Teddy Allen looks to continue hot start to season as Sea Bears host winless BlackJacks

Coming off a pair of 40-point outbursts to begin the season, Teddy Allen and the Winnipeg Sea Bears (1-1) are looking to keep momentum rolling at home when they host the Ottawa BlackJacks (0-2) Saturday. 

The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. local/8:30 p.m. ET from Canada Life Centre, with live coverage available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. 

Allen, last season’s CEBL MVP, is in fine form to begin the season, averaging 40.5 points per game with a 40-point performance to begin the season against the Saskatchewan Rattlers, followed up by 41-ball in Winnipeg’s last game versus the defending champion Scarborough Shooting Stars. 

Following up on a thrilling home victory that saw them come from behind and win on an Alex Campbell three, the Sea Bears are welcoming in the BlackJacks, who are off to a rough start to the season and could be in for another tough time Saturday heading into what will almost assuredly be a raucous Canada Life Centre. 

The Sea Bears fans packed the arena with 9,116 last game, the second-largest attendance ever for a regular-season CEBL contest. 

“Honestly, I’ve been in a lot of arenas in my career and that was one of the loudest I’ve ever heard,” said Winnipeg guard Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson after the Sea Bears’ win over the Shooting Stars. “It felt like your head was going to fall off.” 

Ottawa’s had a difficult time finding offence over its first two games, averaging 83 points per game, third-worst in the league. This early-season issue was most indicative by the way the BlackJacks dropped their last game, falling 92-84 to the Edmonton Stingers in their home opener Wednesday. 

Both Ottawa and Edmonton entered Target Score Time knotted up at 81 apiece, but the BlackJacks only managed three points during the finishing period, dooming their chances. 

A bright spot for Ottawa, however, is newcomer Isaih Moore, who only played his first-ever CEBL game Wednesday. The 6-foot-10 Moore, who played 10 games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League last season, finished Wednesday’s game with 22 points and six rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting. 

The addition of Moore looks to give the BlackJacks a much-needed offensive lift as Ottawa still remains without 2023 starters Deng Adel and Zena Edosomwan, who are currently completing their professional seasons overseas, and possibly starting guard Yasiin Joseph, who was forced to exit Wednesday’s contest with an elbow injury. 

The Sea Bears will also be seeing additional reinforcements heading their way, just not in time for Saturday’s game. Winnipeg native Emmanuel Akot will be coming home to play for the Sea Bears this season after the conclusion of his season with Heroes Den Bosch of BNXT League. 

The 6-foot-8 forward played a couple games with the BlackJacks last season. 

Key matchup 

Allen has been terrorizing the CEBL with this ability to score at all three levels, but if there’s one weakness to be found in his game, it’s an inconsistent three-point stroke. 

Through two games, Allen has taken 27 threes, but has only made nine of them (33.3 per cent). If you compare that to the 14-for-26 (53.8 per cent) he’s shooting on two-point attempts, it’s fairly obvious which areas of the floor he should be looking to attack from more often. 

It’s unlikely that any one BlackJack will be able to slow Allen down, but if they can send multiple defenders his way and make a concerted effort to stick to a gameplan that forces him to take tougher threes then Ottawa could find some success. 

Milestone watch 

• Ottawa’s Jermel Kennedy, of Malton, Ont., needs nine rebounds to reach 250 for his career, regular season and playoffs. 
• Winnipeg’s Chad Posthumus needs 14 rebounds to reach 400 for his career, regular season only. 
• Winnipeg’s Teddy Allen needs seven assists to reach 100 for his career, regular season only. 
• Ottawa’s Lloyd Pandi, of Ottawa, Ont., needs eight assists to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs. 
• Ottawa’s Tyrrel Tate needs eight assists to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs. 
• Winnipeg’s Teddy Allen needs five steals to reach 50 for his career, regular season only. 
• Winnipeg’s Teddy Allen needs nine three-pointers made to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs. 

2023 season series 

The Sea Bears and BlackJacks saw each other just once last season in Ottawa, with the BlackJacks emerging as 99-86 victors, despite a 26-point, 10-rebound effort from Allen. 

- 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 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.