Matthew Winick
The Edmonton Stingers (10-1) and the Saskatchewan Rattlers (1-10) are set to square off for the fourth and final time this season on Monday at 9:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. local time in Edmonton.
Edmonton outscored Saskatchewan 275-186 over the three previous games between July 8-12. Included in those tallies were the second-largest margin of victory in CEBL history (41 points) and the lowest single-team output in any game in league history (56 points).
However, it was during that mini-series that the Rattlers chose Conor Dow to become their interim head coach, and the team has shown signs of improvement since. It’s only led to one victory so far, but Saskatchewan has been competitive in every game with Dow at the helm.
Scoring Sensation
While it’s been almost a whole week since Edmonton’s last game, Xavier Moon’s record-breaking performance isn’t something that will be forgotten any time soon.
The 6-foot-2 guard broke his own CEBL single-game scoring record with 39 points on Tuesday against the Fraser Valley Bandits, shooting a remarkable 15-24 from the field and 7-11 from three-point range. After being held to just 12 points the game prior, Moon made sure he wouldn’t be shut down for a second time.
Moon buoyed his electric performance into some exciting news. The guard has officially signed a contract in Italy for the fall season, one of several players across the league who will be starring in Europe once the CEBL season comes to a close.
Devonte Bandoo-it-all
While Rattlers’ guard Devonte Bandoo may not be making quite the same headlines as Moon, his all-around play has been crucial to the performance of his squad this season.
Bandoo leads Saskatchewan in points, assists, steals, three-pointers, and minutes per game, while ranking second in rebounds. The versatile guard has taken on the scoring burden while continuing to make plays for teammates and staying solid on the defensive end of the floor.
Considering this is Bandoo’s first professional experience following two standout seasons at Baylor University, look for the Canadian guard to continue to improve as each game passes.
Playoff Picture
Edmonton hasn’t had to worry about its playoff positioning in quite a while, as the CEBL’s top team record-wise has not relinquished its pole position all season. While Hamilton is only a game-and-a-half back of the Stingers, Edmonton has the tiebreaker thanks to a 2-0 record against the Honey Badgers this year.
Meanwhile, the Rattlers are fighting to keep their playoff chances alive. The team is currently two wins back of the Guelph Nighthawks for the sixth and final playoff spot. With only three games left, Saskatchewan will have to win at least two of its final contests and hope for an 0-3 stretch by the Nighthawks.
Current CEBL standings can be found here
All CEBL games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service CEBL+, cbcsports.ca , the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube