Rattlers host Stingers as both teams ache for victory
Two teams desperate to return to the win column are set to meet in Saskatoon.
The Saskatchewan Rattlers host the Edmonton Stingers at the SaskTel Centre on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET. Live streaming coverage of the game is available on CEBL+ and TSN+.
Saskatchewan, which has lost eight of its past nine games, is attempting to claw its way back into the post-season picture. At 6-10, the Rattlers sit last in the West and 1.5 games behind the fourth-place Winnipeg Sea Bears for the conference’s final playoff spot.
Edmonton, meanwhile, already knows it’s headed to the playoffs. But after losing three straight to drop to 11-7 and out of first place, the Stingers suddenly find themselves tied in the win column with first-place Vancouver (11-5) and even in the loss column with third-place Calgary (9-7).
The Rattlers and Stingers arrived at their droughts in different ways.
Saskatchewan has undergone heavy roster overhaul since the beginning of the season, most notably when leading scorer Jalen Harris left the team to join a professional team in Asia and was replaced by reigning MVP Teddy Allen.
In four games as a Rattler, Allen has averaged 22 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists — numbers that are nearly in line with Harris’ production.
But the team has won just one of those four games as hope for a season that began with three straight wins and victories in five of seven continues to fade.
“Everybody knows what’s at stake,” head coach Larry Abney said after Sunday’s loss to Calgary. “I guess it’s basically a race between us and Winnipeg right now. Game by game, we gotta go after our [40-minute efforts] with the urgency that it may be our last opportunity.”
Edmonton, meanwhile, has enjoyed continuity in a league with constant player turnover — the Stingers’ name appears just twice on the league’s transaction tracker since the beginning of the season.
But perhaps head coach Jordan Baker’s mix has gone stale. During the losing skid, Edmonton was held to a franchise-low 58 points, then rebounded offensively but surrendered over 100 points in each of its next two.
It is also possible, however, that the Stingers have simply run into the type of cold spell most teams endure. While they are middle of the pack in both average points for and against, Edmonton leads the league in field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and steals per game — underlying indicators that the Stingers remain a strong squad.
Thursday marks the third and final meeting of the season between Edmonton and Saskatchewan, with the Stingers having won each of the first two.
Key matchup
The Stingers and Rattlers present a clash of styles.
Edmonton’s roster features a litany of players who could pop off in any given game, with eight players averaging at least 18 minutes per contest and six averaging double-digit scoring.
Baker can mix and match depending on the opponent and who appears to have rhythm.
On the other hand, Saskatchewan plays a more helio-centric style around Allen, who takes 21.5 shots per game.
When Allen is feeling hot, it’s a strategy that can pay off in offensive explosions. But when the former Sea Bear isn’t hitting his shots — and he’s made just 31.4 per cent as a Rattler — he tends to take his team down with him.
Milestone watch
- Edmonton’s Mike Nuga is three points away from 500 for his career, including playoffs
- Edmonton’s Brody Clarke is 14 points away from 900 for his career, including playoffs
- Saskatchewan’s Allen is 27 points away from 1,000 for his career, including playoffs
- Saskatchewan’s Cody John is six assists away from 100 for his career, including playoffs
- 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.