2025 Rattlers Training Camp Roster Announced

May 7, 2025

Rattlers training camp roster includes a mix of NBA and CEBL experiences players

The Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday that their 2025 Training Camp Roster will get to work starting on Wednesday May 7th 2025 at Merlis Belsher Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus ahead of their home opener on Thursday May 15th 2025 when they meet conference-rivals, the Vancouver. The Rattlers announced Friday May 2nd that the team will travel to Regina to complete two of their nine-days of CEBL Training Camp at the University of Regina campus.


The Regina portion of Rattlers Training Camp is proudly presented by Hoop Life, taking place on May 9th and 10th. An opportunity for fans to spectate for free will happen on Saturday May 10th from 1PM until 3PM at the University of Regina gymnasium. The Rattlers welcome media to attend with opportunity for Media Availability with Rattlers players and personnel happening on May 10th from 3PM until 4PM. 


During the Saskatoon portion of Rattlers Training Camp, media are welcome to attend Media Availability on Thursday May 8th at 11:45AM, and Tuesday May 13th at 11:45AM at Merlis Belsher Place.


“We have a relatively short period of time to try to develop some cohesion, so the focus throughout training camp will be giving the players evert opportunity to become familiarized with each other,” said Rattlers General Manager Barry Rawlyk. “We have a number of new faces that we are very excited about, and getting all of them on the same page will be very important. We already have a pretty good idea of what each player is capable of and what role they can fill, so getting each of those parts to work together is what we hope to accomplish.”


The Rattlers made noise around the league when signing to NBA-experienced players, Nate Pierre-Louis and Jamir Chaplin. As a rookie pro, Pierre-Louis joined the Lakers organization. In his rookie year with the South Bay Lakers, he appeared in the starting line-up 28 of the 32 games played while averaging 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 27.7 minutes. During three seasons with the Lakers, Pierre-Louis made appearances in NBA Summer League, and NBA Preseason. Most recently, he played with Valley Suns (Phoenix Suns affiliate) and helped lead them through playoffs in their inaugural year. Chaplin made his professional debut during the 2024 NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks which led to an NBA Exhibit-10 contract with the Dallas Mavericks.


Adding length to the front court, the Rattlers signed CEBL-experienced big Elijah Ifejeh and Australian forward Grant Anticevich. Ifejeh returns for his fourth season in the CEBL after playing three consecutive seasons with the Montreal Alliance where he ranks fifth all-time for points (301), second all-time for rebounds (207), and holds the all-time record for blocks (30). Ifejeh most recently played with the Manchester Giants in the BBL, where he played alongside Cody John. Anticevich holds the all-time games played record for University of California, Berkley (139), and appeared in three NBA preseason games with the New Zealand Breakers (NBL) against the Utah Jazz. As a rookie in the NBL, he appeared in the starting line-up in all 18 games averaging 14.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 33.4 minutes. Anticevich brings three years of professional experience playing with three teams in the NBL, BBL, and Lega A. 


The province of Saskatchewan will see the return of familiar faces with 2024 stand out player Cody John, and 2019 CEBL Champion Shane Osayande returning to the franchise. John returns after concluding his fifth season in the CEBL while ranked eighth all-time for most regular season games played in league history. He stepped up in his Rattlers debut in 2024 playing a huge role in the last half of the season averaging 16.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 33.0 minutes in 10 games. Osayande returns for his third season with the Rattlers and fifth in the CEBL. Osayande played a key role during the 2019 CEBL Championship final with 14 points, nine rebounds, and one steal in 27 minutes while shooting 45.5 per cent from the field.


Rattlers add two NCAA stars with experience from the Seton Hall program with Takal Molson and returning big Jaden Bediako. Molson will make his CEBL debut after playing 32 professional games averaging 18.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.9 steals, and 35.7 minutes while shooting 51.6 per cent from the field over a two year span. The New York product was named All-Swiss SBL Player of the Year as a rookie pro. Molson played five seasons in the NCAA averaging collegiate career average of 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.3 blocks and 27.3 minutes in 141 games. Bediako returns for his second season in the CEBL after playing six games with the Rattlers while averaging a team-best 2.0 blocks per game. Prior to his professional debut, he played five seasons in the NCAA averaging 6.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 20.1 minutes in 148 games.


Former Brandon Bobcats, Elisha Ampofo and returning Rattlers wing Anthony Tsegakele will reunite. Ampofo will be making his professional debut after joining the Winnipeg Sea Bears during the 2024 season for CEBL Training Camp, and continued to train with the team during the season. In his fourth and final season with the Bobcats, Ampofo averaged career highs in all stat categories with 13.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 34.0 minutes while shooting 48.5 per cent from the field and 47.6 from behind the arc. The 2023 Rattlers Defensive Player of the Year, Anthony Tsegakele returns for his fifth CEBL season after setting a record for all-time games played in franchise history with 57 games. The Brandon University-alumni was selected in the three CEBL Drafts, during his last three years with Brandon University, Tsegakele averaged 11.5 rebounds per game which was the top spot for the team, top two in all of Canada West, and top five in U Sports. He was named to ten individual season awards over his U Sports career; which includes 2023 Canada West Defensive Player of the Year. Anthony most recently represented the Gabon National Team.


AUS Champions Deon Ejim and Dondre Reddick will reunite after the St. Francis Xavier alumni won the 2023 AUS Championship and finished in second place during the 2024 U SPORTS National Final. Both Ejim and Reddick played with the Calgary Surge. Reddick made his international debut in 2024 playing with Tkibuli Orbi in Georgian Super Liga averaging 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 33.8 minutes while shooting 44.3% from the field. Deon Ejim joining the Rattlers is celebrated as the third Ejim brother to join the Rattlers in franchise history; Ryan Ejim won a CEBL Championship in 2019, and Kenny Ejim played during the CEBL Summer Series in 2020. Prior to playing with St. Francis Xavier, Ejim played three seasons in the NCAA.


Rounding out the team with high-level talent from U Sports programs – Declan Peterson, Easton Thimm, and returning Isaac Simon. Declan Peterson from University of Calgary, Canada West Conference Champion was the third pick overall. He made his U SPORTS debut with the Dinos playing in 22 games he averaged 8.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 18.8 minutes with 21 starts. Declan ranked first on the team for rebounds per game (7.2), field goal percentage (67.5%), and total blocks (44). With the eighth pick in the second round, the Rattlers chose to welcome back Regina-product Isaac Simon of University of Alberta for his third season. In his most recent season with the Golden Bears, he set a new career high of 34 points. During his collegiate career, he has been named to University of Alberta Male Rookie of the Year, Canada West All-Rookie Team, and 2025 Canada West Second Team All-Star. With the third pick in the third round, Easton Thimm from Saskatoon, SK was selected from the University of Saskatchewan after two successful seasons with the Huskies. Over two years with the Huskies, he averaged 11.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 26.6 minutes starting in all 39 games. As a rookie, he was named to U SPORTS All-Rookie Team and named Canada West Rookie of the Year.


Under the leadership of Rawlyk, the newly promoted all-prairie based coaching will get to work. Head Coach Eric Magdanz was promoted this spring in his fourth season with the Rattlers. The Saskatoon-local joined the Rattlers coaching staff ahead of the 2022 season helping lead the Rattlers to a quarterfinal berth, the deepest playoff run the Rattlers have seen since their 2019 inaugural Championship. Under Magdanz’ leadership the Rattlers look to return to Championship Weekend with their main goal being a second championship for the franchise. Prior to the Rattlers, he was assistant coach of the Edmonton Stingers in 2019, assistant coach of University of Alberta, head coach of MacEwan University for seven seasons, and played with McMaster University.


For his second year with the club, Steve Burrows was promoted to Associate Head Coach. The Regina, Saskatchewan-native Steve Burrows grew up playing high school basketball which led him to play at the U SPORTS level at University of Regina. He has served as Head Coach of the University of Regina Cougars since the 2013-14 season. Under Coach Burrows, the Cougars have competed in a Canada West Final Four (2022) and they advanced to the conference quarterfinals in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2022.


Celebrating his third season with the Rattlers, Rob Lovelace was promoted to Lead Assistant Coach. Prior to joining the Rattlers Coaching Staff, Lovelace worked alongside the Rattlers and the CEBL as part of the Broadcast Team. He served as assistant coach of University of Saskatchewan for two seasons after playing for the team for five. Lovelace is the current President of Basketball Saskatchewan. Rounding out the coaching staff in his CEBL debut, Anthony Skepple was named Apprentice Coach. Skepple brings experience as the current head coach of the Briercrest Women’s basketball program since 2020. During his time with Briercrest, he’s helped lead them to two ACAC bronze medal finishes, three ACAC Final Four appearances, while being named 2023 ACAC South Coach of the Year.


The full 2025 Rattlers schedule has been released, which features a new 24-game slate. The 2025 CEBL Playoffs are scheduled to begin Thursday, August 14 with the Conference Play-In games, followed by the Conference Semifinals on Saturday, August 16. The winners will advance to CW25 to join the Winnipeg Sea Bears (host team) and the top-ranked team from the Eastern Conference who are automatically seeded into the Conference Finals. The full playoff schedule with tipoff times will be announced at a later date.


General public and returning season ticket members can claim their seats for the entire Rattlers 2025 season by using Account Manager. Season tickets starting at $235 in the bronze. All tickets can also be purchased through the Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website, or via Ticketmaster. The Holiday Pack can be purchased online or at the Rattlers Front Office, which features four-tickets in any section with a bonus gift card. Single game tickets will be available later this spring. For more seating options, suites, and group rates; fans can contact an account executive.


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About the Saskatchewan Rattlers

The Saskatchewan Rattlers are Saskatchewan’s professional basketball team, one of the six

original teams in the CEBL – the Rattlers won the 2019 inaugural season championship. Playing out of SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – the Rattlers offer an entertainment-focused environment surrounded by some of the world’s top professional athletes. The Rattlers are a community-first organization and take pride in their ability to bring communities together while making sport more accessible to the province.

Edmonton Inks Canadian Guard Nuga

June 21, 2025
The Canadian guard has 50 career CEBL appearances with Saskatchewan, Edmonton, and most recently, Vancouver

Alliance Add Veteran Centre Anosike

June 21, 2025
The Montréal Alliance is proud to announce the acquisition of 6’8” veteran center Oderah “O.D.” Anosike. The 34-year-old joins the organization after completing the 2024-25 season with Gaziantep Basketbol of the Türkiye Basketbol Ligi, where he led the league with 10.2 rebounds per game. Anosike brings 11 years of professional experience across several of Europe’s top leagues. He has competed in Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s Liga ACP with Real Betis, and France’s LNB Pro A with Strasbourg and Cholet Basket. His international journey has also taken him to Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Libya, Iran and the Dominican Republic. The center has distinguished himself through his rebounding dominance, capturing three Italian Serie A rebounding titles (2014, 2015, 2017). In 2023, he helped Al-Ahly Benghazi win the Libyan league championship while leading Turkey’s TBSL in rebounding. “O.D.’s high level of experience will be a huge complement to our young core,” said General Manager Joel Anthony. “His rebounding abilities and presence in the paint will help us on both ends of the court as we move forward with the rest of the season.” At the collegiate level, Anosike made history at Siena College by becoming one of the few players to lead NCAA Division I in rebounding for two consecutive seasons (2011-12 and 2012-13). He concluded his college career with over 1,000 rebounds across four seasons. “I’m excited to join the Alliance and be part of what they’re building here,” said Anosike. “Watching their early success this season, you can see the potential in this squad. I’m ready to contribute to help achieve our goals.” Anosike will be eligible starting with the Alliance’s next game. The team currently holds a 4-4 record and returns home to face the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Sunday, June 22 at 3:00 PM at Verdun Auditorium. ###

L’Alliance de Montréal fait l'acquisition du pivot Américain Anosike

June 21, 2025
L’Alliance de Montréal est fière d’annoncer l’acquisition du pivot vétéran de 6’8” Oderah « O.D. » Anosike. Le joueur de 34 ans se joint à l’organisation après avoir complété la saison 2024-25 avec Gaziantep Basketbol de la Türkiye Basketbol Ligi, où il a mené la ligue avec 10,2 rebonds par match. Anosike apporte 12 années d’expérience professionnelle à travers plusieurs des meilleures ligues européennes. Il a évolué en Série A italienne, en Liga ACB espagnole avec Real Betis, et en LNB Pro A française avec Strasbourg et Cholet Basket. Son parcours international l’a également mené en Grèce, en Turquie, au Mexique, en Libye, en Iran et en République dominicaine. L’Américain s’est distingué par sa dominance au rebond, remportant trois titres de meilleur rebondeur de la Série A italienne (2014, 2015, 2017). En 2023, il a aidé Al-Ahly Benghazi à remporter le championnat de la ligue libyenne tout en menant la TBSL turque au rebond. « Le haut niveau d’expérience d’O.D. sera un complément énorme à notre jeune noyau, a déclaré le directeur général de l’Alliance Joel Anthony. Ses capacités au rebond et sa présence près du panier nous aideront des deux côtés du terrain. » Au niveau universitaire, Anosike a marqué l’histoire à Siena College en devenant l’un des rares joueurs à mener la Division 1 de la NCAA au rebond pendant deux saisons consécutives (2011-12 et 2012-13). Il a terminé sa carrière universitaire avec plus de 1 000 rebonds en quatre saisons. « Je suis excité de rejoindre l’Alliance et de faire partie de ce que l’organisation construit ici, a mentionné Anosike. En observant leurs succès cette saison, on peut facilement voir le potentiel de l’équipe. Je suis prêt à contribuer pour aider l’équipe à atteindre ses objectifs. » Anosike sera admissible dès le prochain match de l’Alliance. L’équipe détient présentement une fiche de 4-4 et retourne à domicile pour affronter les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan dimanche le 22 juin à 15h00 à l’Auditorium de Verdun. ###

