The Saskatchewan Rattlers beat the Hamilton Honey Badgers 113-95 to win their first-ever home game with a resounding offensive performance. The Honey Badgers suffered their first- ever CEBL loss to drop their record to 1-1.

The Rattlers had a balanced scoring attack, with captain Bruce Massey (29 points), Negus Webster-Chan (22) and Tavrion Dawson leading the way (30). Alex Campbell also contributed 11 points. Meanwhile, Ricky Tarrant Jr. (36 points) and Demetrius Denzel-Dyson (19) carried the load offensively for Hamilton.

Both sides started the game close with baskets back and forth. Dawson scored four straight points to open the game. He had the Rattlers’ first six points before a Campbell jumper.

Meanwhile Hamilton’s Justin Edwards euro-stepped to the basket as the teams also pushed the pace after multiple misses.

The Honey Badgers finished off transition as Joe Rocca found Denzel-Dyson to give them a brief lead before a Justus Alleyn three by Saskatchewan.

Hamilton continued to push in transition as Tarrant Jr. went coast-to-coast for a layup and Rocca scored off the break as well. The Honey Badgers led 25-21 after 10 minutes.

Campbell hit a three to cut the lead to 25-24. Then, a steal by Massey led to a Campbell layup to put the hosts ahead. Webster-Chan scored off a spin move to the basket as Saskatchewan continued their run.

Hamilton fought back with good ball movement leading to a dunk by captain Mike Fraser and Terrance drained a contested deep ball. Massey brought the crowd to its feet with an ally-oop pass to Marlon Johnson for the dunk.

However, the score remained close throughout the second quarter as neither team was able to pull significantly ahead until Jelane Pryce and Webster-Chan hit open threes to open up a double-digit lead late in the second. Dawson added to the three-point party with a deep three as he reached 15 points at halftime. The home team led 51-38 after two quarters.

An early 4-0 run by Hamilton led to a Rattlers timeout as the visitors capitalized on two turnovers to make it 51-42 with a layup by Tarrant Jr.

Webster-Chan responded from the timeout with a rhythm three and made a no look pass to Massey for another score. The pace picked up as both teams exchanged points. Tarrant continued to carry the load offensively but the Rattlers had a response down low time and time again.

Denzel-Dyson hit a baseline fadeaway but the Rattlers had an answer with another three from Webster-Chan. Tarrant Jr went off injured as he crashed to the ground after finishing a layup.

The Honey Badgers rallied as Rocca swished a three and Edwards scored a layup to cut the deficit to 75-68 at the end of the third.

With the game still in the balance early in the fourth, Massey hit a jumper to make it 77-70.

Tarrant Jr. checked back into the game after his fall however the Rattlers went on a run to push the lead back to double digits.

The margin would stay that way until Massey found Dawson on the break – one of many transition buckets – to blow the lead open. Massey added to his strong performance with a layup and then three off an ensuing steal. He hit a step back jumper late in the game as the crowd continued to cheer him on.

The two teams will rematch on May 18, this time in Hamilton as the will have a chance for redemption.

By Michael Sun