Montréal l’emporte sur Scarborough dans un avant-goût du match de qualification de la Conférence de l’Est

The Calgary Surge made sure to end their regular season on a high note, picking up a 94-76 win over the defending champion Niagara River Lions on Sunday night. Calgary’s victory in the storied Scotiabank Saddledome improved the squad to 17-7 on the year and sent the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed into the playoffs on a four-game win streak. Leading that charge was Olumide Adelodun, who finished with a game-high 17 points on 4-of-9 shooting from distance to go with eight rebounds. Behind him was DJ Jackson with 15 points off the bench and Javonté Brown, who put up 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Rounding out the Surge’s double-digit scoring efforts were Evan Gilyard II with 13 points and eight assists and Jameer Nelson Jr. with 10 points. All of this was made more impressive by the fact that Calgary was without two regular starters in Gabe Osabuohien and Sean Miller-Moore. “We came to the game with an intense mentality,” Brown said after his double-double effort. “We came to play, came to win and (our secondary players) stepped up today.” On the other side, the loss dropped the River Lions to 14-10 on the season as they capped off their year on a five-game skid. Curtis Hollis led the River Lions’ effort on Sunday with 15 points off the pine to go with 10 rebounds and two steals. Khalil Ahmad wasn’t far behind as he added 13 points while Kimbal Mackenzie and Ahmed Hill scored 12 points each. While it wasn’t an ideal outcome for Hill’s squad, the game marked a milestone night for the CEBL veteran. It was his 100th appearance (regular season + playoffs), making Hill one of just three players (Alex Campbell, Malcolm Duvivier) in league history to reach the triple-digit mark for games played all-time. Meanwhile, entering Sunday, it was clear both teams were after the same thing to end the regular season before heading into the playoffs: momentum. For the Surge, it was about maintaining it as they were in the midst of a win streak and looking to finish the season with a strong 9-3 home record. Meanwhile, the River Lions were hoping to snatch some of that momentum as they rode into Calgary amid a season-worst skid and 5-6 road record despite holding onto the No. 1 seed out East and a bye into the Conference Final. Given that both teams had the same goal, it wasn’t a surprise that the ball game remained tightly contested throughout the opening frame. Niagara eked out a 24-22 lead by the end of the first thanks to a quarter-ending 5-0 run. A spark that helped the defending champs capture some of that momentum they were so desperately after, as the River Lions went on a 16-2 charge between the end of the first and start of the second to lead by as many as 16 points before halftime. That lead was short-lived, however, as the Surge answered back before the break. The home team ended the first half on a 7-2 run, including a buzzer-beating layup by Nelson that cut the deficit back to single digits, 47-39. What underscored Niagara’s halftime lead was an uncharacteristically strong showing from beyond the arc. Despite entering the night tied last in three-point makes per game (8.5) and second last in percentage (30.5), the River Lions knocked down seven triples (plus-four) through the first 20 minutes on an impressive 43 per cent clip. Yet it was Calgary’s effectiveness from deep that defined the second half. After going 3-of-14 on threes before the break, the Surge went 10-of-17 through the second half as they outscored the River Lions by 26 points (55-29). Meanwhile, Niagara did little to help itself in that regard, cooling off to the tune of just five makes on its final 19 attempts. Calgary went 5-for-9 from distance in the third, including back-to-back triples from Adelodun and Kyri Thomas at the 4:47 mark, giving the Surge the lead back for the first time since the opening frame. They ended up outscoring the River Lions 31-17 in the third quarter, turning an eight-point halftime deficit into a 70-64 lead. The Surge then pushed their advantage to 12 points by the start of Target Score Time when the long ball, once again, had the most to say. Back-to-back triples from Gilyard and Jackson were sandwiched between makes at the rim by Brown as Calgary capped off its regular season with an emphatic victory. Aside from the Surge’s production from distance, it was the squad’s trademark defensive tenacity that proved to be a catalyst in the win. While Calgary forced 18 turnovers to Niagara’s 15, the home team capitalizing on those freebies is what made the difference. The Surge finished with a 28-16 (plus-12) edge on points off turnovers. All the while, Calgary's defence has held opponents to an average of 83.8 points through its four-game win streak, beating teams by a margin of 18.8 points during that span. “It feels good,” Brown said. “Just to know that our (secondary players) can compete with one of the best teams in the whole CEBL, it gives us a lot of confidence. But we put in a lot of work, so I’m not even surprised to be honest.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600681 Next CEBL action With the regular season wrapped up, CEBL basketball will return on Thursday for Play-In action. First, the Montreal Alliance will visit the Scarborough Shooting Stars out East, followed by the Surge hosting the Edmonton Stingers in a playoff Battle of Alberta in the West. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Saskatchewan Rattlers’ big man Jaden Bediako made CEBL history on Sunday (Aug. 10) in a 96-85 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers at SaskTel Centre. In the season finale for both teams, Bediako’s five blocks pushed him to 49 on the campaign, surpassing the single-season blocks record of 46 set by EJ Onu with the Niagara River Lions in 2022. Bediako, a Brampton native, also secured a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead his team to victory. “All of us know it's been a rough season but we've all been together, and … it's good to get a win, especially against my hometown team,” Bediako said. Rattlers veterans Devonté Bandoo and Anthony Tsegakele were also major contributors to the win. Bandoo dropped a game-high 22 points while Tsegakele set a new career-high with 18 points, including a series of highlight dunks and the game-winner. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz said it was great to see Tsegakele end the season with a big game. “He's a fan favourite. He's a guy who does anything we ask of him, and most of the time that's asking him to pick up defensive assignments,” Magdanz said. “To see him do a great job defensively tonight but also be rewarded with the ball going through the hoop is a great thing to see.” Tevian Jones notched a double-double as well with 16 points and 10 assists, and Isaac Simon was the fifth Rattler to score in double figures with 11 off the bench. Brampton also had five players reach at least 10 points on Sunday. Ankit Choudhary paced the offence with 17 points off the bench, while Yaw Obeng-Mensah led all starters with 16 points. Mike Demagus was lethal from long range with 15 points in the loss, Prince Oduro added 14, and Quinndary Weatherspoon scored 11 points before an ejection in the second quarter. A trio of rookies also scored their first pro buckets on Sunday, including Easton Timm for Saskatchewan and Conner Landell and Malik Grant for Brampton. Choudhary said providing maximum effort was the mindset coming into the final game of the season. “I feel like that's what we did,” Choudhary said. “Maybe at times, we may have just rushed a bit … and I feel like coach did a great job of putting us in a position to be successful. We had some good looks and we just missed … that's just how the game goes sometimes.” Brampton head coach Sheldon Cassimy was proud of his team’s effort despite a roster that hasn’t played many minutes together. “I feel like all the guys that played hard and played through to the end of the game … they all played well. They were able to showcase what they could do,” Cassimy said. Early in the contest, Tsegakele came off the bench firing. He began the game with back-to-back dunks and continued to attack the paint with eight points in the first quarter. Brampton trailed for the majority of the opening frame and entered the second down 30-24. Weatherspoon carried the offence for the Honey Badgers for the bulk of the first half with 11 points, but picked up a pair of technical fouls in the second quarter that ended his day. Despite the absence of Weatherspoon, Brampton hung tight and headed into the locker room down six after 20 minutes. In the third quarter, Bediako was a paint beast for Saskatchewan. He blocked shots, dominated the glass and scored six points for the Rattlers. However, Obeng-Mensah was active inside for Brampton as well, leading the Honey Badgers on a run to tie the game at 62. Jones quickly regained the lead for the Rattlers in the third, and Saskatchewan answered with a run of its own to head into the final frame with a 73-65 advantage. The squads traded buckets to start the fourth before Landell and Obeng-Mensah pulled the Honey Badgers closer with back-to-back finishes before Target Score Time. Brampton continued to roll as the teams raced to 96 with Oduro and Demagus slicing to the hoop for layups and cutting the deficit to four points. But the Rattlers buckled in for the final stretch with strong takes from Bediako and Tsegakele. The longtime Rattler Tsegakele ended the season on a high note for the home fans, banking in the game winner from inside the elbow on Fan Appreciation Day. With the season now over for Brampton and Saskatchewan, both coaches said there are lessons to be learned from the summer. Magdanz said he’ll be looking back at some of the Rattlers’ close losses. “That was due to our level of compete and something that we're very proud of. But we got to get over the hump, and we got to win some of the more close games. So for me, it's going to be finding ways that I can put guys in successful positions so that when we do get into those Target Times, we feel confident to come up with victory,” he said. Meanwhile, Cassimy said a focus moving forward is managing the ups and downs and the highs and lows of the season. “[It’s] just trying to navigate when you have to make those adjustments and hopefully I'll have another opportunity where I'll be able to implement the things that I've learned,” he said. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600683 Next CEBL action The CEBL postseason tips off on Thursday (Aug. 14) with Montréal facing Scarborough in the Eastern Conference play-in and Calgary hosting Edmonton in the Western Conference play-in. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

All eyes are firmly set on the post-season. With Winnipeg and Edmonton both locked into their playoff spots, the Stingers beat the Sea Bears 97-77 in both teams’ regular-season finale on Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre. While Sea Bears stars Jalen Harris and Simi Shittu were out nursing injuries, the Stingers played their usual starters. The move paid off for Edmonton, which finished the season with three straight wins and a 15-9 record. Winnipeg, meanwhile, closes things at 11-13. The Stingers are back in action on Thursday when they visit the Calgary Surge for the Western Conference Play-In game. Winnipeg, meanwhile, is off next week as it returns home to host Championship Weekend. Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said the game was an opportunity to stay crisp ahead of the playoffs. “We want to win every ball game. We played tonight to win. We played our regular rotation. We’re not trying to do anything out of character. It’s a situation where we feel good in the locker room and moving forward,” he said. Edmonton took control of the contest in the first half and never looked back from there. The rout really took hold when the Stingers increased their lead above 30 in the third quarter. When the clocks stopped for Target Score Time, the Alberta squad led 88-66. After the Sea Bears fought back some, Stingers guard Taye Donald ended the proceedings in style with a game-winning reverse layup in transition. “My teammates tell be to be confident in that stuff, so just taking the ball to the rim like that, it is what it is,” Donald said in a post-game interview with Sara Orlesky before being mobbed by the rest of the Stingers. Perhaps the biggest moment of the night came at the beginning of Target Score Time, when Stingers guard Sean East II broke the league’s single-season scoring record with a pair of free throws. The record proved no easy task for East II, who tied it early in the third quarter on a layup but then endured a long wait before taking the mark all to himself. He finished with 17 points on the night and 546 for the year. East II said it meant a lot to him to set that record in his first year in the league. “I was just trying to come here to win some games and bring a championship back to Edmonton. But for anything that comes your way you gotta be thankful … because there are people who would want to switch and do things like that any day of the week,” he said. He added that he wasn’t hunting for his shots even with the record in sight. “When they kept saying it on the announcements [in the stadium], I was kinda like ‘Oh man I gotta get it.’ But still trying to play the right way and make the right decisions because ultimately that’s what we do,” he said. “But that’s over with, so we can get back to regular basketball” Meanwhile, fellow guard Scottie Lindsey knocked down four three-pointers, leaving him one shy of the all-time mark set at 70 by both Saskatchewan Rattlers guard Justin Wright-Foreman and Sea Bears guard Teddy Allen in 2023. Both East II and Lindsey played all 24 games for the Stingers this season, while the schedule stood at only 20 contests per team two years ago. Baker said East II’s impact on the team was felt throughout the season. “He’s a guy where sometimes we’re a little stagnant offensively and he can create his own shot. I thought tonight he was very unselfish, he didn’t force anything, he was moving the basketball, sharing with his teammates and his ability to mature into that point guard that we’ve been looking for has been tremendous,” he said. Edmonton’s team-first mentality was reflected in its balanced scoring on the night — all of East II, Lindsey and Nick Hornsby put up 17 points to share the team lead. The do-it-all forward Hornsby also added nine rebounds and seven assists. His 191 boards for the season sit second all-time, while his 127 dimes are third. Donald finished with 14 points off the bench. Winnipeg, which struggled for much of the year, could have entered the playoffs on a hot streak of three straight wins and fix victories in six. Instead, it will have a bitter taste in its mouth following the blowout loss. Head coach Mike Taylor said the game didn’t go exactly as he was hoping. “We wanted to keep our momentum going in a great direction,” Taylor said. “We hoped that we would come in here and get a road win. We got off to a really slow start and I don’t think our compete level was where it needed to be. I think the guys knew everything’s set and we’re getting ready for Championship Weekend.” In the absence of go-to scorers Harris and Shittu, guard Will Richardson led the way for the Sea Bears with 21 points and seven assists. Forward Nathan Bilamu was the only other Winnipeg player in double-digits as he neared a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Richardson agreed with Taylor about the momentum-halting loss. “We were hoping to come in here and continue to build momentum and continue to work on intangibles for us to build for the post-season, which we kinda just blew the opportunity. So we just gotta shake this game off,” he said. Taylor said the team has a detailed plan to prepare for the playoffs. “We’ll rally the troops over the next two weeks and we’ll get ready for a great Championship Weekend at home,” he said. Starting Thursday, the games will mean a whole lot more. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600682 Up Next The Stingers head to Calgary to face the Surge in the Western Conference play-in game on Thursday, while the Sea Bears return home for Championship Weekend. Next CEBL Action In addition to Stingers-Surge on Thursday, the East play-in will feature the Montreal Alliance at the Scarborough Shooting Stars. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games .  - CEBL –

Les deux équipes étant déjà qualifiées pour les séries éliminatoires avant le match, les Bandits de Vancouver et les BlackJacks d’Ottawa n’avaient pas grand-chose en jeu, si ce n’est d’offrir un bon spectacle aux fans. Et c’est exactement ce qu’ils ont fait. Les Bandits ont établi un record de points dans la LECB depuis l’introduction du pointage cible, et les deux équipes ont cumulé le deuxième total de points le plus élevé jamais enregistré dans la LECB alors que Vancouver a battu Ottawa 130-112. Mitch Creek et Tyrese Samuel ont mené l'équipe visiteuse, Creek inscrivant un sommet personnel de 36 points et Samuel ajoutant 33 points ainsi que 17 rebonds. Shamar Givance a établi un record personnel en carrière dans la LECB avec 22 points et huit passes décisives, tandis que Kyle Mangas et Zach Copeland ont chacun marqué 12 points. « Nous avons un groupe de gars très compétitifs, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des Bandits, Kyle Julius, à propos de son équipe. Nous avons un exercice que personne ne veut faire à l’entraînement, mais dès qu’ils commencent, ils se mettent à rivaliser, à se provoquer et à s’investir à fond. Alors, on s’est dit que c’était ça, aujourd’hui, c’était cet exercice. Dès que le ballon a été mis en jeu, ils ont donné tout ce qu’ils avaient. Je leur ai dit que j’étais fier de travailler avec eux. C’est un groupe compétitif, c’est un super groupe de gars. Pour eux, je ne pense pas qu’il y ait un match au monde qui ne compte pas. Ils veulent jouer et se battre. » Les deux équipes ont tout de suite donné le ton. Vancouver a pris les devants 21-9 avant qu’Ottawa ne réplique avec une séquence de 13-5 pour réduire l’écart à quatre points. Les équipes ont continué à s’échanger les paniers, chacune semblant incapable d’arrêter l’autre, jusqu’à ce que les Bandits mènent 73-62 à la mi-temps. Ce total à la mi-temps est le deuxième plus élevé de l’histoire de la LECB, derrière seulement le record des Nighthawks de Guelph de 75 points en 2019. Peu importe ce que faisaient les BlackJacks, les Bandits réussissaient toujours à remettre le ballon entre les mains de Creek ou Samuel pour marquer. Bien que l’équipe locale n’ait jamais abandonné, réduisant souvent l’écart sous les 10-points tout au long du match, ces deux joueurs ont assuré que le résultat final ne soit jamais remis en question. « Tyrese est un jeune incroyable. Probablement l’un des joueurs les plus faciles à coacher que j’ai jamais eus, a déclaré Julius. Il veut s’améliorer, son éthique de travail est incroyable. Je pense qu’il jouera dans la NBA, et ce sera probablement plus tôt que tard. Je suis fier qu’il ait choisi de venir jouer avec nous et de travailler avec nous. Il montre l’exemple. Les gars l’adorent. Quand il joue comme ce soir, on devient difficile à battre. » « Mitch est de loin le meilleur joueur et capitaine que j’ai jamais eu, a-t-il ajouté. Il est incroyable. Son jeu, la façon dont il traite ses coéquipiers, le respect qu’il a pour le processus, la manière dont il prend soin de lui… il tient à ses coéquipiers. Je ne sais pas ce qui est le mieux, sa personnalité ou son jeu. C’est un joueur, un coéquipier et une personne exceptionnel. » « Ce serait très facile pour moi de rester là à parler de notre défense qui n’a pas été au rendez-vous, mais en comprenant le match et la saison qu’on a eue… Aujourd’hui, c’était plus une question de finir le match en santé et de donner plus d’opportunités à d’autres joueurs, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro. Aurais-je aimé qu’on joue mieux en défense? Bien sûr. Je trouve qu’on a bien tiré offensivement. Mais il y a différentes leçons à tirer de ce match : la progression de Justin (Ndjock-Tadjore), la chance donnée à Alvin (Icyogere), offrir un peu plus de temps de jeu à certains gars que d’habitude. » Ndjock-Tadjore a livré sa meilleure performance lors du dernier match de la saison régulière, terminant à égalité en tête des marqueurs de l’équipe avec 19 points. Javonte Smart a aussi atteint ce total. Deng Adel a inscrit 17 points, attrapé sept rebonds et distribué cinq passes décisives, Keevan Veinot a marqué 15 points, et le capitaine Tyrell Tate en a ajouté 13. « C'était une saison en montagnes russes, a déclaré Adel, dont le lay-up en pénétration en début de troisième quart a fait de lui le dixième joueur de l'histoire de la LECB à franchir le cap des 1 000 points. Évidemment, commencer la saison avec un bilan de 2-6, c’est difficile, mais à Ottawa, on a tendance à monter en puissance à la mi-saison et à mieux jouer en équipe. Le soutien a été incroyable toute la saison, ce qui nous a aidés à nous concentrer. Il y a quelque chose à la mi-saison qui nous permet vraiment de nous rassembler. » Les deux équipes abordent maintenant les séries éliminatoires sans savoir qui sera leur premier adversaire. Les Bandits recevront le vainqueur du duel entre le Surge de Calgary et les Stingers d’Edmonton à Langley, tandis que les BlackJacks affronteront le gagnant du match entre l’Alliance de Montréal et les Shooting Stars de Scarborough à Gatineau. « On ne saura pas qui on affrontera avant jeudi soir. Alors, il faut s’assurer qu’entre-temps, on s’améliore et qu’on retrouve la santé, a dit DeAveiro. C’est la priorité. Ensuite, on reprendra les entraînements et on travaillera sur ce qu’on peut améliorer en groupe, en se concentrant sur nous. Le bon côté, c’est qu’on a déjà affronté ces équipes deux, trois, quatre fois. Ce ne sera pas une question de surprises, juste quelques ajustements mineurs ici et là. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600680 À venir pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa et les Bandits de Vancouver ont tous deux assuré leur place en demi-finales de leur conférence respective et accueilleront leur premier match des séries éliminatoires le 16 août. Les BlackJacks affronteront le vainqueur du duel entre l’Alliance de Montréal et les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, tandis que les Bandits affronteront le gagnant du match entre les Stingers d’Edmonton et le Surge de Calgary, tous deux prévus le 14 août. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les séries débutent dans la LECB alors que les Shooting Stars de Scarborough accueillent l’Alliance de Montréal lors du match de qualification, diffusé en direct sur TSN, CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, veuillez visiter cebl.ca/games - LECB -

With both teams having their playoff seeding locked in coming into the game, the Vancouver Bandits and Ottawa BlackJacks didn’t have much to play for other than giving the fans a show. That’s precisely what they did. The Bandits set a CEBL scoring record since the introduction of Target Time, and the teams combined for the second-highest scoring CEBL game ever when Vancouver downed Ottawa 130-112. Mitch Creek and Tyrese Samuel led the way for the road team, with Creek scoring a game-high 36 points while Samuel added 33 to go with 17 rebounds. Shamar Givance scored a CEBL career-high 22 points along with eight assists, while Kyle Mangas and Zach Copeland both had 12. “We have a group of guys that are super competitive,” Bandits head coach Kyle Julius said of his team. “We have a drill that we practice that nobody wants to do, but as soon as they start doing it, they start competing and talking trash and getting after it. So, we said that’s what today was: today was going to be that drill. As soon as that ball was tipped, they just competed. For me, I told them I’m proud to work with them. They’re a competitive group; they’re a great group of guys. To them, I don’t think there’s any game in the world that wouldn’t mean anything. They want to play and compete.” Both teams came out setting the pace immediately. Vancouver built up a 21-9 lead before Ottawa stormed back with a 13-5 run of their own to cut the deficit to four. The squads would continue trading baskets – each seemingly unable to stop the other – until the Bandits took a 73-62 lead into halftime. That score by the Bandits is the second highest halftime total in the CEBL’s history, trailing only the then-Guelph Nighthawks record of 75 in 2019. It seemed that no matter what the BlackJacks would do, the Bandits would find a way to get the ball into either Creek or Samuel’s hand and get a basket. While the home team never went away, often cutting the lead down to single digits throughout the entirety of the contest, those two players made sure the outcome was never in question. “Tyrese is an incredible kid. Probably one of the more coachable players I’ve ever had,” Julius said. “He wants to get better, his work ethic is incredible. I think he’ll play in the NBA and I think it will be sooner rather than later. I’m proud that he chose to come play with us and work with us. He leads by example. The guys love him. When he’s out there playing like he did tonight, we’ll be tough to beat. “Mitch is by far and away the best player and leader that I’ve ever had,” he added. “He’s amazing. His game, the way he treats his teammates, the way he respects the process, the way he takes care of himself … he cares about his teammates. I don’t know what’s better, his personality or his game. He’s an exceptional player, teammate and person.” “It would be really easy for me to sit here and talk about how we didn’t play defense, but understanding the game and the season that we’ve had … Today was more about getting through the game and staying healthy, giving some other people more opportunities,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said. “Would I had liked to see us play better defense? Of course. I thought we did a really good job of offensive shooting. But there’s different things you can take away from this game; Justin (Ndjock-Tadjore)’s growth, Alvin (Icyogere) getting an opportunity, giving some guys a little bit more of a run than we normally would.” Ndjock-Tadjore had a coming out game in the regular season finale, tying for the team lead in points with 19. Javonte Smart was the other player to reach the mark. Deng Adel had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Keevan Veinot had 15 points, and team captain Tyrell Tate had 13. “It’s been a roller coaster of a season,” said Adel, whose driving layup early in the third quarter saw him become the tenth player in CEBL history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. “Obviously starting 2-6 is tough, but we kind of have this thing in Ottawa where we get to the midway point of the season, guys just start ramping up, start playing better ball as a team. The support has been amazing all year, so that’s helped us lock in. There’s something about the halfway point that we just collectively come together.” Both teams now head into the postseason unsure of who their first matchup will be. The Bandits will host the winner of the Calgary Surge and Edmonton Stinger matchup in Langley, while the BlackJacks will play the winner of the Montreal Alliance and Scarborough Shooting Stars game in Gatineau. “We won’t know who we’re playing until Thursday night. So, making sure that over the next level while we get beter, we get healthy,” DeAveiro said. “That’s the first thing. Then we get into practices and work on things that we can do better as a group, focusing on us. The good thing is we’ve seen each other those teams two, three, four times. It’s not about the surprises. It’s just a few minor adjustments here and there.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600680 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks and Vancouver Bandits have both secured a spot in their respective Conference Semifinals and will host their first playoff games on August 16. The BlackJacks will await the winner of the Montreal Alliance and Scarborough Shooting Stars matchup, while the Bandits will face the winner of the game between the Edmonton Stingers and Calgary Surge, both on August 14. Next CEBL action Playoff action kicks off in the CEBL as the Scarborough Shooting Stars host the Montreal Alliance in their first-round matchup, live on TSN, CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

In a preview of Thursday’s Eastern Conference Play-In game, several stars rested, while role players saw extended action on Sunday afternoon. The Scarborough Shooting Stars dropped a 92-80 decision at home against the Montreal Alliance, and Thursday’s rematch will be at the same venue (Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre). Montreal head coach Jermaine Small also notched his 50th CEBL career win (regular season and playoffs). “Been fortune to coach a lot of really good players that contribute to that win,” Small said. “Feel very blessed and fortunate.” Montreal shot 14-for-31 (45%) from downtown and were plus-three in rebounds. Montreal’s Tavian Dunn-Martin watched from the bench, and Scarborough’s Terquavion Smith and Donovan Williams sat out. Cat Barber is still out with an injury and his availability for Thursday’s playoff matchup is in question. Tavis “Pistol” Smith had a game-high 23 points, and made an immediate statement in a pick-and-roll action with Sascha Kappos who had 21 points on five-for-seven three-point shooting. Scarborough experimented with different zone defences and despite the final score, Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio was happy with the effort. “I think our fight was pretty good,” he said. “We need to handle the glass a little bit better. Offensive rebounding hurt us late in the game.” Montreal was plus-nine in offensive boards and plus-six in second-chance points. Scarborough’s Michael Foster had 16 points with an extremely effective eight-for-11 shooting inside the arc. He also had 13 rebounds. Foster showed nice moves down low, exploited mismatches, and even played point forward in some possessions. “If you let him go one-on-one, he could score pretty well,” Small admitted and smiled. “I know he can play really well inside, but I know he can handle the ball … We definitely have a lot of clips of him to look at, to try to build off, and prepare for Thursday.” Scarborough’s Aaron Best had 22 points and five Shooting Stars scored in double digits. Khalil Miller continued to impress with 11 points, two-handed slams, and three blocks. “He’s really worked hard to add to his game. He’s shooting the ball really well right now, protecting the hoop,” said De Giorgio. “We love to have him, we see a big role for him, and he’s gotta step up for us come Thursday.” Kobe Elvis, who finished with 13 points and seven assists, also got reps in before the play-in game. He had some plays in the second quarter – a turnaround jumper in the paint and a mid-range pull-up jumper after stopping on a dime – and communicated with Miller in-game on how best to navigate pick-and-roll actions. While Scarborough put up a strong fight, things started to slip in the third quarter when Smith’s steal fueled a transition dunk by Quincy Guerrier (11 points and 10 rebounds) to push the lead up to 14 points, forcing a Scarborough timeout. Scarborough had 20 turnovers, eight more than Montreal in the game. If today’s loss is discounted, Scarborough has more momentum going into Thursday’s game as they will be playing in their fifth consecutive home game. Before today, they defeated the Calgary Surge, blew out the top-seeded Eastern Conference Niagara River Lions, and put up a fight against the CEBL’s best team, Vancouver Bandits, on Friday night. Though today’s win was a relief for the Alliance, they are 2-5 in their last seven games and came into the game on a three-game losing streak. Thursday remains the biggest test for both teams. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600679 Up next for both teams The two teams will face each other again in the Eastern Conference Play-In on Thursday, August 14. Next CEBL action Right after the Eastern Conference Play-In, the Calgary Surge (16-7) will host their provincial rival Edmonton Stingers (14-9) at WinSport Event Centre. Both conference semifinals will be on Saturday, August 16. Championship Weekend will follow with the conference finals taking place on Friday, August 22, and Finals on Sunday, August 24. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Dans ce qui était sans doute leur plus gros match de la saison jusqu’à présent, toute l’équipe des BlackJacks d’Ottawa a élevé son niveau de jeu pour aller chercher la victoire et sécuriser sa place pour le demi-finales de la Conférence de l’Est. Six joueurs d’Ottawa ont inscrit au moins 10 points alors que les BlackJacks ont connu beaucoup de succès au troisième quart pour l’emporter 98-92 contre l’Alliance de Montréal. Ce gain, combiné à la défaite des Shooting Stars de Scarborough peu après la fin de la rencontre, a permis aux BlackJacks de se qualifier comme deuxième tête de série dans l’Est. Ils affronteront maintenant le gagnant du match de jeudi entre l’Alliance et les Shooting Stars, alors qu’ils accueilleront un match éliminatoire au Centre Slush Puppie à Gatineau, au Québec. Javonte Smart et Zane Waterman ont partagé le sommet des pointeurs de l’équipe avec 19 points chacun, tandis qu’Isaih Moore a récolté 17 points – dont sept en période du pointage cible – en plus de 11 rebonds et cinq passes décisives. Justin Jackson a inscrit 12 points et six rebonds, alors que Deng Adel et Tyrell Tate ont ajouté respectivement 11 et dix points. « On savait que Montréal allait être un gros défi encore aujourd’hui. On joue toujours des matchs serrés contre eux », a affirmé l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro. « On savait qu’on allait livrer une bataille et, avec la façon dont le scénario des séries se met en place, c’est un peu particulier. Mais on s’est concentrés sur notre jeu, sur le fait de contrôler notre destin. Terminer deuxièmes, c’est super, et de pouvoir rassembler nos partisans de Gatineau et ceux d’ici… On a hâte à cette opportunité. » Dans la deuxième moitié d’une série aller-retour, les rivaux bien connus se sont tenus dans un match serré pendant la majorité de la première demie. Après une séquence de treize points consécutifs de Montréal en début de match, Ottawa a répliqué avec une poussée de dix-huit contre six. Les deux équipes se sont échangé les paniers pendant les deux premiers quarts, jusqu’à ce que l’Alliance prenne l’avance 49-47 à la mi-temps. Les choses ont complètement basculé au retour du vestiaire, alors qu’Ottawa a contrôlé la majorité du troisième quart grâce à sa taille et à sa rapidité. Les BlackJacks ont limité Montréal à seulement cinq tirs réussis sur seize dans le quart, tout en réussissant onze de leurs douze lancers francs, l’Alliance ayant de la difficulté à les défendre sans commettre de fautes. Ottawa a dominé 27-13 au troisième quart. « Je pense qu’ils ont rentré leurs lancers francs et nous, non », a commenté l’entraîneur-chef de l’Alliance, Jermaine Small, au sujet de la performance de son équipe. « Si on regarde le troisième quart, on s’est littéralement tiré dans le pied avec nos pertes de ballon. Une bonne partie, c’est à cause des lancers francs. Ils ont fait du bon travail pour aller sur la ligne dans le troisième quart. Ils sont rapidement tombés dans le bonus et ont capitalisé. Chapeau à eux. » Tavian Dunn-Martin a mené l’Alliance avec 22 points sur huit tirs réussis en onze tentatives. Brandon Porter a inscrit 19 points et capté 13 rebonds pour le doublé, alors que Quincy Guerrier a marqué 13 points et pris six rebonds. Tavis Smith a ajouté 14 points en sortie de banc. Les BlackJacks ont creusé l’écart jusqu’à onze points en fin de quatrième quart, mais l’Alliance est revenue à seulement quatre points pendant la période du pointage cible. Avec plusieurs partisans de l’Alliance ayant fait le voyage pour encourager leur équipe et les fidèles d’Ottawa répondant en force, l’ambiance était électrisante en fin de match. « J’adore les partisans à la Place TD. C’est incroyable, a lancé Justin Jackson à propos du soutien local. Même quand je jouais pour Calgary et que je revenais ici, je me disais toujours qu’Ottawa avait de vraiment bons partisans et je me demandais ce que ce serait de jouer ici. Maintenant, j’y suis pour vrai. C’est vraiment trippant. Je vous aime. Continuez de nous encourager et on va pousser ça le plus loin possible. » Ce match marquait une deuxième grosse performance de suite pour Jackson, lui qui avait inscrit 21 points, incluant le tir de trois points victorieux, lors du dernier affrontement entre les deux équipes mercredi. Pour l’ancien choix au repêchage de la NBA, dont la carrière a été lourdement affectée par les blessures, cette période avec les BlackJacks représente quelque chose de spécial, surtout qu’il joue sous les ordres de son ancien entraîneur au secondaire. « C’est un rêve devenu réalité pour moi, honnêtement. Surtout avec les dernières années que j’ai vécues dans ma carrière, a-t-il confié. C’est incroyable d’être dans un environnement où je suis apprécié, où on prend soin de moi sur le terrain et à l’extérieur… ça rend le basketball le fun à nouveau. Les gars ont vraiment des cœurs d’enfants, alors ils font toujours ressortir l’enfant en moi. » Ces deux victoires de suite donnent aux BlackJacks leur première fiche gagnante de la saison, à 12-11. Cette troisième défaite d’affilée fait chuter l’Alliance à huit gains et 15 revers, alors qu’ils se préparent à affronter les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, un avant-goût de leur duel éliminatoire de jeudi. « On veut juste arriver en santé. Comme tout le monde, on a eu notre lot de blessures. Les formations changent, et ce n’est pas une question de ce qui nous manque, mais plutôt de ce qu’on possède et de la manière d’en tirer le meilleur, a rappelé Small. Lors des séries, c’est toujours un match sans lendemain, alors il faut en profiter au maximum. Peu importe ce qui va se passer dimanche, tout le monde repart à zéro jeudi et on verra qui sortira vainqueur. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600673 À venir pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa terminent la saison régulière en recevant les Bandits de Vancouver, meneurs de la ligue, le 10 août. Le même jour, l’Alliance de Montréal se déplacera à Scarborough pour affronter les Shooting Stars, un avant-goût de leur affrontement au premier tour des séries. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les 10 équipes seront de nouveau en action le 10 août, avec un premier match à 14 h (HE) opposant l’Alliance de Montréal aux Shooting Stars de Scarborough, diffusé en direct sur CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour consulter l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB ainsi que les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Calgary’s defence-to-offence formula was on full display in a 105-76 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday (Aug. 8), clinching second place in the Western Conference. Twenty Rattlers’ turnovers led to 28 points for the Surge, including high-flying finishes to wow the crowd at WinSport Events Centre in another signature performance. After trailing by two after the first quarter, the Calgary defence locked in and held Saskatchewan to 18 points or less in each of the final three quarters. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said the intensity picked up after the opening 10 minutes. “We played our brand of basketball – defence-to-offence. [It’s been] our identity all year, our style of play, so we're excited to get the win,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore was dominant for Calgary in the win, netting a career-high 30 points that included the game-winner. On the defensive end, he added a pair of steals and blocks. “I had a big second half. Shout out [to] my teammates getting me in transition … that's where I strive,” Miller-Moore said. Surge forward Greg Brown III notched another double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Evan Gilyard Jr. chipped in 17 points and seven assists. For Saskatchewan, Jaden Bediako and Jordan Bowden led the way in the loss with 15 points each, with Bediako snagging 13 rebounds as well. Calgary outscored Saskatchewan 62-36 in the paint and won the transition battle 20-4 on Friday night while shooting 46 per cent from the field. The Surge are now locked into a play-in showdown at home against their provincial rivals Edmonton on Thursday night (Aug. 14). “[I’m looking forward to] being in a home environment with our fans and putting on a show. And then hopefully taking it possession by possession to get a win,” Miller-Moore said. Saskatchewan started Friday’s game on a 7-0 run, powered by the interior presence of Bediako. Calgary quickly battled back to within one possession and Brown III sparked the home crowd’s interest by climbing the ladder for a massive left-handed alley-oop in transition. Jones replied with another alley-oop and the Rattlers stayed efficient offensively to lead 24-22 after 10 minutes. After fighting back to tie the game four times, the Surge finally seized the lead just over three minutes into the second quarter with another transition flush from Brown III. The Western Conference rivals hung tight for much of the frame and Bowden briefly regained the lead for Saskatchewan with five consecutive points. However, Brown III closed the half with five straight points of his own to carry Calgary into the locker room with a 44-41 advantage. After Bandoo scored to open the second half for Saskatchewan, Calgary took control. The Surge went on a 17-2 run that included high-flying finishes from Miller-Moore and inside-the-arc mastery from Gilyard Jr. Calgary’s attack continued to assert itself and Gilyard Jr. closed the third with an open three to take an 18-point advantage into the fourth. The Surge kept pushing in the final frame and extended its lead to 26 heading into Target Score Time. Miller-Moore finished off the Rattlers with a pair of buckets in the final stretch and clinched the home playoff game for Calgary. With Friday’s result, the Surge and Rattlers split the season series with two wins each. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600678 Up next for both teams All 10 CEBL teams are in action again on Sunday (Aug. 10) in the regular season finale. Calgary hosts Niagara in a possible Championship Weekend preview, while Saskatchewan hosts Brampton in a battle between last-place teams. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Edmonton and Niagara received a taste of post-season basketball on Friday. A chippy, tightly contested matchup ended in a 92-81 win for the Stingers over the River Lions at the Edmonton Expo Centre in the second-last regular-season game of the year for both teams. Edmonton moved to 14-9 for the season, keeping its hopes alive of a home playoff game depending on Calgary’s result later Friday. The Battle of Alberta is locked in as the Western Conference play-in game. Either way, the Stingers don’t appear like they’ll back down — at least if Friday’s win was any indication. “We know it’s gonna be a dogfight against Calgary. We know it’s gonna be a playoff-type atmosphere. It’s gonna be tooth and nail, it’s gonna be a five-point ballgame, so for us to be able to trust each other and have that chemistry going down the stretch is gonna be important,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Niagara has already clinched a spot at Championship Weekend with the top seed in the Eastern Conference but is now riding a four-game losing streak as it falls to 14-9. The Stingers fired on all cylinders right from the tip, building an early advantage and holding on even as the River Lions made a series of runs throughout the game. When the clock stopped for Target Score Time, Edmonton held an 82-76 lead. The Stingers stood tall during the game’s final phase, calmly playing their game and ultimately going up 90-81. Veteran Nick Hornsby then raced in transition after a River Lions turnover, stopped up, bounced a shot off the glass and clinched the win for his team. The Stingers clearly enjoyed the win. The team danced their way down the floor after Hornsby’s winner — Scottie Lindsey called the choreography “natural” — and huddled around the booth for Lindsey’s post-game interview. “We’re a family and winning is our main thing right now. We want to bring a championship back to Edmonton, and we’re close,” Lindsey said. The win marked the Stingers’ second straight after beating the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Wednesday. Also Friday, Vancouver clinched the top seed in the West with a 102-95 victory over the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The Bandits will host the winner in the conference semifinal next Saturday. For the Stingers, it means their play-in opponent — the Surge — has been determined. “We’re trying to gain momentum not only with wins, but with style of play, and I think tonight was rocky at times, but we weathered the storm and ended up on top,” Baker said. Edmonton’s offence — a strength all season — keyed its latest victory as the Stingers scored 49 points in the first half, made 59 per cent of their two-point attempts and connected on 48 per cent of their overall field-goal attempts. The scoring was balanced throughout the Stingers lineup as leader Sean East II was limited to 14 points. He now needs 16 points in the Stingers’ Sunday finale to break the league’s single-season scoring mark. “It just goes to show how deep we are. We’ve been together all year … so we’re just trying to keep building that chemistry and keep building toward the playoffs,” East II said. In his place, Hornsby led the way with 21 points to go with four rebounds and four assists, Lindsey added 20 points, four rebounds and four steals and forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton put up 12 points and six rebounds. Baker said he was happy with the Stingers’ team-first offensive mentality. “We attacked aggressively, we found our gaps, we took advantage of mismatches. When the ball gets stagnant and we try to isolate, I think that’s where we struggle a bit,” he said. Hornsby said his team’s “hard-headedness” was its key to success. “They came out pretty hot in the second half. We didn’t get down. We were frustrated with ourselves, just in the sense of we weren’t doing what we needed to do, but we picked that back up and turned it around,” he said. The River Lions, meanwhile, are suddenly stumbling as they make their way toward Winnipeg for Championship Weekend. Niagara’s losing skid comes on the heels of a franchise-record seven-game winning streak — and it may be feeling the frustration after it picked up technical fouls in the first half, including two on the bench and one against leading scorer Khalil Ahmad. Head coach Victor Raso said the River Lions have been “losing on the margins.” “It’s a really tough task that we have right now and we’re struggling with it. We’re struggling to play meaningful, really high-level, championship-calibre basketball with nothing on the line and it’s a dangerous game that we’re playing here. I trust the experience of the group, but it’s not ideal,” Raso said. The River Lions enjoyed a balanced scoring attack like the Stingers, with Ahmad and Ron Curry sharing the team high with 19 points each. Elijah Lufile fell just shy of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds, while Ahmed Hill added 11 first-half points off of the bench. Captain Kimbal Mackenzie, who had 11 points of his own, said his team is still working hard despite already having Championship Weekend locked down. “We’re trying to be in a mode here where we’re going in with good momentum. We’re a competitive group. We play basketball because we like competing, because we want to win every game,” he said. The Stingers roared to a strong start and led 23-19 by the end of the first quarter. Another strong second quarter left Edmonton with a 49-42 lead at halftime, but Niagara responded with a 7-0 run to even terms early in the third quarter. Through 30 minutes, the Stingers regained a five-point advantage at 69-64. Edmonton then kept Niagara at arm’s length throughout the fourth quarter. Now, it can carry that confidence into a Battle of Alberta play-in game. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600677 Up Next Both teams are in action for the final day of the regular season on Sunday as the Stingers host the Winnipeg Sea Bears while the River Lions visit the Calgary Surge. Next CEBL Action All 10 teams play on a quintuple-header Sunday as the regular season comes to a close. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL –