Host Vancouver Bandits take on Calgary Surge in Championship Weekend nightcap

During his first year in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, Calgary Surge head coach Kaleb Canales has had to watch his mouth. “I'm used to using the word 48 minutes, right?” Canales said recently, in reference to the length of an NBA game. Of course, in the CEBL, games are 40 minutes — or thereabouts, depending on how Target Score Time goes. And so it’s safe to say that the league has been an adjustment for Canales, whose long NBA career includes 23 games as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. He is the first former NBA head coach to come to the CEBL. “With Target Score and having strategy when it comes to that, when the clock stops, we want to execute certain things. But no, listen, I think from a coaching perspective, it probably keeps me up at night. But from a fan perspective, I think it's pretty cool,” Canales said. Canales, the 46-year-old from Laredo, Texas, moved north of the border in May in pursuit of furthering his coaching career. He has spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Texas Legends — the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate — but was ready to move back into a lead role. “I felt strongly about taking this step to lead an organization, to lead a team to a championship, to have the challenge of leading a team to a championship. And so we took it head on,” Canales said. Canales’s rise up the coaching ladder was swift. He was a high-school assistant for two years, spent one season at the NCAA level and then jumped to the NBA, where he spent four years as a Blazers assistant. In 2012, after head coach Nate McMillan was fired by Portland, Canales took over for the final stretch of the season, becoming the youngest head coach in the NBA and the first ever of Mexican-American descent. But since his brief stint in Portland, Canales had not returned to the lead chair until joining the Surge. “Any opportunity to lead a franchise and lead an organization is a big step in my development as a coach. So I wanted to continue to grow as a coach like players continue to grow as players,” he said. “In my coaching journey where I was at, I think everything matched and it was a blessing for me to get this opportunity. And I also wanna get better, and obviously this was a great opportunity for my career and to help my growth as a coach.” It was also an opportunity for Canales to help expand his coaching creativity. While he was familiar with Target Score endings since the G League uses them in overtime, the rules are slightly different. Plus, the run of game before the clock turns off in the CEBL is much shorter. Other rule differences — such as the maximum three imports allowed on the floor per team — create new situations, too. “I have a lot of respect for other coaches in this league. There's a lot of good coaches, a lot of good players. And I felt, right when I started studying the league, it's a young dynamic league that's growing and it's going to continue to explode here in the next couple of years,” Canales. Canales has found plenty of success in the early going with Calgary. At 9-5, the Surge are second in the West, having handed the first-place Vancouver Bandits (11-3) two of their three losses. Statistically, the Surge score the third-most points per game in the league and allow the fourth fewest. They lead the CEBL in steals per game and sit second in blocks — essential parts of Canales’ coaching philosophy. “I love our team. I love our squad. I love that our identity is defence to offence and staying in an attack mindset throughout the game. I've just been really proud of the group,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore, who’s played four CEBL seasons for the Surge franchise under four different coaches, said Canales’s energy stands out. “He’s one of those coaches that makes me want to play for him because of how energetic he is and how focused he is. And obviously he knows what it takes to win a championship because he’s been at the NBA level before,” Miller-Moore said. Canales isn’t the only NBA-experienced coach in the league. Nathaniel Mitchell, a former assistant for three teams including the Toronto Raptors, recently signed with the Brampton Honey Badgers as a coaching consultant. Meanwhile, longtime CEBL head coaches like Vancouver’s Kyle Julius and Niagara’s Victor Raso have proven their chops year after year in the league. Now, Canales is looking to chart his own path through the CEBL and up the NBA ranks — just like his players. “One of our main goals going into the season is to help these players develop and to have them have a great summer of development to put them in a great position in their careers heading into next season,” Canales said. Miller-Moore said Canales allows him to be himself on the court — to “play without thinking.” “He’s like a player’s coach. He makes me want to take shots that I might not usually take and he instills confidence in me,” he said. Together, Canales and the Surge could be ascending toward a CEBL title — and potentially beyond. - CEBL -

While the game was contested between two teams on either side of the standings, you never would have guessed it by what took place on the court. The Vancouver Bandits and Brampton Honey Badgers traded power punches until the very end, but it was the home team that managed to come on late and take the 87-84 victory in front of their fans. Mitch Creek led the game with 30 points for the Bandits, including 15 in the pivotal third quarter. Zach Copeland added 20 points for Vancouver, while Corey Davis Jr. had 15 points to go along with 11 assists. Vancouver was able to pick up the win despite missing a number of players as they attend NBA camps and participate in the NBA Summer League. Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius was proud of the way his team performed despite the roster turnover. “We weren’t that composed today, but I think that’s part of the process,” he said post-game. “We’re in a messy time right now with personnel changes, and I’m really proud of the fact we were able to win a game missing some key pieces, and it was a messy game at that.” “Our leadership; we have really good leadership,” he said when asked how the team was able to perform despite the personnel changes. “But there isn’t consistency. We had a completely different rotation today. Our sub pattern was wacky, and we found a way to win at the end. We have to find a way to grind through this time until our main pieces get back.” The Bandits struck first, getting off to a 12-4 lead before the visitors called a timeout. The Honey Badgers cam back strong, going on a 16-6 run out of the break to take a momentary lead before the Bandits were able to bring a 23-22 lead into the first break. A big part of the Brampton comeback was thanks to Quinndary Weatherspoon. The former Golden State Warrior had 11 of his 22 first half points in the quarter, ensuring his team was able to stay in the game. “We need these performances from (Weatherspoon),” teammate Amari Kelly said afterwards. “They’re big and they help keep us going. He’s a big factor for our team and kind of our leading guy, so we always want nights like this from him.” Things kept rolling for Weatherspoon in the second quarter, as he and David Muenkat started the period off with back-to-back three-pointers to take a lead that their team would carry into halftime, leading 44-40 – with the former NBA champion accounting for half his team’s points. In the second half, it was time for the Bandits’ star play to answer. Creek scored nine of his team’s first 15 points in the third quarter, and the team made three consecutive three-pointers to cap off a 12-2 run for a 61-56 lead. But the road team refused to go down quietly, rebounding with an 11-2 run off their own to go ahead leading into the final quarter. Weatherspoon was held to just three points in the third. A 9-0 Honey Badgers run to start the fourth had them up by as many as 10, but a pair of Copeland threes kickstarted a streak of 11 straight points for the team. The Honey Badgers led 78-77 at the start of Target Time, but another nine-point run from the Bandits put things out of reach, and they eventually took the win off a Duane Notice free throw. “They did a good job of making shots,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said of the opposition. “They made some tough shots that gave them a lead and then we were going through one of our droughts where we’re trying to execute, we’re looking for our mismatches or their rotations to break down. But they were solid in their rotations and we had a couple of turnovers.” Weatherspoon led his team with 27 points, though just five of them came in the second half. Kelly carried the load of the offense in the final two quarters, where he scored 12 of his 16 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds for the game. Marcus Carr and Bryson Williams had strong performances off the bench, as both finished with 12 points. “One of the things we’re struggling with is winning on the road,” Cassimy said. “Early on, we had a lot of games on the road, so that’s part of the reason for the struggle. We have to find a way to put together wins on the road. I think once we do that we’ll be fine.” Brampton got off to a tough start on the season, boasting just a 1-7 record early on. The team had won three of their last five and were looking to continue their improved play against the top team in the CEBL. Despite coming out on the losing end, Cassimy was happy with his team’s performance and what it means for them going forward. “Just being together, trusting each other, and being able to execute and cut down on our turnovers,” he said about what his team needs to continue to work on in the second half of the season. “In the first half we were good with our turnovers, but in the second half, not so great. Once we’re trusting each other and cutting down on turnovers, then I think we’ll be fine.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600624 Up next for both teams The west leading Vancouver Bandits will head on the road to take on the east leading Niagara River Lions only July 10 in a championship rematch. The Brampton Honey Badgers will head home for a pair of games, starting with a contest against the Ottawa BlackJacks on July 9. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers will host the Ottawa BlackJacks in a special Camp Day game on July 9, streaming live at 12:30PM ET on CEBL+, TSN+ and Game+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The always entertaining Battle of Alberta has come to an end for the time being. With a 113-90 victory over the Calgary Surge on Sunday, the Edmonton Stingers not only took the inter-province season series 2-1, but they also extended their league-best win streak to five consecutive games. Edmonton improved to 9-6 with the win, now just half a game back of Calgary, who fell to 9-5, for second place in the West. Leading that charge for the Stingers, as they hit a new season-high in scoring and the largest Target Score mark of any team this season, was Scottie Lindsey with 29 points on 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Behind him was Sean East II, who chipped in 22 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, and Nick Hornsby, who added 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as part of five different Edmonton players to reach double figures in scoring. “We’re in a groove,” Lindsey said after Edmonton extended its win streak. “We took a tough loss to Montreal, and even since then, we've been locked in, in a different way.” Meanwhile, Olumide Adelodun led the way for the Surge as he finished with 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting from distance off the bench. Greg Brown III and Jamarko Pickett each scored 16 and 12 points, respectively. “We allowed their runs to affect us,” Adelodun said post-game. “We let play after play roll over, and we didn’t fight back after that … just too much for us to come back.” The lopsided outcome was a surprise considering both of the previous two Battle of Alberta matchups this season had been decided by a combined five points — the first half of Sunday’s contest proving similar. Neither team went ahead by more than 10 points through the first 20 minutes as Calgary led 43-40 at halftime. But then the third quarter happened. Edmonton opened the second half on a 17-0 run en route to a league-record 42 points in the third quarter, one shy of the most points scored in any frame all-time. Calgary’s first basket of the second half didn’t come until he 6:08 mark of the third, a Sean Miller-Moore triple, to which Edmonton immediately replied with an 11-0 run as it carved out an 82-64 lead ahead of the fourth. “We had two close games with (Calgary) already this season, so we knew them well,” Lindsey explained. “We just wanted to come out and protect home court, and we did that in the second half.” The Stingers built that lead as high as 29 points throughout the final frame, ultimately carrying a 103-79 edge into Target Score Time. “Great third quarter,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said on what made the difference in the win. “We felt the energy in this building from the fans, and it was easy to get on a run.” Underscoring Edmonton’s CEBL-record second-half scoring output of 73 points was a drastic turnaround from beyond the arc. The League’s No. 1 three-point percentage (37.7) team entering Sunday, starting the contest just 1-for-14. Yet they caught fire as the game went on, making 10 of their next 16 attempts from distance — fittingly ending the ball game on a Lindsey triple from the right wing. “We didn’t play our brand of defence or our brand of basketball,” Surge head coach Caleb Canales said after the loss. “Which led to us not playing efficient offence … just have to give them credit, they had a great game today.” Meanwhile, the Stingers also did plenty of damage inside the arc, outscoring the Surge 60-32 in the paint as Edmonton shot 57 per cent on two-pointers to Calgary’s 36 per cent. Much of which was predicated on the Stingers' commitment to ball movement as they finished with 27 assists (plus-16) on as many turnovers (12) as the Surge. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600641 Up next The Surge head back to Calgary as they prepare to host the Montreal Alliance on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Stingers head east as they get set to begin a four-game road trip by visiting the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Friday. Next CEBL action The West-leading Vancouver Bandits host the Brampton Honey Badgers at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. local to wrap up Sunday’s triple-header slate. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

C’était un retour marquant à Montréal pour Ahmed Hill et les River Lions de Niagara. Ahmed Hill, ancien membre de l’Alliance, a inscrit 12 points et est devenu le premier joueur de l’histoire de la ligue à franchir le plateau des 1 500 points (séries éliminatoires incluses). Les River Lions ont signé un gain de 77-73 dimanche à l’Auditorium de Verdun — le même endroit où ils avaient remporté le championnat la saison dernière. Cette victoire, la deuxième de suite pour les River Lions, consolide leur place en tête de la Conférence de l’Est (fiche de 9-5), tandis que Montréal glisse sous la barre de ,500 avec une fiche de 6-7. « C’était une vraie guerre. On se serait cru en séries, un peu », a commenté l’entraîneur-chef des River Lions, Victor Raso, au sujet d’un match où les deux équipes n’ont tiré que 21 % derrière l’arc et 60 % de la ligne des lancers francs. Après avoir dominé une grande partie de la rencontre et pris une avance de 11 points, les River Lions ont vu l’Alliance revenir de l’arrière pour prendre les devants par un point avec 5 minutes 16 à jouer. Mais l’euphorie de l’Auditorium de Verdun a été de courte durée. Niagara a immédiatement répliqué avec une poussée de 8-0. Lorsque la période du pointage cible a commencé, les River Lions menaient 68-61. L’Alliance a resserré l’écart jusqu’à trois points, mais une série de lancers francs ratés l’a empêchée de revenir à égalité. Au final, le match s’est conclu de la même manière que la dernière visite des River Lions à Montréal, lors de la finale 2024, alors que Khalil Ahmad a inscrit le panier victorieux, cette fois sur un lancer franc. Raso a reconnu que ce n’était pas une victoire particulièrement