Montréal assure sa place en séries avec une deuxième demie dominante contre Brampton

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 -

The road through the Western Conference will go through Vancouver. The Bandits smashed their franchise single-game scoring record in a 121-105 victory over the Edmonton Stingers on Friday at the Edmonton Expo Centre. Vancouver’s win assured it would finish no worse than second in the Western Conference, while being guaranteed a home playoff game. The Bandits can now fall no further than second in the West. They lead the conference at 16-5 on the season. “We trust ourselves down the stretch because we are fierce, we are strong, we are trained mentally, physically, spiritually at a very high level. That’s what the Bandits do,” said captain Mitch Creek. Edmonton fell to 12-8 and can no longer catch the Bandits with four games left to play. The Stingers’ loss was just their second in the past 10 games — both at the hands of Vancouver. And the Bandits’ latest win came in classic fashion for this team. After a tightly contested first half, the Bandits trailed by one point early in the third quarter. Then, head coach Kyle Julius called a timeout. And in the blink of an eye, Vancouver and its quick-strike offence had built a 15-point lead. “Just challenged them. We’ve been doing it all year,” Julius said of his message during the timeout. “You don’t have to say too much to this group. We have great leadership. Our leaders really did a lot of talking in that timeout, especially Mitch, but yeah, it sparked our guys.” The Stingers fought back to get within six, but when the clocks stopped for Target Score Time, the Bandits led 112-101. Vancouver ended the proceedings quickly, capped by a game-winning three-pointer from Duane Notice. “We couldn’t stop them enough to win a basketball game. That’s about it. Can’t give up 121,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Vancouver entered Friday’s game leading the league with 95 points per game — then ensured that number would rise with its franchise-record performance. The Bandits’ previous single-game scoring record was 113, set in July 2020. And they were also one point away from matching the CEBL’s Target Time Era scoring record, set at 122 by the Ottawa BlackJacks last season. Meanwhile, the combined total of 227 points set a league record for the Target Time Era, which began in 2020. It was just the second time ever that both teams have reached the century mark in scoring. Vancouver’s offence came in all fashions – it made 10 three-pointers, 21 free throws and connected on 66 per cent of its two-point attempts. Creek led the way with a whopping 35 points to go with nine rebounds. He credited the coaching staff for juicing the offence. “I thought some of the plays that we had put in got us some really easy, cheap buckets and that’s what basketball’s about. It’s trying to play chess a few moves ahead, 10 moves ahead, and the other coaches try to do the same thing. I just thought that we were a few moves ahead tonight,” Creek said. Including Creek, all five Bandits starters scored in double figures during a game in which the team depth was tested amid injuries and overseas exits. Guard Zach Copeland contributed 27 points and seven rebounds, Tyrese Samuel had 17 points and nine rebounds in just 20 minutes before he was ejected for a second technical, Kyle Mangas scored 16 points and Shamar Givance pitched in with 12. “I just think there was high-level buy-in. Everybody really bought in. And when everybody buys in and nobody cares who shoots it or who scores, those kinds of nights occur,” Julius said. The Stingers, meanwhile, are now playing for second place and the right to host the West play-in game. Despite a mid-season turnaround, and even while enjoying a strong offensive night themselves, the Bandits are still proving to be a thorn in their side. “Our urgency and our mental transition wasn’t where it needed to be and they started to get comfortable and get hot and they didn’t have to execute a whole lot. It was basically come down and get layup,” Baker said. Keon Ambrose-Hylton and Sean East II led the way with 19 points apiece, while Nick Hornsby neared a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds to go with seven assists. Guard Scottie Lindsey also had 18 points in the losing effort, while Chris Smith added 13 off the bench. Lindsey called the loss a missed opportunity. “We did it to ourselves. They’re obviously a good team, but I think this game was more us beating ourselves, turning the ball over, not being where we’re supposed to be,” he said. Vancouver ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to go up 31-25 after 10 minutes. A high-scoring first half ended with the Bandits leading 60-57. Then, the Bandits went on that riveting third-quarter run, and led 97-81 before the final frame had even begun. The Stingers threatened in the fourth, but the Bandits shut them down yet again. It was yet another reminder, with playoffs just a couple weeks away, that Vancouver rules the West. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600652 Up Next Both teams are back in action on Sunday when Edmonton hosts the Saskatchewan Rattlers while Vancouver welcomes the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Next CEBL Action Just one game is on tap for Saturday as the Calgary Surge pay a visit to the nation’s capital to take on the Ottawa BlackJacks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL –

A timely 13-0 run in the fourth quarter helped lift the Winnipeg Sea Bears to a 98-89 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers at Canada Life Centre on Friday (Aug. 1). Winnipeg built a 17-point cushion in the first half, but the Rattlers rallied back in the third to seize an eight-point lead of their own. The home team regained its rhythm in the fourth on the way to a second straight victory. Sea Bears’ head coach Mike Taylor said Saskatchewan created opportunities in the third by attacking on the pick-and-roll, but an adjustment in the fourth changed the game. “We changed the matchups and that's where we were able to really [hit] our stride. But the effort, the heart, and the teamwork, to me, were the keys today. And that's what we want to keep building on,” Taylor said. Jalen Harris put on a mid-range clinic late in the fourth for Winnipeg and buried the game-winning free throws against his former team in Target Score Time. Harris said it's a big win with Championship Weekend in Winnipeg approaching. “When you're playing the championship here – I mean every game here is big. Every game here is experience under your belt,” he said. Harris finished the game with 28 points and six assists while shooting 12-22 from the field. His pair of triples also vaulted him past the 100-three milestone for his regular season career. Simi Shittu added another monster performance for Winnipeg, tallying 22 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Trevon Scott and Jarron Cumberland rounded out the Sea Bears’ offensive effort with 14 points and 12 points respectively. Cumberland grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out six assists as well. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan was led by a balanced attack with all five starters scoring in double figures. The three-headed snake of Jordan Bowden, Tevian Jones and Devonté Bandoo led the charge with a combined 61 points in the loss. Bowden netted a team-high 24, while Jones dropped 20 points to go along with five rebounds and four steals against his former squad. Bandoo contributed 17, while Grant Anticevich notched 11 and Jaden Bediako 10. Jones, who passed 500 regular-season points in his CEBL career on Friday, said it felt good to see familiar faces and compete against old teammates. “I think we did a good job competing [but] we just didn't get the win tonight,” he said. The Sea Bears controlled the contest inside, outscoring the Rattlers 48-30 in the paint and snagging 10 more rebounds than their opponents. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz said some timely offensive rebounds for Winnipeg and missteps down the stretch made the difference. “We got a little bit tired. We put a lot of energy into coming back and so I think that affected us. And to their credit, they picked up the defence, they rebounded the ball, and they played with a tremendous pace for a couple of minutes there to really push in transition,” Magdanz said. Winnipeg took control of the game from the jump, going on an 11-0 run to start the contest. Jones stopped the bleeding against his former team with a triple to get Saskatchewan on the board, but Harris immediately answered with a three of his own. The Sea Bears continued to control the tempo, but a strong stretch from Bandoo and Jones helped the Rattlers crawl back to within single digits. Harris attacked the rim for the final bucket of the first quarter, providing Winnipeg with a 29-16 lead after 10 minutes. Harris and Shittu kept the good times rolling into the second with back-to-back triples for Winnipeg. Shittu then showed off his skills as a facilitator, dishing a no-look pass to Nathan Bilamu to put the Sea Bears ahead by 17 – their largest lead of the game. Bowden almost single-handedly kept the game close and received some help from Anticevich to head into halftime down nine. Saskatchewan’s fight paid off in the third quarter. The Rattlers’ defence locked down the Sea Bears' attack, limiting the home team to just 16 points in the frame. Five trifectas propelled the Rattlers to a massive 19-4 run, including a pull-up from Bandoo to give Saskatchewan its first lead of the game. Trailing by six to start the fourth quarter, the Sea Bears showed resilience and stormed back with a 13-0 run of their own. The Western Conference rivals traded blows before Target Score Time with Harris heating up from mid-range. Winnipeg held an 89-85 advantage heading into the final stretch with a target of 98. Shittu kicked off Target Score Time with a putback before Saskatchewan replied with four consecutive points. Then, the bank was open for Scott on a mid-range jumper, and Cumberland connected on a timely three from way beyond the arc to put Winnipeg two points away. Harris capped his strong second half with a pair of free throws to earn the Sea Bears’ fourth win on home court this season. Winnipeg has now swept the season series with Saskatchewan, emerging victorious in all three meetings. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600649 Up next for both teams Both teams head west for matchups against playoff teams on Sunday (Aug. 3), with Saskatchewan visiting Edmonton and Winnipeg hitting the court against Vancouver. Next CEBL action Calgary visits the nation’s capital on Saturday as both the Surge and BlackJacks continue their battle to secure a home playoff game. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Montreal Alliance forward Kevin Osawe’s thunderous dunk brought down Verdun Auditorium. Not only did the jam help Montreal secure its convincing 103-83 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers, it also secured the final playoff berth in the East for the Alliance and eliminated Brampton from playoff contention. Montreal had built a seven-point lead at halftime, but came out of the locker room swinging. They dominated the third quarter, 34-15, and never looked back. “We knew it was an important game,” said Osawe after the game. “Everybody was locked in from top to bottom.” Everything clicked for Montreal in the third quarter. “The biggest thing for me was that they looked like they were having fun tonight, and doing it together,” said Montreal head coach Jermaine Small. They took full advantage of Koby McEwen’s diminutiveness. Quincy Guerrier (17 points) and Michael Diggins attacked him in the post. All of Montreal’s third quarter field goals were inside the paint minus one mid-range jumper and one three-pointer. Osawe, who had a game-high 26 points on an incredible 10-for-14 shooting, got crucial baskets during this turning point. He built a 14-point lead and after forcing a timeout, he pumpfaked Bryson Williams from the top of the arc, met McEwen in the air, absorbed contact and scored in the restricted area. He was playing on a different stratospheric level. “I think it’s confidence and belief. I think it’s coming a lot from his teammates [who] are really trusting him in situations to score the ball. When he’s active and when he’s good, it’s hard for us to lose, so I’m glad he had a big game tonight and it was perfect timing,” said Small. Tavian Dunn-Martin (22 points) scaled back from three-point shooting in the third frame, and focused on paint twos and dishing out assists for his teammates. Defensively, they kept frustrating Quinndary Weatherspoon, and drew an offensive foul from him. Guerrier baited McEwen into his fourth foul and sent him to the bench, forcing Brampton to rely on Weatherspoon. Montreal even forced a shot-clock violation right after a Brampton timeout. Montreal led by as much as 31 points at the start of the fourth quarter, so closing out the game was easy for the hometown team. It was an extra special night for Malcolm Duvivier, who clinched a playoff spot in his 100th CEBL game. Winnipeg’s Alex Campbell is the only other CEBL player to cross the century mark in games played for their career. Brampton relied on its stars in the first half, but there were contributions from Ali Sow (11 points), Wheza Panzo (14 points on four-for-nine three-point shooting) and Bryson Williams (10 points) in the second half. Weatherspoon scored 19 of his total 25 points in the first half. He bullied smaller and thinner players, and dropped a beautiful floater over Nathan Tshimanga. All his baskets were either in the paint or at the free throw line. Koby McEwen (19 points) kept his team in the game in the second quarter, scoring at all three levels – hitting a three, an elbow jumper, and making three shots at the rim. He finished the game on seven-for-13 shooting. It was also Brampton assistant coach Thomas Cory’s first time serving as a head coach in the CEBL, as he filled in for Sheldon Cassimy, who missed the game due to a prior commitment. He paused to think about what the night meant to him. “Thankful,” he said. “I appreciate the guys. The team. They were all professional with me all week. I thought they responded well to me in practice and they respected me as the head coach.” He continued to pour out his admiration for the CEBL. “I love the league, top to bottom. I think it’s a great experience for U SPORTS coaches, U SPORTS players, scorekeepers, managers, photographers. I think there’s just an amazing opportunity for anyone who loves basketball in the country. Just thankful is the biggest thing I can say.” Montreal still has two games at home and two on the road to work out their kinks before playoffs. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600647 Up next for both teams The Montreal Alliance (8-12) host the Calgary Surge (13-7) at Verdun Auditorium on Monday, August 4. The Brampton Honey Badgers (5-17) play their second last game against the Winnipeg Sea Bears (8-11) at Canada Life Centre on Friday, August 8. Next CEBL action The Ottawa BlackJacks (10-10) host the Calgary Surge (13-7) at TD Place tomorrow in CEBL’s lone Saturday, August 2 game. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa abordaient leur affrontement de jeudi contre les River Lions de Niagara avec un urgent besoin de victoire. Javonte Smart a pris ça en charge. Smart a inscrit 44 points – un sommet personnel et un record de la franchise – incluant un tir miraculeux pour la victoire, propulsant les BlackJacks vers un gain de 96-93 jeudi soir au Meridian Centre, à St. Catharines. Avec cette victoire, Ottawa présente maintenant une fiche de 10-10, et continue de viser la deuxième place dans l’Est et un laissez-passer vers les demi-finales de conférence. « Je suis vraiment fier de mes gars, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro. Avec un effectif réduit et tout ce qu’on traverse en ce moment… sortir avec une grosse victoire sur la route contre une très bonne équipe comme celle-là, je suis fier de notre groupe. » Du côté de Niagara, la défaite met fin à une série de sept victoires consécutives, un record d’équipe. Leur fiche est maintenant de 14-6. Dès le départ, Ottawa a démontré qu’ils avaient plus à gagner, prenant une avance de 17 points à mi-chemin du premier quart. Mais les River Lions ont terminé le quart avec une séquence de 10-0, grugeant lentement l’écart. Après avoir pris une avance de neuf points au quatrième quart, Niagara a vu Ottawa amorcer sa remontée. Les BlackJacks menaient 87-86 à au début de l a période du pointage cible, ap rès que Kimbal Mackenzie, des River Lions, ait obtenu trois lancers francs sur une faute alors qu’Ottawa tentait de provoquer un coup de sifflet pour amorcer cette dernière phase du match. Avec le chronomètre arrêté, les deux équipes ont échangé des paniers, jusqu’à ce que le pointage atteigne 93-93. Ottawa a ensuite demandé un temps d’arrêt, probablement pour organiser une stratégie. Mais Smart avait autre chose en tête. « J’ai dit au coach non, je veux le ballon. C’est le moment de gagner, j’en ai envie, a-t-il raconté au journaliste Dhanung Bulsara après le match. Alors c’est ce que j’ai fait. » Smart a reçu le ballon à la suite d'une remise en jeu bien au-delà de l'arc de cercle sur l'aile gauche. Il a effectué un dribble vers le défenseur des River Lions Ron Curry, a fait un pas en arrière et a lancé un tir à trois points de la hanche gauche. Et dans le 100e match de l’histoire de l’équipe, les BlackJacks ont peut-être signé leur victoire la plus excitante. « Smart a joué un match incroyable et a réussi un tir incroyable, » a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des River Lions, Victor Raso. DeAveiro a ajouté que cette victoire donnait un bon regain de confiance à ses joueurs. « Chaque fois qu’on peut gagner à Niagara, c’est tout un accomplissement. Ça nous montre qu’on est capables d’aller chercher des victoires sur la route. Et on devra le faire en séries, alors on doit être prêts, » a-t-il souligné. Smart, qui était déjà le meilleur marqueur de la ligue avec une moyenne de 27 points par match à sa première saison dans la LECB, détient maintenant le record de points en un match pour Ottawa – record précédemment établi à 37 par Deng Adel en 2022, puis égalé par Smart lui-même le 1er juillet. Il est maintenant seul au sommet. Un choix évident pour le titre de meilleure recrue de la ligue, Smart – un joueur de 26 ans originaire de Baton Rouge, en Louisiane – a disputé 18 matchs dans la NBA avec Milwaukee, Miami et Philadelphie avant de rejoindre Ottawa cette saison. L’ancien de LSU n’est arrivé que le 20 juin, mais il s’est rapidement imposé avec une moyenne de 6,2 passes décisives et 3,9 rebonds par match, en plus de son impressionnante production offensive. Jeudi, Smart a ajouté huit passes décisives à ses 44 points, avec un rendement de 13-en-19 au tir, dont six tirs de trois points sur neuf tentatives. « Je me sentais bien. J’avais l’impression que tout ce que je lançais allait rentrer. C’est le fruit du travail que j’ai mis ici, » a-t-il dit. Le grand Zane Waterman a aussi contribué avec 20 points et cinq rebonds, alors que Tyrrel Tate a inscrit 12 points en sortie de banc. Le match est devenu de plus en plus intense, les deux équipes semblant insatisfaites de l’arbitrage. DeAveiro a été expulsé tard au troisième quart après avoir contesté l’absence de faute sur Waterman, qui a lui aussi reçu une faute technique sur la séquence. L’adjoint Matt MacLean a pris la relève sur le banc. « Il y avait beaucoup de fautes qui n’étaient pas appelées. Je devais protéger mes gars. J’étais frustré. Je dois être un peu plus mature dans ce genre de situation, mais j’étais frustré, » a reconnu DeAveiro. Pour Niagara, il s’agissait du premier match depuis qu’ils ont confirmé leur place au sommet de l’Est et leur participation au week-end du Championnat, grâce à la victoire d’Ottawa mardi contre les Shooting Stars de Scarborough. Même après un départ difficile, les River Lions ont riposté. « Est-ce qu’on a joué avec une mentalité de calibre de championnat? Non. On était un peu nonchalants. Et c’est ça le défi devant nous, a admis Raso. Il faut aborder ces matchs comme s’ils étaient aussi importants que n’importe quels autres. » Ron Curry a mené les River Lions avec 23 points, dont cinq tirs de trois points, en plus de quatre passes décisives. Le meilleur marqueur de l’équipe, Khalil Ahmad, a été limité par la défense intense d’Ottawa. Il n’a marqué que trois points en première demie et a terminé avec 12, ratant ses huit tentatives du périmètre. Il s’est donc transformé en meneur de jeu, distribuant sept passes décisives. Kimbal Mackenzie a ajouté 14 points et six rebonds, alors que Nathan Cayo a frôlé un doublé avec 13 points et neuf rebonds. Ahmed Hill est devenu le premier joueur de l’histoire de la ligue à atteindre les 1 500 points en saison régulière grâce à un tir de trois points dans le coin à la fin du premier quart. Il a conclu le match avec neuf points, quatre passes décisives et trois reb onds. Curry a déclaré que son équipe doit rester concentrée pour ses quatre derniers matchs. « On doit rester affamés. Ils la voulaient un peu plus que nous aujourd’hui. On ne peut pas se contenter de ce qu’on a. Il faut rester affamés, » a-t-il lancé. Les BlackJacks menaient 26-19 après un quart, mais l’écart s’est réduit à 44-42 à la mi-temps. Niagara a pris les commandes au troisième quart et menait 72-64 avant les 10 dernières minutes. Mais Ottawa a lancé sa remontée au milieu du dernier quart, alors que Smart refusait de se laisser arrêter. Il a ensuite mis un point d’exclamation sur la victoire dans la période du pointage cible. Les BlackJacks se retrouvent maintenant en bonne posture pour accompagner Niagara à Winnipeg. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600667 À venir Ottawa sera de retour à la maison samedi pour accueillir le Surge de Calgary, tandis que les River Lions de Niagara amorceront un voyage de quatre matchs sur la route pour conclure leur saison, en rendant visite aux Shooting Stars de Scarborough dimanche. Prochains matchs dans la LECB La journée de trois matchs de vendredi s’amorcera avec un duel de la Conférence de l’Est entre Brampton et l’Alliance de Montréal, suivi de deux affrontements dans l’Ouest : les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan visiteront les Sea Bears de Winnipeg, puis les Bandits de Vancouver seront en action à Edmonton. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Terquavion Smith had been killing Calgary’s momentum all night, answering with buckets and stopping them from establishing a lead. But it was his game-winning stepback jumper that halted the Surge and helped the Scarborough Shooting Stars escape with a narrow 93-89 win over Calgary in the Ends. “Them having the confidence in me, gave me the confidence to make shots like that,” Smith said about the Target Score Winner after Jameer Nelson Jr.’s three-pointer made it a two-point game in Target Time. Smith had a team-high 21 points. When the two teams last played each other in June, there was no Smith on Scarborough. Tonight was payback for a 94-80 blow that Scarborough took at WinSport Event Centre. Scarborough faced an uphill battle in the fourth quarter after Cat Barber – dubbed as one of the creamsicle twins by commentator Rod Black due to the matching shoe colours with Smith – twisted his knee. Barber had just started to heat up, hitting a triple that gave Scarborough their biggest 12-point lead. But the Shooting Stars relied on the strength of its pack to protect home court today. Five players scored in double digits. Kobe Elvis came in to replace Barber and instantly hit a corner three to build a nine-point fourth quarter lead. Aaron Best killed as much of the opposing team’s momentum as Smith. He had 19 points on an efficient eight-for-13 shooting and made three of his five threes. And in only Michael Foster’s second game, still without a name on the back of his jersey, he made his presence felt as soon as he stepped on the floor. He had a running sky hook, a block on Greg Brown III that fueled Smith’s transition lay-up, and then leaked out after a missed three-pointer by Brown and flushed it down with two hands. His put back after Best’s missed shot in Target Time was a much needed bucket too. Donovan Williams had a quiet night with 10 points, but stepped up when it mattered most – hitting the wide-open three off a shovel pass by Smith. Williams surpassed 500 regular-season career points in the game. When a Sean “Rugzy” Miller-Moore turnaround fadeway jumper helped Calgary inch within three points in the third quarter, it was Khalil Miller who answered. Scarborough established a narrow lead at the end of the first quarter and though they never built a comfortable lead, they also never gave it up either. Scarborough head coach De Giorgio spoke about “hitting first” at the start of the game and stuck to plan. Throughout the game, Scarborough kept going inside – they were plus-fourteen in points in the paint and shot 60% from the two-point field. “They made some tough shots but we need to know who we’re guarding,” said De Giorgio about his team’s defence in Target Time. “Some of the guards are big-time shooters and we need to get up to them, make them put the ball on the ground, and get all the way to the rim instead of giving them three-point shots." Though both teams have already clinched the playoffs, it had the intensity of a championship game. “I just love how we battled. I just love how we stuck together,” said Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales. “We did a lot of good things, but just came up short,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders. Nelson led all scorers with 30 points, shooting five-for-seven from downtown. Miller-Moore, a Toronto native, also gave his hometown team a scare. The third quarter was near parity, and he scored in every imaginable way: a mid-range jumper, back-handed dunk, transition lay-up, turnaround fadeway, and inside the paint. He brought Calgary within three points. Another Toronto native, Gabe Osabuohien, also had an 11-rebound, 11-assist, double-double performance. Calgary came off a one-point loss to Winnipeg prior to this game, and have lost three games in July. Consistency has eluded Scarborough this season, but a win against a championship contender is a promising sign as the CEBL heats up for the playoffs. “We knew this was going to be a hard road trip, starting tonight,” said Canales during the game. “Every game is hard. Every game is a playoff game.” Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600670 Up next for both teams Scarborough (10-11) hosts the 2024 CEBL champion Niagara River Lions (14-6) on Sunday, August 3. Calgary (13-7) heads further east to face the Ottawa BlackJacks (10-10) at TD Place on Saturday, August 2. Next CEBL action There will be three games to kick off August as playoffs quickly approach. Tomorrow, the Montreal Alliance (7-12) host the Brampton Honey Badgers (5-16) at Verdun Auditorium. The Championship Weekend host Winnipeg Sea Bears (8-11) will defend home court against the visiting Saskatchewan Rattlers (5-14) at Canada Life Centre. The Edmonton Stingers (12-7) are coming off last Friday’s thrilling Target Time ending, and will host the league-best Vancouver Bandits (15-5) at Edmonton EXPO Centre. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Ottawa BlackJacks entered Thursday’s game against the Niagara River Lions desperate for a win. Javonte Smart made sure they got it. Smart scored a season-high and franchise-record 44 points, including a miraculous game-winner, to send the BlackJacks past the River Lions 96-93 on Thursday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. Ottawa moved to 10-10 as it pursues second place in the East and a bye to the conference semifinals. “I'm really proud of our guys, man. Shorthanded like that, and fighting through everything, the adversity we've been going through. And so to come out like that with a big win on the road against a really good team like this, I'm really proud of our group,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said. Niagara, meanwhile, saw its franchise-record seven-game winning streak come to an end as it fell to 14-6 on the season. In the early going, Ottawa looked like the team with way more to play for as it built a 17-point lead midway through the first quarter. But the River Lions ended the frame on a 10-0 run, then slowly chipped away. After Niagara went up as many as nine points in the fourth, however, it was Ottawa’s turn to fight back. The BlackJacks led 87-86 entering Target Score Time after River Lions guard Kimbal Mackenzie drew a three-point foul when Ottawa tried to initiate a whistle and the final stage of the game. With the clock off, the teams traded scores until both were within three points at 93-all. Then, Ottawa called a timeout, ostensibly to draw up some sort of play. Smart had other ideas. “I told coach nah, I want the ball. It’s game time, I feel like winning,” he told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara after the game. “So that’s what I did.” Smart received the ball following an inbounds play well beyond the arc on the left wing. He took one dribble toward River Lions defender Ron Curry, stepped back and launched a three-point heave from his left hip. And in the 100th game of their existence, the BlackJacks picked up perhaps their most thrilling victory. “Smart played a ridiculous game, made a ridiculous shot,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said. DeAveiro added that it was a confidence-boosting win for his troops. “Anytime you [can] play in Niagara and be successful at Niagara, it's quite the accomplishment, so it just gives us more confidence that we can go on the road and be successful on the road. We have to go on the road in the playoffs, so we have to be ready,” DeAveiro said. Smart, who entered the game as the league’s leading scorer with 27 points per game in his first season in the CEBL, now has the Ottawa single-game record — a mark held at 37 solely by teammate Deng Adel since 2022 before Smart tied it himself on July 1. Now, it’s Smart’s all alone. An easy choice as the league’s top newcomer, Smart, the 26-year-old from Baton Rouge, La., played 18 NBA games with the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers before coming to the CEBL this season. The LSU product only joined Ottawa on June 20, but has quickly made his presence known, adding 6.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game in addition to his prolific scoring. On Thursday, Smart collected eight assists alongside his 44 points while shooting an efficient 13-for-19 from the field, including six-for-nine from beyond the arc. “I feel good. I feel like everything I put up was going on, so that's the work I put in here [showing],” Smart said. Big man Zane Waterman also pitched in with 20 points and five rebounds, while Tyrrel Tate contributed 12 points off the bench. The game grew increasingly chippy as the minutes wore on, with both teams seemingly unhappy with the officiating. DeAveiro was ejected late in the third quarter after arguing a non-call against Waterman, who also picked up a technical foul on the play. Assistant Matt MacLean took over from DeAveiro on the bench. “I thought there was a lot of fouls today where they weren't being called,” DeAveiro said. “I just had to protect my guys. I was frustrated. You know, I got to be a little bit more mature on that situation, but I was just frustrated.” For Niagara, meanwhile, the game represented its first since clinching the No. 1 seed in the East — and a trip to Championship Weekend — thanks to the BlackJacks’ Tuesday win against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. Yet after falling behind early, the River Lions still fought back. “I mean, did we play with the championship calibre mindset? No, I thought we were a little loose and that's the task that we have in front of us,” head coach Victor Raso said. “That's really difficult right now is that we have to approach these games as if they are as important to us.” Curry paced the River Lions with 23 points, including five triples, to go with four assists. Leading scorer Khalil Ahmad was held relatively in check by a fierce BlackJacks defence, managing just three points in the first half and 12 for the game. Ahmad, who missed all eight of his three-point attempts on the rare off night, became a facilitator instead with seven assists. Mackenzie added 14 points and six rebounds, while forward Nathan Cayo neared a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. Ahmed Hill became the first player in league history with 1,500 regular-season points when he nailed a corner triple late in the first quarter. He finished the game with nine points, four assists and three rebounds. Curry said his team must stay locked in through its final four games of the season. “We just got to be hungry, man. They wanted it a little bit more today. We can't get complacent. We got to stay hungry,” Curry said. The BlackJacks led 26-19 after the first quarter, but by halftime, Ottawa’s lead had shrunk to 44-42. Niagara then took control in the third quarter and claimed a 72-64 advantage heading into the fourth. But Ottawa’s comeback was mounted midway through the final frame as Smart refused to be denied. Then, he put the exclamation point on the win in Target Score Time. Now, the BlackJacks are in the driver’s seat to join Niagara in Winnipeg. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600667 Up Next Ottawa returns home to host the Calgary Surge on Saturday, while Niagara begins a season-ending four-game road trip with a trip to the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday. Next CEBL Action A triple-header Friday begins with an East battle between Brampton and Montreal before a pair of Western Conference matchups including Saskatchewan at Winnipeg and Vancouver at Edmonton. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games .  - CEBL -

De retour au jeu après une absence en raison d’une blessure, Zane Waterman n’a rien perdu de son rythme, menant les BlackJacks d’Ottawa à une victoire cruciale de 100-93 contre les Shooting Stars de Scarborough. Cette victoire permet aux BlackJacks de remporter le bris d’égalité face à leurs rivaux provinciaux, un avantage important dans la course à la deuxième place et au droit d’accueillir la demi-finale de conférence de l’Est. Le résultat de mardi confirme également que les River Lions de Niagara termineront premiers dans l’Est et décrocheront automatiquement un laissez-passer pour le week-end du Championnat. Waterman a réussi 14 de ses 17 tirs du match pour conclure la soirée avec 36 points — à un seul point du record de franchise détenu par ses coéquipiers Deng Adel et Javonte Smart. Adel a inscrit cinq points et ajouté 10 passes décisives, tandis que Smart a récolté 22 points et 10 passes décisives pour enregistrer un doublé, en plus de réussir le tir de trois points victorieux pendant la période du pointage cible. Tyrell Tate a également contribué avec 14 points, dont quatre tirs de trois points. « J’avais beaucoup d’énergie parce que j’étais à l’écart depuis un moment, a déclaré Zane Waterman. J’étais un peu essoufflé en première demie, mais beaucoup de crédit revient à mes coéquipiers qui m’ont trouvé sur le terrain. Deng et Javonte ont chacun obtenu 10 passes décisives, donc on a vraiment bien fait circuler le ballon. J’ai juste eu la chance d’être celui qui en a profité ce soir. » Cette performance ne pouvait pas mieux tomber pour les BlackJacks, qui se sont retrouvés à court d’effectif dès la fin du premier quart. Une pièce maîtresse de la défensive, Shakur Daniel, a quitté le match en raison d’une blessure au pied après seulement quelques minutes de jeu, tandis que le meilleur rebondeur de la ligue et deuxième meilleur marqueur de l’équipe, Isaih Moore, a été expulsé après avoir écopé de deux fautes techniques en fin de quart. « On a battu une équipe de qualité aujourd’hui, même avec des joueurs en moins, a souligné l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro. On a retrouvé Zane – c’est un morceau important de notre équipe. Vous avez vu ce qu’il est capable de faire pour nous. Tate a été spectaculaire ce soir. Deng a récolté 10 passes décisives et seulement deux pertes de ballon. Je suis vraiment fier des gars et de la façon dont ils se sont battus, malgré les absences. Les grands joueurs font de grandes actions, et c’est pour ça qu’ils sont dans cette ligue. » Les tirs de trois points ont joué un rôle crucial dans le début de match explosif des BlackJacks d’Ottawa, qui ont commencé la rencontre en feu. Ils ont réussi 61,8 % de leurs tirs en première demie, dont 10 tirs de trois points. Scarborough, de son côté, a connu un départ plus lent, ne réussissant qu’un seul de ses sept premiers tirs de trois points et affichant un pourcentage global de seulement 40,5 % en première demie. Malgré cette différence au niveau de l’efficacité offensive, le match est resté serré pendant une bonne partie de la première demie jusqu’à ce qu’Ottawa enchaîne une séquence de 14-2 pour creuser l’écart en fin de quart et retraiter au vestiaire avec une avance de 58-47. Les Shooting Stars ont répliqué au troisième quart grâce à leurs lancers de trois points. Ils ont réussi cinq de leurs huit tirs de trois points pendant cette période, ce qui leur a permis d’effacer complètement le déficit et de ramener le pointage à égalité avant le quart décisif. Les deux équipes se sont échangé les coups jusqu’à ce qu’Ottawa entre dans la période du pointage cible avec une légère avance de 90-89. C’est alors que Javonte Smart a pris le contrôle du match, inscrivant sept des 10 derniers points de son équipe pour sceller cette importante victoire. « C’était un match très offensif. Je trouve que les deux équipes ont bien joué en attaque, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des Shooting Stars, Mike De Giorgio. Il y a eu de grosses performances individuelles. Zane était tout simplement hors de ce monde ce soir. Chapeau à lui, c’était une performance de très haut niveau. Je trouve que notre effort défensif en première demie a été insuffisant. En deuxième, on s’est ajustés. Il y a eu beaucoup de tirs réussis dans ce match, mais ils en ont mis plus que nous en fin de rencontre. » « Il faut garder la tête haute, a-t-il ajouté. Il faut toujours penser au prochain match, à la prochaine action. On ne peut pas rester accrochés à ce qui vient de se passer. On joue de nouveau jeudi. On reprend la route demain et il faut être prêts à jouer contre le Surge de Calgary jeudi soir. C’est une bonne équipe qui s’en vient. On va enfin enfin être de retour à notre domicile. Ça fait un moment qu’on n’a pas joué à la maison. Il faut être prêts pour ce match. » Scarborough a été mené par Donovan Williams, qui a inscrit 29 points, dont cinq tirs de trois points. Aaron Best a ajouté 20 points et sept passes décisives, tandis que le nouveau venu Michael Foster Jr. a enregistré 12 points et 12 rebonds pour un doublé. Terquavion Smith — qui occupait le deuxième rang des meilleurs marqueurs de la ligue derrière Javonte Smart avant la rencontre — a été limité à 14 points, mais a tout de même contribué avec neuf passes décisives. L’un des éléments intrigants avant le match était la présence sur le terrain des trois meilleurs marqueurs de la LECB : Smart, Smith et Williams. Ce dernier a d’ailleurs admis que c’était une motivation supplémentaire en entrant sur le terrain. « Je suis un compétiteur, a affirmé Williams, qui vient tout juste de réintégrer l’équipe après un passage dans la NBA Summer League. Je ne cours pas après les statistiques, mais j’aime toujours les confrontations contre des gars talentueux. Donc j’attendais ce duel avec impatience aujourd’hui. Dommage qu’on ait perdu. » Peu importe l’issue du match de mardi, les deux équipes savaient qu’il était très possible qu’elles se recroisent en séries cette saison. Et même si Dave DeAveiro était heureux de l’emporter cette fois-ci, il n’a pas caché qu’il attendait la prochaine rencontre avec impatience. « Chaque fois qu’on affronte Scarborough, c’est une vraie bataille, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks d’Ottawa. Ils sont bien dirigés, ils peuvent marquer beaucoup de points. Mais je reste convaincu que lorsque notre équipe est complète, on est une équipe difficile à battre. C’est probablement plus facile de les affronter à domicile que sur la route. C’est toujours un affrontement de haut niveau. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600664 À venir pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa prendront la route pour affronter les River Lions de Niagara, leaders de l’Est, le 31 juillet. Les Shooting Stars de Scarborough retournent à la maison pour recevoir le Surge de Calgary, le même jour, dans un match qui lancera une série de quatre rencontres à domicile pour terminer leur saison. Prochain match dans la LECB Les River Lions de Niagara recevront les BlackJacks d’Ottawa lors de leur dernier match à domicile de la saison, le 31 juillet. La rencontre sera diffusée en direct sur CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la LECB 2025 ainsi que les résultats à jour, veuillez visiter cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Freshly back from a stint on the injured list, Zane Waterman didn’t miss a beat as he led the Ottawa BlackJacks to a crucial 100-93 victory over the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The win clinches the head-to-head tiebreaker for the BlackJacks, giving them a leg up on their provincial rivals in the race for second place and the right to host the Eastern Conference Semifinal. Tuesday’s result also ensures that the Niagara River Lions will finish first in the East and claim the conference’s automatic bye to Championship Weekend. Waterman made 14-of-17 field goals on the night to finish with 36 points – one shy of the franchise record held by teammates Deng Adel and Javonte Smart. The former had five points and 10 assists against Scarborough, while the latter scored 22 points to go with his 10 assists for the double-double, and made the game winning three-pointer in Target Time. Tyrell Tate chipped in with 14 points including four three-pointers. “I had a lot of energy because I was off for a while,” said Waterman. “I kind of lost my wind in the first half, but a lot of the credit goes to my teammates because they found me. Both Deng and Javonte had 10 assists, so we really moved the ball well. I was just lucky to be the one who took advantage of it tonight.” The performance couldn’t have come at a better time for the BlackJacks, who found themselves shorthanded coming out of the first quarter. Key defensive piece Shakur Daniel left with a foot injury just minutes into the game, while league-leading rebounder and the team’s second leading scorer Isaih Moore was ejected with two technical fouls late in the period. “We beat a quality opponent today, shorthanded,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said of his team’s performance. “We had Zane back – he’s a big piece for our team. You saw tonight what Zane can do for us. Tate was spectacular tonight. Deng had 10 assists and two turnovers. Really proud of the guys and the way they competed shorthanded. Big players make big plays, and that’s why they’re in this league.” Three-point shooting was paramount to Ottawa’s early success as they came out shooting red hot. They made 61.8-percent of their field goals in the first half, including 10 shots from beyond the arc. Scarborough was colder out of the gate, only make one of their first seven three-pointers and shooting just 40.5-percent in the first half. Despite the disparity in shooting numbers, it was a tight game for most of the first half until the BlackJacks went on a 14-2 run to pull away late and eventually take a 58-47 lead into halftime. The Shooting Stars made a push in the third quarter thanks to their three-point attack finding some life in the period. They shot 5-of-8 from deep in the quarter to help erase the deficit completely and bring a tie game into the final and deciding quarter. The teams traded blows until Ottawa entered Target Time with the slight 90-89 edge. From there, Smart took over the game, scoring seven of his teams 10 points to secure the big win. “Very offensive game. Both teams I thought played well offensively,” Shooting Stars head coach Mike De Giorgio said. “Some big-time performances. Zane was out of this world tonight. Kudos to him, that’s a big-time game from him. I thought our defensive effort in the first half was poor. Second half we did a better job. A lot of shot making in that game and they made more shots than we did down the stretch.” “You have to keep your head up,” he added. “It’s always next game, next play. You can’t dwell on what happened tonight – we got another game Thursday. We have to drive home tomorrow and be ready to play Thursday night against Calgary. That’s a good team coming in. We’ll finally be back at home. We haven’t been home in a while. So we have to come ready to play that game on Thursday night.” Scarborough was led by Donovan Williams, who had 29 points and five made threes. Aaron Best added 20 points and seven assists, while new addition Michael Foster Jr. had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the double-double. Terquavion Smith – who came into the game second behind Smart in league scoring – was held to 14 points, though he did add nine assists. One of the intriguing headlines coming into the game was the inclusion of the CEBL’s top three scorers in Smart, Smith and Williams. The latter said that was front of mind as he took to the court. “I’m a competitive guy,” said Williams, who recently rejoined the team after a stint in the NBA Summer League. “I’m not stat hunting, but I always like matchups where the guy across from me is really good. So I was looking forward to this matchup today. Just sucks that we lost.” Regardless of what’s Tuesday’s outcome was, both teams knew there was a real possibility that they would eventually meet against this season come playoff time. While DeAveiro was happy to come out on top this time, he said he was looking forward to meeting Scarborough again. “Every time we play Scarborough it’s a battle,” the Ottawa coach said. “They’re well coached, they can score a lot of points. But I still feel confident that anytime we have our full roster, we’re hard to beat. It’s probably a lot easier to play them at home than to play them on the road. It’s always going to be a good matchup.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600664 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks hit the road to take on the East-leading Niagara River Lions on July 31. The Scarborough Shooting Stars return home to face the Calgary Surge on July 31 in a game that marks the beginning of their season-ending four game homestand. Next CEBL action The Niagara River Lions play host to the Ottawa BlackJacks in their final home game of the season on July 31. The game will stream live on CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -