Bandits Rout River Lions in Rematch of 2024 Championship Final

(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 .

The CEBL’s awards gala at The Met in Winnipeg did not come with a zany dress code, despite the implications of the words Met and gala in the same sentence. But a key theme did emerge in the Manitoba capital, just as it does at the one in New York. Over the course of the roughly hour-long awards show, the strengths of Canadian basketball were on full display. It was a charge led by Tyrese Samuel, the Vancouver Bandits forward and Montreal native who took home the honours of top Canadian and Clutch Player of the Year. “The world’s gonna know about Canada Basketball,” Samuel said when asked what the award meant to him. “We’re just gonna grow and have more players in the NBA, more players going overseas and getting big contracts, making a name for themselves. So it’s gonna continue to grow and the league’s gonna get better and better.” Samuel, 25, exploded onto the scene in his first CEBL season. As a key member of the Bandits, who earned the league’s top regular-season record, Samuel averaged a double-double of 21.4 rebounds and 10.8 rebounds per game — the only player in the league to reach double digits in each category. Meanwhile, his six Target Score Winners tied fellow Canadian Sean Miller-Moore of the Calgary Surge, but Samuel was handed the clutch award in a tie-breaking vote. “It means a lot. The last couple years have been kinda slow for me, but coming to the CEBL was a good decision in that me and my agent came up with a plan to get me back my rhythm, gain back a little bit of confidence. I feel like this year was that for me,” he said. “I’m highly for grateful for Vancouver and then the team we built and the brotherhood we built and even the great season that we had. I feel like I grew a lot this summer and just thankful.” Samuel, who played for Florida and Seton Hall in college, also led the CEBL in field goal percentage (65.9), ranked third in rebounds per game and tied for third with eight double-doubles. His teammate and coach also took home some hardware as star forward Mitch Creek was named MVP and Kyle Julius took home coach of the year honours. But while the Bandits won the league’s three marquee trophies (MVP, top Canadian, top coach), the first two awards of the night spoke to the little things that go into making Canadian basketball hum. First, Saskatchewan Rattlers guard Isaac Simon was named developmental player of the year. Simon played all 24 games for the Rattlers and averaged 4.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest. He will return to the University of Alberta in the fall. The Regina native even saw much of Canada on his way to accept the award as flight troubles caused him to traverse the prairies from his hometown to Calgary and back over to Winnipeg with just an hour to spare. “I think [the league] just provides Canadians the opportunity that maybe wasn’t there before. Each year the league’s getting bigger and bigger. … We have a lot of talent in Canada and I think this league’s doing a great job of showcasing that,” Simon said. On the other side of the spectrum, a man who has been involved in Canadian professional basketball essentially since its inception was also honoured with the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award. Karl Toulouse, who has been with the CEBL since Day 1, oversees 150 minor officials across all 10 CEBL markets and has been present at every Championship Weekend to support the scorer’s table. Having also worked with the Toronto Raptors since their inception, Toulouse showed up rocking his 2019 championship ring. He said he shares his award with all the officials working across the country and added that he’s grateful that the CEBL exists. “They are doing all of the right things with commissioner Morreale at the top. These people are all class, they bring their A-game and they work their tails off from start to finish,” Toulouse said. “As for the league, the cities are wonderful, the organizations are building strong franchises that are being engaged and embraced by fans throughout the country and would I like to see more teams? Yeah, I would. I’d like to see more of everything. It really is a wonderful league that’s top notch.” Elsewhere, Zane Waterman, the Ottawa BlackJacks forward, captured sixth man of the year after averaging 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 23.1 minutes per game while shooting 52.9 per cent from three-point range in 14 games. And a battle between Surge teammates Jameer Nelson Jr. and Greg Brown III for Defensive Player of the Year ended in a victory for Nelson Jr. The 24-year-old dominated in his first CEBL season, setting a league record with 57 steals in just 10 games. As a team, Calgary allowed the fewest points per game (87.2) while grabbing the most steals (10.3). Nelson Jr. said his defence was elevated playing alongside Brown III, who gave Nelson a look and a dap when he was announced as winner. “We’ve been talking all year about who’s the best defender,” Nelson Jr. said. “He makes it super easy just because of his presence, but he might not get all the blocks, but he’s going to get a lot. And it might be just a block by him just standing there and being like ‘I’m not about to go there.’” The pair, who are also rooming together at Championship Weekend, will reunite as teammates Friday when the Surge face the Winnipeg Sea Bears in the West Final. It’s set to be the biggest Championship Weekend to date after the Sea Bears set a regular-season attendance record. According to Samuel, it may not end there. “I feel like every year it’s just gonna get better,” he said. “And I feel like we’re putting Canada basketball, it’s on the map right now, but it’s just growing and growing even more. And as long as there’s good Canadians in this league, the sky’s the limit.”

Les Bandits brillent alors que Creek est nommé Joueur le plus utile, Samuel reçoit les titres de Joueur canadien de l’année et de Joueur « clutch », et Julius est de nouveau désigné Entraîneur de l’année

Bandits shine as Creek named MVP; Samuel claims Top Canadian and Clutch Player; Julius repeats as Coach of the Year

In a league built on moments, Championship Weekend provides plenty. Each of the four teams set to compete over the final three games of the 2025 CEBL season come to Winnipeg’s Canada Life with one obvious goal: a championship. But their routes to the Manitoba capital — and the inner motivation behind the season-long journey — vary from club to club, player to player, coach to coach. For Victor Raso, the head coach of the defending champions Niagara River Lions, Championship Weekend is a celebration of how far the league has come since its 2019 debut. “As a young Canadian, this is a dream,” said Raso, the 35-year-old from Hamilton, Ont. “And it is for all of our Canadian guys too. They get to play on TSN at a world-class NHL arena in front of 10,000-plus people. And some of these guys are living at home for the summer and getting to do that. You just can't really compare this thing to anything.” The top-seeded River Lions will meet the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the East final at 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET on Friday. The West final, featuring the host Winnipeg Sea Bears against the Calgary Surge, will follow directly after. In the East, Raso will go up against a fellow Canadian coach in Mike De Giorgio, a familiar opponent not just from the CEBL but on the prep circuit, too. De Giorgio, the Toronto native, is in his first year as head coach of the Shooting Stars after two years as an assistant and interim coach. It was Raso, who joined Niagara as coach and general manager in Year 1, who blazed that trail. “I remember when I took the job, speaking to a U SPORTS coach assistant, I said, ‘I think I'm gonna go do the CEBL stuff.’ He's like, ‘You're an idiot. Pro basketball in Canada’s never worked. Are you sure that's what you wanna do?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I think so,’” Raso, the league’s coaching leader in games and wins, recalled. “And then now, seven years down the road, [I’ve] coached over 100 FIBA basketball games, shared the table with coaches are way more experienced than me. How better to develop professional coaches?” And so this moment — Raso vs. De Giorgio, a trip to the Finals on the line — is one that can be cherished by both, even as opponents. De Giorgio said the opportunity for him is unmatched. He referenced a road trip that pitted the Shooting Stars against top talent in the Western Conference. “I'm on the plane each time, trying to watch the film from the night before and put our scouting report together for the next day and it's like, for me personally, those are reps you can't replace. You're never gonna get a [league] outside of the NBA that has this high a level of talent,” De Giorgio said. Still, after rolling through the play-in game and East semi, the Shooting Stars will have their toughest test to date in the River Lions — a rematch of the 2023 conference championship, a battle of the past two champions. “It's not anyone's personal moment, it's all about the team moment. So if you're playing because you want the team's moment to be great and exciting and everything like that, then those moments are going to come to us,” De Giorgio said. But, perhaps, no team has a bigger opportunity ahead of it than the Sea Bears. Thousands of fans are expected to pack the arena for the semifinals — and it’s a safe bet that a great majority of those will be Sea Bears supporters. “What I like to say to the guys is feed the bear, the bear being Sea Bear Nation. And we feed them with hustle plays, heart, energy, effort. We want them to play relentlessly,” head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said. If the Sea Bears can get past the Calgary Surge, the arena for Sunday’s final will be rocking. And whether it’s import Jalen Harris or longtime Canadian CEBLer Alex Campbell, a raucous, one-of-a-kind moment could await someone. “The CEBL is a fun league. It's a fantastic league. And guys are competitive, trying to do their best, but also very respectful. So you say these moments can be unbelievable. And I'm really proud that we're going to host the Championship Weekend here in Winnipeg with a chance to have some fantastic finishes and game-winning moments,” Taylor said. “And hopefully they have some Sea Bears involved.” Still, a Calgary team that already toppled West’s top seed won’t be a walk in the park. In his first year in the league, ex-NBA head coach Kaleb Canales has the Surge firing on all cylinders. “For me coming into the league, it's dynamic, ready to explode to the next level. Where it is today, where it's going to be in the next couple of years, I think it's going to be on showcase this weekend,” Canales said. Indeed, Championship Weekend tends to provide those sparks. The only question now is who will grab that opportunity and run with it.

Basketball, musique et culture se rencontrent à Winnipeg alors que la plus grande célébration annuelle du basketball canadien débute le 21 août