élégante. « C’est devenu un combat de tranchées. On n’a pas bien tiré de loin, mais quelques gars se sont levés », a-t-il indiqué. Pour Hill — le meilleur marqueur de tous les temps de la LECB — c’était une soirée marquante dans une des villes de la ligue qu’il a déjà appelée son domicile. Le joueur de 30 ans originaire de Fort Valley, en Géorgie, disputait son 90e match en carrière, ce qui le place au troisième rang de l’histoire et premier parmi les joueurs internationaux. Hill a rejoint la LECB en 2021 et a joué deux saisons avec les Nighthawks de Guelph, avant de passer deux ans à Montréal. Il en est maintenant à sa première saison avec les River Lions, où il a rejoint les champions en titre dans l’espoir de décrocher son premier championnat. Dimanche, il a amorcé le match sur le banc pour une deuxième rencontre de suite, réussissant quatre de ses dix tirs. « Je suis vraiment chanceux d’avoir évolué avec de bonnes équipes, de bons entraîneurs, de bons coéquipiers qui m’ont permis d’être moi-même et de briller », a déclaré Hill. « Tout le crédit revient à tous ceux avec qui j’ai joué et aux organisations. Et un gros merci à la LECB. » Le Montréalais Nathan Cayo a mené l’attaque des River Lions dans sa ville natale avec 18 points et six rebonds. Ron Curry, qui effectuait un retour au jeu après une absence de cinq matchs, a ajouté 16 points, six rebonds et quatre passes décisives. L’ailier Eddie Ekiyor a contribué avec 12 points et huit rebonds. De son côté, le joueur par excellence des dernières finales et meilleur marqueur de Niagara, Khalil Ahmad, a connu une soirée difficile, se contentant de six points avec un seul tir réussi en dix tentatives, mais il a tout de même récolté sept passes décisives. Ses coéquipiers ont toutefois pris le relais. « Ce n’est plus toujours à propos de Khalil. On a d’autres joueurs capables de créer et de marquer. On n’avait pas eu tout le monde en santé depuis un moment, donc pour Khalil, c’est rassurant de savoir qu’il n’a pas toujours besoin de marquer autant », a expliqué Raso. Pour une formation montréalaise décimée par les absences, le bon départ s’est rapidement estompé alors que l’attaque s’est essoufflée. L’Alliance n’a réussi que six de ses 27 tirs de trois points (22 %) et 19 de ses 31 lancers francs (61 %). Malgré tout, l’entraîneur-chef Jermaine Small s’est dit fier de l’effort de ses joueurs. « Quand tu rates tous ces lancers francs, c’est un peu frustrant, mais je suis fier de l’effort dans l’ensemble », a-t-il affirmé. Le meilleur marqueur de l’équipe, Tavian Dunn-Martin, était absent en raison d’une blessure, tout comme les ailiers O.D. Anosike et Michael Diggins Jr. En leur absence, le Canadien Quincy Guerrier — qui disputait son dernier match avec l’Alliance avant de se joindre à la Ligue d’été de la NBA avec les Raptors de Toronto — a dominé avec un doublé de 19 points et 15 rebonds. Membre de l’Alliance depuis la création de l’équipe, Alain Louis a inscrit 15 points, en plus de capter cinq rebonds et de distribuer cinq passes décisives dans la défaite. Guerrier a reconnu que les absents auraient pu faire une différence, mais que l’équipe devait s’adapter. « Je pense que défensivement, on a été bien meilleurs que lors des quatre ou cinq derniers matchs. C’est une équipe championne, une très bonne équipe. Nos lancers francs manqués à la fin, ça a été crucial », a-t-il résumé. Le champion de la NBA et Montréalais Luguentz Dort était sur place pour assister au duel entre l’Alliance et les champions en titre de la LECB. Montréal a connu un départ canon avec une poussée initiale de 7-0 et menait 19-13 après le premier quart. Mais Niagara a repris le contrôle au deuxième quart grâce à une séquence de 7-0 qui lui a permis de rentrer au vestiaire en avant 41-34. Au troisième quart, les River Lions ont porté leur avance à 11 points et semblaient prêts à l’emporter, mais l’Alliance a réduit l’écart à six points avant le dernier quart. Après un quatrième quart âprement disputé, ce sont encore une fois les River Lions qui sont repartis de Montréal avec la victoire. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600639 À venir Montréal rendra visite au Surge de Calgary mercredi, tandis que Niagara retournera à domicile jeudi pour un match revanche de la finale contre les Bandits de Vancouver. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les joueurs seront de retour sur le terrain mercredi alors que les Honey Badgers de Brampton accueilleront les BlackJacks d’Ottawa, en plus du duel entre l’Alliance et le Surge. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games - LECB -

It was a momentous return to Montreal for Ahmed Hill and the Niagara River Lions. Hill, the former Alliance member, scored 12 points to become the first player to pass the 1,500-point plateau in league history (including playoffs), and the River Lions won 77-73 on Sunday at Verdun Auditorium — the site of their championship victory last season. The win marked a second straight for East-leading Niagara (9-5), while Montreal dropped under .500 at 6-7 with the loss. “It was just a war. It felt like a playoff game a little bit,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said of a game in which the teams combined to shoot just 21 per cent from beyond the arc and 60 per cent from the free-throw line. After the River Lions controlled much of the contest, building an 11-point lead, a spirited Alliance comeback gave the home side a one-point advantage at the 5:16 mark. But the Verdun frenzy was short-lived as the River Lions responded with an 8-0 run. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time, Niagara led 68-61. The Alliance tightened their deficit to as little as three, but a raft of missed free throws prevented them from getting any closer. In the end, the game ended the same way Niagara’s last Montreal contest — the 2024 Finals — did, as Khalil Ahmad nailed the game-winner, this time from the free-throw line. Raso said the win wasn’t necessarily a pretty one. “It just became a slugfest. We did not shoot the ball well from three, but a couple guys stepped up,” he said. For Hill — the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer — it was a milestone night in one of the CEBL cities he once called home. The 30-year-old from Fort Valley, Ga., was competing in his 90th career game, which ranks third all-time and first among international players. Hill joined the CEBL in 2021 and spent two seasons with the Guelph Nighthawks before moving to Montreal for two more. He’s now in his first season as a River Lion, where he joined the reigning champions in search of his first career title. On Sunday, he came off the bench for the second straight game, making four of 10 field-goal attempts. “Truly blessed to be on a couple teams with great coaches, great teammates, who let me be me and shine,” Hill said. “Credit to everybody I played with and the organizations. And shout out to the CEBL.” Montreal native Nathan Cayo paced the River Lions in his hometown, scoring 18 points to go with six rebounds. Ron Curry, who recently returned to Niagara after a five-game absence, added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Eddie Ekiyor contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, it was a strangely quiet night for reigning Finals MVP and River Lions leading scorer Ahmad, who struggled with his shot en route to just six points on one-for-10 shooting. He also had seven assists. Still, his teammates picked up the slack. “It’s becoming not always about Khalil. We have guys who can make plays, we have guys who can score. We haven’t had guys healthy to do that for a while so for Khalil it’s kind of reassuring that he doesn’t have to score the ball as much,” Raso said. For a short-handed Montreal squad, a strong start fizzled quickly as the offence went dry. The Alliance made just six of 27 three-point attempts (22 per cent) and 19 of 31 free-throw tries (61 per cent) overall. Still, head coach Jermaine Small said he was proud of his team’s resolve. “You miss all those free throws, I’m a little bit frustrated about that, but I’m proud of the effort overall,” Small said. Leading scorer Tavian Dunn-Martin missed the game with an injury, while forwards O.D. Anosike and Michael Diggins Jr. were also absent. In their place, Canadian Quincy Guerrier — in his last game with the team before heading to NBA Summer League with the Toronto Raptors — led the way with a whopping 19-point, 15-rebound double-double. Day 1 Alliance member Alain Louis scored 15 points to go with five rebounds and five assists in the losing cause. Guerrier said the missing players could have made a difference, but the team needed to adjust accordingly. “I think defensively we were way better than the last four or five games. They’re a championship team, they’re a really good team. Our free-throw [misses] at the end, that was crucial,” he said. NBA champion and Montreal native Luguentz Dort was in the house to take in the game between his hometown Alliance and the defending CEBL champions. Montreal raced out of the gates with its game-opening 7-0 run and led 19-13 by the end of the first quarter. But Niagara took control in the second frame as a 7-0 run of its own powered it to a 41-34 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the River Lions stretched their lead to 11 and threatened to run away with things, but the Alliance cut their deficit back to six points entering the final frame. After a tightly fought fourth quarter, it was the River Lions who, familiarly, emerged victorious in Montreal. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600639 Up Next Montreal visits the Calgary Surge on Wednesday, while Niagara returns home for a championship rematch against the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday. Next CEBL Action Players hit the court next on Wednesday, when the Brampton Honey Badgers host the Ottawa BlackJacks in addition to the Alliance-Surge contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL –

Jordan Bowden a inscrit 40 points, un sommet personnel dans la LECB, pour mener une impressionnante remontée des Rattlers de la Saskatchewan au quatrième quart, leur permettant de l’emporter 93-90 contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa samedi soir. Les Rattlers (fiche de 4-11) ont réussi cet exploit malgré un retard de 14 points en début de quatrième quart et un déficit de 82-71 au moment d’entrer dans la période du pointage cible. Ils ont dominé Ottawa 35-18 lors du dernier quart décisif. La défaite fait glisser Ottawa à une fiche de 6-7 et met fin à une série de quatre victoires consécutives, qui était la meilleure séquence active de la ligue avant samedi. « On est des guerriers, » a lancé Bowden après la victoire. « On s’est regroupés, on a obtenu les arrêts quand il le fallait et on a pris les tirs qu’on voulait à la fin… on se bat et on peut rivaliser avec n’importe qui dans la LECB. » Bowden a brillé particulièrement grâce à ses tirs derrière l’arc, réussissant neuf de ses 14 tirs de trois points pour établir un nouveau record des Rattlers pour le plus grand nombre de tirs de trois points réussis en un seul match. Son coéquipier Nate Pierre-Louis a lui aussi marqué l’histoire en établissant un record d’équipe pour les passes décisives en un match avec 14, en plus d’ajouter 12 points. Avant la rencontre, Pierre-Louis occupait le troisième rang de la ligue avec une moyenne de 7,4 passes décisives par match. Grant Anticevich a contribué avec 13 points et neuf rebonds, tandis que Devonté Bandoo a marqué 13 points en sortie de banc. « Notre intensité défensive au quatrième quart et notre volonté de continuer à nous battre nous ont permis de revenir, » a expliqué l’entraîneur-chef des Rattlers, Eric Magdanz, après le match. « Je trouvais qu’on prenait de bons tirs en première demie, mais ils ne rentraient pas. Tout le crédit revient aux gars, ils ont continué à se battre et se sont donné une chance. » Du côté des BlackJacks, Javonte Smart a mené l’attaque avec 31 points, réussissant 13 de ses 21 tirs, dont cinq tirs de trois points, lors de ce qui constituait la première défaite d’Ottawa avec lui dans l’alignement. Le seul autre partant des BlackJacks à atteindre la dizaine de points a été Deng Adel, auteur de 13 points et 11 passes décisives. Zane Waterman a ajouté 20 points en sortie de banc, convertissant cinq de ses 10 tirs de trois points. « J’ai été déçu de notre façon de finir le match, » a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef d’Ottawa, Dave DeAviero. « Mais il faut leur donner crédit. Bowden a connu un énorme match, il a rentré des tirs difficiles, et ils ont été bien meilleurs que nous dans la période du pointage cible. » Avant ce duel, la saison des Rattlers avait été marquée par leur résilience, mais avec peu de succès concret — neuf de leurs onze défaites ayant été par moins de dix points. La rencontre de samedi semblait d’ailleurs prendre la même tournure alors que Saskatchewan et Ottawa se sont échangé l’avance pendant toute la première demie, aucune des deux équipes ne menant par plus de huit points. Un seul tir de plus réussi par Ottawa a permis aux visiteurs de rentrer au vestiaire avec une avance de 41-39. « Je ne crois pas qu’il y ait de recette magique qui nous a permis de gagner un match serré, si ce n’est qu’on continue de se battre à chaque partie, » a expliqué Magdanz. « Parfois, le ballon ne roulera pas de notre côté, mais quand on se bat comme ça… on se donne une chance. » Ce mince déficit des Rattlers était déjà en grande partie attribuable à Bowden, qui a inscrit 15 points en première demie, un sommet pour le match à ce moment, dont un lay-up en transition avec 2:04 à jouer qui a couronné une séquence de 11-0. Ce panier avait brièvement redonné l’avance à Saskatchewan avant qu’un tir de trois points de Waterman dans la dernière minute ne replace Ottawa devant. Les BlackJacks ont complètement pris le contrôle au retour de la pause, amorçant le troisième quart avec une poussée de 12-0 pour prendre la première avance de dix points de la rencontre. Ottawa a réussi quatre tirs de trois points consécutifs lors de cette séquence, égalant son total de la première demie (quatre sur 13) en moins de trois minutes au troisième quart. Au total, Ottawa a inscrit sept tirs de trois points au troisième quart, se forgeant une avance de 72-58 après 30 minutes. Une prestation plus représentative d’une équipe des BlackJacks qui occupait le troisième rang de la ligue pour le pourcentage de tirs de trois points (35,7 %) avant le match, terminant la soirée avec un rendement de 13 en 30 (43 %). Mais contrairement à ce qui s’était produit toute la saison, l’histoire des Rattlers ne s’est pas conclue par une autre remontée inachevée. Saskatchewan a dominé Ottawa 22-8 lors de la période du pointage cible, misant sur des arrêts défensifs qui ont alimenté le jeu en transition (27-16 en points sur contre-attaque), y compris une poussée finale de 8-0 menée par Bowden et Anticevich, qui ont marqué respectivement 14 et 12 points une fois l’horloge arrêtée. Le duo a couronné la remontée avec deux tirs de trois points consécutifs — Bowden d’abord, suivi d’Anticevich de l’aile gauche — pour sceller la victoire spectaculaire. « Je pense que c’était simplement la volonté, » a expliqué Bowden quand on lui a demandé ce qui avait fait la différence. « Ce sont les détails qui nous coûtaient des matchs… mais aujourd’hui, on voulait vraiment gagner et on est allés la chercher. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600637 À venir Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa concluront leur court voyage de deux matchs sur la route mercredi en rendant visite aux Honey Badgers de Brampton pour un affrontement de la Conférence de l’Est. De leur côté, les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan poursuivront leur série de quatre matchs à domicile vendredi alors qu’ils accueilleront les Sea Bears de Winnipeg pour le deuxième des trois duels de la rivalité Banjo Bowl prévus en saison régulière. Prochains matchs dans la LECB L’action reprendra à l’échelle de la ligue dimanche avec un programme triple. La journée commencera à 16 h (HE), alors que les River Lions de Niagara, champions en titre, rendront visite à l’Alliance de Montréal. Les Stingers d’Edmonton accueilleront ensuite le Surge de Calgary pour le plus récente Bataille de l’Alberta à 18 h (HE) / 16 h, heure locale. Enfin, les Honey Badgers de Brampton visiteront les Bandits de Vancouver, meneurs de l’Ouest, à 20 h (HE) / 17 h, heure locale. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Jordan Bowden’s CEBL career-high 40 points led the Saskatchewan Rattlers’ furious fourth-quarter rally as they picked up a 93-90 win over the Ottawa BlackJacks on Saturday night. The Rattlers improved to 4-11 on the season despite entering the fourth quarter down by 14 points and trailing 82-71 at the start of Target Score Time — outscoring the BlackJacks 35-18 in the decisive final frame. Meanwhile, the loss dropped Ottawa to 6-7 and snapped a four-game win streak that was tied for best in the league entering Saturday. “We’re some dogs,” Bowden said after the comeback victory. “We came together, got stops when we needed them, and got the shots we wanted at the end … we fight and we can play with anybody in the CEBL.” Bowden’s big night was largely thanks to a stellar showing from beyond the arc, going 9-of-14 to set a new Rattlers franchise record for made three-pointers in a single game. He wasn’t the only one to reach a new milestone, however, as teammate Nate Pierre-Louis set a new single-game assists record for Saskatchewan with 14 to go with his 12 points. The import ranked third in the league entering the night, averaging 7.4 assists per game. Behind them was Grant Anticevich, who chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds, and Devonté Bandoo, who scored 13 points off the bench. “Our defensive intensity in the fourth and our will to continue to compete allowed us to come back,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said post-game. “I thought we took good shots in the first half, but they just didn’t fall, so huge credit to our guys, they just continued to battle … and give themselves an opportunity.” On the other side, Javonte Smart led the way with his 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting and five made triples, in what was the BlackJacks' first loss with him in the lineup. Ottawa’s only other starter to reach double-figures for scoring was Deng Adel, who added 13 points and 11 assists. Meanwhile, Zane Waterman chipped in 20 points off the pine on 5-of-10 shooting from distance. “I was disappointed in the way we finished the game,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAviero said after his team’s first loss in nearly three weeks. “But give credit to them. Bowden had a huge game, he made some tough shots, and they were much better than us in the Target Score ending.” Entering the matchup, the Rattlers' story this season was one of resilience, but with ultimately little success to show for it — nine of their 11 losses coming by single digits. And much of Saturday’s contest appeared to be a repeat of that tale as Saskatchewan and Ottawa remained neck-and-neck early — neither team leading by more than eight points in the first 20 minutes of play — and just one more made field goal by the BlackJacks in the first half being the difference as they led 41-39 at the break. “I don’t know if there’s any secret sauce that allowed us to (win a close game), other than we’ve continued to battle every single game,” Magdanz explained. “Sometimes the ball isn’t going to bounce in our favour, but when we compete this hard … we give ourselves an opportunity.” All the while, that slim deficit for the Rattlers was largely thanks to Bowden (a continuous trend on the night), who put up a game-high 15 first-half points, including a transition layup at the 2:04 mark that capped an 11-0 run. That basket also briefly allowed Saskatchewan to retake the lead before a Waterman triple in the final minute of the half put Ottawa back up. The BlackJacks completely seized the momentum coming out of halftime, however, as they opened the third on a 12-0 run and took the game’s first double-digit lead. That burst was thanks to some lights-out shooting as all four of Ottawa’s makes in that stretch came from beyond the arc, matching its first-half total for made triples (4-of-13) in less than three minutes into the third. Ottawa ultimately made seven threes in the third quarter en route to a 72-58 lead after 30 minutes. A more characteristic showing from a BlackJacks squad that entered the night ranked third in three-point percentage (35.7), finishing the game 13-for-30 (43 per cent). But unlike all season, the Rattlers' story on Saturday didn’t end with a comeback ultimately fizzling out once more. Saskatchewan outscored Ottawa 22-8 in Target Score Time, using stops on defence to fuel transition offence (27-16 for fastbreak points) — including a game-ending 8-0 run — led primarily by the duo of Bowden and Anticevich, who scored 14 and 12 points each once the clock stopped. The pair also capped off the double-digit rally with back-to-back threes, first Bowden and then Anticevich from the left wing to seal the stunning victory. “I think it was just the want,” Bowden explained when asked what clicked for Saskatchewan in the win. “Just the details were losing us games … but today we wanted to win and we went and got it.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600637 Up next The BlackJacks wrap up a quick two-game road trip on Wednesday as they visit the Brampton Honey Badgers for an Eastern Conference clash. Meanwhile, the Rattlers continue a four-game homestand on Friday as they host the Winnipeg Sea Bears for the second of three Banjo Bowl rivalry matchups this regular season. Next CEBL action A triple-header slate on Sunday resumes league-wide action, starting with the defending champion Niagara River Lions visiting the Montreal Alliance at 4 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Stingers will then host the Calgary Surge for the latest Battle of Alberta at 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. local, followed by the Honey Badgers visiting the West-leading Vancouver Bandits at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

In the battle between struggling Niagara and Winnipeg, one team was assured of a get-right win. The River Lions made sure it was them. Niagara dispatched of the Sea Bears 93-82 on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., snapping its two-game skid and padding its lead atop the Eastern Conference. Winnipeg, meanwhile, suffered its fourth consecutive loss. Niagara now sits at 8-5, while Winnipeg falls to 5-9. “I mean, it was the bounceback that we needed,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said. “I thought we played hard the entirety of the game. We played better basketball than we have been in the past, so that was a big step in the right direction.” The River Lions controlled most of the game, leading by double digits much of the way, until the Sea Bears injected a scare with a fourth-quarter run that cut their deficit to five. It was as close as they would get. Niagara led 83-74 when the clock stopped for Target Score Time, which began explosively. After Jalen Harris hit a two-pointer to start the proceedings, the teams traded three-pointers on four straight possessions with Khalil Ahmad and Ron Curry hitting for Niagara, while Harris hit both for Winnipeg. Shortly after, Ahmad reinforced yet again why he has become known as the Target Score King, splashing home a step-back three-pointer to seal the River Lions victory. “it's all about continuity and putting together that game after game after game after game, so if we can stay continuous, then we'll be alright,” Ahmad said. For Niagara, the long-awaited win came on the back of its defence. The River Lions entered Friday’s action allowing the most points against per game in the league and having given up a combined 193 points in its two losses. But on Friday, they held the Sea Bears to just 34 points in the middle two quarters and forced 19 total turnovers. “We defended really well, especially for the first three quarters up in the game, really up until the points of the game where Jalen Harris started making shots, I thought we were defending quite well,” Raso said. Ahmad led the way for Niagara with 26 points to go with four assists and three rebounds. He made nine of 17 field-goal attempts, and two of his three triples came during Target Score Time. Elijah Lufile came off the bench for a near-double-double of 10 points and nine rebounds, while do-it-all guard Kimbal Mackenzie contributed 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Ahmed Hill, the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer, had 12 points to move within five of becoming the first player in league history to reach the 1,500-point plateau (including playoffs). Ron Curry returned for the River Lions after a five-game absence, scoring eight points and dishing three assists. But Ahmad also credited his team’s defence for the win. “Defensive toughness, defensive intensity, just being together on defence because offence isn't really our problem. We just got to stay consistent defensively,” he said. On the flip side, Winnipeg’s defence — which entered just one-tenth of a point better than Niagara per game and will exit with the dubious title of league’s worst defence — continued to struggle. Niagara’s offence made 45 per cent of its three-point attempts and five different players scored in double digits. Head coach Mike Taylor pinpointed focus as the reason for his team’s losing streak. “We really had a spirited comeback, put ourselves in a good position, but there were too many possessions in the early part of the game where we kind of got in our own way. And it's been a theme at times. We've been inconsistent,” he said. “And today that put us behind the eight ball to 19 turnovers. We've been a team that's taken care of the basketball really well all year. Unfortunately, today, we were a little bit disorganized.” Sea Bears leading scorer Simi Shittu was ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter after picking up his fifth personal foul. In his place, Winnipeg native Emmanuel Akot paced his squad with 22 points to go with six rebounds and two assists. Harris ended with 21 points after his Target Time splurge. Akot said Winnipeg let Niagara build too big of an early lead, but he was happy with his team’s spirit to fight back. “But at the end of the day, winning is what matters, and we just got to go back to the office and figure things out,” Akot said. Canadian Olympian Dillon Brooks, who was recently traded from the NBA’s Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns, attended the game. The River Lions led 28-24 after a fast-paced first quarter and extended their lead to 51-38 by halftime. They took a 73-58 advantage into the final frame. But in the end, it was Ahmad — as per usual — coming up clutch when it mattered most, and Niagara was able to leave its home arena with a win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600635 Up Next Niagara heads to Montreal to face the Alliance on Sunday, while Winnipeg wraps its three-game road trip in Saskatchewan against the Rattlers next Friday. Next CEBL Action The surging Ottawa BlackJacks visit the Rattlers in Saturday’s lone contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The forward returns to the Bandits for his third season