A convincing second-half performance lifted the Scarborough Shooting Stars past the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday (June 13) to snap a three-game losing streak. Scarborough guard Donovan Williams said the win was especially important. “Off of a three-game losing streak, you want to gain that confidence back – especially on the road,” Williams said. “Picking up a win right here now, it just gives us that confidence of going to Calgary to pick up one more.” The return of Cat Barber helped the Shooting Stars regain winning form to improve their record to 4-3 on the season. Barber scored four of his 19 points in Target Score Time, banking in the game-winner from mid-range to seal the 101-93 victory at SaskTel Centre. The dynamic duo of Barber and Williams proved difficult for the Rattlers to stop. After the game, Williams welcomed Barber back. “It feels good… when you have somebody that dynamic,” Williams said in a post-game interview. “For us as a team, [Cat’s] our engine. So having him back – I mean, that does a lot for us. The defence has to focus on him, they gotta focus on me, and we got all these pieces around us to help us win these games.” In Scarborough’s seven-point win over Saskatchewan at home on May 29, Williams netted a game-high 34 points. He followed up that performance with another stellar 26-point outing on Friday, showcasing a mix of long-range shooting and rim-rocking finishes. “Donovan and Cat really pushed the pace for us. I mean, Donovan was relentless getting into the rim. Every time he puts pressure on the rim, it just puts a lot of pressure on the defence,” Shooting Stars’ head coach Michael De Giorgio said. The Shooting Stars were efficient offensively in the win, finishing at 52 per cent from the floor, 41 per cent from three and 82 per cent from the free throw line. Scarborough won the battles in the paint and off the bench as well, but it was a big run towards the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth that created separation in a tight game. De Giorgio said the inside finishing helped extend the lead in the second half. “I thought in the second half, we did a way better job on the glass. We limited their easy buckets, and then we were able to run out and get transition buckets,” he said. On the other side, Jamir Chaplin helped cut the deficit to single digits four times in the final quarter but it wasn’t enough to earn Saskatchewan’s first home win of the season. Chaplin scored a team-high 25 points in the loss. “I just tried to attack, attack, attack. Let the threes come to me and try to get to the free throw line as best as I can,” Chaplin said. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz said the team needs to do a better job stopping transition offence and be more aggressive defensively. “We wanted to get the ball out of Donovan Williams’ hands and I think in the half court, we did a good job of that. I think we didn't do a good job of stopping the ball in transition,” Magdanz said,. The Shooting Stars opened the game by rocking the rim with three consecutive dunks from different players before Nate Pierre-Louis got in on the action with a slam of his own. Scarborough maintained a lead for the bulk of the quarter, fueled by efficient 64 per cent shooting from the field and 60 per cent from beyond the arc. Trailing by three to begin the second, Cody John connected from the corner to tie it at 23. Several possessions later, John drilled another corner three to give the Rattlers their first lead of the night and force a De Giorgio timeout. John and the Rattlers stayed hot throughout the second, but Scarborough hit timely triples of its own. The teams traded leads five times in the closing minutes of the quarter, and a buzzer-beating putback jam from Hason Ward inched the Shooting Stars ahead by two after 20 minutes. Saskatchewan regained the lead early in the third with a long-range connection from Grant Anticevich. However, the Shooting Stars struck back and maintained control for the majority of the quarter. Williams showed off his high-flying finishing ability with a pair of massive dunks, including one slam that kicked off an 8-2 run to close the quarter. The Shooting Stars extended the run to begin the fourth and went ahead by 11 points. Chaplin cut the deficit back to six points with a steal and slam to force a De Giorgio timeout, but Scarborough bounced back right away. Heading into Target Score Time, the Shooting Stars carried a 92-83 advantage. Ward tipped in the first bucket of the final stretch for Scarborough before Chaplin buried a three and John nailed a floater to cut it back to single digits. From there, Williams and Barber put the finishing touches on the win. Williams euro-stepped through contact for an and-one before Barber iced it with the final four points. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600606 Up next for both teams Both teams are back in action on Sunday (June 15) as Scarborough continues its three-game road trip against the Calgary Surge while Saskatchewan starts a road trip of its own against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Next CEBL action The Edmonton Stingers visit the Brampton Honey Badgers at CAA Centre on Saturday (June 14) while the Montréal Alliance head west for a matchup with the Vancouver Bandits. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

On ring night in Niagara, it was the Edmonton Stingers who showed championship quality. The Stingers opened the game on a 9-0 run and led wire-to-wire en route to a 106-88 victory over the River Lions on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. Edmonton dominated through the first 25 minutes or so and opened a 71-46 lead midway through the third quarter when Niagara offered a taste of the championship mettle that earned them diamonds, chipping away to cut the lead to six in the fourth quarter. But Edmonton still held a 97-88 lead at Target Score Time — and it was all Stingers from there. With the River Lions held scoreless after the clock turned off, it was Edmonton’s Scottie Lindsey who ultimately ended the proceedings with a three-pointer and a dunk. “Basketball is a game of runs, and it was exemplified by that tonight. I mean, obviously, we played well in the first half, and to start the third, but credit to them, they battled back,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. “But Target Time is when games are won and lost, and we managed to hold them scoreless, which is a good win for us.” Edmonton dominated from the field and on the glass, shooting 48 per cent from three-point range and outrebounding Niagara 46-37. The Stingers had three players in double-digits by halftime, with Lindsey ultimately leading the team in scoring with 32 points. The win for Edmonton (4-5) was its second straight after losing two in a row, while Niagara (5-3) saw a two-game win streak of its own come to an end. “We just gotta keep playing with the same intensity we’ve been playing with,” Lindsey, who was named player of the game, told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara in a post-game interview. River Lions head coach Victor Raso said his side did not come out with the proper intensity. “They punched us in mouth at the start of the first half, start of the second half, start of Target Time. We just didn't have it tonight. Simple as that,” he said. Stingers guard Sean East II continued his torrid start to the season after entering third leaguewide at 24 points per game. The Louisville, Kent., native and CEBL rookie had 30 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Nick Hornsby neared a first-half triple-double with seven points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He failed to score in the second half, but finished with a 10-rebound, 10-assist double-double. Forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton also contributed 18 points and seven rebounds. East II said the team now hopes to take its good vibes into a Saturday night showdown in Brampton. “Just keep stacking and keep focusing on defensive end, playing hard (and) having fun out there,” he said. Baker said the team’s offensive success was about sharing the ball. “I think we played with pace. I mean, we had 17 assists in the first half, ended with 29, like when we were moving it, sharing it, being unselfish, we got some skilled guys out there that can make plays,” he said. The River Lions made a valiant second-half comeback effort as they ramped up their defence to fuel their offence and chip away at the Stingers’ lead. However, a slow start and poor shooting night — Niagara made just four of 29 three-point attempts — ultimately proved its undoing. “That's what this league really is, is that if one team's ready to go, they always win, and that team was ready to fight. They were desperate,” Raso said. For Niagara, reigning Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad led the way with 30 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Ahmad reached 300 career assists (including playoffs) with his first helper, joining Kadre Gray, Cat Barber and Alain Louis as the only players to accomplish the feat in league history. “I mean, it's a great accolade, like, I appreciate it from the league and the recognition and whatnot, but just focused on the main goal, which is the championship,” Ahmad said. Eddie Ekiyor (14 points) and Nathan Cayo (10) were the only other River Lions scorers in double digits. Canadian point guard Jahvon Blair made his season debut after finishing a campaign in France, posting seven points and three rebounds in nearly 17 minutes of action. In a pre-game ceremony, commissioner Mike Morreale and River Lions executives Richard Petko (owner), Michael Skrtich (owner) and Michelle Biskup (president) presented players, coaches and support staff their 2024 CEBL championship rings. A banner commemorating the title run was unfurled from the rafters of the Meridian Centre. “That was amazing, just like a cherry on top the big season last year. It's a 10-out-of-10 moment I'll keep with me for a long time,” Ahmad said. On the other hand, he’ll hope to forget the game that ensued rather quickly. The Stingers led 34-25 after the first 10 minutes and extended their advantage to 61-44 at halftime. Niagara put together a 20-6 run in the middle of the third quarter to cut a 25-point deficit to 12 heading into the final frame. But while Niagara cut things even closer from there, it could not close the deal — and ultimately walked away with rings, but without a win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600604 Up Next Edmonton is back at it Saturday with a visit to the Brampton Honey Badgers, while the River Lions head to Ottawa to face the BlackJacks on Sunday. Next CEBL Action In addition to the Stingers-Honey Badgers game on Saturday, a battle of conference leaders will occur as the Vancouver Bandits host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Lytics and Boogey The Beat set to perform at CEBL Conference Final doubleheader as part of CW25

The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-1 American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters. ### About the Vancouver Bandits: The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

Simi Shittu couldn’t have made a better first impression if he tried. Facing the prospect of blowing a 19-point lead, the Canadian forward played hero in his Winnipeg Sea Bears debut to seal a 92-89 victory over the Montreal Alliance in the CEBL’s milestone 500th game on Wednesday. “I’m kind of speechless,” Shittu said after scoring five points in Target Score Time, including a game-winning hookshot. “The crowd was there with us the whole time, obviously it wasn’t a perfect game … but we’ve got a lot of chemistry already.” The win marked the Sea Bears' first time this season winning back-to-back games, doing so emphatically by handing the East-leading Alliance their first loss of the year while snapping a three-game home losing streak. Winnipeg got plenty of contributions outside of Shittu’s team-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting, starting with Tevian Jones and Jaylin Williams, who chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively. Terry Roberts added a double-double effort of 10 points and 12 assists, while Jalen Harris added a career-high tying nine assists despite finishing with just four points. On the other side, Montreal was led by captain Quincy Guerrier, who scored a game-high 25 points, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter, on 8-of-12 shooting. Meanwhile, Tavian Dunn-Martin and Dontay Bassett rounded out the Alliance’s double-digit scoring efforts with 14 and 17 points each. “We tried to fight all the way to the end,” Dunn-Martin said after the loss. “We didn’t start off too hot, but we showed our fight and we showed our heart.” Although Shittu’s late-game heroics stole the show, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact in his first minutes as a Sea Bear. The former CEBL All-Canadian selection nailed his first two shots of the game, starting with a three for Winnipeg’s first points and then a dunk in transition after sealing off his defender in the paint — bringing the 6,505 fans in attendance at the Canada Life Centre to their feet. And while Shittu was forced to the bench shortly after due to two quick fouls in the first, that leak out from him proved to be a precursor for the Sea Bears’ efforts in the opening frame. They pushed the pace on makes, misses and turnovers alike, rattling off an 8-2 run en route to a 25-21 lead after 10 minutes. “Complete difference-maker,” Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said of Shittu post-game. “He started so strong, he had such a great start, and then the fouls limited him in the first half. But the rest of the team, the bench players, really stepped up … I was really pleased with the team effort.” Winnipeg kept up that high temp throughout the second quarter, but its defence ultimately did the heavy lifting, forcing five turnovers in the frame from a typically disciplined Montreal team that entered Wednesday averaging a CEBL-low 11.0 giveaways. “We started off slow, playing careless basketball,” Dunn-Martin said of his team’s uncharacteristic ball-handling miscues on Wednesday. “They played way more aggressive than us in the beginning … We got punched in the mouth.” The Sea Bears' defensive activity not only led to 11 points off the seven total turnovers forced through the first half, but also helped them limit the Alliance to just 16 points in the second. And Winnipeg’s offence rewarded the effort on the other end as it finished the quarter on a 10-2 run, capped off with back-to-back threes — Jaylin Williams nailed his second of three triples in the game at the halftime buzzer to extend the Sea Bears' lead to 52-37. “We’re in a great position,” Williams said on the team’s outlook moving forward after his 6-for-6 shooting performance on Wednesday. “We still have room to grow.” To the Alliance’s credit, they came out of the break and responded, doing so largely thanks to their success on the glass. Montreal’s first three field goals of the second half all came on putbacks to extend its lead on second-chance points to 17-4 after 30 minutes — that margin was extended to 19-9 by the end of the game thanks to a total of 13 offensive rebounds. And while that effort helped the Alliance chip their deficit back down to single digits throughout the frame, it didn’t hold. The Sea Bears' hot shooting — punctuated by back-to-back triples from Harris and Williams — ultimately rebuilt their double-figure advantage, going up by as many as 19 points before taking a 78-61 lead into the fourth. Not to be outshone, however, Winnipeg’s defence made the statement play of the third quarter as Williams swatted a turning hookshot attempt from Kevin Osawe to close the frame. That miss brought Montreal’s field goal percentage below 40 per cent through three, before the Alliance eventually finished the game shooting 43 per cent from the field (32-of-74) while their two-game streak of scoring 100-plus points was snapped. The Alliance did make things interesting to close the game, starting the final frame on a 9-0 run, making it an eight-point deficit on a Dunn-Martin triple at the 7:27 mark of the fourth. And although the Sea Bears did stymie some of that momentum, rebuilding their advantage to double digits off a slick transition lob feed from Roberts to Shittu, the Alliance persisted. Montreal sparked a 9-2 run, punctuated by five straight points from Bassett to bring the deficit heading into Target Score Time down to 83-79. The Alliance then got big makes from their leading scorers, back-to-back triples from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin to take their first lead since the 4:57 mark of the opening frame. But like Winnipeg had done all game, it responded. Emmanuel Akot dropped two timely layups with the clock stopped — part of 13 points and nine rebounds from the Winnipeg native — before Shittu sealed the deal. The forward corralled a slick bounce feed from Harris, who made his first appearance at Canada Life Centre since joining the Sea Bears, and Shittu made sure not to waste the high-percentage look to cap off his storybook debut in Winnipeg. “Jalen actually called that last play for Simi,” Taylor explained post-game when describing the final possession. “So, as a coach, when you see these two new guys work for each other on the floor, that’s a really good sign. “Really proud. It didn’t come easy, and it shouldn't. We want to keep developing and keep working, but it was a great win.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600602 Up next The Alliance return to the court on Saturday, wrapping up a three-game road trip by visiting the Vancouver Bandits for a battle between No. 1 seeds. Meanwhile, the Sea Bears retake home court on Sunday as they host the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Next CEBL action The 5-2 River Lions welcome the 3-5 Edmonton Stingers to Niagara at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT for the first game of a Friday night CEBL doubleheader. Shortly after, the 2-5 Rattlers host the 3-3 Scarborough Shooting Stars at 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

It rained triples in Edmonton on Tuesday. The Stingers used a flurry of three-pointers to snap a two-game skid and beat the Ottawa BlackJacks 93-74 on Tuesday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Edmonton improved to 3-5 with the win, while Ottawa fell to 2-5. Scottie Lindsey led the way for the Stingers with a breakout 23-point performance, including 18 by halftime. He added nine rebounds and five steals. In all, the Stingers shot 50 per cent from beyond the arc after entering the game fourth leaguewide at 34 per cent. “You put yourself in a great position to win basketball games, but I think it was the quality of our shots. We’d struggled a little bit with too much isolation in the last couple, so it was great to see us get to the paint, share the basketball and get open looks for each other,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Edmonton entered Target Score Time up 83-69 after a 13-3 run, and its strong shooting continued with the clock stopped. Mason Bourcier scored his first points as a Stinger with a three-pointer to get things going, Lindsey knocked one down to put Edmonton within three, and the Stingers salted away the win after layups from Sean East II and Keon Ambrose-Hylton. “Guys executed, guys played hard, we had lots of contributions top to bottom. So we’re certainly happy but we’re not satisfied,” Baker said. East II finished the game with 20 points and six assists, while Ambrose-Hylton added 13 points and eight rebounds and Elijah Miller contributed 12 points off the bench. Miller, of Rexdale, Ont., said it was a “great win.” “It’s gonna take time during the season, but as the games go on we’re definitely starting to click,” he said. Lindsey, the 29-year-old Illinois native, came to Edmonton after a year with Winnipeg last season in which he shot 42.1 per cent from the field en route to 13.5 points per game. But while he was still at 13 per game as a Stinger to start this season, his field-goal percentage had slumped to 30.4. Lindsey busted out of that slump in a big way on Tuesday. “When he lets the game come to him, he’s pretty damn good offensively. We try to put him in some spots, but he did a good job moving away from the ball and we found him early and often. And when he gets going, he really gets going,” Baker said. For Ottawa, meanwhile, the loss marked its third straight as it remains fourth in the Eastern Conference. Justin Jackson came off the bench to lead the BlackJacks with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Meshack Lufile (11 points) and Christian Rohlehr (10 points) were the only other scorers in double digits. Head coach Dave DeAveiro said his team kept things close through three quarters but struggled to close — an emerging trend during the losing streak. He added that the BlackJacks need “mental toughness” to snap out of it. “I find when things are not going our way, that’s when we’re not at our best,” DeAveiro said. Ottawa captain Tyrrel Tate notched nine points and five rebounds. He said the team is still learning each other’s tendencies while awaiting some players who have yet to debut. “We’re just trying to build some chemistry within the guys we have now. I think we’ve grown in a lot of areas but we still have a lot of growing room to go so just learn from this, watch the film, get ready to take care of business when we get back home,” Tate said. The BlackJacks’ Miryne Thomas appeared injure his shoulder during the third quarter and did not return. The Stingers led 25-23 after the first quarter on the strength of five-for-eight shooting from three-point range. Edmonton’s lead ballooned to 50-44 by halftime as the threes kept falling. In the third quarter, the Stingers finally gained some separation, but a late run by the BlackJacks cut Edmonton’s lead to just four points entering the final frame. Yet the Stingers responded, built a double-digit lead and cruised through Target Score Time. Now, Edmonton sports fans will turn their focus to the Stanley Cup Final, where the hope is that the Oilers make like the Stingers and earn a bounce-back victory of their own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Up Next Both teams face the Niagara River Lions in their next game — the Stingers visit Niagara on Friday, while the BlackJacks host the reigning champions on Sunday. Next CEBL Action The 500th game in league history, including playoffs, takes place Wednesday when the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday the signing of American forward Chris Smith. This will be Smith’s second year in the CEBL. Smith recently completed an international season playing for the Ironi Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Winner-League, averaging 29 minutes, 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 24 games in his fourth pro-season. Before joining the CEBL, Smith played several seasons in the NBA G-League. Smith began his pro career in 2021-22 with the Motor City Cruise, appearing in 19 games and averaging 9.4 points and 23.2 minutes played. He joined the Salt Lake City Stars for the 2022–23 season but appeared in only one game due to injury. In 2023–24, Smith began the season with the Grand Rapids Gold, before transferring to the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 3.3 points and 10.9 minutes in 23 games. Following his 2024 season in Iowa, Smith made his first CEBL appearance with the Montreal Alliance. Smith scored a season-high 24 points on three separate occasions – on July 14th, June 19th and 16th, while playing against Ottawa, Brampton and Saskatchewan. Post-season, Smith was named All-CEBL Second Team and CEBL rebounding champion (2024). “We are very excited to be able to bring Chris to Edmonton for the remainder of the season.” said Head Coach and General Manager Jordan Baker. “His versatility, size, and athleticism will provide an immediate boost on both ends of the floor. I know he will enjoy playing in front of our passionate fans at The Hive!” The 6’9” forward also has several collegiate seasons under his belt, playing at UCLA. During his time as a Bruin, he scored a collegiate-best of 30 points on Jan 30, 2020 while playing against Colorado. He was also named First-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Most Improved Player that same year (2020). Smith and the Stingers will return to the Edmonton EXPO Centre on June 10th to host the Ottawa Blackjackets. Tickets are available for as low as $20 per seat and can be purchased online or by contacting the Stingers head office via email ( [email protected] ) or phone (1-87STINGERS).