Sea Bears Claim 4th Straight, Snap Bandits' Win Streak

By Dillon White • June 21, 2025
Terry Roberts caught fire in Target Score Time to secure a statement road win for the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Friday (June 20). The Sea Bears weathered a fourth quarter run from the Bandits to win 92-85 in front of a packed house at Langley Events Centre. Winnipeg picked up its fourth straight victory and ended Vancouver’s three-game winning streak in the process. The trio of Roberts, Jalen Harris and Simi Shittu carried the offensive load for Winnipeg with a combined 74 points in the victory. Roberts netted 25 points, including the final seven points of Target Score Time, and Harris showed off his ability to score at all three levels with 22 points on 10-20 shooting from the field. “I love the fact that we've got two dynamic play-making guards,” Winnipeg head coach Mike Taylor said. “There are times when Jalen Harris carried us in the first half and then they … put [their] best defenders on him. And then Terry is dynamic enough to go make plays. I think a lot of people would say shooting threes is not his forte – he's a guy that's attacking the paint – but he's just a guy that makes winning plays.” Taylor added that Shittu is a game-changer for the Sea Bears as well. The big man from Vanderbilt notched a double-double with a team-high 27 points and 14 rebounds. Shittu said the win will help build confidence for the Championship Weekend hosts. “As a team, we just came together and we saw what we’re made of down the stretch. It was good for us,” Shittu said. On the other side, Aussie Mitch Creek continued his MVP-calibre start to the season with 29 points, seven rebounds and four assists before leaving the game with an injury in Target Time. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius voiced his frustration with losing Creek and said the team will have to evaluate its slow starts after going down by double digits in back-to-back games. “We've had some really soft starts. I thought tonight overall we were soft. The main takeaway is that we were soft overall,” Julius said. Curtis Hollis added 14 for Vancouver with recent acquisitions James Karnik and Corey Davis Jr. contributing in just their second game of the season as well. Karnik battled inside with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Davis Jr. was lethal from long range with 16 points and seven assists. Davis Jr. said the Bandits did a good job of fighting back in the third and fourth quarter, but the second quarter hurt them. “We did fight hard – we brought it back to be able to win the game – and I think that's always something you can look back on and build from. But I mean putting yourself in those types of situations is something that we have to stay away from,” Davis Jr. said. The star power for both teams was on full display in a fast-paced start to the game. Creek showed off inside touch and Davis Jr. hit from distance for Vancouver. Meanwhile, Shittu was a force on the boards and Harris cooked from mid-range for Winnipeg. The west coast squads traded leads late in the first, with a buzzer-beating corner three from Nathan Bilamu putting Winnipeg ahead 21-20 after 10 minutes. The Bandits and Sea Bears hung tight early in the second, but Winnipeg took control with a 17-4 run and led by as much as 13. The Sea Bears were active on the offensive glass during the stretch, with highlight-reel putbacks from Shittu and Harris. Vancouver started to pick up the pace late in the half, but Winnipeg caught fire from long range and carried a 54-42 lead into the locker room. The Bandits climbed back with an 11-2 run to start the second half and made it a one-possession game. Out of a timeout, however, the Sea Bears regained a double-digit lead capped by an and-one from Shittu. Creek and Shittu exchanged buckets to close the quarter with Winnipeg taking a 75-70 advantage into the fourth. Five free throws and a floater from Curtis Hollis tied the contest at 77 early in the final frame. With the shot clock winding down, Creek drove strong to the hoop to give Vancouver its first lead of the half. After trading leads, Harris buried a mid-range jumper for Winnipeg to head into the final stretch with a one-point advantage and a target of 92. Hollis kicked off Target Score Time with a triple, but a Shittu slam and four straight points from Roberts left the Sea Bears three points from victory. Roberts stayed hot and buried a contested wing trifecta to finish the game. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600612 Up next for both teams All 10 CEBL teams are back in action on Sunday (June 22), with both Vancouver and Winnipeg on the road in Alberta. The Bandits pay a visit to the Surge, while the Sea Bears face the Stingers. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

New-Look BlackJacks Take Down Shooting Stars on the Road

By Teru Ikeda • June 21, 2025
The game was over before Target Time. The addition of Ottawa’s Javonte Smart, Zane Waterman, and Keevan Veinot has put the league on notice. Ottawa is a force to be reckoned with even with Deng Adel out due to injury. Ottawa had two less turnovers than their 16.3 turnovers they averaged coming into this game. At halftime, they only had five. The BlackJacks seized control at several pivotal moments throughout the game. When Ottawa’s head coach Dave DeAveiro’s former university player David Walker made a nice crossover move and a beautiful scoop shot, it seemed like Scarborough was going to make a run. But Isaih Moore answered, and team captain Tyrrel Tate’s two triples built a 13- and 16-point buffer. “I thought his leadership was good today,” DeAveiro reflected on his team captain’s play today. “When it got kinda crazy a little bit, he settled us down with a big shot or going to the rim and getting a foul. So without his leadership, we’re not successful today.” More came in the second half. When Tate drew the foul in the third quarter, his two free throws gave Ottawa a 16-point lead. The biggest play came at the end of the third when Rudi Williams attacked the hoop, and kicked the ball out to Tate in the corner. Tate threw a pump-fake and stepbacked, but unable to find his shot, he whipped a cross-court pass to Justin Jackson whose shot was blocked. Moore got the ball, swung it to Tate who relocated to the top of the arc. His big three-point splash built the lead to 22 points. Waterman was also pivotal in building up the third quarter lead as he dropped buckets right after halftime. He made Scarborough pay for leaving him wide open by cashing in a triple. Then, he got into the Terquavion Smith-to-Cat-Barber passing lane and the ball touched Barber’s hand before going out of bounds. Ottawa regained possession, he attacked a closeout from the perimeter and made a lay-up to put Ottawa up 16. Going into the fourth, it was important for Ottawa to not get comfortable. They wanted to cement their lead after a 24-13 third quarter performance. "We’ve lost some close games and finishing out a game in the CEBL is one of the hardest things to do, especially with the Target Score ending,” said DeAveiro. “So it’s important for us to – we call it – ‘Stay Solid and Focus.’” Smith carried the bulk of Scarborough’s scoring in the third quarter. He had a game-high 32 points on 11-for-27 shooting. DeAveiro’s strategy to “keep making every shot difficult for him” seemed to work in the second half as the Shooting Stars relied heavily on iso basketball. “We didn’t have an assist in the second half, which is not really how we want to play,” lamented Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio. “We need to let the ball see multiple hands in a possession.” In the next game against the East’s best, Niagara River Lions, De Giorgio knows ball movement will be key. “We gotta move the ball. The ball’s gotta see different people, the ball’s gotta see two sides of the court,” he said. It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Scarborough, however. Towards the end of the first half, Scarborough seemed to gain momentum when Cat Barber threw a pass into Hason Ward for a bucket. Then, Joirdon Nicholas had a massive chase-down block, leading to a reverse lay-up by Barber. But Ottawa came out of halftime stronger, and Scarborough seemed to wither away, much as they did to Montreal in the previous game. Smith also had a highlight play in the first quarter that made play-by-play commentator Rod Black yell, “Nooo, he did not! Deep three from the popcorn stand!” After Smart’s deep three ball gave Ottawa a lead, Smith nailed a deep one of his own and drew the foul. Ottawa refused to cede its double-digit lead tonight and came out victorious. Three starters scored double-digits – Isaih Moore, Javonte Smart, and Zane Waterman. Tyrrel Tate led the bench with 15 points (total bench points: 34 points). Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600609 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks (3-6) head to CAA Centre to play the Brampton Honey Badgers (3-7) on Sunday, June 22nd. The Scarborough Shooting Stars (5-5) stay home and host the Niagara River Lions (7-3) at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on the same day. Next CEBL action Tomorrow will be a break and the second quintuple-header of the season will be on Sunday. Aside from the two games mentioned above, the other three games will be Saskatchewan (2-8) versus Montrea (4-4)l at Verdun Auditorium, Vancouver (8-1) versus Calgary (7-3) at WinSport Event Centre, and Winnipeg (4-5) versus Edmonton (5-6) at Edmonton EXPO Centre. There will be two more five-game days left in the season on August 8th and 10th. - CEBL -

Collective Effort Sparks Honey Badgers to Second Straight Win

By Zulfi Sheikh • June 21, 2025
The Brampton Honey Badgers racked up a season-high 25 assists on Friday night en route to an 88-86 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers to start their first win streak of the season. Brampton's back-to-back victories came on the heels of two consecutive games with at least 20 helpers, in stark contrast to the 16.0 assists averaged for the season, which ranked second fewest. And that shared effort led to collective success as six players scored in double figures, including all five starters. Leading that charge was David Muenkat, who set a new season high in points for a second straight game, scoring 20 on 7-for-10 shooting to go with 14 rebounds. Behind him was the starting backcourt of Quindarry Weatherspoon (15 points, eight assists) and the recently acquired Marcus Carr (11 points, 12 assists), who accounted for 80 per cent of the Honey Badgers assists on the night. “It’s great to have another high-level point guard on the floor,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said post-game of Carr’s debut, as he filled in for an absent Koby McEwen (illness). Rounding out the double-digit scoring performances were Prince Oduro with 12 points and Amari Kelly and Jaylan Gainey (off the bench) with 10 points each. On the other side, Jordan Bowden led the Rattlers with 20 points, four assists and four steals. Behind Nate Pierre-Louis who chipped in 17 points and 10 assists. Meanwhile, Devonte Bandoo scored 17 points of his own, and Grant Anticevich added 14 points off the bench on 4-of-9 shooting from distance. “I’m proud of how we fought,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said after the team’s fourth straight loss. “We won the battle on the glass (43-38) against a big, solid team … it comes down to being a game of inches, and shots didn’t go our way in the end.” While trading threes with twos can often be considered an analytical misstep, especially when doing it against a Rattlers team that started a scorching 7-for-10 from three-point land (much better than their usual 29.3 per cent clip that ranked second-last), it was hardly a concern for the Honey Badgers, who made 8-of-9 shots inside the arc in the opening frame and ended the quarter on an 8-0 run to build a 30-23 lead. “Their three-point shooting gave up problems early,” Cassimy said. “But luckily, we were able to figure it out and settle down the hot start they had. As a group, we rallied together to get it done.” That trend ended up being a precursor for Brampton’s victory as it finished the win shooting 64 per cent on twos, carving out a plus-10 edge on paint points (44-34) while Saskatchewan cooled from deep, making just four of its next 20 attempts. And fittingly, although some more timely threes from the Rattlers did erase what was as much as a 12-point deficit in the first half — a pair of Bowden long-balls made it 46-46 at the 1:32 mark of the second — Brampton kept zipping the ball and generating high-quality looks at the rim to stay ahead. “We fought the whole game,” the Rattlers guard said afterwards. “They hit some tough shots at the end, but we were together … we proved we can play with anybody.” The Honey Badgers' 16th dime before the break was a slick feed from Weatherspoon to Gainey at the rim for a buzzer-beating dunk that kept them up 50-46 at halftime. “It’s still a work in progress,” Cassimy explained while referencing the team’s 14 turnovers. “Even though it was our highest assist total for the season so far, I still feel like we can move the ball even better.” Brampton built that lead up to double digits once more throughout the third but ultimately carried a six-point edge into the final frame when Saskatchewan made one more push. The Rattlers outscored the Honey Badgers 13-7 before the clocks stopped, tying things up at 79-79 headed into Target Score Time. But with Rowan Barrett, the Canadian senior men’s national team general manager in attendance on Friday night, the Honey Badgers made sure the Rattlers' rally didn’t get any further. Brampton once again ramped up the rim pressure as the first three of the Honey Badgers’ four makes in the closing stretch came in the paint before Weatherspoon flipped the script and nailed a pull-up triple to seal the win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600607 Up next Both squads return to the court on Sunday, starting with the Honey Badgers hosting the Ottawa BlackJacks for their third matchup of a five-game homestand. Meanwhile, the Rattlers will visit the Montreal Alliance to wrap up a three-game road trip. Next CEBL action Friday night’s four-game slate concludes with the West-leading Vancouver Bandits (8-1) hosting the surging Winnipeg Sea Bears (4-5) at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. local. Both teams enter the matchup amid identical three-game win streaks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Hill et Ahmad trouvent leur rythme dans une victoire convaincante des River Lions sur l’Alliance

By Myles Dichter • June 20, 2025
Les River Lions s’imposent avec autorité lors de la Journée scolaire à Niagara. Khalil Ahmad a mené les River Lions de Niagara avec 21 points dans une victoire de 93-82 contre l’Alliance de Montréal, vendredi après-midi, au Meridian Centre de St. Catharines, en Ontario. Les champions en titre renforcent leur avance au sommet de la Conférence de l’Est en portant leur fiche à sept victoires et trois défaites, tandis que l’Alliance encaisse une quatrième défaite consécutive et tombe à quatre gains contre quatre revers. Le joueur du match Eddie Ekiyor a affirmé que les cris des centaines d’élèves présents ont donné un bon coup d’énergie aux River Lions pour le match de 11h. « Je le sentais ce matin. Tout le monde pensait qu’on allait être fatigués, mais pas moi. Ça m’a donné un boost, et vous l’avez vu avec notre équipe aujourd’hui. On a joué avec intensité », a confié Ekiyor au journaliste J.J. Evason après le match. Les River Lions menaient 84-70 lorsque la période du pointage cible a été déclenchée. Mais c’est Montréal qui a attaqué fort en début de séquence finale, réduisant l’écart à seulement huit points. C’est alors que les River Lions ont remis le ballon dans les mains du « Clutch King », Khalil Ahmad. Après un temps mort demandé par l’entraîneur-chef Victor Raso, Ahmad a attaqué le panier, provoquant une faute et réussissant ses deux lancers francs. Sur la possession suivante, il s’est élevé depuis l’aile pour réussir un tir de trois points victorieux. Raso s’est dit impressionné par la prestation de ses joueurs. « C’est la première fois qu’on joue avec l’intensité requise pour remporter un championnat. C’est aussi la première fois qu’on dispute un match complet du début à la fin, surtout en défensive », a-t-il souligné. Opposé à son ancienne équipe pour la première fois, le meilleur marqueur de l’histoire de la LECB, Ahmed Hill, a connu une première demie dominante avec 14 points pour donner le ton à l’attaque de Niagara. Hill, un joueur de 29 ans originaire de Fort Valley, en Géorgie, en est à sa cinquième saison dans la LECB après deux passages avec les Nighthawks de Guelph et l’Alliance. Il connaissait un début de saison difficile selon ses standards, avec une moyenne de seulement 10,4 points à ses neuf premiers matchs comme River Lion. Mais tout a changé durant les vingt premières minutes du match de vendredi. Même s’il n’a pas marqué en deuxième demie, il a tout de même terminé la rencontre avec 14 points, quatre rebonds, deux passes décisives et un différentiel de +16, le meilleur de son équipe. « C’est juste une question d’être agressif. On m’en parlait depuis quelques matchs, alors je suis sorti avec l’intention de donner le ton », a expliqué Hill. Raso a souligné avoir vu de bons signes de la part de Hill, même si les tirs n’entraient plus en fin de match. « Ce soir, on a vu le Ahmed Hill que je m’attends à voir pour le reste de la saison. Son rythme et son agressivité étaient incroyables… Ce que j’aime chez lui, c’est que même s’il n’a pas rentré ses tirs ce soir, il a quand même été très bon », a mentionné Victor Raso. Ahmad, le meilleur marqueur de l’équipe cette saison, a également récolté cinq passes décisives et quatre rebonds, en plus de réussir neuf de ses onze lancers francs. Eddie Ekiyor a offert un bon coup de main en sortie de banc avec 10 points et six rebonds, tout en affichant un parfait trois-en-trois au tir et sur la ligne de lancer franc. Le meneur canadien Jahvon Blair a ajouté 18 points et quatre rebonds. « On a parfois montré qu’on pouvait être excellents offensivement, excellents défensivement, puis d’autres fois, l’inverse. Mais aujourd’hui, notre intensité défensive n’a jamais été mise en doute. On a joué avec cœur », a ajouté Raso. Du côté de l’Alliance, la pente est glissante après un départ canon de quatre victoires en autant de matchs. L’entraîneur-chef Jermaine Small a reconnu que son équipe n’était peut-être pas prête pour un match aussi tôt dans la journée. « Ils ont été plus physiques en première demie. J’ai trouvé qu’on s’était bien repris en deuxième, mais bon… c’était un match à 11 h, et on avait joué mercredi. Eux étaient en attente, pas de match cette semaine, donc ils avaient un peu plus de jus que nous », a-t-il expliqué. Le petit meneur Tavion Dunn-Martin a égalé Ahmad au sommet des pointeurs du match avec 21 points, en plus d’ajouter quatre rebonds et quatre passes décisives pour l’Alliance. Le Canadien Malcolm Duvivier a contribué avec 12 points grâce à quatre tirs de trois points, tandis que Quincy Guerrier a signé un doublé avec 11 points et 11 rebonds. Selon Small, l’Alliance commence à attirer davantage l’attention des autres équipes après son excellent début de saison. « Je pense qu’au départ, personne ne savait à quoi s’attendre de nous, et maintenant, tout le monde nous attaque avec son meilleur jeu. C’est comme ça… Je ne suis pas inquiet. Chaque match est un processus, chaque possession aussi », a-t-il souligné. L’ailier de l’Alliance Michael Diggins Jr. a quitté la rencontre pendant la période du pointage cible, semblant ressentir une douleur au bras. Les River Lions ont rapidement pris les devants 25-13 après le premier quart. Montréal est revenu à seulement trois points au deuxième quart, mais Niagara a repris le contrôle pour rentrer au vestiaire avec une avance de 51-36. Niagara a ensuite creusé l’écart à 74-55 en fin de troisième quart. Même si l’Alliance a semé un léger doute durant la période du pointage cible, les River Lions ont tout de même eu le dernier mot. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600603 Prochain match pour les deux équipes Les deux équipes seront de retour en action dimanche : les River Lions de Niagara rendront visite aux Shooting Stars de Scarborough, tandis que l’Alliance de Montréal retrouvera ses partisans en accueillant les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan. À venir dans la LECB Pour la deuxième fois dans l’histoire de la LECB, les 10 équipes seront en action le même jour, ce dimanche. L’affrontement entre les River Lions de Niagara et les Shooting Stars de Scarborough ouvrira le bal à 14 h (HE), tandis que le duel entre les Sea Bears de Winnipeg et les Stingers d’Edmonton clôturera cette journée pancanadienne à 18 h (HE). Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le site cebl.ca/games .  - LECB –

Hill, Ahmad Find Rhythm as River Lions Romp Past Alliance

By Myles Dichter • June 20, 2025
The River Lions earned a statement win on School Day in Niagara. Khalil Ahmad led Niagara with 21 points in a 93-82 victory over the Montreal Alliance in a Friday matinee at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. Defending champion Niagara padded its lead atop the Eastern Conference by moving to 7-3 on the season, while the Alliance fell to 4-4 with their fourth straight loss. Player of the Game Eddie Ekiyor said the hundreds of screaming students provided a jolt to the River Lions for the 11 a.m. ET start. “I knew it this morning. Everyone thinks they’re gonna be tired — not me. (It) turns the energy up and you saw it with our team today. We played hard,” Ekiyor told sideline reporter J.J. Evason after the game. The River Lions led 84-70 when the clock was stopped for Target Score Time. But it was Montreal who began the closing stage of the game firing on all cylinders as the Alliance cut their deficit to just eight points. That’s when the River Lions put the ball in the hands of the ‘Clutch King’ Khalil Ahmad. After a timeout from head coach Victor Raso, Ahmad drove and drew two free throws, making both. During the next time down the court, Ahmad rose up from the wing for a game-winning three-pointer. Raso said he was impressed by his team’s performance. “I thought it was the first time that we played with an intensity level that is required to win a championship. That's the first time we put a game together start to finish, especially on the defensive end,” he said. Facing his former team for the first time, CEBL all-time leading scorer Ahmed Hill enjoyed a breakout first half with 14 points to pace Niagara. Hill, the 29-year-old from Fort Valley, Ga., is competing in his fifth CEBL season after spending two years apiece with the Guelph Nighthawks and Alliance. He had struggled by his standards during his first nine games as a River Lion, averaging just 10.4 points. But that all changed during the first 20 minutes of Friday’s game. He went scoreless in the second half but finished with 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and a team-high plus-16. “Just me being aggressive. They talked about it the past a couple of games, so, you know, I just come out, try and set the tone,” Hill said. Raso said he saw positive signs from Hill despite the lack of shot-making down the stretch. “We saw the Ahmed Hill tonight that I expect to see the rest (of the season). His pace and his aggressiveness were awesome. … What I love about him is that he didn't make shots tonight, but he was still really good,” Raso said. Ahmad, the team’s leading scorer for the season, also had five assists and four rebounds while making nine of 11 attempts from the free-throw line. Ekiyor provided a boost off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds on perfect three-for-three shooting from the field and from the stripe. Canadian point guard Jahvon Blair put up 18 points and four rebounds. “We've showed glimpses of being awesome offensively, awesome defensively, and then the other side of it. And today, our intensity was never questioned on the defensive side. We played really hard,” Raso said. Meanwhile, the Alliance are headed in the wrong direction after their blistering 4-0 start to the season. Head coach Jermaine Small said his team may not have been ready for the early start. “They were more physical in the first half. I thought we were better in the second half, and I just thought, 11 a.m. game and we just played Wednesday. I thought ... because they were waiting, we didn't have a game this week, they just had a bit more gas than us,” he said. Diminutive guard Tavion Dunn-Martin matched Ahmad with a game-high 21 points for the Alliance to go with four rebounds and four assists. Canadian Malcolm Duvivier contributed 12 points on the strength of four three-pointers and Quincy Guerrier posted an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. Small said teams are starting to target the Alliance after their early hot streak. “I think at the beginning, no one knew what to expect from us, and now everyone's throwing their best shot at us. So it's one of those things. … I’m not worried. It's just, every game's a process, every possession is a process,” Small said. Alliance forward Michael Diggins Jr., left the game during Target Score Time, appearing to favour his arm. The River Lions raced out to a 25-13 lead after the first quarter. Montreal got within three points during the second frame, but Niagara bounced back to take an 51-36 advantage into halftime. Niagara then extended its lead to 74-55 heading into the fourth quarter. But while the Alliance provided a slight scare in Target Score Time, the River Lions emerged victorious. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600603 Up Next Both teams are back in action Sunday when Niagara visits the Scarborough Shooting Stars while Montreal returns home to host the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Next CEBL Action For the second time in CEBL history, all 10 teams will play on the same day on Sunday, with Niagara-Scarborough at 2 p.m. ET and Winnipeg-Edmonton at 6 p.m. ET bookending the coast-to-coast action. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games .  - CEBL –

Rattlers All-Time Franchise Point Leader Returns to Saskatchewan

June 20, 2025
The Brampton, ON guard has played 49 career CEBL games between Saskatchewan, Montreal, and Edmonton since 2021

Les BlackJacks d'Ottawa signé Smart

June 20, 2025
Les BlackJacks d'Ottawa de la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB), la plus grande ligue sportive professionnelle du Canada, ont annoncé aujourd'hui que l'équipe a signé l'arrière Javonte Smart pour un contrat le reste de la saison 2025. Il est prévu qu’il fasse ses débuts ce soir alors qu’Ottawa affronte les Shooting Stars de Scarborough à 19 h 30. Originaire de Baton Rouge, en Louisiane, il se joint à l’équipe après avoir passé toute la saison 2024-2025 avec le Magic d’Osceola de la NBA G League, où il a maintenu une moyenne de 14,1 points par match. Il s’est classé troisième de son équipe au chapitre des passes décisives (3,8) en 44 matchs de saison régulière et de séries éliminatoires, aidant le club à atteindre la finale de la G League en 2025. « Nous sommes très heureux d’accueillir Javonte au sein des BlackJacks d’Ottawa, a déclaré le directeur général James Derouin. Sa capacité éprouvée à marquer des points à un niveau élite, combinée à sa précieuse expérience dans la NBA et la G League, fait de lui un atout majeur pour notre formation. Son talent pour livrer la marchandise dans les moments décisifs sera un véritable atout pour nous dans la suite de la saison. » L’Américain de 6 pi 4 po a également représenté son pays lors de quatre matchs de qualification pour l’AmeriCup cette année, où il a maintenu une moyenne de 18,3 points par match lors de la deuxième fenêtre du tournoi, menant ainsi son équipe à l’attaque. Cette performance a été soulignée par une prestation de 21 points — un sommet du match — le 25 novembre dans une victoire de 97-74 contre les Bahamas. Ce tournoi constitue la plus récente expérience internationale de sa carrière, lui qui avait déjà remporté une médaille d’or avec les États-Unis lors du Championnat FIBA Amériques U16 en 2015 à Bahia Blanca, en Argentine. Âgé de 26 ans, il rejoint Deng Adel parmi les joueurs actuels des BlackJacks ayant une expérience dans la NBA, ayant disputé un total de 18 matchs au cours des saisons 2021-2022 et 2023-2024 avec les 76ers de Philadelphie, le Heat de Miami et les Bucks de Milwaukee. En plus de son passage à Osceola, sa carrière l’a également mené à évoluer avec Sioux Falls, Birmingham et Delaware dans la NBA G League, où il a maintenu une moyenne de 16,3 points par match, menant Sioux Falls au chapitre des points marqués durant la saison 2021-2022. Il a disputé un total de 25 matchs dans la NBA Summer League, prenant part au tournoi chaque année depuis 2021, à la suite d’une brillante carrière universitaire de trois saisons à Louisiana State. Celle-ci s’est conclue par une sélection au sein de la deuxième équipe d’étoiles de la SEC (choix des entraîneurs) en 2021. Cette même saison, il a mené les Tigers au chapitre des minutes jouées, des passes décisives et des interceptions par match, tout en se classant troisième meilleur marqueur de l’équipe derrière ses coéquipiers actuels des Nets de Brooklyn, Cam Thomas et Trendon Watford. Diplômé de l’école secondaire Scotlandville à Baton Rouge, il a été nommé à trois reprises Joueur de l’année Gatorade de la Louisiane ainsi que Joueur par excellence de la classe 5A à trois occasions, terminant sa carrière au secondaire avec un total impressionnant de 3 306 points. Il est actuellement possible d'acheter des forfaits de billets flexibles en visitant le site theblackjacks.ca/fr-ca/tickets . ###  À propos des BlackJacks d'Ottawa Première franchise d'expansion de la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB), les BlackJacks d'Ottawa présentent le meilleur du basket-ball et du divertissement dans la capitale nationale. Le bureau de direction d'Ottawa apporte à la franchise son expérience de la NBA, de la NBA G League, de l'équipe nationale, de la NCAA et des grandes ligues professionnelles internationales. Dirigée par le directeur général James Derouin et l'entraîneur-chef Dave DeAveiro, l'équipe d'Ottawa joue ses matchs à domicile dans l'aréna de classe mondiale de la Place TD, dans le parc Lansdowne. Pour plus d'informations, visitez le site theblackjacks.ca .
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