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Battle of top-scoring teams as Winnipeg Sea Bears take on Niagara River Lions

Zulfi Sheikh • June 29, 2023

The league-leading Winnipeg Sea Bears (-133) finish up a three-game homestand on Thursday when they host the Niagara River Lions (-103) from the Canada Life Centre at 7:00 pm local/8:00 pm ET.


The game will be available for streaming live on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.


As this is the inaugural season for the Sea Bears, not only is this the only matchup between the two teams this regular season, but it’s also the first head-to-head battle for the squads ever. Although there’s no history between them, this will still be an interesting matchup as it’ll be a fixture between the highest scoring teams in the league.


Niagara currently leads the CEBL averaging 91.7 points per game, with Winnipeg right behind them at 89.9 points a contest. Two high-powered offenses facing off in a cross-conference clash for the first time, it’ll hopefully result in a bucket-filled treat for fans of both sides.


The Sea Bears enter the contest as leaders in the Western Conference with a league-best 7-3 record and are currently on a two-game win streak. Their most recent victory came in an 86-78 contest with the Saskatchewan Rattlers where they were able to come out on top despite being outshot from both the field and distance.


A big catalyst for Winnipeg’s third win in five games was their work around the glass. The team finished the game with 11 more rebounds than the Rattlers and a +10 advantage on offensive boards. Their efforts securing the ball resulted in 10 extra shot attempts, four of which were converted. Unsurprisingly, most of their rebounds led to opportunities inside the paint, where the team capitalized as they were a +16 on the night.


The Sea Bears’ impressive night securing the ball off the rim came down to a team effort, as three players on the squad recorded a points-rebounds double-double. E.J. Anosike, Chad Posthumus, and most notably, Teddy Allen, who put up a team-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.


The guard is commonly known for his scoring prowess, and rightfully so, considering he’s second in the league’s scoring race at 26.4 points per game. However, his ability to rebound the ball has been equally – albeit quietly – impressive as Allen is top-five in the CEBL, averaging nine rebounds a game.


Keep an eye on the glass battle in this matchup as Winnipeg is a top-two offensive rebounding team (13.7 ORPG) going up against a defensive rebounding team in Niagara that ranks second-last (27 DRPG).


The River Lions enter this contest on the heels of a 101-87 loss to the Ottawa BlackJacks that snapped a three-game win streak and sees them sitting at a 5-5 record midway through the season. Tonight’s matchup will also be the start of a three-game road trip for Niagara and keep an eye on how they perform as the visiting team throughout this stretch.


The team currently holds a 1-3 record on the road this season and are also winless against West coast teams in that span when playing them away from the Meridian Centre.


In their defeat to Ottawa, Niagara was outshot from the field, distance, and charity stripe. They went 9-30 from beyond the arch and did themselves no favours by missing a season-high 13 free-throws. It also didn’t help that the BlackJacks hit 14 triples along the way. The result of their struggles was their lowest scoring output in four games, failing to score over 90 points for the first time since June 10. 


Despite the loss, there were positives for the River Lions. The team showed discipline handling the ball, only turning the ball over 10 times, their lowest in their last four games and below their season average of 13.5 a game. Niagara would ideally like to continue that trend and minimize their errors in tonight’s fixture as they’ll be taking on a Winnipeg team that currently averages the least giveaways in the league at just 10.9 a game.


The team also continues to be one of the better teams when it comes to distributing the ball as they lead the CEBL, averaging 20 assists. A major contributor to that success has been the unselfish play of 2022 regular season MVP Khalil Ahmad and his seven assists per game. After a quiet performance against Ottawa, putting up 11 points and four assists, look for the lead guard to try and bounce back.


A Sea Bears win could see their lead in the West grow even larger, going up two games ahead of the second-seeded Calgary Surge. Whereas a win for the River Lions could vault them back into a three-way tie for top spot in the Eastern Conference with the BlackJacks and the Scarborough Shooting Stars.


All games will also be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Full list of betting props available on BetVictor. Preview written by Zulfi Sheikh (@zulfi_sheikh).

Eastern Conference

RANK TEAM WIN LOSS WIN% GAMES BACK
1 Ottawa BlackJakcs 6 5 0.55 0
2 Scarborough Shooting Stars 6 5 0.55 0
3 Niagara River Lions 5 5 0.50 0.5
4 Brampton Honey Badgers 5 6 0.45 1
5 Montréal Alliance 5 7 0.42 1.5

Western Conference

RANK TEAM WIN LOSS WIN% GAMES BACK
1 Winnipeg Sea Bears 7 3 0.70 0
2 Calgary Surge 7 6 0.54 1.5
3 Edmonton Stingers 5 5 0.50 2
4 Vancouver Bandits 4 6 0.40 3
5 Saskatchewan Rattlers 4 6 0.40 3

A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball. The CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.



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The following season, the team finished in first in their conference and hosted the Canada West Final Four for the first time in the program’s history. Prior to joining the Huskies, Rawlyk spent over two decades coaching with Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon. During his time with the Crusaders, he led them to 11 City Championships as well as three Provincial Championships. “It is a privilege to remain with the Rattlers for 2025. The opportunity to work with Rattlers President Lee Genier and the rest of the staff, as we work to build the Rattlers brand will be both exciting and rewarding,” said Rawlyk. “We have a blueprint in place for building a roster that will compete in a very challenging environment and give our fans a lot to be excited about.” Canadian Elite Basketball League free agency opens February 1, 2025 with player announcements to follow. The full 2025 Rattlers schedule has been released, which features a new 24-game slate. The 2025 CEBL Playoffs are scheduled to begin Thursday, August 14 with the Conference Play-In games, followed by the Conference Semifinals on Saturday, August 16. The winners will advance to CW25 to join the Winnipeg Sea Bears (host team) and the top-ranked team from the Eastern Conference who are automatically seeded into the Conference Finals. The full playoff schedule with tipoff times will be announced at a later date. General public and returning season ticket members can claim their seats for the entire Rattlers 2025 season by using Account Manager . Season tickets starting at $235 in the bronze. All tickets can also be purchased through the Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website , or via Ticketmaster . The Holiday Pack can be purchased online or at the Rattlers Front Office , which features four-tickets in any section with a bonus gift card. Single game tickets will be available later this spring. For more seating options, suites, and group rates; fans can contact an account executive . About the Saskatchewan Rattlers The Saskatchewan Rattlers are Saskatchewan’s professional basketball team, one of the six original teams in the CEBL – the Rattlers won the 2019 inaugural season championship. Playing out of SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – the Rattlers offer an entertainment-focused environment surrounded by some of the world’s top professional athletes. The Rattlers are a community-first organization and take pride in their ability to bring communities together while making sport more accessible to the province. About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) 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. Twenty-two 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+ powered by BetVictor, 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 . For more information on the Saskatchewan Rattlers professional basketball team - visit therattlers.ca . 
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Since 2020, 75 of the 96 players who have worn the black and gold pinstripes have played professionally around the world in the fall following the season, excluding six players who returned to their respective university basketball programs. “Jermaine (Anderson) shares our organization's vision of creating a great experience for all our players which allows them to reach their full potential into the next stages of their careers,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “He has built both a competitive and positive culture amongst our players, coaches, and staff, making our organization a desirable one to play for.” After joining the Honey Badgers organization more than five years ago, Anderson spent the CEBL off-season as a player development coach with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2019-22. Before transitioning to a front office role, Anderson had an impressive 14-year playing career (2004-18) that totaled more than 80 international games representing Canada. He also suited up in 294 games for 15 teams in eight different countries across Europe from 2008-17. An Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute graduate, Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing while playing at Fordham University. He averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 30.2 minutes in 111 games during a four-year tenure with the Rams. Following his playing career, Anderson became a player development coach for Canada Basketball, handling player relations duties that ensured players had access to training facilities and health care across the country. In 2018, Anderson founded the Fifty For Free Youth Community Initiative, a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto and Halifax focused on building character, cultivating financial literacy, and developing basketball skills with youth from underserved communities. Anderson’s announcement follows the reveal of the Honey Badgers expanded 2025 schedule in December, featuring a slate of 24 games. Brampton’s campaign opens on the road May 18 against the Montreal Alliance, followed by a visit to the nation’s capital May 21 to take on the Ottawa BlackJacks. The Honey Badgers will then return home to host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on May 25 in the club’s home opener. Ticket packages to catch all of the action at the CAA Centre are now available, including season tickets , half season pack , group experiences , and more! Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact [email protected] for more information. ### About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca . About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) 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. Twenty-two 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+ powered by BetVictor, 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 . 
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The holiday season is about spending time and celebrating with friends and loved ones while also supporting important causes and initiatives in the community. The Honey Badgers front office staff visited the Regeneration Marketplace and the Regeneration Marketplace on Tuesday afternoon to sort food donations, portion meals, stock shelves and assist guests with food selection. “As leaders in our Brampton community, it is extremely important for us to collaborate with local organizations that continue to make a positive impact in the lives of others on a daily basis,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “Our organization is committed to continue to make strides in our community growth, not only during the holiday season but throughout the calendar year.” Regeneration Marketplace is a local food bank in the heart of downtown Brampton, operating to provide quality, helpful food and household items for those in need in the community. Open 365 days a year, they proudly serve 39,000+ meals annually with more than 1,100 households receiving the necessary food and goods on a weekly basis. “Right now we are just inundated with donations, and the work the Honey Badgers did to help us sort saved us so much time,” said Katie Cleland, director of development at Regeneration Outreach Community. “This will help us get the food on the shelves much quicker so that we can serve more people this week.” The Honey Badgers staff were also joined by Amisha Moorjani, owner of The Food Quotient, and Rod Power, City of Brampton Councillor of Wards 7 and 8. This is one of many initiatives that the Honey Badgers and Councillor Power have collaborated on this holiday season, including turkey drives and Christmas dinners for underprivileged youth. To learn more about how you can contribute to the Regeneration Office & Meal Program or Regeneration Marketplace, please contact [email protected] or visit www.regenbrampton.com .
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