‘Everything is different’: Five seasons later, Target Score endings remain as complex as ever
August 2, 2024
Myles Dichter
In just the eighth game of the season, the stakes were already high.
Niagara was visiting Scarborough, and with both teams sitting on 4-3 records and carrying big expectations for the season, a victory here would create slight separation and could jumpstart a second-half run. Moreover, the Shooting Stars had eliminated the River Lions in each of the previous two years.
As expected, the game was close. The Shooting Stars came back from down 11 to take a 72-69 lead into Target Score Time, but eventually the teams found themselves tied at 78, each three points away from the win.
River Lions head coach Victor Raso called timeout. Khalil Ahmad, the two-time Clutch Player of the Year in his season debut, already scored seven of his team’s nine points with the clock off. And so Raso gave the ball to Ahmad.
It was a good idea.
Ahmad drained a triple, ending the ballgame. Talk about clutch.
“The game is literally in your hands. You make this, the game's over, and then they can't do anything about it,” Ahmad said. “To just be able to end on a bucket and literally the other team has no say in what happens unless they get the ball back and I happen to miss or whatever, it takes the competitiveness in me to another level.”
The CEBL instituted Target Score Time in time for the 2020 season and has used it ever since. A quick recap of the rule: the clock is turned off at the first stoppage with four minutes or less in the fourth quarter. Nine points are added to the winning team’s total, creating the Target Score. First team to hit the target wins.
Over five seasons, trends and strategies have evolved over how best to crack the code of Target Score Time.
Ahmad, the all-time leader in Target Score Winners with 18, said the format reminds him of the basketball games he’d play as a kid in Anaheim, Calif.
“It's kind of like playing 21 with your friends when you're growing up and someone has game point, everyone's suddenly super, super locked into another level because just the thought of losing, it's just that much closer, that much more in your face,” he said.
Ask anyone, and you’ll likely hear just how much Target Score Time completely revamps the end of basketball games.
Raso, the CEBL’s all-time coaching leader in games and wins, said Target Score endings are hardly even comparable to the regular fare.
“Other than it's on a basketball court and it's basketball rules, your strategy towards ending the game, the momentum, the pressure, everything is different,” he said. “Simply from a strategy perspective, all of the fouling, end-of-clock scenarios, the things that we've all just learned to know about the game of basketball, those things are out the window.”
In the NBA, if you’re up 15 points with four minutes left, you can often just run out the clock. But in the same scenario in the CEBL, you still must go out and win the game.
The increased pressure is often revealing of which players can rise to the moment.
“It kind of brings out your true qualities both as a player and as a team. I have a love-hate relationship with Target,” Raso said. “The thing I love about it is that over the course of the year, it puts you in situations where you're never going to care more than you do in Target time.”
Yet there is also another side to the coin. Raso said luck can play a factor, depending on teams’ foul situations, while teams who tend to play with flow can falter in the more stilted end-of-game action.
“It is mentally taxing. It definitely is. And it's not just Target, right? It's the fourth quarter, it's the two or three minutes leading up to Target where possessions are so incredibly valuable,” he said.
Ahmad, 27, said he enjoys seeing CEBL newcomers adjust to Target Score Time and realize they can’t just wait out the game if they have a lead.
Mitch Creek, who recently signed with the Vancouver Bandits for his first CEBL stint, gave Target Score Time a rave review.
“This Target Score ending? This needs to be in every league. I’m telling you — CEBL, you’ve done an amazing job,” Creek said.
Despite Creek’s optimism, though, Ahmad said there is an adjustment period — one that he endured himself.
“I think I've become more and more aggressive consistently. And it really developed the way I see the game, I think, because even when it's not [Target Score Time] there's still so much to think about — kind of like playing chess and stuff like that. You got to think ahead in certain cases,” he said.
Raso said Ahmad is “built for” Target Score Time.
“It's a combination of his skillset and his confidence and his mentality. One, he trains a lot, so he's confident. Two, he has the ability to score at all three levels against anybody. And three, he wants it,” Raso said.
Outside of relying on Ahmad, Raso said he’s learned the best strategy is often to just stick with what got his team to Target Score Time in the first place.
And while ending the game with three three-pointers can seem tempting, rim pressure is most important.
“If you don't tell guys, remind them to put pressure on the rim, they'll get greedy and search threes and that's how you can let another team back in,” he said.
Ahmad, in three seasons with Raso, has heeded that lesson.
“That's kind of like going up to the plate and trying to hit a home run. You're more likely to strike out if you swing it with all your might like that instead of hitting the singles and doubles,” he said.
