Aperçu hebdomadaire de la LECB : Les Bandits rencontrent soudainement un défi de taille dans l'Ouest

For years now, the Vancouver Bandits have been the class of the West, especially during the regular season. And to start the 2026 campaign, it all seemed to be much of the same. Vancouver won seven of its first nine games, reasserting its dominance even before the return of reigning MVP Mitch Creek. The No. 1 seed was theirs to lose. But suddenly — in the matter of days, really — the West has a new outlook. And a new leader, to boot. On the back of a four-game winning streak, the Winnipeg Sea Bears vaulted to the top spot in the conference. Meanwhile, simmering in third place are the Saskatoon Mamba, who are riding a four-game winning streak of their own. Vancouver and Winnipeg will meet in a Western showdown on Saturday in a contest for which both squads are sure to be fired up. Last week, we looked at the Eastern Conference contenders in this space. Now, it’s onto the West. Bandits (8-4) Don’t mistake some tough competition for panic in Vancouver. After dropping games against Winnipeg and the Scarborough Shooting Stars, the Bandits rebounded with a big win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Saturday. Meanwhile, they’ve also made a pair of major additions in Creek and Lloyd Pandi, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year. Creek has shown no signs of rust in two games, averaging a cool 27.5 points to go with 7.5 rebounds and six assists - numbers that all eclipse last season’s MVP output. Pandi has appeared in just one game but made an instant impact with eight points, five rebounds and two steals in the victory over Brampton. Vancouver’s offence is humming along with the most points per game in the league (102.6), and Pandi is sure to help a defence that ranks seventh in points allowed (96.6 per game). The Bandits are also tops in the league in efficiency as well as field-goal, three-point and free-throw percentage. So, yeah, the lack of panic is warranted. Sea Bears (8-4) Winnipeg saw the return of MVP Creek and did the Bandits one better, bringing in three-time MVP Xavier Moon to bolster an offence featuring another former MVP in Teddy Allen. Moon has yet to hit the court but Allen has more than held down the fort, leading the league with 28.1 points and flashing some defensive acumen with 2.8 steals per game. Allen, of course, also leads the CEBL with 237 field-goal attempts. As a team, the Sea Bears boast the highest plus-minus per game at 12.3, four points better than the second-place Shooting Stars. They’re top three in the key shooting percentage categories, third in assists and first in steals. Half of Winnipeg’s current run has come against the struggling Calgary Surge - but you can only play the team in front of you, and the Sea Bears have taken care of business. Plus, they routed the Bandits by 33 points on home court on Thursday. The rematch should be juicy. Mamba (6-5) Perhaps the biggest surprise of the three contenders, Saskatoon looked like it’d be battling just to reach the playoffs when it started the season 2-5. Now above 500, the Mamba are coming for the Western throne. Their four-game streak has consisted of a win over Calgary plus three more over Eastern Conference opponents, including the reigning champion Niagara River Lions. At the centre of it all for Saskatoon is Jaden Bediako, who has yet to lose when he’s been on the court. In his third CEBL season, the Canadian is averaging career highs in points (15.8), rebounds (10.2, leading the league) and field-goal percentage (62.5). He’s found a perfect pick-and-roll partner in the shifty Tavian Dunn-Martin, who tops the Mamba in points (18.9) and assists (6.1). Saskatoon has allowed the most points per game in the league, but even that appears to be turning around under head coach Isaiah Fox’s watch, with the Mamba keeping each opponent under 100 points during their current run. They’ll also have a chance to rise quickly up the standings in the West due to a scheduling quirk which sees them play just two more inter-conference games, setting up a fascinating second half beginning Wednesday at home against Edmonton. Weekly schedule (Six games) Game #60 – Wednesday, June 24 – EDM at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #61 – Friday, June 26 – NRL at MTL – 7:30 p.m. ET – Verdun Auditorium (CBC Gem, YouTube, RDS.ca, CEBL+) Game #62 – Saturday, June 27 – BHB at SSS – 7 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #63 – Saturday, June 27 – WPG at VAN – 6 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. CDT / 9 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #64 – Sunday, June 28 – NRL at OTT – 1 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #65 – Sunday, June 28 – SSK at EDM – 4 p.m. MT/CST / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

The Vancouver Bandits announced Saturday that the club has signed former Canadian university standout and two-time U SPORTS national champion Lloyd Pandi. A veteran of 52 CEBL games across four seasons for both the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions, Pandi was named CEBL Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and is a two-time CEBL U SPORTS Player of the Year (2020, 2022). A 6-foot-4 guard, Pandi has spent the past two seasons with Rasta Vechta in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga, where he has averaged 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.7 minutes across 80 games played between 2024 and 2026. Hailing from Ottawa, Ont., Pandi has represented the Canadian senior national team on multiple occasions, including call-ups at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers, 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and 2022 FIBA AmeriCup roster. Boasting a decorated university career, Pandi played two seasons of collegiate basketball at Ottawa’s Carleton University where he captured back-to-back U SPORTS national championships. His outstanding performance during his senior year with the Ravens in 2021-22 earned him several accolades, including the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy for U SPORTS Player of the Year and U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian honours. ### 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 Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (LEC), while also being committed to growing the game of basketball by fostering meaningful community connections through youth programming, events, and partnerships.

Bandits Head Coach Kyle Julius suspendedfrom all CEBL game-related activities, pending completion of the League Office’s review of an incident involving a fan at the CEBL game on June 18.

Avec une fiche de 8-1, les Shooting Stars de Scarborough affichent le meilleur bilan de la LECB. Ils se sont imposés comme l'un des favoris de début de saison pour le titre, en remportant aussi bien des matchs avec des remontées spectaculaires qu'en écrasant leurs adversaires. Dire que les Shooting Stars tournent à plein régime serait un euphémisme. Et pourtant, l'ailier Charles Bediako se souviendra toujours de cette seule défaite : 90-88 concédé face à son frère Jaden Bediako et au Mamba de Saskatoon, qui s’est déroulée le 31 mai. « Honnêtement, c'est agaçant », a déclaré Charles. « Je pense que si on arrive à aller jusqu'au bout de la saison et à tout remporter, ce sera une bonne chose. Mais je pense que, sur le plan personnel, ce sera sans doute pire, car c’est probablement la seule chose qu’il aura contre moi. … J’espère qu’on le reverra dans les séries éliminatoires. » Après le match, Charles, une recrue de la LECB, a envoyé un texto à Jaden : « Bravo, tu as fait ce que tu avais à faire, mais ne fais pas comme si ce n'était pas la dernière fois. » Jaden, un vétéran avec trois ans d’expérience, a tenu à remettre les choses au clair. C’était, en effet, la seule et unique fois où ils s’affronteraient – à moins, bien sûr, d'une éventuelle confrontation en finale de la LECB. Ils se sont affrontés dès le coup d'envoi, remporté par Charles. Lors de la première attaque du Mamba, Jaden a réussi un tir en suspension par-dessus son petit frère. Mais ce dernier a tout de suite riposté, en marquant un alley-oop à la prochaine possession. Au final, bien sûr, c'est Jaden qui a eu le dernier mot en terminant avec 18 points et 10 rebonds lors de cette victoire. Charles a réussi 5 en 5 de ses tirs, mais n'a totalisé que 10 points et 7 rebonds. « C'était génial, d'abord parce que nous avons gagné », a déclaré Jaden. « Et deuxièmement, j'avais en général de meilleures statistiques. « Ça va donc être une super Action de grâce, ou n'importe quel autre moment où on aura le temps de s'asseoir et de partager un repas ensemble à nouveau. » Ce match a marqué la première fois que les frères Bediako s'affrontaient dans le cadre d'une compétition professionnelle. Jaden, 26 ans, a passé ses trois saisons dans la LECB au sein de la franchise de Saskatoon. Il affiche presque une moyenne d’un double-double (9,4 points et 8,8 rebonds) sur l'ensemble de sa carrière et a récemment disputé cinq matchs dans la G League avec les Raptors 905, tout en évoluant également au niveau professionnel au Mexique. Charles, 24 ans, a rejoint la LECB cette saison après une année mouvementée au cours de laquelle il a tenté de réintégrer l'université d'Alabama après un passage dans la G League, mais un tribunal le lui a refusé, mettant ainsi fin prématurément à sa saison. Considéré comme un espoir très prometteur à tous les niveaux, Charles s'est illustré au sein des Shooting Stars, avec une moyenne de 7,4 points et 6,4 rebonds par match. Il espère que ses performances dans la LECB lui permettront d'obtenir une invitation à la NBA Summer League en juillet, mais il va d'abord rejoindre le camp d’entraînement de l'équipe nationale masculine senior du Canada. Les deux frères ont également remporté des titres universitaires : Jaden a décroché le titre du NIT à Seton Hall, tandis que Charles a remporté le titre de la SEC avec le Crimson Tide. C'est dans un environnement extrêmement compétitif à Brampton, en Ontario, que les bases de ces deux carrières ont été bâties. « On pouvait jouer un petit un contre un, mais ça pouvait parfois devenir tellement compétitif qu’on finissait par passer quelques jours sans se parler. Ça devient une affaire personnelle », a déclaré Jaden. « Il y a des moments qu’on essaie d’éviter, du genre, on ne va pas jouer en un contre un, parce que quelqu’un va en garder un mauvais souvenir après. » En grandissant, même son petit frère Charles a admis que Jaden avait généralement le dessus sur lui — tout en précisant toutefois qu’il était un joueur de soccer avant de se consacrer entièrement au basketball et que l’écart s’est réduit à mesure qu’il grandissait. Aujourd'hui, c'est Charles qui semble avoir un avenir plus prometteur dans le basketball et Jaden a bien compris son nouveau rôle. « Il évolue parmi les meilleurs. Participer à ces camps d'entraînement, travailler avec [la vedette des Nuggets de Denver, Nikola] Jokic et les joueurs des Pistons [de Detroit]. Donc c’est génial, en tant que grand frère, on a envie de le remettre à sa place. Quand on grandit, c'est un peu plus comme : “Yo, salut, respect, continue comme ça.” Tout ce que je peux faire, c'est être là pour le motiver, pour le guider et lui donner mon avis, n'est-ce pas? Ça ne peut pas être tout beau, tout rose, n'est-ce pas ? Parfois, il faut dire la vérité ou être la personne négative », a déclaré Jaden. Charles, quant à lui, a reconnu que c'était « cool » d'affronter Jaden dans la LECB, même malgré la défaite. « Je voyais bien qu’il avait hâte. Il allait tout donner contre moi… C'était plutôt cool », a-t-il déclaré. Après tout, Jaden a joué un rôle important tout au long de sa carrière, allant même jusqu’à l’aider à rejoindre la LECB pour cet été décisif dans son parcours de basketball. Charles a déclaré qu'il avait apprécié sa première expérience au sein de la LECB et le fait de pouvoir jouer aux côtés de visages familiers, à savoir ses coéquipiers Frank Mitchell et Myles Powell. « J’ai l’impression que nous voulons simplement tous nous voir réussir. Je pense que c'est ce qui compte le plus », a déclaré Charles à propos de son équipe des Shooting Stars. « Notre complicité en dehors du terrain est excellente. On se pousse quand on joue tous ensemble et j'ai l'impression que ça se voit sur le terrain, ça explique aussi pourquoi notre fiche est telle qu’elle est. » Jaden, quant à lui, ne manque pas de souligner la fiche parfaite de 4-0 du Mamba lorsqu’il est sur le terrain – dont trois victoires remportées avec seulement deux points d’écart. Sans Bediako sur le terrain, Saskatoon affiche un bilan de 0-5. Cela lui donne une grande confiance dans le fait que le championnat entre les Shooting Stars et le Mamba est tout à fait à leur portée. « Nous avons le potentiel de remonter au classement. C'était clairement un début difficile, mais on a battu une équipe comme Scarborough, ainsi qu'une équipe comme Winnipeg, qui est un rival de la Conférence de l’Ouest. Cela témoigne d’espoir et de progrès », a-t-il déclaré. Et si ce match de revanche entre les frères Bediako avait bel et bien lieu? « Ce serait génial », a déclaré Jaden. « La question ne se pose même pas. »

At 8-1, the Scarborough Shooting Stars own the best record in the CEBL. They’ve emerged as early title favourites, winning games in comeback and blowout fashion alike. To say the Shooting Stars are firing on all cylinders would be an understatement. And yet, forward Charles Bediako remains bothered by that one blemish: a 90-88 loss against brother Jaden Bediako and the Saskatoon Mamba on May 31. “Honestly, that's annoying,” Charles said. “I feel like if we go on to see the rest of the season and win it all, it's good. But I guess on a personal level, that will probably be worse because that's probably the only thing he’ll have against me. … Hopefully we can see him in the playoffs.” After the game, Charles, a CEBL rookie, texted Jaden: “Good job, you did your thing, but don't act like this ain't the last time.” Jaden, a three-year veteran, had to set the record straight. This was, indeed, the one and only time they would face each other - barring a CEBL Finals showdown, that is. They went against each other from the opening tip, won by Charles. On the Mamba’s first offensive possession, Jaden made a jump shot over his little brother. But little bro got him right back, converting an alley-oop on the very next play. In the end, of course, Jaden got the last laugh, putting up 18 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Charles shot a perfect five-for-five but wound up with just the 10 points and seven rebounds. “It was great because one, we won,” Jaden said. “And two, I had the better stat line overall. So it's going to be a great Thanksgiving or whenever we have time to sit down and break bread again.” The game marked the first time the Bediako brothers have ever gone head-to-head in a competitive professional environment. Jaden, 26, has spent all three of his CEBL seasons with the Saskatoon franchise. He’s averaged a near double-double of 9.4 points and 8.8 rebounds for his career and recently appeared in five games in the G League with Raptors 905 while also playing professionally in Mexico. Charles, 24, arrived at the CEBL this season after a tumultuous year which saw him attempt to return to the University of Alabama after a stint in the G League, only to have a court deny him and end his season early. A highly touted prospect throughout the ranks, Charles has shone with the Shooting Stars, registering 7.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He’s hoping to parlay his CEBL play into an NBA Summer League invite in July, but first he’ll head to training camp with Canada’s men’s senior team. Both brothers won college championships, too, with Jaden taking an NIT title at Seton Hall while Charles earned an SEC ‘chip with the Crimson Tide. The foundation for both careers was built in an extremely competitive environment in Brampton, Ont. “We'd play a little one-on-one, but sometimes they can get really competitive where we go a couple of days without talking to each other. It gets personal,” Jaden said. “There are times you're trying to avoid, like, let's not play one-on-one because someone's going to feel some way after.” Growing up, even younger bro Charles admitted that Jaden typically got the best of him — though with the caveat that he was a soccer player before pivoting full-time to basketball, and the margins closed as he grew older. Now, it’s Charles that might have a brighter basketball future, and Jaden understands his new role. “He's playing at some of the highest levels. Going to these training camps, working with [Denver Nuggets star Nikola] Jokic and the [Detroit] Pistons guys. So it’s been great, as an older brother, you want to put him down. As you get older, it's like, ‘Yo, salute, respect, keep going.’ All I can do is be here to motivate him, someone to guide him and give him my opinion, right? You can't be all dandy and rosy, right? Sometimes you have to say the truth or be the negative guy,” Jaden said. Charles, meanwhile, conceded it was “cool” battling Jaden in the CEBL even despite the loss. “I can tell he was excited. He was going to shoot everything against me. … That was pretty cool,” he said. After all, Jaden played a major role throughout his career, even helping recruit him to the CEBL for this pivotal summer in his basketball journey. Charles said he’s enjoyed his first stint in the CEBL and getting to play with familiar faces in teammates Frank Mitchell and Myles Powell. “I feel like we all just want to see each other succeed. I feel like that's the biggest thing,” Charles said about his Shooting Stars squad. “Our off-court chemistry is great. We're at one another when we're all playing and I feel like that just shows on-court, also shows why our record is the way it is.” Jaden, meanwhile, is quick to mention the Mamba’s perfect 4-0 record when he plays - including three wins by just two points. Saskatoon is 0-5 without Bediako on the floor. It gives him plenty of confidence that a Shooting Stars-Mamba championship is very much in play. “We have the potential to climb the standings. Obviously rough start, but beat a team like Scarborough, a team like Winnipeg who's a Western Conference rival. That shows hope and growth,” he said. And if that Bediako brothers rematch does indeed occur? “It'd be amazing,” Jaden said. “That's not even a question.”

Pendant deux saisons consécutives, la Conférence de l’Est a été dominée par une seule équipe. Non seulement les River Lions de Niagara ont remporté deux titres consécutifs, mais ils ont également terminé en tête du classement de la saison régulière de l’Est pendant trois années consécutives. Pour commencer cette saison, les Honey Badgers de Brampton et les Shooting Stars de Scarborough ont décidé d’agir. Les équipes de l’Ontario, qui ont remporté respectivement les championnats 2022 et 2023, ont renforcé leurs effectifs et ont commencé avec une intensité débordante en tant que premières équipes de la conférence à atteindre sept victoires. Un changement d’arrière semblait être en préparation. Mais les River Lions n’ont pas vacillé. Ils savaient que leur Roi Lion, Khalil Ahmad, les rejoindrait tôt ou tard. Ils savaient qu’il faudrait du temps pour s’habituer à leur nouvel entraîneur, qui est aussi leur ancien coéquipier et capitaine, Kimbal Mackenzie. Lundi, les River Lions ont renforcé leur position de prétendants en remportant une victoire écrasante de 101-84 contre les Honey Badgers. Les Shooting Stars, quant à eux, ont remporté une victoire de 108-105 contre les Bandits de Vancouver lors de l’un des matchs les plus divertissants de l’année, prenant ainsi une avance individuelle de conférence à 8-1. La course est lancée et les trois poids lourds s’apprêtent à s’affronter. Ottawa et Montréal chercheront à jouer les trouble-fêtes. Commençons par les champions en titre (5-5), qui ont remporté deux victoires consécutives pour revenir à une fiche de .500 et se sont rapprochés à deux matchs de Brampton (7-3). Même si Ahmad est le moteur de l’équipe, comme en témoigne son record personnel de 37 points lundi, des vétérans comme Curtis Hollis et Nathan Cayo ont permis à Niagara de rester debout en son absence. Cayo étant deuxième de l’équipe en points et Hollis étant troisième en points et deuxième pour les rebonds et passes décisives parmi les joueurs qualifiés. De l’autre côté, Brampton a connu leur premier obstacle de la saison au milieu de deux défaites. Face aux River Lions, la série de tirs de trois points de la saison des Honey Badgers s’est brutalement arrêtée, ne réussissant que 25 % de leurs tirs, dont seulement deux sur sept du tireur d’élite Cameron Tyson. Le différentiel de Brampton de plus-neuf pourrait également être inquiétant, tout comme l’absence du finaliste du joueur le plus utile de l’an dernier, Sean East II. Ce n’est peut-être qu’un accroc. East II pourrait revenir et les tirs auraient pu être un cas isolé, mais les Honey Badgers font face à leur première adversité, et leur réaction sera révélatrice. Pour l’instant, Scarborough s’est imposé comme l’équipe à battre dans l’Est. Portés par Myles Powell, comeilleur marqueur de la LECB (27,6 points par match, à égalité avec Teddy Allen de Winnipeg), les Shooting Stars ont remporté des victoires de toutes sortes de façons en neuf matchs, dont les deux tiers ont été à l’extérieur. Powell s’est imposé comme un prétendant précoce au titre de Joueur « clutch » de l’année, menant la ligue avec quatre paniers gagnants pendant la période de pointage cible, et Frank Mitchell est une machine à double-double en sortie de banc. À présent, ils rentreront chez eux pour deux affrontements de la Conférence de l’Est contre les BlackJacks vendredi, suivis de ce qui sera potentiellement le match de la semaine dimanche contre les River Lions. C’est parti! Affrontement de Lethbridge Pour la première fois, la LECB se dirige vers Lethbridge, en Alberta. Samedi, le Surge de Calgary recevra, dans le sud de l’Alberta, l’Alliance de Montréal et ils pourraient encore chercher leur première victoire. La saison n’a pas vraiment été comme prévue pour le Surge qui commence cette semaine avec une fiche de 0-10 et qui se sont également séparés de l’entraîneur-chef Perry Huang. Mais ce n’est pas que de mauvaises nouvelles pour la légende canadienne de la LECB, Rugzy Miller-Moore, et son équipe. L’attaque du Surge a tout pour devenir solide malgré qu’il soit classé avant-dernier dans les points par match. Calgary est quatrième de la ligue en passes décisives par match et affiche la deuxième moyenne de revirements le plus faible, ce qui témoigne d’un bon processus. Leur efficacité globale, quant à elle, se situe à la septième place, soit une place au-dessus de celle de leurs adversaires de Lethbridge. Mais l’Alliance est aussi désespérée de gagner dans ce paysage compétitif de l’Est. Montréal (4-6) a perdu deux de leurs trois derniers matchs en luttant pour se positionner, et a également récemment perdu leur meilleur marqueur, Javon Freeman-Liberty. À sa place, son coéquipier Quincy Guerrier, aussi un ancien Raptor, devra passer à la vitesse supérieure aux côtés du meneur Davion Warren. Pour compliquer les choses, l’Alliance était déjà la seule équipe à avoir en moyenne moins de points par match que le Surge. Cependant, leur défense est solide et elle cherchera à interrompre la circulation de passes de Calgary avec leur style agressif qui les a menés à avoir le deuxième plus grand nombre de vols par match. Lethbridge aura une belle surprise. Horaire hebdomadaire (dix matchs) Match #49 – Le mercredi 17 juin – MTL à EDM – 19h (HE) / 21 h (HR) – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #50 – Le mercredi 17 juin – BHB à CGY – 21 h 30 (HR) / 19h h 30 (HE) – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #51 – Le jeudi 18 juin – VAN à WPG – 19 h (HAC) / 17 h (HP) / 20 h (HE) – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #52 – Le vendredi 19 juin – SSK à NRL – 11 h (HE) / 9 h (HNC) – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #53 – Le vendredi 19 juin – OTT à SSS – 19 h 30 (HE) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #54 – Le samedi 20 juin – EDM à WPG – 16 h (HAC) / 15 h (HR) / 17 h (HE) – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #55 – Le samedi 20 juin – MTL à CGY – 17 h (HR) / 19 h (HE) – L’ Aréna VisitLethbridge.com (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #56 – Le samedi 20 juin – BHB à VAN – 18 h (HP) / 21 h (HE) – Envision Financial Court au Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #57 – Le dimanche 21 juin – NRL à SSS – 16 h (HE) – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Match #58 – Le dimanche 21 juin – SSK à OTT – 19 h (HE) / 17 h (HNC) – L’Aréna de la Place TD (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Pour le calendrier complet de la LECB 2026, veuillez consulter cebl.ca/games .

For two straight seasons, the Eastern Conference has been dominated by one team. Not only have the Niagara River Lions won two straight titles, they’ve also finished as the East’s top regular-season squad three years in a row. To begin this season, each of the Brampton Honey Badgers and Scarborough Shooting Stars decided to do something about it. The Ontario squads, who won the 2022 and 2023 championships, respectively, beefed up their rosters and sprinted out of the gates as the first teams in the conference to reach the seven-win mark. A changing of the guard seemed like it was in the works. But the River Lions didn’t waver. They knew their Lion King, Khalil Ahmad, would be joining them sooner than later. They knew it would take some time to acclimate to a new coach in former teammate and captain Kimbal Mackenzie. On Monday, the River Lions cemented their return as a contender with a commanding 101-84 win over the Honey Badgers. The Shooting Stars, meanwhile, picked up a 108-105 victory against the Vancouver Bandits in one of the most entertaining games of the year to take a solo conference lead at 8-1. The race is on - and the three heavyweights are set to duke it out, with Ottawa and Montreal aiming to play spoiler. We’ll start with the defending champs (5-5), who’ve won two straight to get back to .500 and pull within two games of Brampton (7-3). While Ahmad is the straw that stirs the drink - as evidenced by his career-high-tying 37 points Monday - the likes of veterans Curtis Hollis and Nathan Cayo kept Niagara afloat in his absence, with the latter second on the team in scoring and the former sitting third in points and second in rebounding and assists among qualified players. On the flip side, Brampton has hit its first snag of the season amid a pair of losses. Against the River Lions, the Honey Badgers’ season-long hot streak from beyond the arc came to a crashing halt as they made only 25 per cent, including just two-for-seven from sharpshooter Cameron Tyson. Brampton’s point differential of plus-nine could also be cause for concern, as could the absence of last year’s MVP runner-up Sean East II. It may just be a blip. East II could return, and the shooting might have been a one-off. But the Honey Badgers are facing their first bit of adversity, and how they respond will be telling. For now, Scarborough has emerged as the team to beat in the East. Buoyed by CEBL co-leading scorer Myles Powell (27.6 points per game, tied with Winnipeg’s Teddy Allen), the Shooting Stars have won in all kinds of ways through nine games, two-thirds of which have been on the road. Powell has emerged as an early contender for Clutch Player of the Year, leading the league with four Target Score Winners, and Frank Mitchell is a double-double machine off the bench. Now, they’ll return home for a pair of Eastern Conference battles against the BlackJacks on Friday followed by what is potentially the game of the week on Sunday against the River Lions. Giddy up. Lethbridge showdown For the first time ever, the CEBL is headed to Lethbridge, AB. On Saturday, the Calgary Surge will play host in southern Alberta to the Montreal Alliance, and they may still be seeking their first win. Entering this week 0-10, the season has not exactly gone to plan for the Surge, who also parted with head coach Perry Huang. But it’s not all bad news for Canadian CEBL legend Rugzy Miller-Moore and company. The Surge’s offence has the makings of something solid despite sitting second-last in points per game. Calgary is fourth in the league in assists per game and averages the second-fewest turnovers, pointing to good process. Their overall efficiency rating, meanwhile, ranks seventh - one slot above their Lethbridge opponent. But the Alliance are desperate for a win too amid that competitive Eastern landscape. Montreal (4-6) has dropped two of three as it fights for positioning, and it also recently lost leading scorer Javon Freeman-Liberty. In his place, fellow ex-Raptor Quincy Guerrier will be expected to step up alongside the likes of point guard Davion Warren. Making things more difficult, the Alliance were already also the only team averaging fewer points per game than the Surge. Their defence, however, has been stingy - and will look to interrupt Calgary’s passing flow with its aggressive style that has led to the second-most steals per game. Lethbridge should be in for a treat. Weekly schedule (10 games) Game #49 – Wednesday, June 17 – MTL at EDM – 7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #50 – Wednesday, June 17 – BHB at CGY – 9:30 p.m. MT / 7:30 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #51 – Thursday, June 18 – VAN at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #52 – Friday, June 19 – SSK at NRL – 11 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. CST – Meridian Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #53 – Friday, June 19 – OTT at SSS – 7:30 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #54 – Saturday, June 20 – EDM at WPG – 4 p.m. CDT/ 3 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #55 – Saturday, June 20 – MTL at CGY – 5 p.m. MT / 7 p.m. ET – VisitLethbridge.com Arena (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #56 – Saturday, June 20 – BHB at VAN – 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET – Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #57 – Sunday, June 21 – NRL at SSS – 4 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) Game #58 – Sunday, June 21 – SSK at OTT – 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CST – The Arena at TD Place (CBC Gem, YouTube, CEBL+) For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

The Vancouver Bandits announced today that the reigning Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Most Valuable Player Mitch Creek has re-signed with the club for the 2026 CEBL season. The 6-foot-5 forward and fan favourite returns to the Bandits after a stellar 2025 campaign in which he was named Most Valuable Player and an All-CEBL First Team Selection. Creek had one of the most statistically productive stretches of his career during the 2025 CEBL season. Starting in all 20 regular season games, he averaged a team-high 24.4 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes.Creek made his CEBL debut during the 2024 season and currently ranks second on the Bandits’ all-time leading scorers list (643 points). Creek appeared in five NBA regular season games during the 2018-19 season, splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 50 per cent shooting from the field across both clubs. A veteran of 15 professional seasons, Creek was a mainstay and all-star in his home country’s National Basketball League (NBL), logging 338 games and served as captain for both the Adelaide 36ers and South East Melbourne Phoenix. Most recently, Creek competed for Romanian club U-BT Cluj-Napoca during the 2025-26 season where he captained the team to a Romanian League championship and received All-EuroCup Second Team honours. A native of Horsham, Australia, Creek is a major basketball figure in his home country and has been instrumental to the success of the national team, known as the Boomers, and was recently named to Australia’s roster for the upcoming 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers taking place in July. Creek will step away from the Bandits’ roster to join the Australian national team in advance of its FIBA World Cup Qualifier games on July 3 and 6 against Guam and the Philippines, respectively. He will rejoin the Bandits at the conclusion of his international duties. Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter. ### 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 Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (LEC), while also being committed to growing the game of basketball by fostering meaningful community connections through youth programming, events, and partnerships.

The Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Saturday that they have re-signed Khalil Miller for his second season in Scarborough. The 6'8 Scarborough native averaged 5.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks on 53% shooting from the field for the Shooting Stars last year. Despite playing 15 minutes a game, his rebounding numbers were in the 76th percentile in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and his 1.3 blocks anchored the paint for Scarborough, accounting for 19% of all the Shooting Stars blocks. With only 0.5 turnovers a game and strong finishing around the rim (70% field goal percentage in the paint), Miller proved he can provide impact to the floor without needing the ball or plays run for him. You would often see him finishing off a play with a dunk, bringing down an offensive rebound (1.5 per game) or setting screens to free up others. During the 2025 CEBL Eastern Conference Semifinal, Miller put up 19 points and 17 rebounds on 87% shooting to punch the Shooting Stars ticket to Championship Weekend. 17 rebounds in a game is a Shooting Stars single game record. Overseas Professional Career Miller recently averaged 14.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 2.1 steals for Lokomotiv Plovdiv in 2025-26, a professional club in Bulgaria. He averaged 10.1 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game on 64% shooting for Allianz Swans Gmunden in the Austrian Bundesliga in 2024-25. He averaged 16.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.2 blocks for EN Baskets Schwelm in the German Pro B North league in 2023-24. Canadian Post Secondary Career Miller played three years at Seneca College and his senior season at McMaster University, with career averages of 12.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals. He was the recipient of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 with McMaster.