Le Surge domine en fin de match pour l’emporter contre l’Alliance

(Aperçu: Semaine 14) La plus longue saison de l’histoire de la LECB tire bientôt à sa fin. Cette campagne monumentale de 120 matchs n’a certainement pas manqué de rebondissements — difficile d’oublier les fins de match palpitantes pendant la période du pointage cible (les River Lions en ont signé plusieurs), les records fracassés (le garde des Rattlers Nate Pierre-Louis a battu le record de passes décisives en une saison), et les rivalités enflammées (la bataille de l’Alberta ne fait que commencer). Même si on connaît depuis un moment les huit équipes qualifiées pour les séries, plusieurs éléments restent à déterminer. Et la dernière semaine de la saison promet d’être divertissante, avec un programme triple dès mercredi, suivi d’un horaire complet vendredi et dimanche alors que les 10 équipes seront en action. Voici les affrontements à surveiller : Conférence de l’Est – Positions 2 à 4 OTT à MTL (6 août), MTL à OTT (8 août), MTL à SSS (10 août) Derrière les River Lions de Niagara, champions de l’Est et déjà qualifiés pour le week-end du Championnat à Winnipeg, le reste du classement est totalement indécis. Les Shooting Stars de Scarborough (fiche de 11-11), les BlackJacks d’Ottawa (10-10) et l’Alliance de Montréal (8-13) savent déjà qu’ils participeront aux séries… mais l’ordre du classement est encore loin d’être fixé. Les Shooting Stars sont en position favorable pour accéder directement à la demi-finale de conférence. S’ils remportent leurs deux derniers matchs, les BlackJacks devront eux aussi terminer la saison sans défaite dans leurs trois derniers duels pour leur voler la deuxième position. Scarborough est en feu en ce moment — L’équipe vient d’enchaîner deux victoires face à des prétendants au titre — le Surge de Calgary et les River Lions de Niagara —, et ce malgré l’absence de Donovan Williams, codétenteur du titre de meilleur marqueur, lors du deuxième match. C’est plutôt une attaque équilibrée menée par Terquavion Smith qui a permis de vaincre les River Lions et de garder Scarborough en position pour obtenir un match éliminatoire à domicile — un enjeu de taille. En embuscade au troisième rang : Ottawa, une autre formation qui semble enfin trouver son rythme, malgré une saison irrégulière. Depuis son arrivée chez les BlackJacks en juin, Javonte Smart fait sensation : il domine la ligue avec une moyenne de 28,2 points par match (aucun autre joueur n’en marque plus de 24), et a fracassé le record de points dans un match de l’équipe avec une performance de 44 points dans une victoire contre Niagara. Discrètement, Ottawa possède le troisième meilleur différentiel de points de toute la ligue, en plus de présenter la quatrième meilleure attaque et la deuxième meilleure défense. Et puis, il y a Montréal. L’Alliance semblait métamorphosée en début de saison avec un départ parfait de 4-0, mais le vent a tourné : l’équipe n’a remporté que quatre de ses 16 matchs suivants, dans une campagne marquée par un va-et-vient constant de joueurs et une irrégularité persistante. Cela dit, l’Alliance est toujours dans la course avec trois matchs à l’horaire cette semaine, tous contre les BlackJacks et les Shooting Stars. L’équipe a son destin entre ses mains, mais elle vient tout juste d’encaisser une défaite de 17 points face au Surge de Calgary, lundi. Conférence de l’Ouest – Positions 1 à 3 Matchs clés: VAN à SSS (8 août), NRL à EDM (8 août), NRL à CGY (10 août) Durant la majeure partie de la saison, les Bandits de Vancouver (17-5) ont dominé le classement de l’Ouest. Mais rien n’est encore assuré, puisque le Surge de Calgary (15-7) a signé une autre victoire, réduisant l’écart à seulement deux matchs. Une seule victoire des Bandits ou une défaite du Surge confirmerait la première place de Vancouver ainsi que le droit d’accueillir la demi-finale de conférence. Les Bandits, qui viennent de remporter deux matchs de suite — incluant une victoire cruciale contre les Stingers d’Edmonton (12-9) —, devront cependant terminer leur saison avec deux affrontements sur la route contre des équipes affamées : les Shooting Stars de Scarborough et l’Alliance de Montréal. Vancouver ne peut pas glisser plus bas que la deuxième place, ce qui signifie que l’équipe est assurée de jouer au moins un match éliminatoire à domicile. Seul Calgary peut encore rejoindre les Bandits, alors que le meilleur scénario possible pour les Stingers est une deuxième position. Non seulement le Surge talonne Vancouver, mais il a aussi remporté les trois affrontements entre les deux équipes cette saison — ce qui lui donne l’avantage en cas d’égalité. Le Surge terminera sa saison avec deux matchs à domicile contre des équipes qui n’ont rien à gagner. Vendredi, les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan seront de passage au WinSport Event Centre — la même équipe qui a gâché la fête aux Stingers la semaine dernière. Puis dimanche, le Surge de Calgary accueillera les River Lions de Niagara au Scotiabank Saddledome pour un troisième match dans ce lieu historique, mettant fin à la saison régulière. Les River Lions voudront repartir vers Winnipeg sur une bonne note. Bien que les Rattlers et les River Lions n’aient plus grand-chose en jeu, l’intensité du jeu de Calgary — parmi les deux meilleures équipes de la ligue pour les vols de ballon, les rebonds et les blocs — pourrait encore leur causer bien des maux de tête. Pendant ce temps, les Stingers doivent absolument gagner leurs trois derniers matchs pour espérer accueillir un match de qualification de la bataille de l’Alberta. Edmonton aura droit à un match revanche contre la Saskatchewan mercredi, après une défaite crève-cœur lors de la période du pointage cible dimanche dernier. Ensuite, les Stingers recevront coup sur coup les River Lions et les Sea Bears de Winnipeg — deux équipes déjà qualifiées pour le week-end du Championnat. À l’heure actuelle, Edmonton tente de remonter la pente pour les rejoinder, mais tout peut encore basculer alors qu’on entre à pleine vitesse dans la dernière semaine. Chiffres clés à retenir 1 – Javonte Smart d’Ottawa n’était qu’à un point d’égaler le record de points dans un match de la ligue, grâce à sa performance de 44 points dans une victoire contre les River Lions de Niagara jeudi. Le record de 45 points appartient à Jalen Harris, établi l’an dernier avec les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan. 9 – Greg Brown III du Surge de Calgary et Jaden Bediako des Rattlers sont chacun à neuf blocs d’égaler le record de 46, établi par EJ Onu de Niagara en 2022. 53 – Le garde des Stingers, Sean East II, a besoin de 53 points lors de ses trois derniers matchs pour égaler le record de points en une saison, soit 544, établi par Teddy Allen des Sea Bears de Winnipeg en 2023. 71 – Scottie Lindsey, coéquipier d’East II, est à dix tirs de trois points de battre le record en une saison détenu par Justin Wright-Foreman de la Saskatchewan, depuis la saison 2023. 226 – Les Bandits de Vancouver et les Stingers d’Edmonton ont combiné un total de 226 points vendredi dernier, soit le plus haut total pour un match depuis l’instauration de la période du pointage cible. Horaire de la semaine (13 matchs) Match #15B – Mercredi 6 août – OTT à MTL – 19 h 30 (HE) – Auditorium de Verdun (CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca) Match #109 – Mercredi 6 août – NRL à WPG – 19 h (HAC) / 20 h (HE) – Centre Canada Life (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #110 – Mercredi 6 août – EDM à SSK – 19 h 30 (HNC / HRM) / 21 h 30 (HE) – Centre SaskTel (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #111 – Vendredi 8 août – MTL à OTT – 19 h 30 (HE) – L’Aréna de la PlaceTD (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #112 – Vendredi 8 août – VAN à SSS – 20 h (HE) / 17 h (HP) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #113 – Vendredi 8 août – BHB à WPG – 19 h 30 (HAC) / 20 h 30 (HE) – Centre Canada Life (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #114 – Vendredi 8 août – NRL à EDM – 19 h (HRM) / 21 h (HE) – Edmonton Expo Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #115 – Vendredi 8 août – SSK à CGY – 20 h (HRM / HNC) / 22 h (HE) – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #116 – Dimanche 10 août – MTL à SSS – 14 h (HE) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #117 – Dimanche 10 août – VAN à OTT – 15 h (HE) / 12 h (HP) – The Arena at TD Place (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #118 – Dimanche 10 août – WPG à EDM – 16 h (HRM) / 17 h (HAC) / 18 h (HE) – Edmonton Expo Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #119 – Dimanche 10 août – BHB à SSK – 17 h (HNC) / 19 h (HE) – Centre SaskTel (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #120 – Dimanche 10 août – NRL à CGY – 18 h (HRM) / 20 h (HE) – Scotiabank Saddledome (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+) Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB, visitez le cebl.ca/fr-ca/games .

(Preview: Week 14) The CEBL’s longest-ever season is set to come to an end. A monumental 120-game campaign has rarely been short on drama — it’s not hard to think back and remember scintillating Target Score Time endings (the River Lions authored quite a few), shattered records (Rattlers guard Nate Pierre-Louis dusted the single-season assists mark) and intense rivalries (the Battle of Alberta is only just heating up). Yet while we’ve known the eight playoff teams for some time now, there is still plenty left to be decided. And the final week of the season should provide plenty of entertainment, starting with a triple-header Wednesday before all 10 teams are in action on both Friday and Sunday. Here are the key battlegrounds: Eastern Conference, Seeds 2-4 Key games: OTT at MTL (Aug. 6), MTL at OTT (Aug. 8), MTL at SSS (Aug. 10) Behind East champion Niagara, which has its ticket to Championship Weekend in Winnipeg, the middle of the conference is a muddled mess. Each of the Scarborough Shooting Stars (11-11), Ottawa BlackJacks (10-10) and Montreal Alliance (8-13) know they’re headed to the playoffs — but seeding remains fully up for grabs. The Shooting Stars are in the driver’s seat for a spot directly in the conference semifinal. If they win their final two games, the BlackJacks would also need to finish undefeated over their final three to steal the second seed. Scarborough is rolling right now — it’s won two straight over title contenders in the Calgary Surge and the River Lions despite not having co-leading scorer Donovan Williams in the latter contest. Instead, a balanced attack led by Terquavion Smith was enough to down the River Lions and keep Scarborough on pace for the all-important right to host a playoff game. Lurking in third place, however, is Ottawa — another team that seems to be hitting its stride despite a bumpy season. Javonte Smart has exploded onto the scene since signing with the BlackJacks in June, leading the league at 28.2 points per game (no one else is above 24) and smashing the franchise single-game points record with a 44-point outburst in a win over Niagara. Quietly, Ottawa owns the third-best point differential in the league while claiming the fourth-best offence and second-stingiest defence. And then there’s Montreal. The Alliance seemed transformed during their 4-0 start to the season, but they’ve won just four of 16 contests since then amid a player carousel and roller-coaster campaign. Still, the Alliance are in the dance — and with three games this week, all against the BlackJacks and Shooting Stars, they can control their own fate. However, Montreal just suffered a 17-point drubbing at the hands of the Surge on Monday. Western Conference, Seeds 1-3 Key games: VAN at SSS (Aug. 8), NRL at EDM (Aug. 8), NRL at CGY (Aug. 10) For most of the season, the Vancouver Bandits (17-5) have held a tight grip on top spot in the West. Yet it’s still not a sure thing after the Surge (15-7) won yet again to move within two games of the Bandits. Any Bandits win or Surge loss would clinch the No. 1 spot and the right to host the conference semifinal for Vancouver. But the Bandits, who’ve won two straight, including a key victory over the Edmonton Stingers (12-9), will face a pair of tough road tests against desperate teams in Scarborough and Montreal to close out their season. Vancouver cannot fall lower than second, meaning it is guaranteed to host some sort of playoff game. That’s because only Calgary can still catch the Bandits, while the best the Stingers can do is second. Not only are the Surge hot on the Bandits’ heels, but they’ve had their number all year and won all three matchups, meaning they own the tiebreaker if they finish the season with the same record. The Surge finish out the season with a pair of home games against teams with nothing to play for. On Friday, it’s Saskatchewan at WinSport Event Centre — the same team that played spoiler to the Stingers last week. Then on Sunday, Calgary hosts Niagara at Scotiabank Saddledome for their third game at the historic venue, closing out the regular season. The River Lions will be looking to take some positive vibes into Winnipeg. But even with little on the line for the Rattlers and River Lions, Calgary’s hustle-based style — top two in steals, rebounds, and blocks — could still be tough to match. Meanwhile, the Stingers need to win out to have any shot at hosting a Battle of Alberta play-in game. The Stingers get a rematch against the Rattlers on Wednesday following a devastating Target Score Time collapse on Sunday, then return home for a pair against the River Lions and Sea Bears, who are both headed to Championship Weekend. As things stand now, Edmonton is fighting an uphill battle to join them. But plenty can change as we barrel toward the final week. Numbers you should know 1 – Ottawa’s Smart was one point away from tying the all-time single-game scoring record with his 44-point performance in a win over Niagara on Thursday. Jalen Harris has the mark at 45 from last season with Saskatchewan. 