In almost all cases, the pressure falls on the winning team. When the playoffs begin on Friday, that will only ramp up further.
“It does change it, but that's what you have the whole season for, to calm yourself down and understand that what actually wins in Target is very good possessions,” Raso said.
After that early-season win over the Shooting Stars, the River Lions won eight of their last 11 contests to finish the season with a 14-6 record, setting themselves up to host a playoff game on Sunday — a possible rematch against reigning champion Scarborough.
The Chicago, IL native appeared in 46 games with the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League
Tie ball game, next basket wins — it doesn’t get better than that in the CEBL. And who better to play hero than Zach Copeland, capping off his return to the lineup and team-high scoring night with a side-step triple to seal a 100-97 Vancouver Bandits victory over the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Tuesday. “Just wanted a little space, that’s all I needed,” Copeland said post-game, reflecting on the game-winner. “I’ve done this before and I just wanted to come through again.” With their second consecutive win, the Bandits improved to 10-3 and extended their lead atop the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Shooting Stars fell to 7-7 and remain in second place behind the Niagara River Lions in the East following a second straight road loss. Copeland finished the game with 28 points and five made threes on a 41 per cent clip, all of which came after he had missed the team’s last 11 contests. Behind him was Bandits' captain Mitch Creek with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Corey Davis Jr., who put up a double-double of 18 points and 12 assists while finishing a game-high plus-15 in the narrow victory. “Easily one of the best point guards I’ve coached,” Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said of Davis’ impact after the game. “Both sides of the ball, no one scores on him one-on-one … he plays with passion, toughness and the guys respect him.” On the other side, Terquavion Smith also put up a team-high 28 points (on 11-of-17 shooting) to go with nine rebounds. Donovan Williams (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Kalif Young (10 points, 11 rebounds) did their part as well with double-double efforts. It was a milestone night for Young, as the big man passed Jordan Baker for the all-time regular season lead in rebounds (523). Rounding out Scarborough’s efforts was Jaden Campbell, who added 17 points off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting. “Our controllables needed to be better down the stretch,” Shooting Stars head coach Mike DeGiorgio said after the loss. “We have to go back to the drawing board … it’s a result-based business.” Tuesday’s contest between the cross-conference opponents was the type of edge-of-your-seat intrigue that the CEBL built itself on when implementing the Target Score ending. It was a game of runs that saw Vancouver lead by as many as 17 points in the first half, using a 13-5 run to open the ball game, and a perfect 3-for-3 start from Samuel, to do so. But as the Montreal native, along with Davis, missed most of the second quarter as both dealt with foul trouble, Scarborough stormed back. Using a 12-4 run sparked by eight straight points from Smith, then a quarter-ending 6-0 charge that was capped off with a Jayden Coke transition slam. It turned the double-digit deficit into a far more manageable 50-43 score in favour of the Bandits headed into halftime. And the Shooting Stars kept that momentum coming out of the break, opening the second half on a 13-4 run to take their first lead of the ball game on a Smith transition layup. Creating that fastbreak opportunity was Cat Barber, who, while struggling to score (three points on 1-of-8 shooting), grabbed two steals to pass the 100 mark — just the third player in CEBL history to do so. “We were all over the glass and it allowed us to hit first,” De Giorgio said when asked how his team took charge in the third, noting his team won the rebounding battle 49-40 on the night. Scarborough wasn’t able to extend that lead to double digits, however, as Vancouver punched back to end the third, using an 8-0 run and hitting three triples in the final two minutes to bring its deficit down to 72-70 before the fourth quarter. The Bandits then re-took the lead by starting the final frame on an 8-0 run, going up by as many as eight points in the fourth before holding onto a 90-89 lead headed into Target Score Time. “You’re not going to win every night by 20 points,” Julis said. “We have to stay poised and execute, and we did a good job of that.” And it was fitting that with the clocks stopped, it remained a back-and-forth affair, both teams trading baskets. Smith tied the ball game at 97 with a free throw, but missed the second intentionally with hopes of scoring a game-winner off it. Instead, he stepped out of bounds while trying to corral the loose ball. All of which set up Copeland to bring the 4,408 in attendance at the Langley Events Centre to their feet with his fifth and final three of the game. The import scored six of Vancouver’s 10 points in Target Score Time. Underscoring the Bandits' victory was a strong effort to win the turnover battle. They forced 21 turnovers off the Shooting Stars, who entered Tuesday averaging 14.9 per game. No player was bothered more by the pressure than Williams who accounted for nine of those turnovers. It resulted in a plus-six margin in points off turnovers that proved to be the difference. “That’s what we do,” Copeland explained on winning the turnover margin. “We want to run off misses or makes, we’re trying to get out in transition … put pressure on the defence.