Karnik Plays Hero in Bandits 88-83 Win Over Shooting Stars
May 27, 2024
Zulfi Sheikh
After missing the entire 2023 CEBL season due to injury, James Karnik has returned with a vengeance.
The Surrey, B.C. native scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as he willed the Vancouver Bandits (2-0) to a rallying 88-83 win over the Scarborough Shooting Stars (0-2) on Sunday night.
Karnik not only scored the Bandits first 10 points in the fourth quarter – giving the team its first lead since the 2:37 mark of the second – the forward also went on to hit the game-winner in Target Score Time. After the heroic outing, general manager and head coach Kyle Julius couldn’t help but commend the 25-year-old’s performance in front of his hometown crowd.
“His energy, effort and enthusiasm was just through the roof,” said Julius. “His ability to just will a play, use his mental toughness, to never give up and just outwork people is incredible.
Vancouver got multiple strong contributions on the night as they remained undefeated, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Tazé Moore led the way with a team-high 19 points to go with eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Meanwhile, Nick Ward and Koby McEwen chipped in with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
On the other side, the defending champs were spearheaded by Jackson Rowe for a second consecutive game as the 2023 CEBL All-Canadian notched a double-double of 20 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Tevian Jones added 16 points while Jalen Adaway scored 13 points off the bench in his CEBL debut.
Entering the night, the game was billed as a matchup between two of the league’s top three-point shooting teams as Vancouver and Scarborough combined for 79 attempted triples through their respective first games. Yet the first quarter of Sunday’s matinee was anything but as both squads shot sub-30 per cent from distance and made just eight shots a piece.
The defensive clinic resulted in more turnovers from each team than made threes as the Bandits and Shooting Stars went into the second quarter tied 20-20.
Vancouver remained in that shooting slump throughout the second quarter while Scarborough proved their league-best three-point shooting percentage through game one was no fluke. The Shooting Stars hit nine threes in the frame on a 50 per cent clip, subsequently earning themselves a five-point lead at the break. Jones hit three of his five long-balls in the frame for all nine of his first half points.
Despite trailing, the Bandits were getting strong performances with McEwen, Moore and Ward all scoring over 10 points through two quarters. Why they were lagging behind was the fact they were matching the Shooting Stars threes with twos.
And once the third quarter got underway, it looked like the 2023 champs were going to pull away for win No. 1 on the season as they opened up a double-digit lead courtesy of a 10-2 run.
Yet Vancouver – like they had done in their season-opening win against Montréal – found a way to respond when they needed it most. The Bandits punched back with a 10-2 run of their own followed by Kur Jongkuch hosting an unexpected block party. The South Sudanese forward swatted three shots in the span of two minutes to give the Bandits the necessary stops to get within striking distance. His defensive effort, along with a pair of threes from McEwen and Copeland, brought the game to 69-67 heading into the fourth.
“He changed the game,” Julius said on Jongkuch’s impact towards the end of the third. “We have a saying, ‘One possession can change a game’ and he really demonstrated that tonight. In the five minutes of playing time, he really sparked us.”
Once Target Score Time arrived, the score was knotted up at 79 points each (largely thanks to Karnik), and Scarborough was looking to hold on for their first win of the season while trying not to think about how they failed to execute in a similar situation just two days prior.
Against the Winnipeg Sea Bears, after leading for a majority of that contest, the Shooting Stars ultimately came up short in a crushing three-point loss. A couple of crucial misplays down the stretch – like missing two game-winning free throw attempts – cost them, and they were hoping to avoid that same fate on Sunday night.
Unfortunately for them, it ended up being more of the same. Scarborough committed three turnovers through the final handful of possessions and gave Vancouver just enough momentum to sneak away with the narrow victory. Kadre Gray’s fifth turnover on the night was scooped up by the Bandits and eventually made its way to Karnik for a layup to end the game.
“We’ve shown how we want to play,” Shooting Stars head coach Devan Blair said postgame reflecting on his team’s inability to close out games so far. “But we can’t just do it for four-minute spurts, we have to be able to sustain it for an entire game.”
Up Next
Vancouver hits the road to put their undefeated record on the line against fellow 2-0 Saskatchewan Rattlers on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Scarborough wraps up its three-game road trip by visiting the Calgary Surge (0-1) on Wednesday in a rematch of last year’s Championship Weekend Final.
- CEBL –
About the 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 10 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. Fourteen 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.
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday that they have signed former Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans signee and three-year CEBL-experienced guard Tevian Jones for the remainder of the 2026 season. Through 12 games so far this season, 10 with Saskatoon and two with Vancouver, Jones is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals. He recently went off for a career-high 36 points on 11-for-17 shooting June 28 versus the Edmonton Stingers while playing for the Mamba. Prior to this CEBL season, Jones spent the 2025-26 season with the South Bay Lakers - his third season in the NBA G League after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in September, 2025. Here he posted 10.9 points across 38 games while playing under current Honey Badgers Head Coach Alex Cerda. “I'm excited to welcome Tevian to the Honey Badgers,” said Cerda. “I had the opportunity to coach him this past season with the South Bay Lakers, so I've seen firsthand the competitor, worker, and teammate that he is every day. He brings toughness, athleticism, and the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Just as importantly, he has a great approach to the game and will fit the culture we're building here in Brampton. We're looking forward to seeing him make an immediate impact for our organization.” In 2025, Jones played 22 games between the Saskatchewan Rattlers and Winnipeg Sea Bears, posting 18.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. He also played 11 games with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in 2024, averaging 16.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. He currently ranks 21st in CEBL history in points scored at 820. “We are looking forward to welcoming Tevian to the Honey Badgers organization,” said Honey Badgers General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jermaine Anderson. “His CEBL experience will be a welcome addition to our roster as we continue to fight for playoff positioning.” After finishing his collegiate career ranked fifth on Southern Utah University’s all-time scoring list, he joined the New Orleans Pelicans for his first stint at NBA Summer League, and later signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the club to begin his professional career. The Brampton Honey Badgers are down to five more regular season games in one of the tightest playoff races the CEBL has seen with four Eastern Conference teams within 1.5 games of each other. Only three can make it. Get your Honey Badgers tickets here with their last two home appearances taking place on July 30 and August 1. ### 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 .
Un partenariat axé sur la communauté célèbre le basketball, un mode de vie sain et un lien local à travers l'Ouest canadien
Community-focused partnership celebrates basketball, healthy living and local connection across Western Canada.
Three teams have punched their ticket, but good luck figuring out the rest. The CEBL post-season race is as wild as ever this season, with six teams sitting on eight or nine wins, including four in the East (!), and a last-place team cobbling together a late-season surge to make things even more interesting out West. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Sea Bears and Vancouver Bandits are duking it out for top spot, while the Scarborough Shooting stars can sit back and watch the whole thing unfold from their perch atop the East. Let’s break it all down… Eastern Conference The Shooting Stars sewed up the top seed in the East despite a 1-1 week that included a win over the Edmonton Stingers and a loss to the Ottawa BlackJacks. Now, the goal over their final five games will be to stay sharp for when the post-season begins and it’s suddenly do or die. As for the rest of the East? An apt word to describe the playoff race would be chaos. The Brampton Honey Badgers sit second at 9-10, but just lost two straight to the Niagara River Lions (9-11), who fell back to fourth after a loss to the Stingers. In between, the BlackJacks (9-10) are third after that win over the Shooting Stars. The Montreal Alliance (8-12), riding a three-game losing streak, bring up the rear. As one would imagine, however, this could all look very different in a week’s time. Ottawa is the team to watch, with road games in Montreal Friday and Niagara Sunday that could see it separate from the pack or lose valuable ground. The BlackJacks will also get another shot at the playing-out-the-string Shooting stars on Wednesday, while Scarborough will host Niagara and Montreal later in the week with the chance to have a say in its potential playoff opponents. Last season, the River Lions, in the same spot as the Shooting Stars, lost five straight to end the season, but rallied to win the championship. How that informs Scarborough’s season-end strategy should be fascinating, especially as it reintegrates star scorer Terquavion Smith, who re-signed with the club on Thursday. Western Conference There’s less mess in the West, but three clear tiers still stand out. At the