Mitrou-Long’s heroics lift Honey Badgers past Surge in high-scoring thriller
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For the second straight game, Elijah Mitrou-Long played the role of hero.
Thanks to the Canadian guard’s game-winning three-pointer, the Brampton Honey Badgers (6-8) came away with a thrilling 108-105 home victory over the Calgary Surge (6-6) at the CAA Centre to extend their winning streak to three games.
Brampton trailed 98-93 entering Target Score Time but fought back to tie the game at 105-105. Then, Mitrou-Long squared up his defender, and hit a contested step-back trey to clinch the win in dramatic fashion.
Mitrou-Long finished the night with a game-high 28 points, including eight points in Target Score Time. He shot 6-of-8 from long range. And just like he did in the team’s last victory against the Scarborough Shooting Stars, he scored when the lights were brightest.
“We’ve seen it,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said after the game about Mitrou-Long’s clutch gene, “We can see Elijah start to take over the game, and we just ride the hot hand.”
“It’s confidence that my team put in me, they’re telling me to shoot it,” added Mitrou-Long, “If you have teammates like that, and coaches like that, it means (my shots) are bound to fall.”
The Honey Badgers were on fire from all over the floor, hitting 50% of their twos, 51% of their threes, and 71% of their free throws to overwhelm Calgary. Not to be outdone, the Surge shot 52% from the floor, but couldn’t contain Mitrou- Long and the Brampton attack when it mattered most.
“Guys are doing a good job of creating their own shots when the play breaks down, I think we’re getting them in the right spots, and we’re getting the mismatches that we like,” said Cassimy, “We were able to make big shots down the stretch.”
Brampton started the game out with a jolt with an 8-0 lead and didn’t relinquish the lead until late in the third quarter. Calgary went on an extended 10-0 run in the fourth to grab its largest lead of eight, before the Honey Badgers caught fire and stole the win.
“In the first half, I think we were very reactive, and then in the second half, our pride started to kick in, we started to hold each other accountable a little bit more,” said Surge head coach Tyrell Vernon, “We have to play with an edge. We’re not good when we’re not playing with an edge.
Calgary was led by forward Justin Lewis’ 27 points, before fouling out in the final minutes. Reserve guard Stefan Smith added 25 points and five assists in the defeat.
Another major factor in the game was offensive rebounding. Brampton won the category 16-9 and edged the Surge in second-chance points 21-9.
Cassimy explains that edge was strategically planned coming into the contest against Calgary.
“If you saw last game, Calgary beat us, and they had 16 offensive rebounds,” said Cassimy, “So we knew that was going to be a big thing for us to be able to get this win.”
Zane Waterman was the main man on the glass for the Honey Badgers, grabbing 13 boards, including three on the offensive end. Meanwhile, it was LJ Thorpe’s nine assists to go along with his 13 points that led the game in helpers.
Brampton’s three game streak has vaulted the team back into East contention after a 3-8 start, sitting just 1.5 games behind the Niagara River Lions for first in the conference.
For Mitrou-Long, the team’s biggest difference in their recent run has been on the defensive end.
“I don’t think we need to worry about offense,” said Mitrou-Long, “We all can score offensively… it’s really the defense that matters, and every time it’s been a close game towards the end, we’ve locked up. And that’s what it is. I think we understand that the defense is what’s going to win.”
What’s next?
Brampton travels to Edmonton to take on the Stingers on Sunday evening, while Calgary stays out East to take on the Niagara River Lions on Thursday.
About the CEBL
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
