Red hot Surge looking for fourth straight win as they face BlackJacks in only meeting of season
Riding a three-game win streak, the Calgary Surge (5-5) are looking for more as they head to Ottawa to take on the BlackJacks (3-7).
The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET from The Arena at TD Place, with live coverage available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.
Calgary is in the midst of a season-long six-game road trip. Winners of three straight and four of their last five in total, the Surge are among the hottest teams in the CEBL right now and have begun their long stay away with a dominant 105-77 victory over the Saskatchewan Rattlers and an impressive 91-80 win over provincial rival Edmonton, holding the Stingers scoreless during Target Score Time.
The Surge are led by an electric trio of guards in Canadians Sean Miller-Moore (Brampton, Ont.) and Mathieu Kamba (Calgary, Alta.), and American Corey Davis Jr. The three average 47.1 points per game combined and all with their ability to shoot the three-ball, put pressure on the rim and make plays for themselves individually and for each other, they’ve proven difficult for just about the entire league to keep in check as the season has progressed.
“There was a bunch of personalities and even myself, coming into a locker room and we’re all brand new to each other and we don’t know each other,” Surge head coach Tyrell Vernon said after the game against Edmonton. “I think now we’re gaining trust and understand what everybody’s skill set is and how my message comes across.”
Finding a way to slow down those three players will be key for the BlackJacks, who have struggled defensively this season, giving up 94.1 points per game.
Ottawa kicked off a three-game homestand on Thursday with a 102-80 win over the Scarborough Shooting Stars in a game where some of their defensive woes looked to be shored up with the return of CEBL rebounding leader Isaih Moore and the addition of Kyree Walker – who won a championship with Scarborough in 2023.
Unfortunately for Ottawa, it lost star guard Brandon Sampson to injury before Thursday’s game but the victory looks to be something to build upon with Keevan Veinot, Tyrrel Tate and Moore each scoring 21 in Thursday’s win and, more importantly an active and engaged defence that managed to hold the Shooting Stars to just 39.4 per cent shooting from the field.
“Certainly our best overall performance so far,” Ottawa head coach James Derouin said on Thursday. “On both ends of the floor, but most importantly holding them to 80. … Getting key stops, that was probably the biggest takeaway from the game.”
Key matchup
As Calgary has gained momentum and have been picking up wins over its last five games, so has the level of play risen from its dynamic guard trio of Miller-Moore, Kamba and Davis. If the BlackJacks are going to have any shot against the Surge then players like Lloyd Pandi, Javon Masters and Veinot are going to have to dig in on the defensive side of the ball to try to slow down Calgary Big Three.
Milestone watch
● Ottawa’s Zena Edosomwan needs five rebounds to reach 250 for his career, regular season only.
● Calgary’s Mathieu Kamba, of Calgary, Alta., needs six rebounds to reach 250 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
● Calgary’s Jordy Tshimanga, of Montreal, Que., needs seven blocked shots to reach 50 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
● Calgary’s Stefan Smith, of Ajax, Ont., needs five steals to reach 50 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
● Calgary’s Sean Miller-Moore, of Brampton, Ont., needs six steals to reach 50 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
● Calgary’s Malcolm Duvivier, of Toronto, Ont., needs seven steals to reach 50 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
● Calgary’s Mathieu Kamba, of Calgary, Alta., needs two three-pointers made to reach 100 for his career, regular season only.
● Ottawa’s Tyrrel Tate needs nine three-pointers made to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
2023 season series
This is the first and only meeting between these two teams this season. Last season, the Surge won in their only meeting of the year in Calgary, 86-79.
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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 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. 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. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.