9 – Calgary’s Greg Brown III and Saskatchewan’s Jaden Bediako are each nine blocks away from equalling the record of 46 set by Niagara’s EJ Onu in 2022. 53 – Stingers guard Sean East II needs 53 points over his final three games to match the single-season scoring record of 544 set by Winnipeg’s Teddy Allen in 2023. 71 – East II’s backcourt mate Scottie Lindsey is 10 three-pointers away from breaking the single-season mark, held by Saskatchewan’s Justin Wright-Foreman from the 2023 season. 226 – The Bandits and Stingers combined for the most points in one game during the Target Time Era by the end of Vancouver’s Friday victory. Weekly schedule (13 games) Game #15B -- Wednesday, Aug. 6 – OTT at MTL – 7:30 p.m. ET – Verdun Auditorium (CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca) Game #109 – Wednesday, Aug. 6 – NRL at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #110 – Wednesday, Aug. 6 – EDM at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #111 – Friday, Aug. 8 – MTL at OTT – 7:30 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #112 – Friday, Aug. 8 – VAN at SSS – 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #113 – Friday, Aug. 8 – BHB at WPG – 7:30 p.m. CDT / 8:30 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #114 – Friday, Aug. 8 – NRL at EDM – 7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET – Edmonton Expo Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #115 – Friday, Aug. 8 – SSK at CGY – 8 p.m. MT/CST / 10 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #116 – Sunday, Aug. 10 – MTL at SSS – 2 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #117 – Sunday, Aug. 10 – VAN at OTT – 3 p.m. ET / noon PT – The Arena at TD Place (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #118 – Sunday, Aug. 10 – WPG at EDM – 4 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton Expo Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #119 – Sunday, Aug. 10 – BHB at SSK – 5 p.m. CST / 7 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #120 – Sunday, Aug. 10 – NRL at CGY – 6 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. ET – Scotiabank Saddledome (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

The Calgary Surge gave the Montreal Alliance false hope. What was a back-and-forth affair for most of the game quickly turned into a dominant win for Calgary as they capitalized on Montreal’s turnovers late in the game. Calgary built a 11-point lead right before Target Time and stole the game away at Verdun Auditorium, 99-82. With the win, Calgary’s magic number to clinch at least second place in the West is now one: either one more win or one Edmonton loss. “We know every game is a playoff game. A lot of respect for Montreal and their coaching staff. I think the head coach does an unbelievable job,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said. “I know they’re gonna have a great playoff run … We know it’s a tough environment, but it’s fun.” Even when the game was close, Calgary played with carefree joy. Evan Gilyard II hit two threes on three possessions to build a six-point lead, and when he was nutmegged by a teammate on an offensive possession, he was all smiles. It was the same smile Jameer Nelson Jr. flashed when he hit a triple to make it a one-point game in the third quarter. All five Calgary starters scored in double digits, led by Nelson with 23 points. Khyri Thomas had 21 points on three-for-six three-point shooting. Calgary was missing their superstar, Greg Brown III, but Gabe Osabuohien stepped up in his absence, scoring 21 points and grabbing six offensive boards (total 10 rebounds). His biggest offensive board was the one just before Target Time, which allowed Thomas to nail a three, giving Calgary a six-point lead. From the very start of the game, Osabuohien always had an answer for Montreal. He also had his 50th steal (regular season and playoffs) in the game. Calgary had 14 offensive boards (plus-seven) and was plus-26 in points in the paint. The game started to slip in the fourth quarter with Montreal’s back-to-back turnovers. Thomas capitalized on Quincy Guerrier’s missed three-pointer by hitting the second of his back-to-back triples to push the lead up to nine points. Guerrier got trapped on the baseline before Target Time, turned the ball over, and Sean “Rugzy” Miller- Moore made a lay-up to give Calgary an 11-point-lead right before Target Time. Two more turnovers in Target Time led to another three by Thomas and a Nelson dunk. That was the nail in the coffin. Montreal had 17 turnovers, five more than Calgary, and history started to repeat itself. In their last match-up on July 9, Montreal’s 29 turnovers contributed to their 107-91 loss. Montreal head coach Jermaine Small gave a simple explanation for the loss. “I think toughness was the deciding factor. We just gave up,” he cut to the chase. “As soon as … they punched back, I think we just gave up.” “Hopefully, we learn from this quick,” he continued. “We have a massive game Wednesday, so, yeah, we’re going to watch tape and build off that.” Though Tavian Dunn-Martin bailed out Montreal when needed, others stepped up to keep this game close for the majority of the game. Coming off a 26-point performance against Brampton, Kevin Osawe kept the momentum going. He had a behind-the-back stepback three-pointer over Khryi Thomas in the first quarter, and would go on to notch 14 points. Shamiel Stevenson returned to the lineup and stepped up in the fourth quarter, hitting a confident off-the-dribble three, and later used his strength to take Osabuohien to the basket. Stevenson demanded the ball when it mattered most. Blondeau Tchoukuiegno was a sparkplug off the bench with two big steals in the third frame. The chances of hosting a home game in Verdun Auditorium have diminished, but Small remains focused on this week’s home game against Ottawa. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600668 Up next for both teams The Calgary Surge (15-7) will host the Saskatchewan Rattlers (6-15) at WinSport Event Centre on Friday, August 8. The Montreal Alliance (8-13) host the Ottawa BlackJacks (10-11) at Verdun Auditorium in what will be a heated game on Wednesday, August 6. Next CEBL action Three games await in the middle of this shortened week – on Wednesday, August 6. The Montreal Alliance (8-13) host the Ottawa BlackJacks (10-11) at Verdun Auditorium. The Winnipeg Sea Bears (9-12) host the Niagara River Lions (14-7) at Canada Life Centre. The latter will be looking to reassert its Eastern Conference supremacy after being blown out by Scarborough on Sunday. Lastly, the Saskatchewan Rattlers (6-15) will host the Edmonton Stingers (12-9) at SaskTel Centre. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Vancouver cruised to a 106-74 victory over Winnipeg in a potential Championship Weekend preview on Sunday (Aug. 3). On Fan Appreciation Night, the sellout crowd of 5,504 at Langley Events Centre had a lot to appreciate. After setting a franchise record with 121 points on Friday, the Bandits followed that up with another offensive outburst. The duo of Mitch Creek and Tyrese Samuel paced the Vancouver attack with a combined 51 points. Creek netted a game-high 27 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists. Meanwhile, Samuel flirted with a double-double, scoring 24 points to go along with nine rebounds. Zach Copeland complemented the frontcourt with consistent outside shooting, contributing 19 points as well. Vancouver improves its record to 17-5 on the season and maintains its spot atop the Western Conference with the Calgary Surge in pursuit. “The west is not the east … we've got [17] wins and we're biting and clawing to finish this thing out on top. So the West is a beast over here, and it's serious, and I'm proud that we're at the top of it for sure,” said Kyle Julius, head coach of the Bandits. Vancouver forced 19 Winnipeg turnovers, leading to 24 points. The Bandits’ defence also sparked the transition offence, outscoring the Sea Bears 27-4 on the fastbreak. Winnipeg head coach Mike Taylor said the Bandits came ready to play and “jumped all over” the Sea Bears. “People will look at the transition defence from our team or the fastbreak points from them, but I'm more concerned about our half-court offensive execution. I thought they were physical with good ball pressure. We didn't get the type of shots that we wanted,” Taylor said. Simi Shittu led the charge for Winnipeg with another double-double. The big man battled his way to 20 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. He said Winnipeg needs to tighten its transition defence moving forward. “We didn't come out the way we did in the last couple of games,” Shittu said. “[We were] fighting back most of the game.” Jalen Harris added 11 points and 7 assists while reaching a significant milestone. Harris became the ninth player in CEBL history to score 1,000 points all-time in regular-season and playoff games. “For the last several years, Jalen has been one of the top players in the league. For him as an import player to come in and have some of these accomplishments – it's a great thing,” Taylor said. Winnipeg veteran and former Bandit Alex Campbell became the fifth player in CEBL history to join the 500-rebound club on Sunday, collecting three boards just an hour after Edmonton’s Nick Hornsby hit the milestone in a separate game. Vancouver’s offence was dominant to start the game. After an early exchange of buckets, the Bandits seized control with a 16-0 run that featured triples from Creek and Copeland, along with inside finishes from Samuel. Trevon Scott and Shittu kept the Winnipeg attack afloat, but Vancouver entered the second quarter with a 33-24 lead. Efficient offence continued for Vancouver in the second, carried by Creek and Samuel. The pair combined for 18 points in the frame, including highlight reel jams from Samuel. Vancouver’s defence also stepped up, holding Winnipeg to 10 points in the second quarter to head into the locker room with a 60-34 advantage. Copeland caught fire from long-range in the third with a pair of trifectas in a back-and-forth quarter. However, the Bandits maintained a sizable 83-55 lead heading into the final frame. Vancouver built on its lead with a 10-0 run early in the fourth that featured a pair of triples from Creek. Copeland and Maurice Calloo traded buckets before Target Score Time, with Vancouver entering the final stretch ahead 31. Five points from Creek, a triple from Shamar Givance and a game-winning putback from Samuel propelled the Bandits to the win. Vancouver claims the regular season series against Winnipeg after splitting the first two games. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600665 Up next for both teams Winnipeg returns to Canada Life Centre for a meeting with the Niagara River Lions on Wednesday (Aug. 6) in another possible Championship Weekend preview. The Bandits hit the road for the final two games of the regular season with a matchup against Scarborough next Friday (Aug. 8) first on the agenda. Next CEBL action Vancouver will be keenly watching Calgary’s visit to Montréal on Monday (Aug. 4) with implications for the top spot in the Western Conference. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

It’s spoiler season. The last-place Saskatchewan Rattlers stunned the Edmonton Stingers in a 90-88 win on Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre, putting a dagger in the Alberta squad’s hopes of hosting a playoff game. Edmonton fell to 12-9 with its second straight loss, and now sits two games back of the Calgary Surge for second place in the West. Saskatchewan, which has already been eliminated from playoff contention, improved to 6-15. “All season our guys have competed hard, game in and game out, so I know tonight was no different,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said. “In Target Time, our guys just fought and battled and got us some extra possessions down the stretch and we finally got a shot to go in and it got us the win.” The Stingers led 80-77 entering Target Score Time and extended their lead to five points at 86-81 to move within three points of the Target Score. But the Rattlers did not go away quietly, launching a 5-0 run to tie the game and put the pressure directly back on the Stingers. Sean East II then nailed a pair of free throws to put the Stingers one point away from victory, and intentionally fouled Rattlers forward Tevian Jones to ensure Saskatchewan couldn’t win the game with a three-pointer. Jones missed both, and after East II missed a layup, another intentional foul was committed against Devonte Bandoo, who split the pair. But the Stingers just couldn’t get a bucket to go — and after a frantic few possessions, Rattlers guard Jordan Bowden capped a massive night with the game-winning three-pointer. “It was a hard-fought game for both of us. Tough, physical game. Both teams wanted it. We made a couple buckets at the end, got some stops and hit a shot,” Bowden said. Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said his team’s execution could have been better on both ends. “For us it’s a learning experience. We know we’ve got the playoffs that we’ve gotta prepare for, so every bump in the road we’ve gotta try to leverage to get better,” Baker said. The hard-fought battle will have a sequel, too, when these teams line up against each other in a rematch on Wednesday in Saskatchewan. While the Rattlers won’t be competing in the playoffs, you wouldn’t have been able to tell from their compete level throughout the contest. Saskatchewan weathered a few small Edmonton runs and seemed to have answers whenever the Stingers threatened — most notably in Target Score Time. Bowden paced the Rattlers with 28 points, including 20 in the first half and the game-winner. He also contributed four rebounds and three steals while shooting an efficient seven-for-nine from inside the arc. “Obviously Jordan Bowden is a talented player and the gravity for which he pulls the defence just created open shots for other guys, but we did it as a team,” Magdanz said. Bandoo, a former Stinger, put up 23 points for the Rattlers, while Jones added 18 points to go with six rebounds. Bowden said things simply clicked offensively. "Just being aggressive, trusting my work, getting to the spots I like to get and anything in the midrange, that’s my go-to. So my coaches, my teammates put me in the right position to be successful and I took advantage of it,” he said. Nate Pierre-Louis, who leads the league with a record 143 assists, was not available for Saskatchewan after he signed a contract in Europe. Meanwhile, the Stingers must now win at least two of their final three games to have any shot of hosting the West Play-In game, which they’re locked into since they can no longer catch the Vancouver Bandits atop the conference. Edmonton does, however, hold the tiebreaker over the Surge. Still, a home contest against the basement-dwelling Rattlers could now be construed as a massive opportunity gone by the wayside. Baker said he saw room for improvement on both ends of the floor. “They were switching everything and we need to be a little bit more unselfish on that end of the floor. But then defensively we knew who their main guys were and they put the ball in the basket, so we’ve got to do a better job of containing their main dudes,” he said. East II, the league’s leading scorer, led the way for the Stingers yet again with 30 points to go with five assists and three rebounds. Stingers forward Nick Hornsby notched 10 rebounds to climb past 500 for his career, including playoffs. Hornsby is just the fourth player in league history to reach the mark, joining his head coach Baker, Scarborough Shooting Stars forward Kalif Young and the late Chad Posthumus. Hornsby accomplished the feat in double-double fashion, recording 12 points alongside his rebounding haul. Keon Ambrose-Hylton nearly matched that double-double, instead settling for 14 points and nine rebounds. Ambrose-Hylton said it was an “interesting” game. “I felt like offensively we were doing what we could, but in the first half they were hitting some big shots. They were hitting a lot of contested shots and they had things going for them today, but overall we just gotta work on being more aggressive,” he said. A contest between the league’s two worst defences lived up to its billing in the first quarter as the teams combined for 69 points, with Saskatchewan leading 30-29. But the rest of the game was proved to be more of a dogfight. In the second quarter, the pace slowed significantly as the teams combined for 30 points. Edmonton carried a 45-44 advantage into halftime. Saskatchewan punched back in the third quarter and took a 65-63 lead into the final frame. Then, it ripped the hearts out of the fans who filled the Edmonton Expo Centre with its fourth-quarter flurry. Now, it will look to protect its own home court in just a few days’ time. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600662 Up Next The Rattlers and Stingers meet again on Wednesday in Saskatchewan. Next CEBL Action Just one game is on tap for Monday as the Calgary Surge visit Montreal to face the Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Scarborough Shooting Stars bolstered their position for the Eastern Conference’s second seed Sunday, dismantling the first-place Niagara River Lions, 81-64. Led by Michael Foster Jr.’s franchise-record 16 rebounds and a commanding defensive effort, Scarborough showcased the kind of physicality and urgency that could make them dangerous contenders heading into Championship Weekend. Foster, playing just his fourth game with the team, added 15 points to his monster rebounding performance and anchored a second-quarter surge that left Niagara scrambling. “I’m a little upset that I didn’t get 20 [rebounds], but hey, it’s a franchise record and I’m happy with that,” Foster said. The River Lions have already secured their place in Championship Weekend as the top seed in the East. Perhaps that security contributed to their performance, but the Shooting Stars would not be denied this afternoon in front of their home crowd. Scarborough has now split its regular season match-up with Niagara, 2-2. Foster was not a part of the team the last time the two played each other. Niagara added Meshack Lufile, brother of current River Lions’ big man Elijah Lufile, since then. Scarborough had a dominant second quarter, winning 21-9, and cemented their lead in the third quarter even as Terquavion Smith and Donovan Williams spent more time resting than playing. Scarborough’s size confounded Niagara in the second quarter. Foster set solid screens and not only was he scoring, his huge block on a nearly unguardable hook shot had reverberated through his team. His presence along with Kalif Young’s made it hard for Niagara to score down low – they only had four paint points by the second half. Young had a block of his own and Khalil Miller followed suit, blocking Kimbal Mackenzie. Towards the end of the quarter, Foster threw down a two-handed alley-oop to give Scarborough a 40-27 lead, and Kobe Elvis made a huge defensive play, mugging Ron Curry as the latter tried to post Elvis up, and this fueled an easy transition bucket for Aaron Best. Foster said that these defensive plays were just a mental disposition. “[It’s] really just having heart. That’s really it,” he said. “I felt like everybody came out here, really wanted to win. It’s a really good team out here, so we just wanna show our impact.” Scarborough continued to press the gas in the third quarter. Aaron Best answered with three triples, the third one giving Scarborough a 20-point lead. He then attacked the hoop and missed, but had Young to tap the ball back in. Things were clicking so well for Scarborough that even Miller stopped on a dime in transition, and with two Scarborough guards around him, he hoisted a three and nailed it, causing CEBL+ commentator Rod Black to scream, “You did not do that! Miller Time!” Scarborough also got lucky on some empty Niagara offensive possessions. After stopping Mackenzie from getting a three-point look, the ball was swung out to Khalil Ahmad on the weakside, but he missed the wide-open triple. On the other end, Miller attempted another three, but Foster grabbed the board and dished it out to Anthony Walker who splashed the corner three. Foster kept putting his stamp on the third frame as well, scoring off his own miss and kissing the ball off the glass after taking Elijah Lufile off the dribble. At the start of the fourth, Scarborough wasted some possessions – Best turned the ball over, Curry got a bucket, then Williams turned the ball over after getting called for a charge on Mackenzie. Young had a live-ball turnover, but Nathan Cayo could not convert it into a three. Smith came back into the game with a 68-51 lead, and it didn’t take much for Scarborough to close out the lopsided affair. “It helps us immensely in the standings. We’re one up against Ottawa now,” Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio said. “The guys came out and they responded. They were physically there. We hit first and that’s something that can carry over into the playoffs.” Niagara head coach and general manager Vic Raso was honest about the challenge he faced today. “We can’t fake the fact that every team we’re playing is fighting for something and we’ve already clinched,” he said. “But at the same time, we need to earn it back and we’ve got a good opportunity here to go away as a team for three games out west and really find that.” Nathan Cayo reached his 1000th point milestone (regular season and playoffs) today. “It’s a blessing just to be able to get that many points … To be able to be healthy and get the opportunity to play in this league,” he said. He finished the game with seven points on one-for-five three-point shooting, struggling from the field like most of his teammates. Niagara finished 26% from the field and 20% from downtown. Curry was the exception who had a team-high 21 points on eight-for-19 (42%) shooting. Ahmad struggled shooting two-for-eight from the field, but Raso dusted the loss off and remained optimistic about the future. “We’ve got some growing to do still,” he said matter-of-factly and looked forward to continuing the road trip ahead. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600658 Up next for both teams Scarborough (11-11) stays home to host the best team in the league, Vancouver Bandits (16-5), at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on Friday, August 8. Niagara (14-7) head west and face the Winnipeg Sea Bears (9-11) at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday, August 6. Next CEBL action The Montreal Alliance (8-12) recently secured a playoff berth and will host the Calgary Surge (14-7) at Verdun Auditorium tomorrow. This will be CEBL’s lone Monday, August 4 Civic Holiday game. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Le Surge de Calgary est sorti affamé samedi après-midi et a imposé son rythme dès les premières minutes en dominant les rebonds, ce qui l ui a permis de décrocher une victoire importante de 112-101 contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa. Les visiteurs ont saisi 25 rebonds offensifs, guidés par leur duo vedette formé de Jameer Nelson Jr. et Greg Brown III. Nelson Jr. a mené son équipe avec 29 points, six passes décisives et quatre vols, portant son total de vols à 53 cette saison – un record de la LECB. Brown a complété un doublé avec 26 points et 12 rebonds. Sean Miller-Moore a ajouté 20 points, cinq rebonds et cinq passes décisives, alors qu’Evan Gilyard II a récolté 13 points et huit passes décisives, et Olumide Adelodun a marqué 11 points en sortie de banc. « Ça fait partie de notre identité, c’est une question d’effort. Les rebonds offensifs, c’est souvent une question d’énergie, et je pense qu’on était vraiment concentrés là-dessus aujourd’hui, a expliqué l’entraîneur-chef du Surge, Kaleb Canales. On savait que ça allait être un match difficile sur la route, dans un bon environnement, contre une équipe bien dirigée. On a eu besoin de tout le monde ce soir. Sur papier, ce n’est pas notre force, les rebonds offensifs. Mais on a déjà connu des matchs comme ça, et je pense que celui-ci est notre sommet cette saison. On venait de perdre deux matchs de suite pour la première fois cette année. On ne voulait pas que ça se répète. Ce groupe est sérieux, les gars aiment le basketball, et ils voulaient aller chercher cette victoire difficile sur la route. » Les BlackJacks ont bien amorcé le match, prenant les devants 24-12 tôt au premier quart, principalement grâce à Isaih Moore, ayant marqué 17 points dans ce quart. Calgary a appelé un temps d’arrêt, puis est revenu en force pour réduire l’écart à quatre points à la fin du quart. Le pointage est resté serré jusqu’à ce qu’une séquence de 20-2 du Surge change complètement la dynamique du match avant la mi-temps. « J’ai trouvé qu’ils ont haussé leur intensité défensive, a reconnu l’entraîneur-chef d’Ottawa, Dave DeAveiro. Défensivement, c’est probablement l’équipe la plus difficile à affr onter : leur athlétisme, leur capacité à couper les lignes de passe, à faire dévier les ballons… c’est une équipe qui veut vous presser et vous pousser à jouer trop vite. Je pense qu’on est tombés dans leur jeu. On a forcé des actions, on a commis des pertes de ballon, et ils ont marqué des paniers faciles. » Moore a mené tous les marqueurs avec 32 points – son sommet personnel dans la LECB – en plus de 14 rebonds. Javonte Smart a inscrit 25 points, dont 23 en deuxième demie, en plus de six rebonds et cinq passes décisives. Tyrrel Tate a ajouté 16 points, tandis que Zane Waterman a inscrit neuf points avant de commettre sa sixième faute, malgré seulemen t 12 minutes de jeu. Même si Ottawa a tiré de l’arrière par une dizaine de points pendant une bonne partie de la deuxième demie, les locaux ont tout de même maintenu la pression et tenté de rester dans le coup. Mais chaque tentative de remontée a été rapidement freinée par une réponse encore plus percutante du Surge. Brown a joué un rôle déterminant à ce chapitre, son énergie contagieuse semblant porter ses coéquipiers à chaque panier réussi. « La passion, c’est probablement ce qu’il y a de plus important dans ma vie, a confié Brown au sujet de son style de jeu. Chaque fois que je mets les pieds sur un terrain, c’est 100 %, avec de l’agressivité, de la passion et un amour pur pour ce sport. Ça prend probablement 70 % de ma vie. » « On a plein de bons éléments dans notre équipe, a-t-il ajouté. (Miller-Moore), Jameer, Evan, Gabe (Osabuohien)… des gars qui sortent du banc. On a énormément de talent. Notre objectif, c’est de mettre tout ça ensemble et de jouer comme un seul groupe. La confiance vient avec la cohésion et le respect entre coéquipiers. Comme je disais, on a beaucoup de bons morceaux. Il faut apprendre à les assembler. Une fois qu’on y arrive, la confiance suit. » Cette victoire met fin à la première séquence de deux défaites du Surge cette saison et permet à Calgary de rester en course pour la première place dans l’Ouest et un laissez-passer vers les demi-finales de conférence. Pour Ottawa, cette défaite met fin à une série de deux victoires alors que l’équipe tente elle aussi de décrocher une place directe en séries. « Depuis le premier jour, notre objectif est de remporter un championnat, a rappelé Canales. C’est ce qui guide chacune de nos actions. On sait que c’est une ligue compétitive et que chaque match ressemble à un match de séries, mais notre but est resté le même : gagner un championnat. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600656 À venir pour les deux équipes Le Surge de Calgary conclura son voyage de trois matchs à l’extérieur face à l’Alliance de Montréal, le 4 août. De leur côté, les BlackJacks d’Ottawa amorceront un programme aller-retour contre l’Alliance avec une première rencontre au Québec le 6 août. Prochain match dans la LECB Les Shooting Stars de Scarborough poursuivent leur lutte pour la deuxième place dans l’Est alors qu’ils accueilleront les meneurs de la conférence, les River Lions de Niagara, le 3 août. Le match sera diffusé en direct sur CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour consulter l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

The Calgary Surge came out hungry and crashed the boards early to guide them to a key win against the Ottawa BlackJacks on Saturday afternoon. The Surge, who grabbed 25 offensive rebounds, were led by their star duo of Jameer Nelson Jr. and Greg Brown III to a 112-101 victory over the BlackJacks. Nelson Jr. had a team high 29 points to go with six assists and four steals, which extended his CEBL single-season record to 53. Brown had 26 points and 12 rebounds in the win. Sean Miller-Moore added 20 points with five rebounds and five assists for Calgary, while Evan Gilyard II had 13 points and eight assists, and Olumide Adelodun had 11 points off the bench. “It’s part of our identity – it’s the effort. Offensive rebounds are usually about the effort, and I think we came in with the tunnel vision mindset today,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said of his team. “We knew it was going to be a tough game on the road in a great environment, a well coached team, and we needed everything we got from everyone who played today.” “I know on paper, analytically we’re not one of the top offensive rebounding teams,” he continued. “We’ve had nights like this, but I think this is a season high. I think our mindset was that we had dropped two in a row for the first time all year. We hadn’t done that and that was a goal of ours. We got a serious group that cares about basketball, and they wanted to get this tough win on the road today.” The BlackJacks started the game hot, building up a 24-12 lead early thanks largely to Isaih Moore, who had 17 points in the opening period. Calgary would call a timeout which allowed them to get back into the game and cut the lead down to four by the end of the quarter. The teams would remain close throughout the second quarter, until a 20-2 Calgary run separated them for the rest of the game. “I thought they turned their defense up a little bit,” Ottawa head coach Dave DeAveiro said of the adjustments his opposition made. “They’re a tough defensive team. That’s probably the best defensive team we’re going to see in terms of athleticism and denying the ball and jumping the gaps. It’s a really tough team to play against and they’re trying to speed you up. I think we played into their game a little bit where they sped us up and we turned it over and they got easy buckets because of it.” Moore led the way with a game and CEBL-career high 32 points, as well as 14 rebounds. Javonte Smart had 25 points – including 23 in the second half – to go with six rebounds and five assists. Tyrell Tate added 16 points, while Zane Waterman added nine points before fouling out despite only having played 12 minutes. Despite facing double-digit deficits for the majority of the second half, Ottawa never made things easy for the road team and looked to stay in the game. Unfortunately for the home squad, every attempt they tried at a comeback was met by an even stronger answer by the Surge. Brown played a large role on that end, with his infectious energy seemingly propelling his team mates every basket he made. “Passion is probably the biggest thing in my life,” Brown said of his playstyle. “Every time I step on the court, it’s just 100-percent full aggression, passionate, just genuine love for the game. It takes up probably 70-percent of my life.” “We have a lot of great pieces on our team,” he added. “(Miller-Moore), Jameer, Evan, Gabe (Osabuohien)… people coming off the bench. We have a lot of really good players, so we’re just focusing on how we can take that talent and bring it together, make it one.” “Our confidence level goes into our trust, our comradery for our teammates. Like I said, we have so many good pieces. We have to figure out how we can mesh that all together. Once we start to figure that out, our confidence goes along with that.” The win snapped Calgary’s first losing streak of the season at two and keeps them in contention for the top spot in the West and a bye into the Conference Semifinals. Conversely, the loss snapped Ottawa’s win streak at two while they try to make a push of their own for a playoff bye. “Our goal from day one has been to win a championship,” Canales said. “That’s our goal; that’s our tunnel vision. We know it’s a great, competitive league and every night feels like a playoff game, but our goal has never wavered and never changed – it’s to win a championship.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600656 Up next for both teams The Calgary Surge wrap up their three-game road trip against the Montreal Alliance on August 4. The Ottawa BlackJacks take a trip of their own to Quebec for the first game of a home-and-home series against the Montreal Alliance on August 6. Next CEBL action The Scarborough Shooting Stars continue to fight for the second seed in the East when they host the conference leading Niagara River Lions on August 3, streaming live CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Le puissant dunk de Kevin Osawe a électrisé l’Auditorium de Verdun samedi soir. Ce moment fort a non seulement aidé l’Alliance de Montréal à s’imposer 103-83 contre les Honey Badgers de Brampton, mais a également confirmé leur place en séries éliminatoires dans l’Est, tout en éliminant Brampton de la course. Montréal menait par sept points à la mi-temps, mais est ressorti du vestiaire en feu. L’équipe a complètement dominé le troisième quart 34 à 15 et n’ont jamais laissé Brampton revenir dans le match. « On savait que c’était un match important, a déclaré Osawe après la rencontre. Tout le monde était engagé, du début à la fin. » Tout a cliqué pour Montréal au troisième quart. « Le plus beau pour moi, c’est qu’on voyait qu’ils avaient du plaisir ensemble ce soir », a souligné l’entraîneur-chef Jermaine Small. L’Alliance a pleinement tiré avantage de la petite taille de Koby McEwen. Quincy Guerrier (17 points) et Michael Diggins l’ont attaqué dans la clé à répétition. Tous les paniers de Montréal au troisième quart ont été inscrits dans la clé, à l’exception d’un tir de mi-distance et d’un tir de trois points. Osawe, qui a mené tous les marqueurs avec 26 points en réussissant 10 de ses 14 tirs, a obtenu des paniers cruciaux pendant cette période charnière. Il a donné à Montréal une avance de 14 points, puis après un temps mort provoqué, il a feinté Bryson Williams depuis l’arc, a sauté avec McEwen, absorbé le contact et marqué dans la zone restreinte. « Il jouait dans une classe à part. C’est une question de confiance et de conviction. Je pense que ça vient beaucoup de ses coéquipiers qui lui font vraiment confiance dans des moments clés pour marquer. Quand il est actif et qu’il joue bien, c’est difficile de perdre. Je suis content qu’il ait eu un gros match ce soir, c’était le moment parfait », a ajouté Small. Tavian Dunn-Martin (22 points) a diminué son nombre de lancers de trois points lors du troisième quart pour se concentrer sur des tirs dans la clé et offrir des passes décisives à ses coéquipiers. En défense, Montréal a continué de frustrer Quinndary Weatherspoon et a provoqué une faute offensive contre lui. Guerrier a incité McEwen à commettre sa quatrième faute, ce qui l’a forcé à aller sur le banc, obligeant Brampton à se reposer davantage sur Weatherspoon. L’Alliance a même provoqué une violation de l’horloge des tirs tout juste après un temps mort de Brampton. Montréal menait par jusqu’à 31 points en début de quatrième quart. La fin de match a donc été gérée sans difficulté par l’équipe locale. La soirée a aussi été spéciale pour Malcolm Duvivier, qui a atteint les séries lors de son 100e match dans la LECB. À ce jour, seul Alex Campbell des Sea Bears de Winnipeg a aussi franchi le cap des 100 matchs dans la ligue. Brampton avait misé sur ses vedettes en première demie, mais a tout de même reçu l’aide d’Ali Sow (11 points), Wheza Panzo (14 points, quatre tirs de trois points sur neuf tentés) et Bryson Williams (10 points) en deuxième demie. Weatherspoon a inscrit 19 de ses 25 points en première demie, dominant physiquement des joueurs plus petits, et déposant un superbe flotteur au-dessus de Nathan Tshimanga. Tous ses points sont venus dans la clé ou sur la ligne des lancers francs. Koby McEwen (19 points) a gardé Brampton dans le match au deuxième quart, marquant à trois niveaux — un tir de trois points, un tir au coude et trois paniers près du cercle. Il a terminé le match avec un rendement de sept sur 13 au tir. C’était aussi une première pour Thomas Cory, entraîneur adjoint des Honey Badgers, qui agissait comme entraîneur-chef par intérim en l’absence de Sheldon Cassimy. Réfléchissant à ce que signifiait cette soirée pour lui, Cory a déclaré : « Je suis reconnaissant. J’apprécie les gars, l’équipe. Ils ont été de vrais pros avec moi toute la semaine. Ils ont bien répondu à mes consignes à l’entraînement et m’ont respecté comme entraîneur-chef. » Il a ensuite exprimé son admiration pour la ligue : « J’adore la LECB, de A à Z. C’est une superbe opportunité pour les entraîneurs et joueurs U SPORTS, les marqueurs, les gérants, les photographes. Il y a une place pour tous ceux qui aiment le basketball au pays. Je suis simplement reconnaissant. » Il reste deux matchs à domicile et deux à l’extérieur pour l’Alliance de Montréal avant les séries éliminatoires, l’occasion idéale pour peaufiner les derniers ajustements. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600647 À venir pour les deux équipes L’Alliance de Montréal (8-12) recevra le Surge de Calgary (13-7) à l’Auditorium de verdun, ce lundi 4 août. Les Honey Badgers de Brampton (5-17) disputeront leur avant-dernier match face aux Sea Bears de Winnipeg (8-11) au Canada Life Centre, le vendredi 8 août. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa (10-10) accueilleront le Surge de Calgary (13-7) à la Place TD demain, lors du seul match à l’horaire de la LECB ce samedi 2 août. Pour l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez cebl.ca/games . - LECB -