Surge look to keep playoff momentum rolling against desperate Rattlers

Calgary’s stampede toward the post-season is set to resume in Saskatchewan.

The Surge visit the Rattlers at the SaskTel Centre on Sunday at 4 p.m. CST/MT / 6 p.m. ET looking to put further distance between them and last-place Saskatchewan in the Western Conference. Live streaming coverage of the game is available on CEBL+ and TSN+.

Winners of two straight against the top two teams in the West, Edmonton and Vancouver, Calgary has moved back above .500 at 8-7 following a four-game skid.

The Surge seem to be coalescing at the right time despite plenty of absences. Big men Gabe Osabuohien and Justin Lewis went to NBA Summer League alongside guard Trhae Mitchell, while leading scorers Sean Miller-Moore and Stefan Smith missed Calgary’s most recent game due to lower-body injuries.

Yet Calgary has put forth two of its best performances of the season, holding the Stingers to a franchise-low 58 points before outlasting the Bandits in a back-and-forth affair.

Three season-long stalwarts have pushed the Surge forward amid its raft of absences. Jordy Tshimanga dominated down low with 25 points and 13 rebounds against Edmonton, and while he struggled against the Bandits for most of the game, he found his force at the right time, scoring the winning bucket on a post-up with Vancouver two points away from the target.

Meanwhile, Corey Davis Jr. and Mathieu Kamba kept Calgary afloat for most of the Vancouver game, combining for 37 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.

“I just knew my teammates had my back and I knew if I gave 100 per cent, it’d kinda bring guys along,” Kamba said.

Saskatchewan, meanwhile, snapped a seven-game losing streak on Thursday with a 12-point victory over the Winnipeg Sea Bears.

At 6-9, the Rattlers sit in last place of a competitive Western Conference. But the Winnipeg victory kept them within striking distance of the playoffs, setting up a fascinating final five games of the season in which the Surge and Sea Bears – the two teams directly ahead of Saskatchewan – still face each other twice.

The Rattlers’ core has been overhauled since the start of the season, with Jalen Harris exiting to play professionally in Asia and being replaced by ex-Sea Bears star and reigning MVP Teddy Allen.

In three games with the team, Allen has struggled to find his shooting stroke but is still averaging 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per contest.

Sunday marks the final meeting of the season between Calgary and Saskatchewan. The Surge have dominated both games thus far with wins by 17 and 28 points.

Player spotlight

Kyler Edwards has played just two games for Calgary, but his impact has already been immense.

The 25-year-old American averaged 13.3 points in the G League last season and immediately transferred that scoring prowess to the CEBL, where he’s totalled 32 points and earned the starting nod in his second appearance.

Edwards’ sudden ease with the Surge may be helped by playing alongside a former Houston Cougars teammate in Davis Jr.

But with the Surge seeming certain to miss key players down the stretch, the addition of Edwards could make the difference between making and missing the playoffs.

Milestone watch



• Calgary’s Smith needs 29 points to reach 500 for his career, regular season only
• Saskatchewan’s Allen needs 20 points to reach 900 for his career, regular season only
• Saskatchewan’s Cody John needs eight assists to reach 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.