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600629 Up next The Bandits return on Sunday to wrap up a three-game homestand by hosting the Brampton Honey Badgers. Meanwhile, the Shooting Stars head back to Scarborough, getting some time off before returning to take the Edmonton Stingers on July 11 with hopes of avenging a 17-point loss from two weeks prior. Next CEBL action Action resumes on Thursday with four teams taking the court for a double-header slate. Starting with the Honey Badgers hosting the Calgary Surge in cross-conference play at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Montreal Alliance visiting the Saskatchewan Rattlers 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 -
Sean East II continue de laisser sa marque dans la LECB — et ses Stingers d’Edmonton poursuivent sur leur lancée. East II a inscrit 35 points alors que les Stingers l’ont remporté contre l’Alliance de Montréal 94-83, signant ainsi une quatrième victoire consécutive mardi au Edmonton EXPO Centre. Le candidat au titre de joueur par excellence a également ajouté six passes décisives et quatre vols, portant la fiche des Stingers à 8-6. Montréal, qui avait commencé la saison avec quatre victoires de suite, glisse maintenant à 5-6 après cette défaite. « On commence juste à trouver notre rythme, un match à la fois, une pratique à la fois. On n’a pas de limites, » a déclaré East II. Les Stingers détenaient une avance de 85-72 quand le chronomètre s’est arrêté pour la période du pointage cible, mais l’Alliance — en quête désespérée d’un gain après leur récente série difficile — a répliqué en force et a réduit l’écart à 88-81 grâce à deux tirs de trois points consécutifs de Chris Smith et Tavian Dunn-Martin. Après un temps mort, Scottie Lindsey a répondu avec son deuxième tir de trois points de la période du pointage cible pour rapprocher les Stingers à trois points de la victoire. Trois possessions plus tard, East II a fait perdre le ballon à Quincy Guerrier avant de filer compléter le match avec un lay-up de l’autre côté. L’entraîneur-chef des Stingers, Jordan Baker, a exprimé toute son admiration à son sujet. « Si ce n’est pas le joueur par excellence de la ligue à mi-saison, je ne sais pas qui l’est, » a dit Baker. « Il nous a portés à plusieurs reprises, et maintenant on a d’autres gars autour de lui qui jouent vraiment bien aussi. » Pour East II, cette performance contre l’Alliance est loin d’être un exploit isolé. Originaire de Louisville, au Kentucky, il arrivait dans le match de mardi au quatrième rang de la ligue avec une moyenne de 23,8 points par rencontre, premier pour l’efficacité derrière l’arc avec un impressionnant taux de réussite de 52,2 % (minimum 25 tentatives), et deuxième avec 36 tirs de trois points réussis. Il a encore fait grimper ces statistiques en convertissant cinq de ses sept tentatives de trois points contre Montréal — dans une soirée d’une efficacité redoutable avec 14 tirs réussis sur 18 au total. Ses 35 points le laissent à quatre du record de la franchise d’Edmonton (39), établi par le triple MVP Xavier Moon. « Je donne le crédit à mes coéquipiers et au personnel d’entraîneurs. Ils me laissent jouer. Mes coéquipiers me trouvent quand je suis libre, on bouge bien le ballon. On a commencé lentement… mais on a enfin trouvé notre identité et je pense qu’on avance dans la bonne direction, » a ajouté East II. Mais il n’a pas été le seul à alimenter les Stingers. L’ailier canadien Keon Ambrose-Hylton a contribué avec un doublé de 14 points et 11 rebonds, alors que le meneur Scottie Lindsey a ajouté 19 points, dont sept pendant la période du pointage cible. Mason Bourcier a réussi son 50e vol en saison régulière au premier quart et a terminé la rencontre avec trois points, deux rebonds et deux passes décisives. « Notre profondeur fait qu’on peut gagner même si certains joueurs connaissent une mauvaise soirée. Ça veut juste dire qu’un autre gars prend la relève et joue bien pour nous, » a affirmé Baker. Pendant ce temps, l’attaque de l’Alliance, en panne depuis quelques matchs, a continué de connaître des difficultés — avec une exception notable. Le rapide meneur Tavian Dunn-Martin a tenu tête à East II, gardant son équipe dans le coup avec 30 points, dont 19 en première demie. Les ailiers Quincy Guerrier et Brandon Porter ont respectivement ajouté 18 et 16 points. Dunn-Martin a mentionné que son équipe doit retourner à la planche à dessin pour retrouver le niveau qui lui avait permis de bien amorcer la saison. « Il faut juste que nos gars jouent avec plus de confiance. En ce moment, plusieurs d’entre nous réfléchissent trop et n’évoluent pas comme au début de la saison, » a-t-il expliqué. Avec cette défaite, Montréal demeure au quatrième rang de la conférence de l’Est, derrière les BlackJacks d’Ottawa en pleine forme, qui ont remporté plus tôt mardi leur quatrième victoire de suite. Pendant ce temps, les Honey Badgers de Brampton, cinquièmes, montrent des signes encourageants avec trois victoires à leurs quatre derniers matchs, incluant un gain de 35 points contre les River Lions de Niagara, premiers au classement. L’entraîneur-chef de l’Alliance, Jermaine Small, estime que son équipe doit simplement disputer un match complet. « Je pense qu’on se cause beaucoup de torts nous-mêmes. On s’est battus contre nous-mêmes souvent. On avait l’avance au début. Il faut jouer 40 minutes au complet, » a dit Small. Edmonton a pris une avance rapide de 10 points, mais l’Alliance a répliqué pour réduire l’écart à un seul point à la fin du premier quart. Les Stingers ont retrouvé leur rythme en fin de deuxième quart, avec une séquence de 16-7 leur permettant de rentrer au vestiaire avec une avance de 48-38. Edmonton a principalement gardé le cap au troisième quart et amorcé le dernier quart avec un avantage de 65-57. Et à la fin de la rencontre, les Stingers se sont retrouvés dans une position qui devient vite familière — du côté des vainqueurs. « Chaque fois qu’on peut offrir un bon spectacle devant plus de 3 000 personnes pour la fête du Canada, » a conclu Baker, « c’est positif. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600628 À venir Montréal conclura son voyage de trois matchs à l’extérieur jeudi en affrontant les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan, tandis qu’Edmonton terminera sa série de quatre matchs à domicile dimanche en recevant le Surge de Calgary. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Une soirée de deux matchs est prévue jeudi, alors que les Honey Badgers de Brampton accueilleront le Surge de Calgary et que l’Alliance visiteront les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la LECB 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez le site cebl.ca/games . - LECB -
Sean East II continues to make his mark in the CEBL — and his Edmonton Stingers just keep rolling. East II scored 35 points as the Stingers downed the Montreal Alliance 94-83 for their fourth straight win on Tuesday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. The MVP candidate also added six assists and four steals as the Stingers improved to 8-6. Montreal, which began the season with four straight wins of its own, fell to 5-6 with the loss. “We’re just now starting to get together, one game at a time, one practice at a time. The sky’s the limit for us,” East II said. The Stingers held an 85-72 advantage when the clocks turned off for Target Score Time, but the Alliance — desperate for a win after their recent slide — came out firing and trimmed the Edmonton lead to 88-81 after back-to-back triples from Chris Smith and Tavian Dunn-Martin. However, after a timeout, Scottie Lindsey responded with his second three-pointer of Target Time to put the Stingers within three points of victory. Three possessions later, East II poked the ball away from Montreal’s Quincy Guerrier and finished the game with a layup on the other end. Stingers head coach Jordan Baker commended East II’s performance. “If he’s not the MVP of the league at the midway point I don’t know who is,” Baker said. “He’s carried us a lot of time and now we’ve got guys playing alongside him that are pretty damn good too.” For East II, the performance against the Alliance was far from a one-off. The Louisville, Kent., native entered Tuesday’s action fourth leaguewide with 23.8 points per game, first with a blistering 52.2 per cent mark from deep (minimum 25 attempts) and second with 36 three-point makes. He helped those stats by splashing five of seven three-point attempts against Montreal — part of an efficient night in which he converted on 14 of 18 field-goal attempts overall. His 35 points were four off the Edmonton franchise record of 39 set by three-time MVP Xavier Moon. “I give the credit to my teammates and my coaching staff. They’re letting me play. My teammates are finding me when I’m open, we’re moving the ball well. We started [the season] out slow … but we finally found our team and I think we’re moving in the right direction,” East II said. It wasn’t just East II fueling the Stingers, however. Canadian Forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton contributed a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double while guard Scottie Lindsey added 19 points, including seven in Target Time. Mason Bourcier recorded his 50th career regular-season steal in the first quarter and finished the game with three points, two rebounds and two assists. “Our depth, if we have a couple guys who have a bad night, it doesn’t mean we lose the game. It just means someone else steps into that position and plays well for us,” Baker said. Meanwhile, a scuffling Alliance offence continued to struggle — with one notable exception. Shifty point guard Tavian Dunn-Martin went toe-to-toe with East II, keeping his team afloat with 30 points, including 19 in the first half. Forwards Quincy Guerrier and Brandon Porter had 18 and 16 points, respectively. Dunn-Martin said his team needs to get back into the lab to rediscover its early-season form. “We just need our guys to be more confident. Right now a lot of our guys are overthinking, not playing like they did at the beginning of the season,” he said. With the loss, Montreal remains fourth in the Eastern Conference, trailing the streaking third-place Ottawa BlackJacks, who earned their fourth straight win earlier Tuesday. Meanwhile, the fifth-place Brampton Honey Badgers have shown recent flashes of life with wins in three of four, including a 35-point drubbing of the first-place Niagara River Lions. Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said his team just needs to put a full game together. “I think there’s a lot of self-inflicted wounds. I think we beat ourselves a lot. We had a lead at the beginning. We gotta play a 40-minute game,” Small said. Edmonton raced to an early 10-point lead, but the Alliance responded to cut their deficit to just one point by the end of the first frame. The Stingers found their form late in the second quarter, using a 16-7 run to take a 48-38 lead into halftime. Edmonton mostly held serve in the third quarter and took a 65-57 lead into the fourth. And by the end of the game, Edmonton found itself back in a spot it’s quickly become familiar with — the win column. “Any time you can give 3,000-plus a good show on Canada Day,” Baker said, “it’s a positive.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600628 Up Next Montreal finishes up a three-game road trip against the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Thursday, while Edmonton wraps its four-game homestand by hosting the Calgary Surge on Sunday. Next CEBL Action A two-game night on Thursday features the Brampton Honey Badgers hosting the Surge as well as the Alliance-Rattlers contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
Lors d’une journée de célébration dans la capitale nationale, Javonte Smart a donné amplement de raisons à la foule locale de se réjouir, égalant le record de franchise des BlackJacks d’Ottawa avec 37 points dans une victoire dominante de 104-80 contre les Sea Bears de Winnipeg — la quatrième victoire consécutive de l’équipe. La foule avait de quoi se lever dès le début, alors que les BlackJacks ont pris les devants 9-0 grâce à la défense étouffante qui fait leur réputation pendant cette série victorieuse. Ils ont maintenant limité leurs quatre derniers adversaires à 80 points ou moins. Ottawa a poursuivi sur sa lancée au premier quart, limitant Winnipeg à seulement six tirs réussis sur 17 et prenant une avance de 29-16 à la pause. Alors que les BlackJacks ont marqué tous leurs points de manière classique au premier quart — sans réussir un seul tir de trois points — ils ont retrouvé leur rythme au deuxième, en réussissant quatre de leurs six tentatives derrière l’arc. De leur côté, les Sea Bears ont tenté d’imposer un rythme plus rapide et de forcer les locaux à sortir de leur style de jeu préféré, mais ils n’ont pas su en profiter, réussissant seulement neuf de leurs 24 tirs. « Je pense que nos gars ont fait un travail incroyable, » a affirmé l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro, après la rencontre. « Ils ont suivi le plan et l’ont exécuté de façon très efficace. On a eu un petit relâchement au deuxième quart où on n’était pas concentrés défensivement. Mais après ça, on s’est bien ressaisis et on a réussi à rendre la vie difficile à leurs trois meilleurs joueurs. » Ces trois joueurs de Winnipeg – Tevian Jones, Jalen Harris et Simin Shittu – ont été limités à respectivement 15, 11 et 11 points, même si Shittu a terminé avec un record de franchise de 19 rebonds, à seulement un du record de la ligue. Emmanuel Akot a inscrit 17 points et capté cinq rebonds, tandis que Jaylin Williams a récolté 15 points et sept rebonds. « La première chose, c’est de donner crédit à Ottawa, » a dit l’entraîneur-chef des Sea Bears, Mike Taylor. « Javonte a été exceptionnel, ils ont joué un match collectif incroyable. J’ai trouvé que notre effort défensif était inconstant. Je pense qu’on n’a pas mis assez de pression sur le ballon ni contenu le porteur comme il le fallait, et ça leur a donné des paniers faciles en transition qui les ont mis en confiance. Au final, ça se joue sur des détails… Quand tu es sur la route, tu dois travailler fort, défendre, prendre des rebonds – tous les fondamentaux du jeu. Aujourd’hui, on a manqué un peu de dureté dans ces aspects et Ottawa en a profité. Chapeau à eux, ils ont joué un excellent match d’équipe. Mais surtout de la part de notre cinq partant, on s’attend à un peu plus d’effort défensif. » Winnipeg a tenté un retour énergique au début du troisième quart, en marquant 14 points consécutifs pour réduire l’écart de 58-41 à seulement trois points. Mais Smart a repris le contrôle et les BlackJacks se sont détachés pour le reste de la rencontre. « C’est un scoreur. Un vrai scoreur, » a souligné DeAveiro. « Il fait ça de façon constante depuis quatre matchs. Combien de joueurs sont capables d’enchaîner quatre matchs comme ça alors que toutes les équipes préparent des plans pour l’arrêter? On est chanceux de l’avoir. Il est aussi altruiste et va faire la passe décisive pour trouver ses coéquipiers et leur offrir un bon tir. « Quand tu mets deux joueurs sur lui pour le stopper, il n’a qu’à lever le ballon et Isaih est assez athlétique pour aller le finir. Javonte met beaucoup de pression sur les défenses adverses, donc il faut inventer des stratégies pour le contenir. Chaque fois qu’ils envoyaient deux défenseurs sur lui, c’était soit une passe lobée à Isaih, soit une remise vers l’extérieur pour un tir de trois points. » Au-delà de Smart, plusieurs joueurs locaux ont brillé. Isaih Moore a inscrit 18 points et capté 14 rebonds pour un doublé, Deng Adel a ajouté 14 points, tandis que Tyrell Tate et Zane Waterman ont contribué avec 11 points chacun. Cette rencontre était le 100e match dans l’histoire des BlackJacks, saison régulière et séries éliminatoires combinées. Pour un joueur comme Adel, c’est une belle expérience de voir l’équipe évoluer, autant sur le terrain qu’en dehors, au fil des saisons. « C’est vraiment cool de voir la base de partisans grandir d’année en année, avec des gens qui viennent s’amuser, » a déclaré Adel. « C’est un super endroit, et c’est juste plaisant d’en faire partie. Les gars veulent venir ici et jouer ici, et c’est important. Ça a été positif. » En plus d’être leur quatrième victoire consécutive, c’était aussi le deuxième gain des BlackJacks contre les Sea Bears cette saison. Pour Winnipeg, il s’agissait d’une troisième défaite de suite, et d’un deuxième match consécutif où ils ont concédé 100 points. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600626 À venir pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa se rendront dans les Prairies le 5 juillet pour affronter les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan lors du premier de leurs deux affrontements cette saison. Les Sea Bears de Winnipeg poursuivent leur voyage de trois matchs à l’extérieur et rencontreront les River Lions de Niagara pour la première fois cette saison le 4 juillet. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les Honey Badgers de Brampton accueilleront le Surge de Calgary le 3 juillet. Le match sera diffusé en direct sur CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour consulter le calendrier complet 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le site cebl.ca/games . - LECB -
On a day of celebration in the Nation’s Capital, Javonte Smart gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about, tying the Ottawa BlackJacks franchise record with 37 points in a dominant 104-80 win over the visiting Winnipeg Sea Bears — the team’s fourth straight victory. The crowd had plenty to get behind early as the BlackJacks got off to a 9-0 lead early thanks to the stifling defense they’ve become known for over their winning streak, having now held their last four opponents to 80 points or fewer. It was more of the same from Ottawa in the first quarter, holding Winnipeg to just 6-of-17 shooting from the floor and taking a 29-16 lead into the break. While the BlackJacks got all their points the old-fashioned way in the first quarter – failing to make a three-pointer – they found their shooting stroke in the second, hitting 4-of-6 from deep. For their part, the Sea Bears managed to push the pace and get the home squad to get away from their preferred playing style but were unable to take advantage hitting just nine of their 24 shots. “I thought our guys did a tremendous job,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said following the win. I thought they followed the plan and executed the plan really well. We had the little hiccup in the second quarter where we didn’t lock in defensively. But after that, we just locked in and did a good job making life really tough for their top three guys.” Those three players for Winnipeg – Tevian Jones, Jalen Harris and Simin Shittu – were held to 15, 11 and 11 points, respectively, though Shittu did finish with a franchise record 19 rebounds, just one behind the league record. Emmanuel Akot had 17 points and five rebounds, while Jaylin Williams had 15 and seven rebounds. “The first thing is giving credit to Ottawa” Seas Bears head coach Mike Taylor said. “Javonte was outstanding, they had a great team game. I felt like our defensive effort was inconsistent. I think that we did not pressure the ball and contain the ball like we needed to, and that gave them some easy baskets in transition that got them feeling good. It comes down to the things… on the road you have to work hard, defend, rebound – all the fundamental parts of the game. Today we were a little bit soft with that and Ottawa took advantage. Credit to them, they played a great team game. But especially from our starting five, we expect a little bit more defensive effort.” Winnipeg would make a passionate push early in the third quarter, scoring 14 consecutive points to cut a 58-41 lead down to just three. But Smart would take over once again and the BlackJacks pulled away for the rest of the game. “He’s a scorer. He’s a legitimate scorer,” DeAveiro said. “He’s done this consistently for four games. How many guys can do that consistently for four games when teams are prepping trying to stop you. We’re lucky to have him. He’s also unselfish and will pass the ball to find his teammates to get a good shot. “You put two people on the ball to stop Javonte and you just throw it up and Isaih is athletic enough to go up and finish it. Javonte puts a lot of pressure on teams’ defenses, so you have to come up with strategies to defend Javonte. Any time they put two bodies on him, it’s either a lob up to Isaih or a kick out for a three.” Smart aside, there were a number of impressive performances from the home side. Isaih Moore had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Deng Adel had 14 points, and Tyrell Tate and Zane Waterman both chipped in with 11. The game was the 100 th in the history of the BlackJacks, combing both regular season and postseason games. For a player like Adel, it’s been a great experience seeing the team grown, both on the court and off it, during his extended time with the club. “It’s been dope seeing the fanbase grow each year, people coming out and enjoying themselves,” Adel said. “It’s a great area, and it’s just fun to be a part of. Guys want to come here and play here which has been important, and it’s been good.” On top of being their fourth win in a row, it was also the BlackJacks second win over the Sea Bears this season. For the Sea Bears, it was their third straight loss, and second in as many games giving up 100 points. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600626 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks will travel to the prairies on July 5 to take on the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the first of their two meetings this season. The Winnipeg Sea Bears continue their three-game road trip as they take on the Niagara River Lions for the first time this season on July 4. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers will host the Calgary Surge on July 3, streaming live on CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
Triple programme de la fête du Canada pour lancer la semaine 9
Canada Day tripleheader tips off Week 9
The Vancouver Bandits are proud to announce a three-year commitment to the Terry Fox Foundation, supporting cancer research across Canada. The commitment includes the continuation of the club wearing its special edition Terry Fox tribute jersey, which will be worn during its upcoming Canada Day match-up versus the Scarborough Shooting Stars, which tips off at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at Langley Events Centre. Tickets for the game are available for purchase and the game will be nationally televised on TSN. The special edition tribute jersey, which features iconic imagery of Terry Fox and celebrates the legacy of his Marathon of Hope, was launched in 2024. Proceeds from each jersey sold were donated to the Terry Fox Foundation in support of cancer research across Canada and public response was overwhelmingly positive. “Terry Fox is a national hero whose legacy continues to inspire generations. As a team rooted in community, we are honoured to partner with the Terry Fox Foundation over the next three years to carry forward Terry’s message of courage, hope, and determination, “ said Dylan Kular, Vancouver Bandits team president. “The special edition jersey pays tribute to Terry’s vision and a symbol of the strength we all strive to embody, on and off the court.” The jersey is available in both adult and youth sizes online at this link . A limited selection of replica jerseys will be available for sale at the Bandits’ Canada Day match-up, which is dedicated in Terry’s honour. Each replica version jersey available for fans to purchase features the no. 4, which was the number worn by Terry during his season as a member of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) junior varsity basketball team in 1977. Despite an eventual cancer diagnosis that required his right leg to be amputated, as well as chemotherapy and surgery, Fox continued to excel in sports. He joined Rick Hansen as a member of his wheelchair basketball team and eventually won three national titles with the team before embarking on his Marathon of Hope on April 12, 1980. Inscribed on the front and back of the special edition jersey are the names of all the cities, parks, and towns where Terry started and ended his daily run during his tremendous journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Fox’s goal was to run from Canada’s east coast in Newfoundland to its west coast in Victoria, British Columbia, raising awareness and funds for cancer research. Terry’s Marathon of Hope spanned 143 days and 5,373 kilometres before he fell too ill to continue. He ran an average of 26 miles daily – equivalent to the distance of running a marathon each day of his mission across Canada. Fox’s running route spanning Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario is etched on the jersey. Today, his legacy lives through various fundraising initiatives and the annual Terry Fox Run across the country and beyond. The jersey features a black, red, and white colour scheme, as well as colour blocked side panelling inspired by the patterning of Terry’s 1970s jersey worn at SFU. His no. 4 jersey has since been retired by the university as well as the high school he attended. The Bandits are one of 10 men’s professional basketball teams that annually compete in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Bandits are midway through the club’s sixth CEBL season. The club’s home venue of Langley Events Centre is located just a 20-minute drive from Terry’s high school alma mater, Port Coquitlam Senior Secondary School, which was later renamed as “Terry Fox Secondary School.” More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok , as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter . ### About 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), while also being committed to growing the game of basketball by fostering meaningful community connections through youth programming, events, and partnerships. About the Terry Fox Foundation: The Terry Fox Foundation honours the vision and spirit of an iconic Canadian while raising critical funds for cancer research. As a leading national charitable organization, the Terry Fox Foundation plays a vital role in building community, engaging more than 20,000 passionate volunteers and 3.5 million students in nearly 10,000 annual fundraising events across the country. Through the generous support of our donors, partners, and volunteers, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $900 million and funded 1,300 innovative cancer research projects, bringing hope and health to millions of Canadians.
It was just as beautiful inside Edmonton EXPO Centre as it was outside on Sunday afternoon, as the Edmonton Stingers cemented an early lead and defeated the Scarborough Shooting Stars, 98-81. Today marked the second of Edmonton’s four-game homestand. In the first quarter, Edmonton resorted to a shot diet that was mostly inside the paint. They were one-for-five beyond the arc, while Scarborough shot two-for-14 from downtown. Edmonton got off to a 26-11 start. One of the keys to the game mentioned on the broadcast was for Edmonton to value their possessions – though every team talks about doing this, whether it’s actually practiced is another issue entirely. In the second frame, Donovan Williams hit a triple, Sean East missed a lay-up, and then Williams hit a step-through lay-up to inch with three points, forcing an Edmonton timeout. After that timeout, Edmonton scored a triple and a two-pointer to force a timeout. While it became a back-and-forth affair, East rose to the occasion and gave his team three three-pointers en route to a 13-6 run to close out the first half. If that second quarter was indicative of the “resilience” Nick Hornsby mentioned at halftime, it wasn’t just their star player answering. At the end of the first half, Edmonton took the wind out of Scarborough’s sails as Hornsby closed out with two made free throws after getting a deflection on the defensive end, gaining possession of the ball, and drawing a foul from David Walker. Right before the buzzer, Isiah Osborne got a block on Terquavion Smith that would deflate even the most confident of scorers. Edmonton built up a 15-point halftime lead, but they had to regain their lead as they came back sleepwalking at the start of the second half. It took a 13-0 run, punctuated by Smith’s back-to-back threes to force an Edmonton timeout. Scarborough was suddenly inched with two points with a lot more basketball to be played. “I mean I wanted to. I should have, honestly,” Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker said about how he should have taken a timeout earlier. “But we want our guys to work through some things…We’re a resilient group.” Smith made four three-pointers for Scarborough, and his squad was trying to overtake Edmonton. A tussle between Hornsby and Joirdon Nicholas made the third a chippy one as the game built up to a physical climax. Edmonton displayed resilience, however, by closing out the third quarter, just as they did in the first and second. Mike Nuga hit a three-pointer and Osborne hit a corner three after getting a pass from the opposite wing. The very first bucket at the start of the fourth was Osborne immediately hitting another three-pointer to give Edmonton a 11-point buffer. Edmonton closed out the game and never let their fourth-quarter lead get closer than eight points. Osborne now has 50 regular season steals and the defensive player had a strong offensive performance tonight. “He’s a guy that does a lot of the intangibles. He executes our game plan very well, he was disruptive against their top guys all night,” Coach Baker said. While Edmonton relies on the sum of its parts, East, the fourth-leading scorer in the league, had 27 points, shooting six-for-nine from downtown. East came into this game shooting a miraculous 50% (30-for-60) from three-point range. Keon Ambrose Hylton, who is second in the league in field goal percentage, hit a big three-pointer in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 points on five-for-eight shooting. Scarborough’s Williams, the league’s leading scorer, had 17 tonight. “It was a roller coaster,” Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio said after tonight’s game. Scarborough’s hunt for consistency continues after blowing out last year’s CEBL champions, defeating Winnipeg on the road, and losing tonight. “I thought our energy to start the game wasn’t as high. We weren’t locked into our coverages,” he said. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600623 Up next for both teams The Edmonton Stingers (7-6) host the third of their four-game homestand against the Montreal Alliance (5-5) on Canada Day. Scarborough (7-6) will move further west to face the league’s best Vancouver Bandits (9-3) on the same day as well. Next CEBL action There will be a total of three Canada Day games on Tuesday, July 1. Aside from the two mentioned above, the Winnipeg Sea Bears (5-7) will face the Ottawa BlackJacks (5-6) in the nation’s capital. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -