Sea Bears Sign Returning Big Man Stephane Ingo
The Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that 6-9 forward Stephane Ingo has signed to return to the team for the remainder of the season. The Mississauga, Ont. product made his professional debut with the Sea Bears last year, averaging 1.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 13 appearances.
Ingo served as a two-season team captain of the University of Maine Black Bears from 2020 to 2022, leading the team in blocks for three straight seasons after a redshirt freshman year. His most productive season came in a nine-game 2020 campaign that saw him average 10.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks before being cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a graduate student in 2022, he joined the Marist College Red Foxes, starting 31 games and once again leading his team in blocked shots.
“Stephane Ingo will add length and mobility to our frontcourt,” said Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor. “Steph is very intelligent and an excellent team player. He provided quality depth last summer, and we’re excited to welcome him back to help us finish the season strong.”
The 25-year-old set season highs of six points, five rebounds and three blocks while averaging 8.3 minutes per game last season. His season-best scoring performance came in 10-minute, +21 effort June 2 at Scarborough in which he shot a perfect three for three from the floor.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 CEBL season, Ingo joined the McMaster University men’s team coaching staff as an analytics specialist. He progressed to the CEBL coaching ranks as a video coordinator with the Brampton Honey Badgers after the team named Marauders lead assistant Sheldon Cassimy their head coach for the 2024 season. Ingo will depart from his role with Cassimy’s staff in Brampton to join the Sea Bears.
“I’m excited to be back with the team and to help them make a playoff push for the best fans in the CEBL,” said Ingo. “I’m going to bring defence and energy every time I step onto the floor.”
Ingo joins the Sea Bears ahead of a five-game stretch of Western Conference matchups to close out the club’s regular-season campaign. After wrapping up a home-and-home series with the Bandits Thursday night in Vancouver, the team will return home to face the Rattlers on Saturday, July 20. For tickets, visit seabears.ca/tickets.
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About the Winnipeg Sea Bears
The Winnipeg Sea Bears joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) as an expansion franchise in 2023. The city's only professional basketball team plays out of Canada Life Centre from May to August in a 20-game regular season schedule. Winnipeg businessman and lawyer, David Asper, is the organization's owner and chairman.
More information on the Sea Bears can be found at
seabears.ca and @wpgseabears on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn & Facebook.
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.