top, the Sea Bears (13-7) and Bandits (12-7) are dueling for first place, which could be a key advantage if they wind up against each other in the conference final. They’ll meet Thursday at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre with the Sea Bears’ Teddy Allen scorching hot off his record 54-point night in a win over the Alliance on Sunday in which he also set the single-season scoring record. That game also saw Winnipeg debut of three-time Xavier Moon, who registered 17 points and dished 14 assists alongside his newfound co-star. If that’s any indication, the Sea Bears may be title favourites, but the Bandits and Canadian star Tyrese Samuel will certainly have their say. Then, there’s a battle for third place in the West, with the Saskatoon Mamba (8-10) and Stingers (8-11) fighting to keep pace in the playoff race as the last-place Calgary Surge (5-14) author a late-season charge, having won four of their last five. The Mamba and Stingers will meet Tuesday, and the winner will be in full control of their fate. It’s an especially big week for Edmonton, which has a home-and-home with Alberta-rival Calgary on Friday and Sunday. Win both, and the Stingers will secure their post-season spot. Lose both, and the final week of the season gets a whole lot more interesting. Indeed, it’s that time of year, where every basket, every stop, every timeout feels that much more crucial. The post-season is right around the corner. Weekly schedule (13 games) Game #97 – Tuesday, July 21 – EDM at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – Merlis Belsher Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #98 – Tuesday, July 21 – VAN at CGY – 7:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #99 – Wednesday, July 22 – SSS at OTT – 7:30 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #100 – Thursday, July 23 – VAN at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #101 – Thursday, July 23 – BHB at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST / 9:30 p.m. ET – Merlis Belsher Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #102 – Friday, July 24 – NRL at SSS – 7:30 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #103 – Friday, July 24 – OTT at MTL – 7:30 p.m. ET – Verdun Auditorium (CBC Gem, YouTube, RDS, CEBL+) Game #104 – Friday, July 24 – EDM at CGY – 7:30 p.m. MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #105 – Saturday, July 25 – BHB at WPG – 2:30 p.m. CDT / 3:30 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CBC, CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #106 – Saturday, July 25 – SSK at VAN – 6 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. CST / 9 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #107 – Sunday, July 26 – OTT at NRL – 3 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #108 – Sunday, July 26 – MTL at SSS – 4 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #109 – Sunday, July 26 – CGY at EDM – 4 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday that they have signed six-year overseas guard Roddy Peters Jr. for the rest of the season. After a three-year timespan with three different schools in the NCAA, Peters Jr. has taken his talents all over the world ranging from the Dominican Republic to Montenegro, with a one-year stint with the Delaware Blue Coats (Philadelphia 76ers affiliate) in the NBA G League in 2022-23. In a pivotal home stretch of the CEBL season, the Honey Badgers add a spark to their guard depth. Peters Jr. is coming off of his best professional season to date in Mexico with the Caballeros de Culiacan, where he led the league in assists per game (8.3), ranked fourth in steals per game (1.9), and fifth in points per game (17.5). “Roddy is an experienced player,” said Honey Badgers General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jermaine Anderson. “He is a playmaker who has the ability to create opportunities for himself as well. We look forward to welcoming him to the Honey Badgers family.” Peters Jr., 31, has been an exceptional point guard over his time at the pro level, with 998 total assists across 180 games. He has also tallied 2347 career points and has grabbed 281 steals. He rounded out his collegiate tenure with Nicholls State University, where he scored the third-most points in a single season in school history with 629. As Brampton prepares for the final push to a playoff berth, Peters Jr. adds extensive ball-handling skill to this Honey Badgers team that currently ranks ninth in the CEBL in assists (362) and fourth in turnovers (272). “We're excited to add Roddy to our team,” said Honey Badgers Head Coach Alex Cerda. “He's a veteran point guard who brings leadership, poise, and a wealth of professional experience. Roddy has a great feel for the game, makes the right plays, and has the ability to elevate the players around him.” The Brampton Honey Badgers head out West for their final road trip of the season, taking on the Saskatoon Mamba on Thursday, July 23, and the newly-paired dynamic duo of Teddy Allen and Xavier Moon of the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Saturday, July 25. You can tune in live for free online on CBC Sports, CBC Gem, the CBC Sports YouTube page, and CEBL+. ### 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 .
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has re-signed homegrown talent James Karnik for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-9 forward from Surrey, B.C., Karnik is set to compete in his fourth CEBL campaign. He has appeared in 29 games for the club dating back to the 2022 season, averaging 10.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. During the 2025-26 season, Karnik suited up for three different teams: Neptunas Klaipeda in Lithuania, Basquet Girona in Spain, and IHC Apes in Mongolia, where he helped the latter to a domestic championship. His international career also featured previous playing stints in Switzerland and the Netherlands. Karnik represents the Czech Republic in international FIBA play by way of naturalized citizenship. His most recent call up to the national team was for the 2027 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers, which were held earlier this month. Prior to turning professional, Karnik played five years of NCAA DI basketball between Lehigh University (2017-20) and Boston College (2020-22), while he played high school basketball at Earl Marriott Secondary in Surrey and BC Christian Academy in Port Coquitlam before transferring to Orangeville Prep in Mono, Ont.. ### About the Vancouver Bandits: The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Envision Financial Court 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.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has signed NBA-experienced forward and former European and NBA Summer League champion Jarell Eddie for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-7 forward hailing from Tampa, Fla., Eddie played parts of four NBA seasons for the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics, totalling 34 games between 2015 to 2018. He made his NBA debut on October 6, 2014 as a member of the Atlanta Hawks’ preseason roster. In his rookie season in 2015-16, Eddie won an NBA Summer League championship with the San Antonio Spurs under Basketball Hall of Fame coach Becky Hammon. Later that regular season, he earned a roster spot with the Washington Wizards and suited up in 26 games alongside the likes of NBA All-Stars John Wall and Bradley Beal. A veteran of 12 professional seasons, Eddie has built a decorated basketball career overseas. In 2019, he helped lead SIG Strasbourg to a LNB Pro A Leaders Cup championship, while he captured both a Romanian League and Romanian Cup championship with U-BT Cluj-Napoca in 2023-24, the latter competition being named MVP. Most recently during the 2025-26 season, Eddie played for Pioneros Del Avila in Venezuela where he averaged 14.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 14 games played. His career includes previous stops in Spain, Turkiye, Greece, Puerto Rico and Saudi Arabia. Internationally, Eddie represented the United States at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup where he helped lead his country to a bronze medal finish. Eddie played four seasons of university basketball at Virginia Tech University from 2010 to 2014 where he scored over 1,000 career points for the Hokies and was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s All-Academic team in his junior and senior seasons. ### About the Vancouver Bandits: The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Envision Financial Court 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.
À ce stade-ci la saison dernière, deux équipes savaient déjà qu'elles participeraient aux séries éliminatoires. Mais grâce à un changement de format et à beaucoup de parités, une seule équipe a assuré sa place dans les séries éliminatoires alors que nous entamons le dernier quart de cette campagne. Puisqu’il n’y a plus de fin de semaine du championnat cette saison, les quatre meilleures équipes de chaque conférence accéderont aux séries éliminatoires, la première équipe affrontant la quatrième et la deuxième affrontant la troisième lors des demi-finales de conférence. La finale, bien sûr, sera une série deux de trois pour la première fois. La seule équipe à avoir assuré sa place est celle des Shooting Stars de Scarborough, qui détient une avance de cinq matchs au sommet de la Conférence de l’Est. Ottawa a encore des matchs à jouer contre Montréal et Niagara, ce qui signifie qu'au plus deux de ces trois équipes peuvent atteindre 14 victoires. Par conséquent, aucune égalité à trois impliquant Scarborough n'est possible, et les Shooting Stars sont assurés de ne pas terminer plus bas que la quatrième place dans la Conférence de l'Est et ont officiellement obtenu une place pour les séries éliminatoires 2026 de la LECB. Les Shooting Stars se sont maintenus au sommet du classement toute la saison grâce au candidat au titre du joueur le plus utile, Myles Powell, et au pivot canadien, Frank Mitchell. Jeudi, ils accueilleront une équipe en difficulté, les Stingers d'Edmonton. Avec une fiche de 14-3, Scarborough a essentiellement déjà sécurisé son statut de favori dans l'Est. Le reste du classement dans l'Est est encore très incertain et pourrait être déterminé par deux matchs aller-retour entre les Honey Badgers de Brampton et les River Lions mardi et jeudi. Niagara, qui a éprouvé des difficultés pendant une bonne partie du milieu de la saison sous la direction du nouvel entraîneur-chef Kimbal Mackenzie, semble avoir redressé la barre avec deux victoires contre Scarborough et l'Alliance de Montréal, incluant le premier panier gagnant de la vedette Khalil Ahmad lors de la période du pointage cible. Avec une bonne partie de leur noyau champion intact, les River Lions pourraient être un adversaire redoutable en séries éliminatoires s'ils parviennent à se qualifier. S'ils remportent les deux matchs contre les Honey Badgers, les deux équipes auront une fiche de 9-10 avec cinq matchs à jouer. S'ils perdent les deux, leurs chances diminuent considérablement. Entre les rivaux ontariens au classement se trouvent les BlackJacks d'Ottawa et l'Alliance, tous deux avec une fiche de 8-10. Ottawa a battu Montréal mais a perdu contre Brampton la semaine dernière, tandis que Montréal a battu Brampton mais a aussi perdu contre Niagara. Peu de choses séparent les deux équipes après 18 matchs, bien que les BlackJacks semblent être sur une pente ascendante avec trois victoires à leurs cinq derniers matchs, alors que l'Alliance en a perdu quatre sur cinq. Les BlackJacks n'ont qu'un seul match cette semaine, un match de référence contre les Shooting Stars, tandis que l'Alliance affrontera des tests majeurs de l'Ouest contre les Bandits de Vancouver et les Sea Bears de Winnipeg. Il existe un scénario chaotique où les quatre équipes de l'Est, à l'exception de Scarborough, terminent la semaine avec neuf victoires chacune. L'Ouest est un peu plus simple, l'intrigue principale résidant dans la bataille pour la première place entre ces deux clubs qui affronteront Montréal cette semaine. Vancouver, avec une fiche de 11-7, traverse cette période avec un nouvel entraîneur après le départ de Kyle Julius pour la Chine. Sur le plan institutionnel, les Bandits ont une structure en place, tout comme Niagara, pour effrayer n'importe quel adversaire, mais leur véritable potentiel reste encore à découvrir. Les Bandits sont difficiles à cerner, avec deux défaites contre Calgary, dernier au classement, ce mois-ci, mais une fiche de 2-1 autrement. Pour l'instant, les Canadiens Tyrese Samuel et Mychal Mulder portent cette équipe. Les Sea Bears, avec une fiche de 11-6, sont un peu plus simples : tout tourne autour du meilleur marqueur de la ligue, Teddy Allen. Ils ont toutefois gardé un tour dans leur manche sous la forme de Xavier Moon, trois fois nommé, dont le retour a été retardé en attendant l'autorisation de la FIBA. Lorsque Moon reviendra, Winnipeg comptera deux arrières étoiles, mais ne disposera pas de beaucoup de temps pour comprendre comment ils peuvent coexister. Les Sea Bears ont également encore deux matchs à jouer contre les Bandits, dont une finale de saison potentiellement palpitante. Après ces deux clubs, Saskatoon (7-9) et Edmonton (7-10) occupent le troisième et quatrième rang, tandis que Calgary (4-13) s'est donné un nouveau souffle avec une série de trois victoires. Les Stingers, quant à eux, ont perdu trois matchs de suite. Ce qui semblait autrefois évident, soit que le Surge raterait les séries éliminatoires, ne l'est plus. Calgary accueillera Winnipeg et Saskatoon cette semaine, leur récente série étant propulsée par le nouvel entraîneur-chef Dave DeAveiro. La première moitié de saison du Surge ne laissait essentiellement aucune marge d'erreur, mais peu de joueurs aspirent autant à ce titre de la LECB que le meilleur marqueur canadien de tous les temps et vedette du Surge, Rugzy Miller-Moore. Ne les écartez pas tout de suite. Les Stingers qui régressent aident leur cause. Leurs défaites contre Winnipeg et Vancouver pourraient être excusées, n'eût été du fait qu'il s'agit des équipes que le Surge a battues durant leur série de victoires. Le capitaine-vétéran Nick Hornsby sait ce qu'il faut pour réussir en fin de saison de la LECB. Il devra s'en servir alors qu'Edmonton cherche à éviter ce qui serait un effondrement épique. Il est juste de dire que l'intrigue abonde dans chaque match restant au calendrier de la LECB. Après tout, les séries éliminatoires arrivent à grands pas. Horaire hebdomadaire (neuf matchs) Match #87 – Le mardi 14 juillet – NRL à BHB – 12 h 30 (HE) – CAA Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #88 – Le mercredi 15 juillet – WPG à SSK – 19 h 30 (HNC) / 20 h 30 (HAC) / 21 h 30 (HE) – Merlis Belsher Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #89 – Le jeudi 16 juillet – BHB à NRL – 19 h (HE) – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #90 – Le jeudi 16 juillet – EDM à SSS – 19 h 30 (HE) / 17 h 30 (HR) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #91 – Le vendredi 17 juillet – WPG à CGY – 19 h 30 (HR) / 20 h 30 (HAC) / 21 h 30 (HE) – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #92 – Le vendredi 17 juillet – MTL à VAN – 19 h (HP) / 22 h (HE) – Envision Financial Court au Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #93 – Le samedi 18 juillet – EDM à NRL – 15 h 30 (HE) / 13 h 30 (HR) – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #94 – Le samedi 18 juillet – OTT à SSS – 19 h (HE) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #95 – le dimanche 19 juillet – MTL à WPG – 15 h (HAC) / 16 h (HE) – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #96 – Le dimanche 19 juillet – SSK à CGY – 16 h (HR/HNC) / 18 h (HE) – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Pour le calendrier complet de la LECB 2026, veuillez visiter cebl.ca/games
The Winnipeg Sea Bears today announced the club has signed guard Jelani Watson-Gayle for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League season. Watson-Gayle previously played for Winnipeg during the Sea Bears' inaugural 2023 campaign and returns after three productive seasons of professional play overseas. Watson-Gayle (6-1, 174 lbs, Fresno Pacific University; born: September 9, 1998, in London, United Kingdom) returns to Winnipeg after three seasons of professional play across the UK, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria. Most recently, he averaged 13.8 points, 6.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 36 games with Cherno More Ticha Varna of the Bulgarian NBL, shooting 41.4 per cent from three-point range and 81.2 per cent from the free throw line. He also appeared in three FIBA World Cup qualifying games for the British men's national team during the 2025-26 campaign. "We're really pleased to welcome Jelani back to Winnipeg," said Head Coach and General Manager Mike Raimbault. "He was here for the inaugural season and he understands what this organization is building. The development he's shown internationally over the last three years gives us a lot of confidence in what he can contribute to this group." Prior to his time in Bulgaria, Watson-Gayle put together one of his strongest professional seasons with Slavia Praha of the Czech Republic NBL in 2024-25, averaging 19.0 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game across 25 games while shooting 49.7 per cent from two-point range. He has also represented Great Britain in EuroBasket competition, appearing in seven games across both qualifying rounds in 2025. Watson-Gayle began his professional career in 2022-23 with the Bristol Flyers of the British Basketball League, where he averaged 11.5 points, 3.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds across 41 games. Watson-Gayle is no stranger to the Sea Bears or to Winnipeg. He was part of the franchise's inaugural 2023 roster, averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 20 games during the club's first CEBL season. "I'm really looking forward to putting on the Sea Bears jersey again," said Watson-Gayle. "I loved playing in Winnipeg during the inaugural season, and I'm excited to rejoin the team, be part of the organization once more, and play in front of the fans who made that first season so special." ###
At this point last season, two teams already knew they would be competing in the post-season. But thanks to a change in format and plenty of parity, only one club has clinched its playoff spot as we rumble into the fourth quarter of this campaign. With no Championship Weekend this season, the top four teams in each conference will make the playoffs, with No. 1 facing No. 4 and No. 2 taking on No. 3 in the conference semifinals. The Finals, of course, will be a best-of-three for the first time. The only team to have clinched are the Scarborough Shooting Stars, who hold a five-game lead atop the East. Ottawa still has games remaining against both Montréal and Niagara, meaning no more than two of those three clubs can reach 14 wins. As a result, no three-way tie involving Scarborough is possible, and the Shooting Stars are guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth place in the Eastern Conference and have officially clinched a berth in the 2026 CEBL Playoffs. The Shooting Stars have held steady atop the standings all season on the backs of MVP candidate Myles Powell and dominant Canadian big man Frank Mitchell, and they’ll welcome a reeling Edmonton Stingers squad to town on Thursday. At 14-3, Scarborough already has its status as East favourite essentially locked up. The rest of the East is very much up for grabs, and could be determined by a home-and-home between the Brampton Honey Badgers and River Lions on Tuesday and Thursday. Niagara, which struggled for much of the middle part of the season under new head coach Kimbal Mackenzie, appears to have righted the ship with a pair of wins over Scarborough and the Montreal Alliance, including star Khalil Ahmad’s first Target Score Winner. With much of their championship core intact, the River Lions could be a fearsome playoff opponent if they make the dance. Win both against the Honey Badgers, and both teams will sit at 9-10 with five games to go. Lose both, and the odds get much longer. In between the Ontario rivals in the standings are the Ottawa BlackJacks and Alliance, both at 8-10. Ottawa beat Montreal but lost to Brampton last week, while Montreal beat Brampton but also lost to Niagara. Little separates the two over 18 games, though the BlackJacks seem to be trending higher with three wins in their last five while the Alliance have dropped four of five. The BlackJacks have just one game this week, a measuring-stick contest against the Shooting Stars, while the Alliance will face major West tests in the Vancouver Bandits and Winnipeg Sea Bears. There is a chaotic world in which all four East teams outside of Scarborough end the week with nine wins apiece. The West is a little more straightforward, with the main intrigue coming in the battle for first between those two clubs who will face Ottawa this week. Vancouver, at 11-7, is navigating this stretch with a new coach after Kyle Julius left for China. Institutionally, the Bandits have the structure in place like Niagara to scare any opponent, but their ceiling remains to be seen. The Bandits are difficult to figure out, with two losses to last-place Calgary this month but a 2-1 record otherwise. For now, Canadians Tyrese Samuel and Mychal Mulder are carrying them. The Sea Bears, at 11-6, are a little bit simpler - everything revolves around league-leading scorer Teddy Allen. They do, however, have a wild card in the form of three-time Xavier Moon, whose return has been held up as he awaits FIBA clearance. If and when Moon returns, Winnipeg will have two star guards - but not very much time to figure out how they can co-exist. The Sea Bears also still have two games left against the Bandits, including a potentially juicy season finale. After those two clubs, Saskatoon (7-9) and Edmonton (7-10) sit third and fourth, while Calgary (4-13) has given itself life with a three-game winning streak. The Stingers, meanwhile, have lost three straight. What once seemed like a given that the Surge would miss the post-season is no longer so. Calgary will host Winnipeg and Saskatoon this week, with their latest run powered by new head coach Dave DeAveiro. The Surge’s first half left essentially no margin for error, but few players yearn for that CEBL title as much as all-time Canadian leading scorer and Surge star Rugzy Miller-Moore. Don’t count them out just yet. Helping their cause are the backsliding Stingers, whose losses to Winnipeg and Vancouver could be excused except for the fact those are the teams the Surge beat in their streak. Veteran captain Nick Hornsby knows what it takes to be successful down the stretch of a CEBL season; he’ll have to use that as Edmonton looks to avoid what would be an epic collapse. Safe to say, intrigue abounds in every game left on the CEBL calendar. The playoffs, after all, are right around the corner. Weekly schedule (Nine games) Game #87 – Tuesday, July 14 – NRL at BHB – 12:30 p.m. ET – CAA Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #88 – Wednesday, July 15 – WPG at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST / 8:30 p.m. CDT / 9:30 p.m. ET – Merlis Belsher Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #89 – Thursday, July 16 – BHB at NRL – 7 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #90 – Thursday, July 16 – EDM at SSS – 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #91 – Friday, July 17 – WPG at CGY – 7:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. CDT / 9:30 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #92 – Friday, July 17 – MTL at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #93 – Saturday, July 18 – EDM at NRL – 3:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. MT – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #94 – Saturday, July 18 – OTT at SSS – 7 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #95 – Sunday, July 19 – MTL at WPG – 3 p.m. CDT / 4 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #96 – Sunday, July 19 – SSK at CGY – 4 p.m. MT/CST / 6 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .