Vancouver Bandits Sign Portland Trail Blazers Guard Taze Moore

Vendredi, Whitehorse a vu pour la toute première fois l'un de ses joueurs être désigné premier choix du repêchage de la LNH, lorsque Gavin McKenna, héros local, a été sélectionné par les Maple Leafs de Toronto. Exactement une semaine plus tard, une nouvelle page de l'histoire sportive du Yukon s'écrira lorsque la LECB viendra en ville pour le tout premier match de basketball professionnel jamais disputé dans les Territoires. À l'occasion de la fin de semaine de la fête du Canada, le Mamba de Saskatoon affrontera le Surge de Calgary à l’aréna Takhini lors du premier match de ce qui devrait devenir une série annuelle au cours des trois prochaines années. Les habitants du Yukon auront le plaisir d'assister à un match passionnant de la Conférence de l’Ouest. Après avoir enchaîné six victoires en sept matchs, le Mamba (6-7) a grimpé rapidement au classement et s’est clairement imposé comme prétendants aux séries éliminatoires. Saskatoon, qui a remporté le tout premier championnat de la LECB en 2019, se rend à Whitehorse avec un mélange d’anciennes et nouvelles vedettes. Le Canadien Devonté Bandoo, meilleur marqueur de trois points de tous les temps parmi les joueurs toujours actifs de la ligue, est de retour pour sa quatrième saison au sein de la franchise. Toujours aussi constant, il réussit 38,9 % de ses tirs à trois points et affiche à nouveau une moyenne à deux chiffres, avec 12,1 points par rencontre. Tevian Jones, quant à lui, figure parmi les 25 meilleurs marqueurs de tous les temps de la ligue. Il n’est plus qu’à 21 points d’atteindre 800 points marqués en saison régulière depuis le début de sa carrière. Ce joueur américain a récemment fait son retour chez le Mamba pour sa deuxième saison à Saskatoon. Il continue de jouer le rôle de pivot offensif qui a fait sa réputation au cours de ses trois années passées dans la ligue au sein de quatre franchises différentes, après avoir débuté la saison à Vancouver. Le Mamba vise toujours la première place de la Conférence de l’Ouest, à seulement trois victoires des Bandits. Pour y parvenir, il est indispensable de remporter des matchs comme celui qui sera disputé à Whitehorse contre le Surge qui a une fiche de 1-11. La saison a été mouvementée à Calgary. En effet, l'équipe en est déjà à son deuxième entraîneur-chef et vient tout juste de remporter son premier match. Même si le Surge affiche le plus mauvais différentiel de points de la ligue, ils se sont montrés compétitifs par moments, notamment lors d'une défaite de six points face au Mamba au début du mois. Et ils arrivent accompagnés d’une légende de la LECB : Rugzy Miller-Moore, le meilleur marqueur canadien de tous les temps, qui réalise une nouvelle saison exceptionnelle à Stampede City avec une moyenne de 20,9 points par match, la meilleure de son équipe. Le Surge a atteint la finale la saison dernière avec un noyau similaire, composé de Miller-Moore et de son coéquipier Evan Gilyard II ; une éventuelle remontée tardive en saison en vue des séries éliminatoires pourrait bien commencer maintenant. Calgary arrivera au Yukon, peut-être revigorée par la bataille de l'Alberta contre leurs rivaux, les Stingers d'Edmonton, disputé deux jours plus tôt à l'occasion de la fête du Canada. La rencontre entre le Surge et les Stingers constitue la deuxième partie d'un programme double prévu le 1er juillet, qui s'ouvrira sur un gros match de l’est opposant les Shooting Stars de Scarborough à l'Alliance de Montréal. Edmonton (5-7), comme Saskatoon, cherchera à tirer parti de la faiblesse de Calgary pour remonter au classement de l’Ouest. Les Stingers ont remporté deux victoires consécutives à l'approche de la fête du Canada, en battant le Mamba à domicile et à l'extérieur. Leur attaque, qui repose sur une répartition équilibrée des points, est menée par Stanley Davis Jr., qui n'a encore jamais commencé un match en huit rencontres, mais qui reste néanmoins le meilleur marqueur de l'équipe avec 13,9 points par match. Même si aucun leader individuel d’Edmonton ne se démarque particulièrement, l’équipe de Jordan Baker pratique le basket collectif qu’il prône, ce qui leur a permis de mettre fin à une série de trois défaites consécutives lors de ces rencontres face au Mamba. Ils vont désormais tenter de renverser complètement la tendance et de se rapprocher à un match d’un taux de victoire de 50 % face à Calgary. Mais le véritable match en tête d’affiche sera le match qui précédera celui-ci, lorsque les Shooting Stars (11-2), en tête du classement, affronteront l'Alliance de Montréal (7-6), qui ont trois victoires consécutives. Scarborough a transformé une série effrénée de remontées spectaculaires en début de saison en une domination sans partage, avec seulement deux défaites à son actif. Les Shooting Stars ont battu l'Alliance de quatre points lors de leur premier match de la saison, mais les effectifs ont beaucoup changé depuis. Il y a toutefois une chose qui n'a pas changé : la présence de Myles Powell, deuxième meilleur marqueur de la LECB, qui affiche une moyenne de 28 points par match et qui en a marqué exactement autant lors de son dernier match contre Montréal. De son côté, le pivot Frank Mitchell affiche une moyenne de double-double (14,8 points, 11,3 rebonds) sous le panier. Montréal ripostera avec des joueurs tels que le Canadien Quincy Guerrier, qui affiche une moyenne de 14,3 points et 7,2 rebonds par match au sein de l'équipe de sa ville natale. Au cours de leur série de victoires, l’Alliance a vaincu Edmonton, Calgary et les River Lions de Niagara. La compétition va cependant monter d'un cran avec les Shooting Stars, qui permettront à l’équipe de Scarborough de prouver qu’elle ne va pas simplement s'emparer facilement de la Conférence de l’Est. Programme hebdomadaire (11 matchs) Match #66 – Le mardi 30 juin – SSK à WPG – 19 h (HAC) / 18 h (HNC) / 20 h (HE) – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #67 – Le mercredi 1er juillet – MTL à SSS – 16 h (HE) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #68 – Le mercredi 1er juillet – CGY à EDM – 16 h (HR) / 18 h (HE) – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #69 – Le jeudi 2 juillet – OTT à BHB – 19 h 30 (HE) – CAA Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #70 – Le vendredi 3 juillet – SSS à MTL – 19 h 30 (HE) – l'Auditorium de Verdun (CBC Gem, YouTube, RDS.ca, CEBL+) Match #71 – Le vendredi 3 juillet – CGY à SSK – 18 h 30 (HNY) / 19 h 30 (HNC)/(HR) / 21 h 30 (HE) – L’aréna Takhini (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #72 – Le vendredi 3 juillet – EDM à VAN – 19 h (HP) / 20 h (HR) / 22 h (HE) – Envision Financial Court au Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #73 – Le samedi 4 juillet – OTT à NRL – 19 h (HE) – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #74 – Le dimanche 5 juillet – CGY à VAN – 12 h 30 (HP) / 13 h 30 (HR) / 15 h 30 (HE) – Envision Financial Court au Langley Events Centre (CBC, CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #75 – Le dimanche 5 juillet – SSS à BHB – 16 h (HE) – CAA Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #76 – Le dimanche 5 juillet – WPG à EDM – 16 h (HR) / 17 h (HAC) / 18 h (HE) – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Pour le calendrier complet de la LECB 2026, veuillez consulter cebl.ca/games .  ###

On Friday, Whitehorse had its first-ever No. 1 pick in the NHL draft when hometown hero Gavin McKenna was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Exactly one week later, even more Yukon sports history will be made when the CEBL comes to town for the first-ever professional basketball game in the Territories. In celebration of Canada Day weekend, the Saskatoon Mamba will face the Calgary Surge at Takhini Arena in the first of what is expected to be an annual series over the next three years. Yukoners will be treated to a fascinating Western Conference matchup. After catching fire with six wins in seven games, the Mamba (6-7) have vaulted up the standings and firmly entered the playoff conversation. Saskatoon, which won the inaugural CEBL championship in 2019, brings a mix of old and new stars to Whitehorse. Canada’s Devonté Bandoo, the league’s active all-time three-points leader, is back for his fourth stint with the franchise and steady as ever, draining 38.9 per cent of his triples and scoring double-digits again with 12.1 points per game. Tevian Jones, meanwhile, sits in the league’s top-25 in all-time scoring and is just 21 points from 800 total in his regular-season career as the American import returned to the Mamba recently for his second go-round in Saskatoon. He continues to serve as the offensive focal points he’s become known for over three years in the league with four different franchises after starting this season in Vancouver. The Mamba still have their eyes on the top seed in the West, sitting just three games behind those Bandits. Winning games like the one in Whitehorse against a 1-11 Surge squad is imperative in that push. It’s been a tumultuous season in Calgary, which is on its second head coach and only recently won its first game. While the Surge own the worst point differential in the league, they have been competitive in spurts, including in a six-point loss to the Mamba earlier this month. And they arrive with a CEBL legend of their own in Rugzy Miller-Moore, the all-time Canadian scoring leader who’s enjoying another strong season in the Stampede City with a team-high 20.9 points per game. The Surge reached the final last season with a similar core of Miller-Moore and fellow guard Evan Gilyard II; any late-season playoff push could be kickstarted now. Calgary will arrive in Yukon perhaps energized from a Canada Day contest against its rival Edmonton Stingers in the Battle of Alberta two days prior. The Surge-Stingers matchup is the second half of a July 1 double-header that opens with a heavyweight East showdown between the Scarborough Shooting Stars and Montreal Alliance. Edmonton (5-7), like Saskatoon, will be looking to take advantage of the weaker Calgary side as it looks to climb up the West. The Stingers have won two straight games heading into Canada Day, beating the Mamba at home and on the road. Their balanced scoring attack is led by Stanley Davis Jr., who has yet to start in eight appearances but still paces the team with 13.9 points per game. While none of Edmonton’s individual leaders jump out at you, Jordan Baker’s squad is playing his type of team basketball, which it used to end a three-game skid in those contests with the Mamba. They’ll now look to fully reverse that and move within one game of .500 against Calgary. The real headliner, however, will be the game prior, when the league-leading Shooting Stars (11-2) take on the Montreal Alliance (7-6), who have won three straight. Scarborough turned a frenzy of early-season comebacks into pure dominance with just two losses on its ledger. The Shooting Stars beat the Alliance by four in their season opener, but rosters have changed greatly. One thing that hasn’t, however, is the presence of CEBL second-leading scorer Myles Powell, who is putting up 28 points per game and scored precisely that against Montreal last time out. Meanwhile, big man Frank Mitchell is averaging a double-double (14.8 points, 11.3 rebounds) down low. Montreal will counter with the likes of Canadian Quincy Guerrier, who’s putting up 14.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for his hometown squad. The Alliance have beaten Edmonton, Calgary and the Niagara River Lions during their winning streak, but the competition will kick up a notch with the Shooting Stars — an opportunity to prove that Scarborough won’t simply run away with the East. Weekly schedule (11 games) Game #66 – Tuesday, June 30 – SSK at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. CST / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #67 – Wednesday, July 1 – MTL at SSS – 4 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #68 – Wednesday, July 1 – CGY at EDM – 4 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #69 – Thursday, July 2 – OTT at BHB – 7:30 p.m. ET – CAA Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #70 – Friday, July 3 – SSS at MTL – 7:30 p.m. ET – Verdun Auditorium (CBC Gem, YouTube, RDS.ca, CEBL+) Game #71 – Friday, July 3 – CGY at SSK – 6:30 p.m. YST / 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – Takhini Arena (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #72 – Friday, July 3 – EDM at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. MT / 10 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #73 – Saturday, July 4 – OTT at NRL – 7 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #74 – Sunday, July 5 – CGY at VAN – 12:30 p.m. PT / 1:30 p.m. MT / 3:30 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC, CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #75 – Sunday, July 5 – SSS at BHB – 4 p.m. ET – CAA Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #76 – Sunday, July 5 – WPG at EDM – 4 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that they have signed NBA G League-experienced big man Justyn Hamilton. After two straight years in the NBA G League, Hamilton is getting his first run up north in the CEBL, joining the Honey Badgers at the halfway point of the season. He is coming off a season with the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee Bucks G League affiliate) and the Grand Rapids Gold (Denver Nuggets G League affiliate) where he posted 6.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 13.8 minutes across 36 games. “Justyn is a great person and fits our culture,” said Honey Badgers General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jermaine Anderson. “His size and interior presence on both ends of the court will be valuable additions to our team. We’re looking forward to integrating him into our rotation and welcoming him to the Honey Badgers family.” Hamilton spent his first professional season with Lugano in Switzerland where he was awarded two Player of the Week awards while averaging 19.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 24 games. As a senior with Kent State University, Hamilton won All-MAC Sixth Man of the Year en route to a MAC Tournament finale appearance. “We're excited to welcome Justyn to the organization,” said Honey Badgers Head Coach Alex Cerda. “His experience at the NBA G League level, combined with his defensive presence and selfless approach, gives our group another layer of physicality and stability. He's a player who understands his role, competes every possession, and makes the players around him better.” The Brampton Honey Badgers will return home after a long road trip to face the Ottawa BlackJacks on Thursday, July 2, followed quickly by a quick rematch with the Scarborough Shooting Stars on July 5 at the CAA Centre. Get your tickets here , starting at only $20 each ### About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca .

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced today that the team has re-signed Isaih Moore for the 2026 Season. The 6’10 power forward from Sumter, SC has spent two previous seasons with the BlackJacks, averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per game in the 2024 season, and 19 points and 11 rebounds per game in the 2025 season. Most recently, in the 2025-26 season, Moore spent time in the NBA G-League with the San Diego Clippers, Mexico City Capitanes and the College Park Skyhawks. Across the three G-League teams, he averaged 12 points and six rebounds. During Moore’s time at both JUCO’s and NCAA Division I schools, he averaged 11.6 pts, and 7.3 rebs. He played at Charleston University, Pearl River Community College, St. John's University, Southern Mississippi University and Fresno State University, across 5 years. He graduated from Fresno State after the 2023-23 season. During the 2020-21 season, with St. John’s, he was a Third-Team All-American. After graduating, M oore practiced with the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G-League, before he was acquired by the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and then the Greensboro Swarm. Across his first year in the G-League, he averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. Moore played briefly with the Edmonton Stingers of the CEBL during the 2026 season, averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds across five games. Moore is coming in to be a defensive powerhouse. Standing at 6’10, he could be who the BlackJacks have been looking for in the absence of Drew Cisse, who is currently gone to national team camp with Guinea. He is 13th in all-time defensive rebounds per game in the CEBL with 6.1 and 19th in all-time defensive rebounds with 126.

The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed former Indiana Pacers NBA G League guard Tevin Brown for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-5 guard from Fairhope, Ala., Brown is no stranger to the CEBL having last played in the league during the 2024 season for the Ottawa BlackJacks. In his first stint in Canada, he finished the season as the BlackJacks’ leader in points, three point field goals made and minutes per game en route to earning CEBL Clutch Player of the Year honours. A veteran of four professional seasons, Brown began his career in 2022 as a member of the Indiana Pacers’ NBA G League affiliate, Fort Wayne Mad Ants (now the Noblesville Boom). Most recently, he suited up in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga with Rasta Vechta where he averaged 16.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists across 38 games during the 2025-26 season. His career includes previous stints in New Zealand, France, Hungary and Poland. Prior to turning professional, Brown played the entirety of his university basketball career at Murray State University from 2018 to 2022. He earned First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honours three season in a row and helped lead the Racers to an NCAA March Madness appearance during his senior year in 2022.

The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that they have signed Canadian guard Brandon Muntu for the rest of the CEBL season. Muntu will be continuing his first professional season in the CEBL after already spending seven games with the Calgary Surge. In his first experience in professional basketball, he has averaged 3.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 11.6 minutes. “Brandon plays with an edge, embraces his role, and does the little things that help teams win,” said Honey Badgers Head Coach Alex Cerda. “We're excited to add another high-character competitor to our locker room and look forward to getting him integrated with our group.” Born in Calgary, Alberta, Muntu had an exhilarating journey through college basketball, spending three years playing in JUCO, before making the leap and rounding out his time in college with Tennessee Tech at the NCAA Division I level. He scored just under 1400 points and shot the three-point ball well at a 37 percent clip over 156 games. His NCAA tenure ended on a high note, playing almost 800 minutes in 31 games and averaged 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and shot 41 percent from the field. “We’re looking forward to welcoming Brandon to our team,” said Honey Badgers General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jermaine Anderson. “He will strengthen our perimeter shooting and bring a level of toughness that is extremely valuable as we enter the second half of the season. We’re excited to have him join the Honey Badgers family.” Muntu has never backed down from a challenge in his basketball career, and this was on display in 2022-23 with Triton College, where he showed he can guard anybody at any size on the court and was named to NJCAA Third-Team All-American honours after averaging 15.7 points per game and nailing nearly 41 percent of his threes. Muntu also has previously had the privilege of representing both his country and province, as a member of the U15 provincial and national teams in 2016. The Brampton Honey Badgers will face another test on the road on Saturday, June 27, going against their Eastern Conference rival Scarborough Shooting Stars, and then will return home for another homestand on Thursday, July 2, and Sunday, July 5, where they will take on the Ottawa BlackJacks and have a rematch with the Shooting Stars, respectively. You can get your tickets here now, starting at just $20 per ticket. ### About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca .

Following a thorough review, the Canadian Elite Basketball League has suspended Vancouver Bandits Head Coach Kyle Julius for three games in response to an incident involving a fan at the CEBL game on June 18.  Julius has served one game of the suspension and will serve the remaining two games.

Depuis des années déjà, les Bandits de Vancouver s'imposent comme la référence dans l'Ouest, notamment pendant la saison régulière. Et au début de la campagne de 2026, tout semblait se dérouler comme d'habitude. Vancouver a remporté sept de ses neuf premiers matchs, réaffirmant ainsi sa dominance avant même le retour de Mitch Creek, le joueur le plus utile actuel. La première place était à eux s’ils ne faisaient pas de faux pas. Mais soudainement, en l'espace de quelques jours à peine, l'Ouest a une nouvelle vision de l’avenir et un nouveau leader pour couronner le tout. Les Sea Bears de Winnipeg se sont hissés à la première place de la conférence après une série de quatre victoires consécutives. De leur côté, le Mamba de Saskatoon, qui affiche lui aussi une série de quatre victoires consécutives, occupe la troisième place. Vancouver et Winnipeg s'affronteront samedi lors d'une confrontation de l'ouest, un match pour lequel les deux équipes ne manqueront pas de motivation. La semaine dernière, nous avons passé en revue dans cette rubrique les prétendants au titre de la Conférence de l’Est. Et maintenant, c’est au tour de l'Ouest. Les Bandits (8-4) Il ne faut pas confondre une forte compétition avec un sentiment de panique pour Vancouver. Après avoir échappé des matchs contre Winnipeg et les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, les Bandits ont rebondi samedi en remportant une grosse victoire contre les Honey Badgers de Brampton. Par ailleurs, l'équipe a également recruté deux renforts de poids : Creek et Lloyd Pandi, le joueur défensif de l’année 2024. Creek n'a montré aucun signe d’être rouillé lors de ses deux derniers matchs. Il a affiché une moyenne impressionnante de 27,5 points, auxquels s'ajoutent 7,5 rebonds et six passes décisives, des statistiques qui surpassent toutes celles du joueur le plus utile de la saison dernière. Pandi n'a disputé qu'un seul match, mais il s'est immédiatement illustré en inscrivant 8 points, 5 rebonds et 2 vols lors de la victoire contre Brampton. L'attaque de Vancouver tourne à plein régime, avec le meilleur total de points par match de la ligue (102,6), et Pandi ne manquera pas d'apporter son aide à une défense qui occupe la septième place en termes de points accordés (96,6 par match). Les Bandits occupent également la première place de la ligue en termes d'efficacité, ainsi qu'en pourcentage de tirs réussis, de tirs à trois points et de lancers francs. Donc, il n'y a pas lieu de paniquer. Sea Bears (8-4) Winnipeg a vu le retour du joueur le plus utile, Creek, et a fait encore mieux que les Bandits en recrutant Xavier Moon, triple joueur le plus utile, pour renforcer une attaque comptant déjà dans ses rangs un autre ancien joueur le plus utile, Teddy Allen. Moon n'a pas encore touché le terrain, mais Allen a plus que bien tenu le coup, se classant en tête de la ligue avec 28,1 points et faisant preuve d'une bonne agilité défensive avec 2,8 vols par match. Allen est bien sûr également en tête de la LECB avec 237 tirs tentés. Au niveau collectif, les Sea Bears affichent le meilleur différentiel par match, avec 12,3, soit quatre points de plus que les Shooting Stars, qui occupent la deuxième place. Ils figurent parmi les trois meilleurs dans les principales catégories de pourcentage de réussite, occupent la troisième place pour les passes décisives et la première place pour les vols. La moitié de la série de victoires actuelle de Winnipeg a été remportée face au Surge de Calgary, qui traverse une période difficile, mais on ne peut affronter que l'équipe qui se présente devant soi, et les Sea Bears ont su faire le travail. De plus, ils ont écrasé les Bandits par 33 points jeudi, à domicile. La revanche s'annonce excitante. Mamba (6-5) Saskatoon, qui est sans doute la plus grande surprise parmi les trois prétendants, semblait devoir se battre simplement pour se qualifier pour les séries éliminatoires lorsqu’ils ont débuté la saison avec une fiche de 2-5. Maintenant qu’ils ont plus de victoires que de défaites, le Mamba est en route pour conquérir le trône de la Conférence de l’Ouest. Cette série de quatre victoires consécutives comprend une victoire face à Calgary, ainsi que trois autres remportées contre des adversaires de la Conférence de l’Est, dont les River Lions de Niagara, actuels détenteurs du titre. Au cœur de tout cela pour Saskatoon se trouve Jaden Bediako, qui n'a encore jamais perdu lorsqu'il est sur le terrain. Pour sa troisième saison dans la LECB, le Canadien affiche les meilleures statistiques de sa carrière, avec 15,8 points par match, 10,2 rebonds (premier de la ligue) et un pourcentage de réussite total de 62,5 %. Il a trouvé un partenaire idéal pour les pick-and-roll: l’agile Tavian Dunn-Martin, qui mène le Mamba dans les points (18,9) et les passes décisives (6,1). Saskatoon est l'équipe qui accorde le plus grand nombre de points par match dans la ligue, mais même cette tendance semble s'inverser sous la supervision de l'entraîneur-chef Isaiah Fox. En effet, le Mamba a réussi à maintenir chaque adversaire sous la barre des 100 points au cours de leur série actuelle. Ils auront également l'occasion de remonter rapidement au classement de la Conférence de l’Ouest grâce à une particularité du calendrier qui les amène à ne disputer plus que deux matchs inter-conférences. Ceci promet une seconde partie de saison fascinante, qui débutera mercredi à domicile contre Edmonton. Programme hebdomadaire (six matchs) Match #60 – Le mercredi 24 juin – EDM à SSK – 19 h 30 (HNC)/(HR) / 21 h 30 (HE) – SaskTel Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #61 – Le vendredi 26 juin – NRL à MTL – 19 h 30 (HE) – l'Auditorium de Verdun (CBC Gem, YouTube, RDS.ca, CEBL+) Match #62 – Le samedi 27 juin – BHB à SSS – 19 h (HE) – Toronto Pan Am Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #63 – Le samedi 27 juin – WPG à VAN – 18 h (HP) / 20 h (HAC) / 21 h (HE) – Envision Financial Court au Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #64 – Le dimanche 28 juin – NRL à OTT – 13 h (HE) – L’Aréna de la Place TD (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #65 – Le dimanche 28 juin – SSK à EDM – 16 h (HR)/(HNC) / 18 h (HE) – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Pour le calendrier complet de la LECB 2026, veuillez visiter cebl.ca/games .

For years now, the Vancouver Bandits have been the class of the West, especially during the regular season. And to start the 2026 campaign, it all seemed to be much of the same. Vancouver won seven of its first nine games, reasserting its dominance even before the return of reigning MVP Mitch Creek. The No. 1 seed was theirs to lose. But suddenly — in the matter of days, really — the West has a new outlook. And a new leader, to boot. On the back of a four-game winning streak, the Winnipeg Sea Bears vaulted to the top spot in the conference. Meanwhile, simmering in third place are the Saskatoon Mamba, who are riding a four-game winning streak of their own. Vancouver and Winnipeg will meet in a Western showdown on Saturday in a contest for which both squads are sure to be fired up. Last week, we looked at the Eastern Conference contenders in this space. Now, it’s onto the West. Bandits (8-4) Don’t mistake some tough competition for panic in Vancouver. After dropping games against Winnipeg and the Scarborough Shooting Stars, the Bandits rebounded with a big win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Saturday. Meanwhile, they’ve also made a pair of major additions in Creek and Lloyd Pandi, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year. Creek has shown no signs of rust in two games, averaging a cool 27.5 points to go with 7.5 rebounds and six assists - numbers that all eclipse last season’s MVP output. Pandi has appeared in just one game but made an instant impact with eight points, five rebounds and two steals in the victory over Brampton. Vancouver’s offence is humming along with the most points per game in the league (102.6), and Pandi is sure to help a defence that ranks seventh in points allowed (96.6 per game). The Bandits are also tops in the league in efficiency as well as field-goal, three-point and free-throw percentage. So, yeah, the lack of panic is warranted. Sea Bears (8-4) Winnipeg saw the return of MVP Creek and did the Bandits one better, bringing in three-time MVP Xavier Moon to bolster an offence featuring another former MVP in Teddy Allen. Moon has yet to hit the court but Allen has more than held down the fort, leading the league with 28.1 points and flashing some defensive acumen with 2.8 steals per game. Allen, of course, also leads the CEBL with 237 field-goal attempts. As a team, the Sea Bears boast the highest plus-minus per game at 12.3, four points better than the second-place Shooting Stars. They’re top three in the key shooting percentage categories, third in assists and first in steals. Half of Winnipeg’s current run has come against the struggling Calgary Surge - but you can only play the team in front of you, and the Sea Bears have taken care of business. Plus, they routed the Bandits by 33 points on home court on Thursday. The rematch should be juicy. Mamba (6-5) Perhaps the biggest surprise of the three contenders, Saskatoon looked like it’d be battling just to reach the playoffs when it started the season 2-5. Now above 500, the Mamba are coming for the Western throne. Their four-game streak has consisted of a win over Calgary plus three more over Eastern Conference opponents, including the reigning champion Niagara River Lions. At the centre of it all for Saskatoon is Jaden Bediako, who has yet to lose when he’s been on the court. In his third CEBL season, the Canadian is averaging career highs in points (15.8), rebounds (10.2, leading the league) and field-goal percentage (62.5). He’s found a perfect pick-and-roll partner in the shifty Tavian Dunn-Martin, who tops the Mamba in points (18.9) and assists (6.1). Saskatoon has allowed the most points per game in the league, but even that appears to be turning around under head coach Isaiah Fox’s watch, with the Mamba keeping each opponent under 100 points during their current run. They’ll also have a chance to rise quickly up the standings in the West due to a scheduling quirk which sees them play just two more inter-conference games, setting up a fascinating second half beginning Wednesday at home against Edmonton. Weekly schedule (Six games) Game #60 – Wednesday, June 24 – EDM at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #61 – Friday, June 26 – NRL at MTL – 7:30 p.m. ET – Verdun Auditorium (CBC Gem, YouTube, RDS.ca, CEBL+) Game #62 – Saturday, June 27 – BHB at SSS – 7 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #63 – Saturday, June 27 – WPG at VAN – 6 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. CDT / 9 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #64 – Sunday, June 28 – NRL at OTT – 1 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #65 – Sunday, June 28 – SSK at EDM – 4 p.m. MT/CST / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .