Ahmad brille en fin de match et les River Lions éliminent les Shooting Stars pour atteindre la finale de la LECB

When the whistle blew for Target Score Time in Niagara’s contentious semifinal victory against Scarborough, Elijah Lufile went to the free-throw line for two crucial attempts. Lufile had made just 58.3 per cent of his attempts from the stripe during the season — and everyone in the building knew these pressure shots could essentially be coin flips. Before the first, the big man walked to the base of the net, put his head against the blue padding and lingered there for a few moments. He proceeded to make both — and then two more a few minutes later to put the River Lions within three points of victory. “I was locking in. I was also extremely tired. I think right before that I had asked Vic [Raso] for a sub and I was just trying to really gather my thoughts and clear my head at the same time, because that’s what you want. You’re not thinking. You’re just form shooting, repetition and muscle memory,” Lufile said. He added that this Championship Weekend means even more to him with brother Meshack on his side. On a personal level, he could become the first player ever with three titles. He played for the Shooting Stars in 2023 where he won his first championship after collecting seven offensive rebounds in a semifinal win over the River Lions. He then signed with Niagara that off-season and won yet again. “Knowing that this could be a historical thing for me potentially winning three in a row, I was just locked in. That’s really what it was. I was just locked in. And I’m really doing this for my brother as well. He’s on my team, he’s never won a ring before, get him to win a ring and also the other guys who are just coming in as well,” Lufile said. Lufile, the Milton, Ont., native, also hauled in a River Lions playoff record 15 rebounds in the win over the Shooting Stars. From the sidelines, Raso said he didn’t waver even as one of the worst free-throw shooters on his team — at least statistically — stepped in for some of the biggest of the game. “There was something about him that gave me confidence last night, just the way he was standing over the ball. That was humongous. Outside of Khalil’s shot, his [free throws] were massive. Massive.” Ahmad, who now has more playoff Target Score Winners than anyone in league history, had just one word to describe Lufile’s heroics. “Clutch.” Miller-Moore, Hill take aim at first title Between them, Calgary’s Sean Miller-Moore and Niagara’s Ahmed Hill have suited up in 194 CEBL games. Miller-Moore has scored more points than any Canadian; Hill’s scored more points than anyone, period. Yet neither has ever won a title. That will change Sunday, when Miller-Moore’s Surge clash with Hill’s River Lions at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre. “It’d be amazing,” Hill said. “Like they say, I already got accolades, but I don’t have a ring, so that’s something I want really bad. I’ve never won a championship before. So to do it with these guys, it would be amazing.” To be clear, when the 30-year-old Hill says he’s never won a championship before, he doesn’t just mean the CEBL. Hill said he’s never won a season-long championship in his career, dating back to at least high school. In the CEBL, he’s bounced around three teams in search of that elusive ring — now, with the defending champions, he’s one win away. Standing in his way, however, is Miller-Moore, who’s been in the Surge organization for five years since it was located in Guelph. He wasn’t willing to look ahead after the team’s semifinal win over Calgary, though. “It’s a great feeling, but it doesn’t mean anything unless you win. So we’re excited for the opportunity to get there. Obviously it’s my second time there, so extremely excited.” Teammate Evan Gilyard II said part of his motivation was getting Miller-Moore that long-awaited win. “It’d be great to win this championship for us, the city and Rugzy. … We gotta get him one.” Posthumus legacy lives on It’s hard to miss. Hanging from the roof on the south end of Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre, there is a lone Sea Bears banner. ‘Posthumus, 33.’ The teal-coloured sign memorializes Chad Posthumus, the Winnipeg native and longtime CEBLer who died tragically in November at age 33 after suffering a brain aneurysm. On the court across from the banner, another logo is imprinted: ’33 Forever.’ As Championship Weekend takes place in Winnipeg, it’s clear that Posthumus won’t soon be forgotten. Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor, who spent Posthumus’ final two seasons with him in his hometown, said the connection between player, city and league was undeniable. “My last phone call with Chad, I remember sitting at my son's baseball practice in Florida, and it was a conversation about how great Championship Weekend is going to be, how special it's going to be here in Winnipeg,” Taylor recalled in a press conference on Wednesday. “So it's a difficult thing to think about. We loved him, and he was such a big part of our organization and city. And I really believe he's with us now in spirit.” Posthumus still sits 13th all-time in games played in CEBL history, having suited up for 81 contests. He appeared in the inaugural 2019 season, where he won the championship as a member of the Saskatchewan Rattlers, and he also spent two seasons with the Ottawa BlackJacks in 2021 and 2022. In many ways, the CEBL was created for players like Posthumus, a basketball lifer who was finally given the opportunity to play professionally at home. It’s fitting, then, that he’s watching over as a champion will be crowned in his hometown on Sunday. - CEBL -

Due to gusting winds and the chance of rain, the Kal Tire CW25 3x3 Tournament Powered by Peg City has moved to its backup indoor location today. Duckworth Centre – University of Winnipeg 400 Spence St, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2R6The tournament is still open to the public, and with some games delayed yesterday, today’s schedule will be packed as they work to complete the tournament. Special Note: Slam Dunk Contest – 2:00 pm Matt Loewen Legacy Shootout – 2:30 pm Both also moved to Duckworth a nd open to the public. Weather is looking better for tomorrow, and the playoffs are expected to return to the Play Now Street Festival. The rest of the festival is currently scheduled to continue as planned at the main site on Graham at True North Square. ###

( Finale de la Conférence de l’Ouest ) Avec les ambitions de titre du Surge de Calgary en jeu, il semblait approprié que Sean Miller-Moore soit celui qui envoie son équipe en finale du championnat dimanche. Probablement personne sur le terrain du Canada Life Centre vendredi soir n’était mieux placé pour comprendre les enjeux pour son équipe que le natif de Brampton, Ontario, un pilier de l’alignement du Surge depuis le déménagement de la franchise à Calgary en 2023. Miller-Moore avait déjà ressenti la douleur d'avoir mené Calgary jusqu'au match de championnat il y a deux ans, avant de s'incliner face aux Shooting Stars de Scarborough. Alors, lorsque le meneur a porté le ballon sur le terrain, évalué la situation et foncé à travers Trevon Scott pour marquer un tir de deux points, ce panier n’a pas seulement offert la victoire 90-79 du Surge sur les Sea Bears de Winnipeg, il représentait également une occasion qui se préparait depuis trois ans. « Ça fait du bien… mais ça ne signifie rien si on ne gagne pas le championnat, a déclaré Miller-Moore après avoir salué les 9 082 spectateurs présents pour la finale de la Conférence de l’Ouest vendredi. Nous sommes excités de cette opportunité. Évidemment, ce sera ma deuxième fois, et c'est un sentiment extraordinaire. » Dimanche, lorsque le Surge affrontera les River Lions de Niagara, champions en titre, la revanche sera possible. Le capitaine du Surge a terminé la soirée avec 20 points (huit sur 16), dont quatre tirs à trois points, et sept rebonds. Evan Gilyard II a également contribué avec un total de 24 points et six tirs réussis au-delà de l’arc, tandis que Jameer Nelson Jr. a ajouté 16 points, quatre passes décisives et trois vols. Greg Brown III a réalisé un doublé avec 12 points et 11 rebonds, égalant ainsi le record de la franchise en séries pour les blocs avec quatre. « Nous savions que ce serait un combat de poids lourds, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef de Calgary, Kaleb Canales, après la victoire. Ça a pris 12 rounds, et il nous reste un autre combat dimanche. » Du côté de Winnipeg, Scott a mené les Sea Bears avec un total de 18 points, cinq passes décisives et deux vols. Will Richardson l'a suivi de près avec 17 points, 10 rebonds, sept passes décisives et trois vols, ayant joué les 40 minutes. Enfin, Simi Shittu a complété les efforts à deux chiffres avec 13 points et 10 rebonds. La défaite porte la fiche des Sea Bears en séries à 0-3 et marque la deuxième défaite consécutive face à Calgary. « Je sentais que nous étions là où nous devions être, a déclaré Mike Taylor, entraîneur-chef et directeur général des Sea Bears. L’effort a été excellent… je suis fier des gars. » Avant le match, il n’était un secret pour personne que le Surge avait un style de jeu bien à eux : transformer la défense en attaque. Après la rencontre, Canales a confirmé : « C’est notre identité, notre style de basket depuis le début de la saison. » Et si cela a fonctionné au départ, prenant une avance de 28-19 après avoir forcé quatre pertes de ballon lors du premier quart et les avoir converties en tirs faciles dans la clé pour un +14, ces plans ont dû évoluer au fil du match. Les Sea Bears se sont calmé au deuxième quart et n’ont pas permis au Surge de réussir neuf tirs sur 12 à l’intérieur de la clé, comme au permier quart. Winnipeg a limité Calgary à seulement 14 points, avec cinq paniers réussis, et a réduit un déficit de 13 points à la mi-temps pour atteindre 42-36. Au retour de la mi-temps, il était donc clair que le Surge devaient trouver des solutions offensives ailleurs et, heureusement pour eux, ils y sont parvenus. Si dehors, il ne pleuvait que légèrement vendredi soir, l’aréna a connu une véritable averse lors de la deuxième mi-temps. En 20 minutes, Calgary a réussi 10 tirs à trois points, dont six sur 13 au troisième quart, ce qui a permis à l'équipe de creuser l'écart à 16 points (68-52) avant le dernier quart. L'équipe a terminé avec 16 paniers derrière l'arc (+9) pour un pourcentage de 36 %. Or, Calgary se situait dans la moitié inférieure de la ligue pour les paniers et le pourcentage à trois points pendant la saison régulière, ce qui rend cette performance d'autant plus impressionnante. Miller-Moore a été au centre de cet effort, réussissant deux tirs à trois points dans le troisième quart, malgré un pourcentage de 28,6 % sur l'ensemble de la saison, pour un total de 4 sur 8. « On savait tout l’été que nous sommes une équipe du troisième quart, a dit le meneur. On voit ce qu’ils nous donnent et on ajuste. » Pourtant, les Sea Bears, l’équipe hôte, n’allaient pas céder une dernière fois — même sans Jalen Harris, limité à huit points en 16 minutes en raison de spasmes au dos. Après trois tirs à trois points réussis consécutifs d’Olumide Adelodun, Winnipeg était à 21 points de retard dans le dernier quart. Ils ont réduit l’écart à 81-68 au début de la période du pointage cible et ont continué à remonter avec l’horloge arrêtée, menés de façon inhabituelle par la défense. Les Sea Bears ont forcé huit pertes de ballon du Surge durant cette période, réduisant l’écart à huit points sur un layup de Scott. « Ils ont très bien joué, a dit Taylor. Même si notre performance offensive n’a pas été la meilleure, je suis fier de notre équipe et de la façon dont nous nous sommes battus… l’effort était là, mais l’exécution pas exactement là où il fallait. » Malheureusement pour les supporters de Winnipeg, la remontée s'est arrêtée là, Calgary continuant à marquer des tirs à trois points. Gilyard a marqué un tir à trois points en semi-transition depuis l’aile droite, ce qui a permis à Miller-Moore de marquer le panier de la victoire. « Au final, ce n’est que deux points, a déclaré le capitaine du Surge à propos du tir décisif. J’essaie de le traiter comme n’importe quel autre point, et le fait que Gilyard réussisse ce tir important a relâché la pression sur nous ; il ne nous manquait plus que deux points. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2700731 À venir Il reste un dernier match au calendrier 2025 : le Surge affrontera les River Lions de Niagara dimanche à 18 h HAC / 19 h HE pour déterminer le prochain champion de la LECB. Niagara a obtenu sa place en finale après une victoire serrée 93-91 sur les Shooting Stars de Scarborough plus tôt vendredi grâce aux exploits de Khalil Ahmad. Les champions en titre tenteront de devenir seulement la deuxième équipe de l’histoire de la ligue — après les Stingers d’Edmonton en 2020 et 2021 — à remporter deux titres consécutifs, tandis que le Surge vise son premier titre. - LECB -

(Western Conference Final) With the Calgary Surge’s title aspirations hanging in the balance, it felt fitting that Sean Miller-Moore was the one to send his team into Sunday’s Championship Final. Arguably no one on the court at Canada Life Centre on Friday night was better equipped to understand the stakes for his team than the Brampton, Ont., native — a mainstay of the Surge’s roster since the franchise moved to Calgary in 2023. Miller-Moore had previously felt the sting of leading Calgary all the way to the title game two years ago, only to fall short of a championship after losing to the Scarborough Shooting Stars. So, when the guard carried the ball up the court, sized up and drove right through Trevon Scott for a layup, it not only stood as the game-winning basket in the Surge’s 90-79 victory over the Winnipeg Sea Bears, it also marked an opportunity three years in the making. “It feels great … but it doesn’t mean anything unless we win (a championship),” Miller-Moore said after he was done waving goodbye to the 9,082 in attendance for the Western Conference Final on Friday. “We’re excited for the opportunity to get there. Obviously it’s my second time there, it’s a great feeling.” Come Sunday when the Surge take on the defending champion Niagara River Lions, redemption awaits. The Surge captain finished the night with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including four triples and seven rebounds. Evan Gilyard II did his part as well, scoring a game-high 24 points while going 6-of-12 from beyond the arc, while Jameer Nelson Jr. chipped in 16 points, four assists and three steals. Meanwhile, Greg Brown III put up a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds while tying a franchise single-game playoff record with four blocks. “We knew it was going to be a heavyweight fight,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said after the win. “It took 12 rounds, and we’ve got one more fight on Sunday.” On the other side, Scott led Winnipeg’s effort with a team-high 18 points, five assists and two steals. Will Richardson was right behind with 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals as he played the full 40 minutes. Rounding out the Sea Bears double-digit scoring efforts was Simi Shittu with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The loss dropped Winnipeg to 0-3 all-time in the post-season and marked the franchise’s second consecutive playoff loss at the hands of Calgary. “I felt like we were right where we needed to be,” Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said. “The effort was great … I’m proud of the guys.” Entering the night, it was no secret that the Surge had a preferred style of play: turn defence into offence. After the game, Canales admitted as much, saying “it’s been our identity, our brand of basketball all season.” And while that worked early — carrying a 28-19 lead into the second quarter after forcing four turnovers in the opening frame and converting them into easy rim attempts to the tune of a plus-14 edge in paint scoring — those plans had to change as the game progressed. The Sea Bears would settle down throughout the second and wouldn’t allow the Surge to go 9-of-12 from inside the arc like they did in the first quarter. In fact, Winnipeg held Calgary to just 14 points in the frame on five made field goals as it cut what was once a 13-point first-half deficit into a 42-36 margin at the break. So, coming out of halftime, it was clear that the Surge needed to find offence elsewhere and luckily for them, they did. It may have merely been drizzling outside the Canada Life Centre on Friday night, but come the second half, there was an undeniable downpour inside the arena. Calgary would rain down 10 threes in the final 20 minutes, including 6-of-13 in the third quarter to balloon its lead to 16 points (68-52) heading into the fourth quarter before finishing with 16 makes from beyond the arc (plus-nine) on a 36 per cent clip. Considering that the Surge ranked in the bottom half for both three-point makes and percentage per game during the regular-season, it was an even more impressive showing. Highlighting that effort was Miller-Moore, who, despite converting at just 28.6 per cent from downtown on the season, nailed two triples in the third and finished 4-of-8. “We knew all summer that we’re a third-quarter team,” the guard said. “We see what they’re giving us and we just adjust.” However, the host city Sea Bears wouldn’t be denied one final push — even without Jalen Harris, who ended up with just eight points in 16 minutes as he was hampered due to back spasms. After a barrage of three Olumide Adelodun triples had Winnipeg down by as many as 21 points in the final frame, it cut the deficit to 81-68 at the start of Target Score Time and continued storming back with the clocks stopped in a charge that was, once again, uncharacteristically led by defence. The Sea Bears forced the Surge into eight turnovers during Target Score Time as they clawed the deficit down to eight points on a Scott layup. “Give them credit, they played really well,” Taylor said. “Even though we didn’t have our best offensive performance, I’m proud of our team and the way we battled today … the effort was there but the execution was not where it needed to be.” Unfortunately for the Winnipeg faithful, the comeback stopped there as Calgary wasn’t done hitting threes. Gilyard nailed a semi-transition triple from the right wing to give the Surge the necessary breathing room to set up Miller-Moore’s winner. “At the end of the day, it’s just two points,” the Surge captain said when asked about game-sealing play. “I try to treat it like any other point, and (Gilyard) hitting that big three relieved some pressure off all of us, we were just two points away.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2700731 Up Next One final game remains on the schedule for 2025 as the Surge will take on the Niagara River Lions on Sunday at 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET to determine the next CEBL champion. Niagara earned its spot in Sunday’s Final after eking out a 93-91 win over the Scarborough Shooting Stars earlier on Friday thanks to Khalil Ahmad’s heroics. The defending champs will look to become just the second team in league history — behind the Edmonton Stingers in 2020 and 2021— to win back-to-back titles, while the Surge aim to capture their first.  - CEBL -

(Eastern Conference Final) Khalil Ahmad played hero. The Niagara River Lions won a close game. And Championship Weekend picked up right where it left off. The River Lions eked past the Scarborough Shooting Stars 93-91 in the East Final on Friday at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre, moving one win away from repeating as league champion. Niagara’s formula looked awfully familiar as head coach Victor Raso’s troops battled in a back-and-forth high-stakes game. And when winning time came around, it was Ahmad — who scored all three playoff winners for his team last year —stepping up yet again to seal the deal. “My God, that guy has something inside of him that is just built for Target Time,” Raso said. When the clocks stopped, the River Lions led 84-83. And buoying their chances even further was the presence of Ahmad in their white-and-green jerseys. Shooting Stars forward Donovan Williams started the proceedings with a driving layup, but Ahmad answered with a pair of free throws. After Williams added two more points to put Scarborough back in front, another trip to the charity stripe for Ahmad handed Niagara the lead once again. Michael Foster Jr., then tipped home a putback for the Shooting Stars before Elijah Lufile knocked down two more free throws for Niagara. When Foster Jr. hit another layup, both teams were within a bucket of the victory. And after both teams missed their first opportunities to advance, Mr. Clutch stepped up yet again. Ahmad raced up the court, stopped on a dime above the three-point arc, and splashed home a winner under pressure from behind. Amid all the chaos, Ahmad was as cool as ever. “There wasn’t a lot of thoughts going through my head. … We needed a three, so why not take it?” Ahmad said. “Stepped into it with confidence and knocked it down.” Shooting Stars head coach Mike De Giorgio said the plan was for his team to foul in the backcourt to prevent the exact way it ended up losing. Still, he said he was proud of his team’s performance in a “high-level” game. “We handled the adversity we wanted to handle. We had chances to win the game. It just didn’t go for us and then Khalil made a big shot. That’s what he’s shown that he can do and he’s done it for years now,” De Giorgio said. Niagara will meet the winner of the West final between the Winnipeg Sea Bears and Calgary Surge in Sunday’s final. Ahmad, the 28-year-old from Corona, Calif., now has four career Target Score Winners in the playoffs — the most in league history. He also surpassed 1,500 career points (including playoffs) in style with his game-winner, sitting at 1,502 entering the Finals. For the night, he put up a game-high 29 points to go with six rebounds. He also knocked down all 10 of his free throws — notable after he missed some clutch ones last year which he said nagged at him throughout the off-season. “We were just being where our feet are and trying to be locked into the moment, take every possession for what it was. Because, look, we won by two, so it was a close game. Every possession mattered and we took care of the little things,” Ahmad said. Raso called him a “mental monster.” “He has the physical tools, the physical skills and the mental confidence to be able to want it in those moments. Because those are shots that all of these guys are capable of making, but not all of those guys are capable of taking them,” he said. Helping Ahmad was big man Elijah Lufile, who came off the bench to put up eight points and a whopping 15 rebounds. Montreal native Nathan Cayo also neared a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds. The game marked the latest chapter in the Scarborough-Niagara rivalry that’s quickly growing into one of the league’s fiercest. Each of the last two championships were won by the Ontario squads, and they even split the season series, making their playoff duel a tiebreaker of sorts. Prior to Friday, however, the Shooting Stars were 2-0 in post-season contests against the River Lions. Now, Niagara has a notch on its playoff record. A major disparity between the teams came at the free-throw line, where the River Lions were a perfect 21-for-21 while the Shooting Stars went just 11-for-18. The River Lions also dominated the glass, hauling in 56 rebounds (20 offensive) to the Shooting Stars’ 40 (seven offensive). “When we sat in the press conference the other day, De Giorgio pretty much said we need some defensive rebounds so we can run. And all I’m thinking is we need to take quality shots so that they don’t have the opportunities to run. So they got us in spurts, but down the stretch there wasn’t much transition,” Raso said. Donovan Williams led the way for the Shooting Stars, matching Ahmad’s 29 points while adding 11 rebounds. Backcourt mate Terquavion Smith had a 16-point, 10-assist double-double, but missed the potential game-winner before Ahmad’s dagger. Foster Jr. added 11 points and 10 rebounds. “It was a hell of a shot to end it off, but really just ready to move forward. It’s a loss,” Foster Jr. said. Niagara entered the contest on a five-game losing streak and with 12 days of rest taking the top seed in the East. Perhaps battling some rust after that layoff, it fell behind 9-2 early but battled back to tie things at 18. However, a Williams buzzer-beater put the Shooting Stars up 26-25 after the first quarter. The back-and-forth continued in the second quarter as the teams exchanged leads. Scarborough took a narrow 50-49 edge into halftime. In the third quarter, Niagara built its biggest lead of the game at nine points. It took a 74-68 advantage into the fourth after Kobe Elvis hit the Shooting Stars’ second buzzer-beating triple of the game. Scarborough changed things quickly in the fourth quarter, erasing its deficit and regaining the lead early in the final frame after a 13-3 run. Then, another classic Championship Weekend Target Score Time ensued. And yet again, it was the Lion King who roared. Now, the River Lions are one win away from going back-to-back. “If we get it done,” Ahmad said, “you’ll see what it means.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2700727 Up Next The River Lions will meet the winner of the West final in Sunday’s championship game at 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET in Winnipeg. - CEBL -

(Aperçu: Finale de la Conférence de l’Ouest) La saison 2025 de la LECB arrive à sa destination finale. Tous les chemins mènent à Winnipeg, où le prochain champion de la ligue sera déterminé après seulement trois autres matchs. Deux de ces matchs auront lieu vendredi et détermineront les champions des Conférences de l’Est et de l’Ouest. Dans l’Ouest, ce sera le Surge de Calgary qui affrontera les Sea Bears de Winnipeg, hôtes du Championnat cette année, à 19 h 30 HNC / 18 h 30 MT / 20 h 30 HNE. La diffusion en direct depuis le Canada Life Centre sera disponible sur TSN, RDS, LECB+, TSN+ et NLSE. Le parcours du Surge vers WC25 les a vus dépasser les Stingers d’Edmonton lors d’un match de qualification en Alberta, puis l’emporter contre les Bandits, têtes de série, à Vancouver en demi-finale de l’Ouest. « Je pense que nous jouons notre meilleur basket de la saison, a déclaré l'entraîneur-chef de Calgary, Kaleb Canales, jeudi. C'est toujours agréable pour un entraîneur. On sait que ce match se jouera sur l’exécution aux deux extrémités du terrain… Évidemment, ça fait toujours du bien de jouer notre meilleur basket. Je sens que c’est là où nous en sommes actuellement. » Calgary a été une équipe solide en attaque comme en défense tout au long de la saison — avec la deuxième meilleure fiche de la LECB (17-7) — et cela n’a pas changé pendant les séries. Le Surge est en tête de la ligue pour le nombre de points par match (104) et pour le nombre de paniers réussis (37) et de tirs de trois points (17) par match. La hausse de la production et de l’efficacité au-delà de l’arc — avec 44,7 % de réussite, ce qui les place au deuxième rang — est impressionnante, surtout si l’on considère que Calgary se trouvait dans la moitié inférieure de la ligue dans ces deux statistiques pendant la saison régulière. Du côté défensif, après avoir concédé le moins de points par match (87,2) durant l’année, le style perturbateur du Surge s’est pleinement fait sentir en séries. Et c’est vraiment perturbateur : Calgary arrive vendredi en ayant forcé en moyenne 17 pertes de ballon par match en séries, le meilleur résultat de la ligue. « Notre formule, c’est la défense pour l’attaque, et il faut être capable de défendre les adversaires. Je pense que nous sommes une équipe qui est fière de jouer aux deux extrémités du terrain à un haut niveau, » a ajouté Canales. Quant aux Sea Bears, ils aborderont la finale de la Conférence de l’Ouest en tant que l'équipe la plus reposée, n'ayant pas joué depuis près de deux semaines. Winnipeg cherchera certainement à tirer parti de ce temps de repos et de son véritable atout : jouer devant un public connu pour son énergie bruyante et sa présence record , après une saison en montagnes russes qui l'a vu entrer en séries. Les hôtes du championnat cette année ont terminé la saison avec une fiche de 11-13, incluant quatre victoires lors de leurs six derniers matchs. Les deux derniers matchs des Sea Bears avant les séries ont été probablement les plus représentatifs des hauts et des bas vécus par l’équipe cette année. D’abord, ils ont battu les Honey Badgers de Brampton par 32 points, pour ensuite perdre par 20 points contre les Stingers lors de leur dernier match de saison régulière. Malgré tout, les attentes restent élevées pour Winnipeg, qui est toujours à la recherche de sa première victoire en séries éliminatoires. Depuis la création de l'équipe en 2023, elle a été éliminée lors du match de qualification de la Conférence de l’Ouest deux saisons de suite, la défaite de l'an dernier étant contre le Surge. Si les Sea Bears veulent franchir cette étape, il n’y a pas d’environnement plus favorable que de le faire à domicile. « La date était encerclée sur le calendrier, c'est certain, a déclaré l'entraîneur-chef et directeur général des Sea Bears, Mike Taylor. « Nous essayons de nous améliorer chaque jour, de tirer parti de toutes les expériences, des hauts comme des bas, du positif comme de l’adversité. Mais nous savons que ce week-end sera un défi… Il n’y a pas de garanties, pas de raccourcis, et je pense que nous avons suivi la bonne voie toute l’année. » Historique des confrontations Bien que le Surge arrive vendredi en tant qu'équipe visiteuse, il peut se rassurer en sachant qu'il a déjà surmonté ce genre d'adversité. Calgary a remporté la série de matchs de la saison régulière 3-1, avec notamment deux victoires à Winnipeg. « Nous savons que l’environnement sera difficile. Ce sera plaisant, mais c’est pour ça que cette équipe a été bâtie, a déclaré Canales. Nous avons déjà joué ici deux fois. Nous avons déjà joué dans des arénas bruyants. Ces gars sont habitués au bruit et ils effectuent un travail phénoménal pour s'en détacher. Nous sommes prêts, nous sommes préparés. Nous serons prêts pour demain soir. » Cependant, cela ne raconte pas toute l'histoire, car les Sea Bears semblaient trouver leur rythme contre le Surge à mesure que la saison avançait. Après deux défaites consécutives à deux chiffres en mai, Winnipeg a rebondi en juillet avec une défaite de quatre points, puis une victoire 79-78, évitant ainsi un balayage. Sans surprise, les trois victoires de Calgary ont été menées par la défense, qui a limité Winnipeg à moins de 90 points à chaque rencontre, avec un minimum de 61 points lors du troisième match de la saison. Pourtant, lors de la seule victoire des Sea Bears, ce sont eux qui ont été les plus agressifs en défense, limitant la deuxième meilleure attaque de la saison régulière, Calgary, à son plus faible total de points de la saison, avec un pourcentage de tirs de 35 % et 19 pertes de ballon. Il convient également de noter que les Sea Bears ont complètement remanié leur effectif depuis leurs précédentes rencontres, alignant quatre partants différents lors des deux derniers matchs de saison régulière contre le Surge. « Nous essayons simplement d’améliorer l’effectif tout au long de la saison, je suis très fier de l’équipe. Je suis fier de cette année. Ça va dans la bonne direction, a dit Taylor. Je pense que personne ici ne va dire que quelque chose fait peur. Évidemment, (le Surge) nous a dominés deux fois au début de la saison. Et je pense que pendant ces matchs, nous avons rapidement compris qu’il fallait contrôler le tempo, empêcher ces gars de passer en transition. Prendre soin du ballon, c’est là que tout commence : limiter nos pertes de ballon, créer de bons tirs. » Joueurs à surveiller Il y aura beaucoup de stars des deux côtés vendredi, en commençant par les duos de gardes. Le duo de meneurs de Winnipeg, Jalen Harris et Will Richardson, peut marquer souvent, même contre les défenses les plus coriaces. Harris, qui a été sélectionné deux fois dans l'équipe d'étoiles de la LECB au cours de sa carrière, aborde les séries éliminatoires avec une moyenne de 19,2 points par match, ce qui le classe au 12e rang de la ligue. Richardson n’est pas loin derrière, puisqu'il est le troisième meilleur marqueur des Sea Bears avec 17,1 points et 5,3 passes décisives (deuxième à Winnipeg), et ce, en seulement huit matchs. En revanche, le duo devra se méfier de Jameer Nelson Jr. et Evan Gilyard II du Surge. Les deux joueurs ont été en grande forme pendant les séries, avec une moyenne combinée de 61 points par match. Lors de la victoire de Calgary contre Vancouver en demi-finale de l'Ouest, Nelson Jr. a battu le record de points en un match de séries éliminatoires de la LECB avec 39 points, tandis que Gilyard II a établi le record de paniers à trois points réussis en un match avec huit, pour un total de 29 points. Les deux avant-postes auront également beaucoup à dire. Du côté du Surge, Greg Brown III devrait marquer sa présence partout dans le match de vendredi. L'ailier, finaliste pour le titre de Joueur défensif de l'année aux côtés de Nelson Jr, a pris plaisir à affronter les Sea Bears, avec une moyenne de 21 points et 10,3 rebonds par match lors de ses trois apparitions. Pour Winnipeg, on s’attend à ce qu’ils s’appuient sur Simi Shittu contre son ancienne équipe. L’ancien joueur du Surge, désormais Sea Bear, a été un pilier de l’équipe de Winnipeg, affichant des moyennes de 19,9 points (7e de la LECB) et 11,1 rebonds (2e). Il a également pris plaisir à affronter son ancienne équipe, avec une moyenne de 23,5 points et 11 rebonds en deux matchs contre le Surge. L’ailier britanno-canadien a été un élément clé de la seule victoire des Sea Bears contre le Surge en fin de saison, avec 28 points à 62 % de réussite, 15 rebonds et trois blocs. Winnipeg pourra également compter sur un renfort local en attaque : Emmanuel Akot devrait revenir après avoir manqué cinq matchs. Le joueur, originaire de Winnipeg, avait été partant dans 15 des 19 matchs joués — son dernier avant son absence étant une performance de 13 points, six passes décisives et quatre vols contre Calgary. Calendrier des séries éliminatoires 2025 de la LECB WC25 – Finale de la Conférence de l’Est – Vendredi 22 août – Shooting Stars de Scarborough c. River Lions de Niagara – 17 h HAC / 18 h HE – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) WC25 – Finale de la Conférence de l’Ouest – Vendredi 22 août – Sea Bears de Winnipeg c. Surge de Calgary – 19 h 30 HAC / 20 h 30 HE – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) WC25 – Finale du Championnat de la LECB – Dimanche 24 août – Équipes à confirmer – 18 h HAC / 19 h HE – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Pour consulter le calendrier complet 2025 de la LECB, visitez cebl.ca/fr-ca/games

(Preview: Western Conference Final) The 2025 CEBL season has arrived at its final destination. All roads led to Winnipeg, where the next league champion will be determined after just three more games. The first two of those games take place on Friday, and they’ll determine the Eastern and Western Conference champions. In the West, it’ll be the Calgary Surge taking on the Winnipeg Sea Bears, this year’s Championship Weekend host, at 7:30 p.m. CDT / 6:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. ET. Live broadcast coverage from Canada Life Centre will be available on TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+ and NLSE. The Surge’s road to CW25 saw them power past the Edmonton Stingers in a Play-In Battle of Alberta matchup, then outlast the top-seeded Bandits in Vancouver for the West Semifinal. “I think we're playing our best basketball of the season,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said Thursday. “I think it always feels good from a coaching perspective. We know this game is going to come down to execution on both ends of the floor … Obviously, it always feels good coming in and playing our best brand of basketball. I feel that's where we're at right now.” Calgary’s been a stout two-way squad all year— earning the CEBL’s second-best regular-season record (17-7) — and that hasn’t changed throughout the playoffs. The Surge lead the league in points per game (104) during the post-season, all while also topping the charts for average field goals (37) and three-pointers (17) made. The uptick from beyond the arc in terms of production and efficiency — converting at a 44.7 per cent clip, which ranks second — has been a notable increase considering Calgary was in the bottom half of the league in both those areas throughout the regular season. On the defensive end — after giving up the fewest points per game (87.2) during the year — the Surge’s disruptive style has more than translated throughout the post-season. Emphasis on disruptive. Calgary enters Friday boasting a league-best 17 turnovers forced per game for the playoffs. “Our formula is defence to offence and we've got to be able to guard people. I feel like we're a team that takes pride in playing both ends at a high level,” Canales added. As for the Sea Bears, they’ll head into the Western Conference Final as the far more rested squad, not having taken the court since their regular season concluded nearly two weeks ago. And Winnipeg will surely be looking to capitalize on that time off and its true home-court advantage — playing in front of a local crowd known for its raucous energy and record-setting attendance — after riding into the playoffs on the heels of an up-and-down campaign. This year’s Championship Weekend host finished the season with an 11-13 record, including wins in four of its final six games. The Sea Bears' final two games before the playoffs were arguably the most indicative of the highs and lows the squad has gone through this year. First, they beat the Brampton Honey Badgers by 32 points, only to follow it up with a 20-point loss against the Stingers in their regular-season finale. Despite all of that, however, expectations remain high for Winnipeg, which is still in search of the franchise’s first playoff victory. Since the team’s 2023 inception, it's been bounced in the West Play-In game in back-to-back seasons — last year’s loss coming against the Surge. If the Sea Bears are going to get over the hump, there are hardly more favourable environments to do it than at home. “We've had a circle on the calendar for sure,” Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said. “We try to get better every single day, try to use all the experiences, all the highs, the lows, the good things, the adversity. “But we know this is a challenging weekend … So there's no guarantees, there's no shortcuts, and we've kind of gone, I think, the right way throughout the entire year.” Season series While the Surge enter Friday’s contest as a true road team, they’ll take solace in knowing they’ve overcome that type of adversity before. Calgary won the regular-season series 3-1, including a 2-0 showing in Winnipeg. “We know it’s going to be a tough environment. It's going to be fun, but this is what this team is built for,” Canales said. “We've played here twice already. We've played in loud arenas. These guys are used to playing with the noise and they do a phenomenal job blocking it out. “We'll be ready, we're prepared. We'll be ready to go tomorrow night.” That may not tell the full story, however, as the Sea Bears seemed to find their footing in the matchup as the season progressed. Following back-to-back double-digit losses to the Surge in May, Winnipeg rebounded in July with a four-point loss and then a 79-78 win to avoid a series sweep. Unsurprisingly, Calgary’s three wins were led by a defensive effort — holding Winnipeg to under 90 points in each contest, including a season-low 61 points by the Sea Bears in their third game of the season. Yet in Winnipeg’s lone victory, it was the aggressor on defence, limiting Calgary — the No. 2 scoring team during the regular season — to its lowest scoring game of the season on 35 per cent shooting from the field and 19 turnovers. It’s also worth noting that the Sea Bears have undergone a roster overhaul since the teams met earlier in the season, implementing four different starters in their final two regular-season games against the Surge. “We just try to improve the roster throughout the entire season, really proud of the team. I'm proud of the year. It's going in a good direction,” Taylor said. “I think all of the guys up here are not going to say anything scares anyone. “Obviously, (the Surge) put it on us twice early in the season. And I think during those games, we figured out quickly, like, hey, we've got to do a great job controlling the tempo, keeping these guys out of transition. So taking care of the basketball is where it starts, limiting your turnovers, creating good shots.” Players to watch There’ll be plenty of star power on both sides come Friday, starting with matchups in the backcourt. Winnipeg’s guard duo of Jalen Harris and Will Richardson can score often, even on the toughest of defences. Harris, a two-time All-CEBL guard, enters the playoffs ranking 12th in scoring across the league (19.2 points per game). Richardson wasn’t far behind, as he was third on the Sea Bears roster with 17.1 points per game and 5.3 assists (second on Winnipeg), albeit in just eight games. Meanwhile, the pair will undoubtedly have its hands full with the Surge’s duo of Jameer Nelson Jr. and Evan Gilyard II. The pair have been on a tear throughout the post-season, scoring a combined average of 61 points per game. In Calgary’s win over Vancouver in the West Semi, Nelson Jr. broke the CEBL single-game playoff scoring record with 39 points, while Gilyard II broke the single-game three-pointers made mark with eight as he finished with 29 points. Both frontcourts will have plenty to say as well. On the Surge’s side, Greg Brown III ought to have his fingerprints all over Friday’s contest. The forward, a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year alongside Nelson Jr., has relished facing the Sea Bears — averaging 21 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his three appearances. As for Winnipeg, expect it to lean on the services of Simi Shittu against his old squad. The former Surge turned Sea Bear has been a steadying presence for the Sea Bears with averages of 19.9 points (seventh in the CEBL) and 11.1 rebounds (second). He’s also very much enjoyed competing against his previous team, as Shittu has averaged 23.5 points and 11 rebounds in his two games versus Calgary. The British-Canadian forward was also instrumental in the Sea Bears' lone win over the Surge toward the end of the season, putting up a game-high 28 points on 62 per cent shooting to go with 15 rebounds and three blocks. There will also be reinforcements heading the way of Winnipeg’s frontcourt in the form of a local talent. Emmanuel Akot is expected to re-join the Sea Bears roster after missing five games. The Winnipeg native previously started in 15 of the 19 games he had played in — Akot’s final game before his absence was a 13-point, six-assist and four-steal showing against Calgary. 2025 CEBL Playoff Schedule CW25 – Eastern Conference Final – Friday, Aug. 22 – SSS at NRL – 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) CW25 – Western Conference Final – Friday, Aug. 22 – WPG at CGY – 7:30 p.m. CDT / 6:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) CW25 – CEBL Championship Final – Sunday, Aug. 24 – TBD at TBD – 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

(Aperçu: Finale de la Conférence de l’Est) On peut appeler ça un bris d’égalité. Lorsque les River Lions de Niagara affronteront les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, vendredi, en finale de la conférence de l'Est, ce sera un affrontement entre les deux équipes les plus récemment sacrées championnes de la LECB. Mais une seule équipe aura l’occasion de devenir la deuxième équipe de l’histoire de la ligue à soulever le trophée pour la deuxième fois. La couverture en direct du match débute à 17 h (HAC) / 18 h (HE) au Canada Life Centre de Winnipeg. Le match sera diffusé sur TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+ et NLSE. Les similitudes entre les deux équipes ne s'arrêtent pas aux titres. Toutes deux ont connu une saison en montagnes russes. Les Shooting Stars ont enchaîné les séquences de victoires et de défaites pour finalement terminer avec une fiche de 11-13 (troisième dans l’Est), tandis que les River Lions ont bouclé leur calendrier avec cinq revers consécutifs immédiatement après une série de sept victoires, terminant à la première place à l'Est (14-10). Ces cinq défaites n'avaient pas de grandes conséquences, puisque Niagara avait déjà confirmé sa place. Mais les River Lions auront eu 12 jours pour réfléchir à cette série de défaites avant le début du week-end du Championnat — même s'ils ont disputé un match simulé à huis clos contre l'équipe canadienne. Malgré tout, Niagara semble toujours aussi détendu à l’aube de son premier match à élimination de la saison, amenant un ballon de football à chaque entraînement pour lancer des passes à travers le terrain avant de se mettre au sérieux. Comme à l’habitude, la séance s’est conclue par un concours de tirs du centre. Peut-être que cette attitude décontractée fait partie des avantages de défendre un titre. Mais cela amène aussi des défis. « Ça te met au défi de plusieurs façons. Quand je repense aux années passées, surtout à l’an dernier, je me souviens de cette envie de corriger ce qu’on n’avait pas accompli l’année d’avant, qui transparaissait dans tout ce qu’on faisait. Cette année, ce n’est pas toujours le cas, car le groupe est confiant, il a de l’expérience, il sait que la saison est longue et ce qu’il faut viser à la fin », a expliqué l’entraîneur-chef, Victor Raso. De leur côté, les Shooting Stars ont déjà disputé deux matchs sans lendemain — et ils les ont dominés, prenant des avances de 18 et 26 points respectivement avant d’entrer dans la période du pointage cible, battant l’Alliance de Montréal et les BlackJacks d’Ottawa. C’est le même chemin que Scarborough avait emprunté en 2023 lors de son parcours vers le championnat, remportant un match de qualification à domicile et la demi-finale de l’Est sur la route pour finalement affronter Niagara en finale de conférence. L’entraîneur-chef Mike De Giorgio était entraîneur adjoint de cette équipe-là. « Ils ont encore plusieurs des mêmes joueurs. Nous non, mais on a des gars et une bonne partie de notre personnel qui étaient là, qui ont déjà vécu ça. C'est donc en grande partie ce que nous avons évoqué avec les joueurs et ils ont vraiment relevé le défi ces derniers temps », a déclaré De Giorgio. Les River Lions et les Shooting Stars se sont partagé leurs quatre affrontements cette saison, avec seulement le premier duel, au début juin, qui s’était avéré serré. Les deux formations ont l’expérience des grands matchs, savent comment gagner dans les moments serrés, en période du pointage cible, en séries éliminatoires. Joueurs à surveiller Même si leur parcours vers Winnipeg est semblable, Niagara et Scarborough pratiquent des styles bien différents. Les Shooting Stars comptent sur deux des meilleurs marqueurs de la ligue, Donovan Williams et Terquavion Smith, qui n’ont pas ralenti en séries éliminatoires, affichant des moyennes de 26 et 22 points par match respectivement. En grande partie, Scarborough va là où son duo vedette l’amène — un autre 50 points combinés en finale de l’Est leur donnerait un sérieux coup de pouce. Pour leur part, les River Lions s’appuient sur la profondeur de leur effectif, utilisant plusieurs gardes capables d’apporter des minutes de qualité. Le meneur de ce groupe, c’est Khalil Ahmad, le joueur par excellence de la dernière finale. Ahmad est sans doute le joueur le plus décisif de l’histoire de la ligue, ayant inscrit le panier gagnant dans chacune des trois victoires des River Lions en séries 2024, en plus d’en ajouter quatre autres cette saison, ce qui le place à égalité au quatrième rang. Ahmed Hill, meilleur marqueur de tous les temps de la ligue, cherche lui aussi son premier titre après avoir été éliminé l’an dernier par les River Lions alors qu’il évoluait avec l’Alliance de Montréal. « Comme on dit, j’ai toutes les reconnaissances, mais pas de bague. C’est quelque chose que je veux vraiment. Je n’ai jamais gagné de championnat, donc le faire avec ce groupe-là serait incroyable », a confié Hill. Calendrier des séries éliminatoires 2025 de la LECB WC25 – Finale de la Conférence de l’Est – Vendredi 22 août – Shooting Stars de Scarborough c. River Lions de Niagara – 17 h HAC / 18 h HE – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) WC25 – Finale de la Conférence de l’Ouest – Vendredi 22 août – Sea Bears de Winnipeg c. Surge de Calgary – 19 h 30 HAC / 20 h 30 HE – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) WC25 – Finale du Championnat de la LECB – Dimanche 24 août – Équipes à confirmer – 18 h HAC / 19 h HE – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Pour consulter le calendrier complet 2025 de la LECB, visitez cebl.ca/fr-ca/games .

(Preview: Eastern Conference Final) Call it a tiebreaker of sorts. When the Niagara River Lions meet the Scarborough Shooting Stars in Friday’s Eastern Conference Final, it will be a battle of the past two CEBL champions. But only one will have the opportunity to become the second team in league history to hoist the trophy a second time. Live coverage of the contest begins at 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET from Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre. You can watch on TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+ and NLSE. The similarities between the teams don’t end with their titles, either. Both endured roller-coaster seasons of sorts, with the Shooting Stars exchanging winning and losing streaks only to arrive at 11-13 (third in the East) for the season, while the River Lions ended their season with five losses that immediately followed seven wins, finishing first in the East at 14-10. The five losses were somewhat meaningless, since Niagara had already clinched. But the River Lions will have sat on that skid for 12 days by the time tip-off arrives — though they did get some live action in a closed scrimmage against Team Canada. Still, Niagara seems loose as ever entering its first knockout game of the season, bringing a football out to each of its practices and tossing cross-court heaves before getting down to business. Practice ended with a half-court shooting contest, as is ritual. Perhaps that laid-back attitude is one of the benefits of entering as the reigning champs. There are drawbacks too, though. “It challenges you in many ways. If I think back to the years in the past, specifically last year, the hunger to write what we felt like we didn't the year before was just evident in every single thing we did. This year it just hasn't always been like that because the group is confident in themselves, they are experienced, they know how long of a season it is and what you want to get at the end,” head coach Victor Raso said. Meanwhile, the Shooting Stars have already faced a pair of do-or-die games — and barely broke a sweat in either, taking leads of 18 and 26 points, respectively, into Target Score Time before beating the Montreal Alliance and Ottawa BlackJacks. It’s the same path the Shooting Stars travelled en route to their 2023 title, when they won a play-in game at home and the East semi on the road in order to face Niagara in the conference final. Head coach Mike De Giorgio was an assistant on that team. “They have a lot of the same guys available. We don't, but we have guys and a lot of our staff have been around and been in that game and have that experience. So for the most part, that's something that we've been referencing with the players and they've really stepped up to the challenge lately,” De Giorgio said. The River Lions and Shooting Stars split their four games this season, with only their first meeting in early June even being close. Both have a level of championship experience, and they understand what it takes to win tight games, in Target Score Time, in the post-season. Players to watch While their journeys to Winnipeg were similar, the River Lions and Shooting Stars employ vastly different playing styles. Scarborough boasts two of the top scorers in the league in Donovan Williams and Terquavion Smith, who have hardly let up in the playoffs, either, averaging 26 and 22 points per game, respectively. In many ways, the Shooting Stars go as their star duo goes — another 50 points combined in the East final would go a long way toward winning. On the other hand, Niagara leans more on its depth, with a guard rotation that goes deep into the bench. The head of that snake is Khalil Ahmad, the reigning Finals MVP. Ahmad is arguably the most clutch player in league history — he scored the game-winner in each of the River Lions’ three 2024 playoff victories and tied for fourth this season with four more. Ahmed Hill, the league’s all-time leading scorer, is also searching for his first title after being eliminated by the River Lions as a member of the Montreal Alliance last season. “Like they say, I got all the accolades, but I don’t have a ring. So that’s something that I want really bad. I’ve never won a championship before, so to do it with these guys would be amazing,” Hill said. 2025 CEBL Playoff Schedule CW25 – Eastern Conference Final – Friday, Aug. 22 – SSS at NRL – 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) CW25 – Western Conference Final – Friday, Aug. 22 – WPG at CGY – 7:30 p.m. CDT / 6:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) CW25 – CEBL Championship Final – Sunday, Aug. 24 – TBD at TBD – 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .