 10 points of the quarter. “We played within our tempo, we played physically defensively and that let us get out in transition,” Magdanz explained when asked how his team found success in the third. But although Saskatchewan had already proven it could rally with the clock stopped — going on an 11-0 run in Target Score Time against the Calgary Surge on Friday for their second win — Sunday’s deficit proved too large to overcome. Ultimately, Vancouver’s game plan was similar to the first matchup, and it yielded similarly positive results. The Bandits focused exclusively on rim pressure and were met by little resistance, finishing plus-eight for paint points (50-42) while earning 10 more free throws than the Rattlers. “Proud of how we stuck to the game plan and attacked the paint first and really got ourselves going early,” Brockington said after the win. The Bandits went up by as many as 26 points headed into Target Score Time before Samuel tipped in a Hollis miss for the game-sealing score — providing one final dose of been there, done that as forward also made the winning basket the last time these teams played. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600593 Up next Both squads get a bit of rest before returning to action, starting with the Rattlers wrapping up their two-game homestand by welcoming the Scarborough Shooting Stars to Saskatchewan on Friday. Meanwhile, the Bandits head back to Vancouver as they’ll get set to host the Montreal Alliance on Saturday. Next CEBL action The undefeated Alliance (3-0) start a three-game road trip on Monday as they visit the Shooting Stars for the first of four regular-season meetings between the East rivals. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Calgary Surge came out hot Sunday afternoon, and despite some pushback from the opposition, were able to hold off the Ottawa BlackJacks and lay claim to a 107-93 victory. Shots were falling for the Surge from the jump as they got off to a 15-4 lead before the first timeout, led by Sean Miller-Moore scoring nine of his game-high 28 points during the stretch. Neither team had trouble finding the bottom of the basket, as Calgary shot 15-of-20 from the field in the first quarter, while Ottawa was 9-of-13. The big difference early was the Surge putting pressure on the BlackJacks ball carrier and forcing seven turnovers whilst committing none of their own. “I thought we came out with our defensive identity from the start,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said after the win. “I think guys were locked into the defensive end. We know we’re going to play a good team every night, teams are going to go on runs and comeback. I thought we sustained our defense for the majority of the game.” Trailing 35-23 after the first quarter, the BlackJacks went on a 19-5 run of their own to open the second and take a 42-40 lead before the Surge pushed back to take a 54-52 lead into halftime. The bench played a major role in the comeback, outing the Surge 18-4 in that department. Rudi Williams, Justin Jackson and Christian Rohlehr all chipped in with nine points off the bench. Tyrell Tate had 13 points and Matt Coleman III had 11 while Deng Adel led the way with 24 points, four rebounds and six assists, but also accounted for seven of Ottawa’s 19 turnovers. “I thought Calgary came out and made every shot,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said post game. “Defensively they made us turn the ball over and we gave them points off of turnovers. I thought in the first quarter we played into Calgary’s hand a little bit, and in the second quarter we got better and took care of the ball a lot better.” “It’s critical,” he said of his team’s stellar bench play. “Especially when you’re on a road trip like this where you play three games in five days, our bench has to step up like that have in the last two games… I thought Justin Jackson was good today. I thought he played well today, coming back and playing against his old team he was a little motivated to play well, but he’s been strong for us.” With the Surge missing key pieces in Khyri Thomas and Stefan Jankovic due to injuries and Osayi Osifo away from the team to attend camp with the Dallas Mavericks, the core of the team stepped up in a big way. On top of Miller-Moore’s performance, Jameer Nelson Jr. finished with 24 points, six assists and five steals on 9-of-12 shooting, while Greg Brown III had 25 points and six rebounds, including 21 in the second half. Olumide Adelodun led the way for the Surge’s bench, scoring 15 of 17 points from a second unit that saw the professional debuts of Javonte Brown and Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow. “I thought (Gilgeous-Glasgow and Brown) were huge,” Canales said. “Even D.J (Jackson)’s minutes there. We coach it and we teach it that everyone has to be ready. I know it sounds like a cliché, but the season’s long and guys get banged up and guys have to step up, and it speaks to their work.” Despite coming into the game ninth in the league in free throw percentage and dead last in three-point percentage, the Surge shot 29-of-38 from the line and 10-for-28 from beyond the arc. 37 of the team’s 53 second-half points came from either the charity stripe or the three-point line, making their improvements in the areas critical to pull out a win. Team captain Sean Miller-Moore said keeping his own composure was key to setting the tone for his team to have an impactful second half. “I know it starts with me,” he said. “I’m very passionate when I play, I’m very emotional. So sometimes I just try to stay even keel because once I show that on my sleeve, it kind of affects the team. Coach always preaches staying poised, playing our game even when it’s (Target Time), fourth quarter, second quarter. It’s a game of runs, so teams are going to go on runs, but you just have to stay solid.” The win pushed the Surge to 3-0 all-time against the BlackJacks since relocating to Calgary. Ottawa fell to 1-3 on the road this season. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600590 Up next for both teams The Calgary Surge have a week off before their five-game homestand continues against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on June 15. The Ottawa BlackJacks stay in Alberta as they’ll face the Edmonton Stingers on June 10. Next CEBL action The undefeated Montreal Alliance travel to Scarborough to face the Shooting Stars in the first of four meetings between the teams this season. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Connor Vreeken came off the bench to score 14 points, and collect five rebounds and five assists as the Niagara River Lions defeated the Brampton Honey Badgers, 94-80, Sunday afternoon at Meridian Centre. Vreeken finished an efficient 5-for-11 from the field and added a couple steals in a career-high 14 minutes of action. The former Carleton Ravens star credits the River Lions (5-2) organization with preparing him for the moment. “We have a really good coaching staff here. They put me in good positions in order to make plays and then my teammates put me into good spots,” he said. “So, it makes it pretty easy to make reads and then it's just about executing at the end of the day.” Khalil Ahmad led all River Lions players with 22 points in 26 minutes, but was unable to finish the game as he was ejected, along with his Niagara teammate AJ Davis. Honey Badgers Koby McEwen and Amari Kelly were also ejected in the aftermath of a heated skirmish between both sides near the end of the third quarter. Quinndary Weatherspoon scored a game-high 25 points in the loss for the Honey Badgers (1–7), who looked out of the game early after a 14–3 Niagara run in the first quarter effectively put it out of reach for Brampton. The River Lions bombarded the Honey Badgers from three in the opening frame, going 6-of-13 from distance. “We always wanna play fast,” said River Lions assistant coach Troy Stevenson. “We thought we had an advantage in transition against them this time so we were really looking to go a little bit earlier, but that that being said, we’re always looking to hunt good shots. Talk to him first and then if it happens to unveil itself like it did today, we’ll take them. We’re not afraid to take shots.” Ahmad also become the first player in CEBL history to record 100 career steals with a couple in the first quarter. Niagara carried a 53-35 lead into halftime and an 85-66 lead into Target Score Time. The Honey Badgers made a spirited run in Target Score Time, scoring 14 points while the clock was turned off, but couldn’t overcome the hole they dug themselves into. The defending champion River Lions looked every part of it Sunday, but feel like there’s lots to work on moving ahead, so a Target Score Time like the one that occurred doesn’t happen again. “I think it’s just putting 40 minutes together,” Stevenson said. “We have we have veteran guys, we have guys who know how to win, guys that are proven winners. It’s just a matter of putting all the pieces together and getting comfortable with each other, communicating on the defensive side, not being stagnant on the offence, being aggressive. “So we’ve got the veterans, we’ve got the pieces and we’re gonna put it together. It’s just taking a little bit longer than we would like.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600587 Up next The River Lions will have a bit of a break and resume play Friday, June 13 at home against the Edmonton Stingers. The Honey Badgers also have a longer break before their next contest, also against Edmonton, at home on Saturday, June 14. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The ball was in Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Jalen Harris’ hands in the last possession of the game. In isolation, he banked a mid-range jumper to secure a thrilling comeback victory on Saturday night. He waved Scarborough fans a good night as Winnipeg stole the game 87-86. Prior to Target Time, Scarborough maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half. At one point, Winnipeg was down by 17 points, and every time there was a flicker of hope for Winnipeg, Scarborough seemed to pour ice cold water over it. That was the case until the very end. A beautiful backcut by Harris and pass by Emmanuel Akot narrowed the lead to eight points. A three-pointer by Tevian Jones and bucket by Nathan Bilamu helped Winnipeg inch within five points ahead of Target Time. At the end, the game started to feel close like the first quarter. Scarborough hoisted a couple of three-pointers that missed the mark in the crucial moments of the game. Almost perfectly on cue, as CEBL+ colour commentator Brady Heslip, who was a three-point marksman during his playing career, suggested that three-pointers were not necessary, Donovon Willaims let one fly in an attempt to put away the game and missed. “One of our goals is to get to the hoop and play with pace, score easily at the rim. I thought we did that at times,” Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio said while reflecting on the game. “We want to get easy baskets and we want to get threes that are good for our team. Find great shots every time down. We didn’t do that on a consistent basis and that ended up coming back and hurting us.” Before Target Time, Scarborough had only attempted 18 threes. In the first half, Scarborough led 22-19 and 26-21 in the first and second quarters, respectively. Winnipeg inched within one point with two minutes and 15 seconds left in the first half, but they went scoreless until halftime. Scarborough closed out with a 7-0 run, punctuated by Yuri Collins’ step-back mid-range jumper, which gave Scarborough an eight-point buffer. Though things started to look like they were slipping for Winnipeg in the third quarter, the series of comeback attempts made early allowed them to make one extra push at the end. In the third quarter, Jalen Harris initiated the offense with 10 seconds left on the clock, passed to the cutter, the ball got swung to the wing, and an extra pass to the corner led to a wide-open corner triple by Jones. In the subsequent offensive play, Jones made a dribble drive for a paint two. Winnipeg inched within two points, but Scarborough quickly pulled away. Scarborough guard Williams’ bucket gave his team a 57-43 boost. While Akot’s triple and Kyle Filewich’s paint two made it a single-digit game, Williams’ triple and Danilo Djuricic’s triple made it a 15-point game. In the fourth quarter, playing catch-up all game paid dividends for Winnipeg as a beautiful pass by Jaylin Williams to Jalen Harris established synergy, and in the subsequent possession, Harris got to the hoop again, but the missed shot was tipped in. Winnipeg head coach and general manager Mike Taylor was relieved to escape with a victory after losing to Brampton the previous night. “The beginning of the season has been a bit tough for us,” admitted Taylor. “We’ve upgraded with Jalen [Harris], we saw the difference he makes today with the game-winning shot. We also added Simi Shittu, he joined us here on the road trip here to the GTA, so we’re really happy about that.” Saturday night’s victory was Winnipeg’s first road victory of the season. Alex Campbell also became the first-ever player to play in 100 regular season CEBL games. Unaware of his milestone, he was shocked. “I didn’t even know. It means a lot though and it just goes to show my stick-to-itiveness and age in this league,” he said. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600584 Up next for both teams Winnipeg (2-5) will return home and host the Montreal Alliance on Wednesday, June 11 at Canada Life Centre. Scarborough (3-2) will stay home and host the Montreal Alliance at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on Monday, June 9. Scarborough will have played three games in four days. Next CEBL action There was only one CEBL game tonight, but three remain on deck for tomorrow. The Brampton Honey Badgers (1-6) will be looking for their first road win against the Niagara River Lions. The Ottawa BlackJacks (2-3) will be out west to face the Calgary Surge (5-2). Last but not least, the Vancouver Bandits will be visiting SaskTel Centre to face the Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-4). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -