Bandits Rout Stingers for Third Straight Win to Open Season

La Classique Estivale de la LECB - Éclipse : Match sous les étoiles a été reportée à la mi-temps en raison de problèmes techniques causés par les conditions météorologiques défavorables. La sécurité des joueurs, des partisans et du personnel est toujours notre priorité absolue, et la décision d'arrêter le match a été prise par mesure de précaution. Selon les règles de la FIBA, lorsqu'un match est interrompu en raison de circonstances exceptionnelles, la décision sur la marche à suivre est référée à l'organisme organisateur. Ainsi, la LECB déterminera le résultat officiel du match dans les prochains jours. -LECB-

The CEBL Summer Classic: Éclipse – Match Sous les Étoiles was postponed at halftime due to technical issues related to event staging caused by inclement weather. The safety of players, fans, and staff is always our top priority, and the decision to halt play was made out of an abundance of caution. Under FIBA rules, when a game is interrupted due to exceptional circumstances, the decision on how to proceed is referred to the organizing body. As such, the CEBL league office will determine the official outcome of the game in the coming days. - CEBL -

The Calgary Surge are clicking early in the season. They routed the Winnipeg Sea Bears 93–61 on Sunday (May 25), assisting on 69 percent of their field goals. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said every little step—on and off the court—has helped build chemistry early. “They're a great practice group and we've been just carrying that over to the game,” Canales said. It was also strong defensively, holding the Sea Bears to 61 points. Winnipeg was limited to 30 per cent shooting from the field, 17 per cent from three, and 50 per cent from the free-throw line. Calgary dominated inside as well, outscoring Winnipeg 46-28 in the paint. The Surge attack featured an array of high-flying finishes in transition, including alley-oop connections and a between-the-legs showstopper from Greg Brown III in the third quarter. “I was like, ‘Finally I got an open break’... I was a little far back but thought I could get [the dunk] off,” Brown III said of the highlight. The victory at WinSport Event Centre was the back half of a home-and-home, with Calgary winning the first contest on Friday 98-86. Canales said the team is building on the foundation of turning defence into offence. “It's never going to be perfect but we're moulding it the right way,” he said. Brown III netted a game-high 22 points in the victory to go along with nine rebounds. Sean Miller-Moore followed up a career-best performance on Friday with another solid outing on Sunday. He scored 20 points, hauled in 10 rebounds, dished out six assists and drilled the game-winning free throw. The six assists pushed Miller-Moore to 200 for his CEBL career. Meanwhile, Jameer Nelson Jr. also left a mark on both ends. He set a team record with seven steals in the win, while contributing 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists. On the other side, Terry Roberts was a bright spot for the Sea Bears offensively. The Georgia alumnus led the team in scoring, rebounding and passing with 21 points, 10 boards, and seven assists. Roberts said the Sea Bears need to be tougher moving forward. “I think the defense dictated our offense. We [weren’t] playing good defensively, and it made us ultimately struggle offensively. So I think we have to lock in more defensively and we'll be alright,” Roberts said. Winnipeg head coach Mike Taylor credited Calgary for effort, rebounding, speed and physicality. He attributed offensive struggles to the Sea Bears’ fast break. “I think we did not space the floor as quickly as we needed to. And then again, we did not take advantage of the opportunities that the game gave us. We had some mismatches in the post we didn't take advantage of and we had some opportunities in transition we didn't take advantage of,” Taylor said. To open the game, both teams started hot from beyond the arc. Roberts directed the Sea Bears’ offence in the first quarter, scoring or assisting on 14 of the team’s 17 points. However, the Surge pushed the pace leading to a pair of alley-oops in transition. Calgary seized control, closing the quarter on a 12-1 run and taking a 23-17 advantage into the second quarter. The Surge continued to dictate the tempo as Winnipeg’s offence stalled. The Sea Bears went roughly seven minutes without a field goal stretching back to the first quarter and Calgary capitalized with a 21-3 run during that span. Winnipeg began to find some rhythm midway through the frame, but Calgary quickly shut the door with a 13-4 run—taking a 49-31 lead into the break. Coming out of the locker room, Winnipeg started to push the pace as well. The Sea Bears scored six early points but Brown III killed the momentum with an audacious between-the-legs breakaway slam. Brown III kept the highlight reel rolling as the Surge entered the fourth quarter up 71-48. Winnipeg didn’t connect on a field goal for the first four minutes of the quarter and trailed by 30 heading into Target Score Time. Winnipeg opened Target Time with a 7-2 burst, but Nelson Jr. responded with a personal 6-0 run to bring Calgary within one. Miller-Moore iced it at the line, sealing Calgary’s 50th win in franchise history. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600577 Up next for both teams Winnipeg returns to Canada Life Centre for a meeting with the red-hot Vancouver Bandits on Wednesday (May 28), while Calgary hosts Brampton on Thursday (May 29) at WinSport Event Centre. Next CEBL action The Ottawa BlackJacks travel to Scarborough on Tuesday (May 27) for an Eastern Conference battle with the Shooting Stars. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Scarborough Shooting Stars (1-0) opened their campaign on a high note, picking up a 90-76 win on Sunday to spoil the Brampton Honey Badgers' (0-3) home debut. Donovon Williams spearheaded the winning effort, finishing with a team-high 19 points along with six rebounds and two steals. The import guard picked up where he left off last season when his 17.7 points per game were top 10 in the CEBL. Behind Williams was another pair of Scarborough returnees in Jaden Campbell and Danilo Djuricic, who each scored 12 points. Meanwhile, CEBL debutant Yuri Collins added 13 points (including the game-winner), six assists and three steals. The still-winless Honey Badgers were led by Koby McEwen, as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year racked up a game-high 22 points to go with three assists and three steals. Rounding out Brampton’s double-digit scoring efforts was the frontcourt pair of Prince Oduro (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Amari Kelly (10 points, 12 rebounds), who each chipped in double-doubles. Quinndary Weatherspoon — coming off a stellar 29-point debut — struggled as he finished with 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting with six rebounds and three turnovers. The Shooting Stars came out flying to start their season, carving out a double-digit lead in less than seven minutes. Scarborough led 29-13 after the first quarter thanks to a pair of 7-0 runs and some overwhelming defence. Donovan Williams led that charge, bookending the first of those runs with a triple and a transition slam. Meanwhile, their ball pressure forced six Honey Badgers’ turnovers (for 10 points) while Scarborough held Brampton to just 6-of-22 shooting from the field in the first 10 minutes. Ball security has become a recurring concern for the Honey Badgers this season, their 19.7 turnovers per game are tops in the CEBL. Brampton finished the contest with 16 giveaways, which led to 23 extra points for Scarborough (plus-eight). The runs didn’t stop there as the Shooting Stars went on a 16-0 run between the end of the first and start of the second, their lead growing as large as 23 points in the first half. The Honey Badgers did respond, however, ending the second quarter on a 17-4 run that brought their deficit to 44-34 at the break. Brampton's turnaround came in part thanks to the interior effort of Oduro, who racked up nine rebounds (five offensive) in the first 20 minutes to go with eight points. The Honey Badgers' veteran spearheaded a 28-21 rebounding edge for Brampton at halftime. The Honey Badgers chipped into the lead even more in the third as they cut the deficit to as low as six points, but couldn’t bring it closer as back-to-back triples from Williams and David Walker kept the Shooting Stars ahead 64-55 by the end of the frame. Proficiency from distance appears to be a strength for the team yet again, after leading the CEBL with 12.7 three-point makes per game in 2024. The Shooting Stars finished Sunday’s win with 12 made triples on a 35 per cent clip, a touch below their 36.8 conversion rate from last season. Scarborough’s momentum kept up from there as it began the fourth on an 8-2 run en route to an 80-70 lead when Target Score time got underway. The Shooting Stars' defence did the heavy lifting from there, holding the Honey Badgers to just one made field goal in the closing stretch, before Collins called his own number and nailed a stepback jumper from the left elbow to walk away victorious. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600576 Up next The Shooting Stars now prepare for their home-opener on Tuesday as they’ll host the Ottawa BlackJacks — it’ll be Scarborough’s second of three games in five days. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers start a two-game road trip on Wednesday by visiting the 1-3 Edmonton Stingers. Next CEBL action Sunday’s triple-header slate continues with the 1-1 Winnipeg Sea Bears visiting the 2-1 Calgary Surge for their home-opener (4 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. local), followed by the 1-0 Montreal Alliance hosting the 1-1 BlackJacks in the first-ever 5x5 outdoor professional basketball game in Canada (7:30 p.m. ET). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL - 

Ron Curry connected on a contested mid-range jumper to complete a Target Score Time comeback for the Niagara River Lions on Saturday (May 24). The defending CEBL champs came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat the Saskatchewan Rattlers 88-86 in a defensive battle. Niagara head coach Victor Raso said the defence stepped up late to allow the comeback. “It just was ugly basketball, then we got really tough down the stretch,” Raso said. “But we have to stop doing this because two of our wins are in these kinds of situations.” Raso praised his team’s grittiness, but emphasized the need for improvement. “We need to get home and we need to practice. We have had one practice as a group and we rode some momentum early, but we're not playing great basketball right now,” Raso said. Four River Lions reached double figures in the win, and every player who saw the floor got on the scoresheet. Curry and Kimbal Mackenzie led the charge with 15 points each, while Ahmed Hill and Gatluak James added 11. Mackenzie said defence down the stretch made all the difference. “We dug in, we were able to get some stops and finish them with a rebound. And I think the game opened up a little bit,” he said. While the Niagara bench outscored Saskatchewan’s 31-3, the Rattlers’ starters showed their prowess. Saskatchewan guard Nate Pierre-Louis flirted with a triple-double again, tallying a game-high 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Jamir Chaplin and Grant Anticevich netted 24 and 16 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Regina native Isaac Simon picked up his first start in the CEBL and contributed on both ends for Saskatchewan with 10 points and two steals. “It's pretty cool, man. I've been here the last two summers, and I've been working really hard. So now that I get to contribute in a different way – whether on the court starting or coming off the bench – I'll do whatever I can to help us win,” Simon said. Simon says the team is becoming battle-tested, but it’s the little details that will get them over the hump to pick up their first win. “I think we just got to keep our head down and keep going, just knowing that we're capable and a win’s on the horizon,” he said. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz was happy with the way the team competed, but said the group needs to be more organized late in games. “I think we wanted to win it so bad that we got a little bit isolation-heavy. So we're going to work on putting some stuff in and making sure that we have some end-of-game scenarios to make sure that the ball continues to move,” he said. In the first quarter, Niagara and Saskatchewan exchanged punches with four lead changes in the game's early stages. The Rattlers welcomed big man Jaden Bediako into the lineup on Saturday, but he was forced to the bench midway through the quarter after picking up his third foul. The River Lions went on a 10-0 run after Bediako’s exit and carried a five-point lead into the second quarter. Connor Vreeken was scorching hot off the bench for Niagara in the first half with three triples, including a pair early in the quarter to force a Magdanz timeout. Pierre-Louis began to heat up for the Rattlers out of the timeout, leading the home team on a 9-0 run to make it a one-point game. It remained a close contest for the rest of the quarter, with Pierre-Louis tying it up with a mid-range jumper late to head into the locker room at 45-45. Saskatchewan locked down defensively to begin the third quarter. The Rattlers regained the lead and forced the River Lions into over four minutes without a field goal. Guillaume Boucard stopped the dry spell for Niagara, but the Rattlers continued to assert themselves with an 11-2 run. After Saskatchewan earned a 13-point cushion, Niagara fought back near the end of the frame to cut the deficit to single digits after three. The Rattlers pushed the advantage back up to 11 early in the fourth, but some big finishes from Elijah Lufile, including a pair of and-one putbacks, cut the deficit to four heading into Target Score Time. A three from Curry to kick off Target Time, in addition to an and-one from Boucard and free throws from Hill, gave Niagara its first lead since the second quarter. Saskatchewan replied with big buckets from Chaplin and Simon, while Hill and Boucard made clutch plays for Niagara. Both teams were one point away from victory when a shot clock violation from the Rattlers gave possession to the River Lions. Curry made no mistake, hitting a contested stepback jumper to earn the win for Niagara. The River Lions are now the first franchise in CEBL history to hit 75 wins. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600574 Up next for both teams The River Lions and Rattlers will get a rematch in Niagara next Friday (May 30), with Saskatchewan making a stop in Scarborough for a matchup with the Shooting Stars on Thursday (May 29) as well. Next CEBL action A triple-header is slated for Sunday, with Scarborough visiting Brampton, Winnipeg taking on Calgary and Ottawa facing Montréal in an outdoor battle. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The visiting Calgary Surge (2-1) outscored the Winnipeg Sea Bears (1-1) 33-14 in the third quarter and rode that effort to a 98-86 win to end their season-opening three-game road trip on a high note. Calgary's playstyle in the early season has been clear: push the pace and generate high-quality looks. Count both those boxes checked after Friday as the Surge ran roughshod over the Sea Bears for a 22-3 edge in fast-break scoring as part of a whopping 58 points in the paint (plus-20). Leading that rim-running onslaught was Sean Miller-Moore, who finished with a CEBL career-high 29 points to go with six assists, one steal and one block. “It’s a huge part of our identity,” the fourth-year guard said of his team’s fast-break effectiveness. “If we can get stops and run, that’s exactly what we want to do. No plays … just get out and run.” Right behind Miller-Moore was Jameer Nelson Jr., chipping in 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting along with seven rebounds and three steals as he finished a game-high plus-27. Meanwhile, Khyri Thomas had 11 points and 10 rebounds for his first CEBL double-double. On the other side, Jaylin Williams led the Sea Bears in their first loss of the season as he scored a team-high 21 points to go with six rebounds and four assists. Terry Roberts did his part as well, putting up 15 points, 11 assists and three steals. The import guard is quickly building a reputation as one of the league’s top playmakers, his 9.5 average assists are the third-most in the CEBL. Tevian Jones and Emmanuel Akot rounded out Winnipeg’s double-digit scoring efforts on the night as the pair added 16 and 10 points, respectively. As the saying goes, basketball is a game of runs. And Friday’s contest was no exception. The first momentum-swing came in the opening frame when the Surge turned what was an early 8-4 deficit and flipped it into a 27-14 lead after 10 minutes. It was Calgary’s defence that did the heavy lifting as it limited Winnipeg to just two made field goals after the 7:42 mark of the first quarter as part of a 23-6 run. “When you create deficits like that, it’s always hard to win games,” Williams said post-game of Winnipeg falling behind. “I think we just have to start our quarters better.” The Sea Bears showed some resilience, however, punching right back in the second quarter with a 15-5 run spearheaded by some timely three-point shooting and Williams’ individual brilliance. Winnipeg started the game a paltry 1-of-7 from distance, but ended the half shooting 8-of-20 and made six triples in the second quarter. All the while, Williams went on an individual 8-3 to finish the second as part of 12 points in the frame, helping cut the Surge’s lead to just 48-47 through 20 minutes. “I was really proud of the way we battled back in the second quarter,” Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said after the game. “They punched us in the mouth early … I think it took us a while to get going.” But that was when the third quarter happened. What proved to be the defining frame of the ball game, Calgary opened the second half on a 20-4 run and never looked back. Underscoring that effort was a defence that forced five turnovers throughout the quarter as part of 15 Sea Bears’ giveaways for 27 points on the night. “We knew the more disciplined team was going to win,” Miller-Moore said of the Surge’s response in the third quarter. “We tried to do what we’re good at it worked.” While Winnipeg did make things interesting for parts of the final quarter, namely a 10-2 run to start the fourth, the comeback didn’t get much closer. Calgary took an 89-74 lead into Target Score time and the duo of Miller-Moore and Nelson got to work. The pair scored all nine of the Surge’s points to end the contest, including three straight buckets from Miller-Moore before Nelson split a pair of free throws to seal the deal. “I love our fight,” Calgary head coach Dave Canales said. “I love our competitive endurance. We knew we were coming into a play a great-coached team and I’m just proud of the group.” The Surge’s win improved the franchise to 6-2 all-time against the Sea Bears, which also includes a Play-In win last season. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600573 Up next The Surge and Sea Bears will waste no time before a rematch as the pair will face off Sunday in Calgary’s home-opener for their second of four contests this season. “You got us tonight, but we have a chance to respond Sunday,” Taylor said. Next CEBL action The 0-2 Saskatchewan Rattlers' search for a first win continues on Saturday as they’ll host the defending champion Niagara River Lions (2-1), who’ll be looking to bounce back from their first defeat this season. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

While it wasn’t with a title on the line this time, Vancouver still managed to exact a measure of revenge on Thursday. The Bandits beat the defending champion River Lions 109-72 at the Langley Events Centre, flipping the script in a rematch of last year’s final while handing Niagara its first loss of the season. Leading Vancouver (2-0) to a home-opening win was Kyle Mangas, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 5-of-9 shooting from distance. It was an all-around effort for the import guard as he also chipped in 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Curtis Hollis also did his part for the Bandits as he racked up 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting off the pine, while Tyrese Samuel notched his second consecutive double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds to go with a game-high four blocks. “We had a bit of a sluggish start, but from there it was off to the races,” Mangas said during his on-court interview post-game. “It could be anyone’s night … you never know who it’s gonna be, we have a lot of weapons.” On the other side, Niagara (2-1) was helmed by Guillaume Boucard, who put up his own double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. The 2019 Canadian Player of the Year made a bit of history as well, his lone steal of the contest bringing him to 100 all-time for his CEBL career (regular season + playoffs). Boucard joined Khalil Ahmad as the only players in league history to reach that milestone. The forward, who previously spent three seasons in Niagara (2019-2021), re-joined the River Lions this year after spending 2024 with his hometown Montreal Alliance. “Guillaume is just a complete competitor,” Niagara head coach Victor Raso said. “He defends … you always know you’re going to get 100 per cent from Guillaume, he’s about as plug and play as you can find in this league.” Right behind Boucard was Antonio Davis Jr., who added 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting off the bench, while River Lions captain Kimbal Mackenzie and Keyshawn Bryant chipped in 11 points each. What was shaping up as a tightly-contested affair after 10 minutes — the River Lions led 20-17 at the end of the first — quickly broke open in the second quarter thanks to a pair of 7-0 Bandits runs. Vancouver ended up outsourcing Niagara 30-17 in the frame and went into halftime with the game’s first double-digit lead, up 47-37. The Bandits' first-half success came in part thanks to their dominance on the glass, racking up a 31-18 rebounding edge at the break while grabbing 15 offensive boards (plus-eight) for 14 second-chance points. They finished the game plus-15 for total rebounds (52-37) and doubled the River Lions' production on the offensive glass (18-9). “Second chances on rebounds kind of changed the momentum,” Boucard said after the game. “We’ve still got to rebound at a championship level … we’ve still got to be physical and set a standard for our defence. Rebounding has been our Achilles (heel) these last three games.” And Vancouver’s lead only grew once action resumed, one-upping its dominance in the second quarter by outscoring Niagara 33-14 in the third. Mangas had his fingerprints all over the victory-sealing stretch as he opened the second half by nailing three consecutive triples as part of a 13-3 Bandits run. He finished the frame with 14 points as his team extended their lead to 80-51. “I just try to stay aggressive at all times,” Mangas said while reflecting on his strong third quarter and first-career CEBL double-double. “I know I’m a good shooter, I put in the work … always try to stay aggressive, because I know that can really help our team.” Vancouver pushed that lead as high as 39 points throughout the final frame, eventually carrying a 99-65 lead into Target Score time. From there, it was Samuel who eventually put the game to bed, sealing the win with a dunk off a no-look bounce pass from Shamar Givance, who finished with 10 assists. The Bandits couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, picking up back-to-back dominant victories. They opened their 2025 campaign with a record-setting 40-point win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers last week, only to follow that up with an equally impressive 37-point rout of the defending champs. And while the rosters may not have been all that similar to last year’s title game, make no mistake, it was a rematch Vancouver took personally. “We’ve been hearing about Niagara and just the battle the Bandits had last year with (the River Lions), so we had a chip on our shoulders tonight,” Mangas said. Thursday’s victory at the Langley Events Centre in front of 3,987 fans in attendance also continued a trend of success in that building dating back to 2024. The Bandits started a perfect 6-0 in Vancouver last season and eventually finished with a West-leading 9-1 home record. “I thought it was electric tonight,” Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julis said post-game. “I thought that crowd was fantastic, it looked great, it sounded great, they were really connected to our players.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600571 Up next Both teams will return to action on Saturday. Starting with the River Lions visiting the 0-2 Saskatchewan Rattlers to wrap up a three-game road trip, while the Bandits stay put in Vancouver as they’ll host the 1-2 Edmonton Stingers. Next CEBL action The 1-0 Winnipeg Sea Bears and 1-1 Calgary Surge resume action on Friday after both squads were off for a week, picking things back up with a rematch of last year’s West Play-In game. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Edmonton Stingers prevailed over the Saskatchewan Rattlers in a tight 92-89 contest on Thursday (May 22) to earn their first win of the season. Timely runs and efficient three-point shooting propelled the Stingers to victory in a game in which no team held a lead larger than eight points. Sean East II spearheaded the Stingers’ attack, netting a game-high 27 points that included five triples. The 25-year-old American guard corralled eight rebounds and added two steals as well. “We can always improve, but it's better to improve off a win than a loss,” East said after the game. The duo of former Rattlers Devonté Bandoo and Scottie Lindsey also made a major impact on their old home court at SaskTel Centre. The familiar faces made big shots, with Lindsey hitting the game-winning free throw as part of a 13-point performance. Bandoo contributed 15 points, including three connections from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter and Target Score Time. Bandoo said it felt great to play in front of his former home crowd and it will always be home. “It's always a great feeling, hitting shots ... I think every basketball player loves to see the ball going in, so I'm excited to see [it], especially coming back from injury,” Bandoo said. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan relied heavily on Nate Pierre-Louis and Cody John in the narrow defeat. Pierre-Louis notched the third triple-double in franchise history and seventh in league history, with 20 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. He added a steal and block for good measure. The New Jersey product said hard work off the court is finally showing up. “I wasn't trying to get [a triple-double], I was just trying to win a game. So I'm grateful but I just wish we got the W,” Pierre-Louis said. John also made an immediate impact for the Rattlers in his season debut, putting up a team-high 25 points in the loss. Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker said the team needs to be better the finer details, but he praised the resilience and shot-making down the stretch. “I mean, it seemed like it was much harder than we needed it to be. But credit to Saskatchewan. They played hard, played right to the end, and made some big plays on both ends of the floor,” Baker said. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz was pleased with the level of competition coming off a 40-point loss in the season opener against Vancouver. “I'm really happy with the response. We challenged them this week about who we want to be this season and they showed up and proved that we're going to be a team to contend with,” he said. The game began with two minutes of scoreless basketball before the Rattlers and Stingers started exchanging blows. Lindsey and Bandoo got on the board early, with Lindsey hitting the 500-point milestone in his CEBL career. Edmonton went on a 9-2 run to snag a six-point lead, but Saskatchewan rallied to head into the second quarter down one. The western squads continued a close battle in the second frame. Elijah Ifejeh showed his prowess on both ends, blocking a mid-range shot on defence before capitalizing with a transition slam to force a Baker timeout. Saskatchewan and Edmonton jostled for the lead throughout the opening 20 minutes, with 10 lead changes and six ties in the first half. A floater and wing three from East late in the frame provided Edmonton with a 40-39 lead entering the locker room. East continued to cook in the third quarter, going on a 10-3 personal run on the Rattlers that extended back to the first half. Saskatchewan made big plays of its own, with a lead-changing three from Chaplin and a massive dunk from Pierre-Louis. However, in his CEBL debut, Cameron McGriff stopped the Rattlers’ momentum after the aforementioned plays, answering with a triple of his own and an and-one after the Pierre-Louis dunk. The Rattlers kept battling, with Isaac Simon scoring six straight points and forcing a travel on the other end to keep it a one-point game after three. An 8-2 Edmonton run early in the fourth that featured triples from East and Bandoo forced a Magdanz timeout. The Stingers weathered each Rattlers’ push prior to Target Score Time, taking an 83-79 lead into the final stretch. John stayed hot for Saskatchewan early in target time, pulling the Rattlers within one point. However, a layup from Lindsey to go along with threes from East and Bandoo put the Stingers one point away from victory. Saskatchewan fought back and had a shot to win— Jamir Chaplin’s three hit back rim —before Lindsey drew a foul and sealed the game at the line. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600570 Up next for both teams Both teams are back in action on Saturday (May 24) as Saskatchewan continues its homestand to open the season against the defending champion Niagara River Lions, while Edmonton visits Vancouver. Next CEBL action The Calgary Surge visit the Winnipeg Sea Bears in a Western Conference battle tomorrow (May 23). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

La Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB) et l’Alliance de Montréal ont annoncé jeudi que l’événement historique Éclipse : Match sous les étoiles, initialement prévu le vendredi 23 mai au Stade IGA, est reporté au dimanche 25 mai à 19h30 en raison des conditions météorologiques défavorables. Cet événement marque un tournant historique pour le basketball canadien : il s’agit du tout premier match professionnel de basketball 5x5 en plein air au pays. L’Alliance accueillera les BlackJacks d’Ottawa sous un ciel étoilé au légendaire Stade IGA dimanche soir, avec des diffusions nationales sur TSN et RDS reprogrammées pour refléter le nouvel horaire. « Face aux risques de mauvais temps vendredi et samedi, reporter le match à dimanche garantit une expérience sécuritaire et mémorable pour ce premier match de basketball professionnel extérieur au Canada, permettant à l'événement d'atteindre son plein potentiel », a déclaré Mike Morreale, commissaire et cofondateur de la CEBL. Les amateurs ayant déjà acheté des billets pour le 23 mai verront leurs billets automatiquement honorés pour le match reprogrammé du 25 mai. Des billets supplémentaires demeurent disponibles à partir de 25 $ plus taxes et frais via ticketmaster.ca. Pour les transferts de billets, remboursements et plus d'informations, consultez alliancemontreal.ca/eclipse. « Bien que nous aurions adoré présenter cet événement unique à la date prévue, l'expérience de nos partisans et de nos joueurs reste notre priorité absolue », a souligné Jo-Annie Charbonneau, présidente de l'Alliance de Montréal. « Nous avons hâte de les accueillir dimanche pour une soirée inoubliable alliant basketball, musique et festivités en plein air. » La Classique Estivale de la LECB représente le plus récent événement signature d’une ligue reconnue mondialement pour offrir du basketball professionnel de calibre international de façon spectaculaire. La LECB est devenue la première ligue professionnelle au monde à adopter le système de pointage cible pour tous ses matchs, la première ligue professionnelle canadienne à évoluer selon les règlements FIBA, et propose de nombreux éléments qui rendent le basketball de la LECB particulièrement captivant pour les amateurs et les joueurs d’élite à travers le monde. La septième saison de la LECB bat son plein avec un calendrier de 120 matchs de saison régulière pour la campagne 2025 , menant aux séries éliminatoires qui débuteront le 14 août. Le week-end du Championnat , qui réunira les quatre meilleures équipes de la saison régulière, se déroulera au Canada Life Centre de Winnipeg du 22 au 24 août. Des informations supplémentaires sur les billets pour tous les matchs de la LECB sont disponibles sur cebl.ca/fr-ca/tickets . À propos de la LECB Ligue créée par des Canadiens pour des Canadiens avec la mission de developer des joueurs, des entraîneurs, des dirigeants sportifs et des arbitres canadiens, la LECB affiche le plus haut pourcentage de joueurs canadiens parmi toutes les ligues professionnelles au pays, avec 73 % de ses effectifs composés de Canadiens, et plus de 10 joueurs ayant déjà disputé des matchs dans la NBA en 2025. Les joueurs viennent également de la NBA G League, des meilleures ligues professionnelles internationales, du programme de l'équipe nationale canadienne, des programmes de la NCAA, ainsi que de U SPORTS et de l’ACSC. Plus de 20 joueurs ont signé des contrats de la NBA après une saison de la LECB et de nombreux joueurs de la LECB participent chaque année à des camps d'entraînement de la NBA G League. La saison de la LECB se déroule de mai à août et les matchs sont diffusés en direct sur CEBL+ optimisé par Tonybet, TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ , et Next Level Sports & Entertainment . De plus amples informations sur la LECB sont disponibles sur CEBL.ca/fr-ca et via @cebleague sur Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook et YouTube . À propos de l’Alliance de Montréal L’Alliance de Montréal est une équipe de basketball professionnelle évoluant dans la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB) depuis 2022. Sous la présidence de Jo-Annie Charbonneau et la direction générale de Joel Anthony, double champion de la NBA, l’Alliance entamera sa quatrième saison en mai 2025. En janvier 2025, l’équipe est passée sous le contrôle d’Alli-Oop Investissements, un groupe de propriétaires 100% montréalais mené par Joel Anthony, aux côtés de Léo Bouisson et Ian-Philip Paul-Hus. L’Alliance, qui a vu deux de ses anciens joueurs signer des contrats NBA et compte dans ses rangs Ahmed Hill, premier joueur de l’histoire de la ligue à atteindre les 1 000 points en carrière, se distingue par son engagement communautaire et le développement du talent local. L’équipe dispute ses matchs à domicile à l’Auditorium de Verdun. Pour plus d’informations, visitez www.alliancemontreal.ca/