CEBL+ Broadcast Team Announced

May 19, 2023

Canadian Elite Basketball League tips off fifth season May 24

With five days left to the start of its fifth season, the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the broadcast team Friday that will deliver all the excitement of Canada’s professional basketball league to viewers across the country on the league’s OTT streaming platform, CEBL+ Powered By BetVictor and TSN+. The lineup covering all livestream games consists of 36 media personalities spread across all ten of the league’s markets.


TSN will provide live national broadcast coverage of the CEBL Game of the Week tipping off May 24 when the 2022 CEBL champion Brampton Honey Badgers head to the nation’s capital to face off against the Ottawa BlackJacks at TD Place Arena at 7:30 p.m. local. TSN and the CEBL will announce talent for all broadcast games at a later date. TSN’s CEBL broadcast schedule can be found here. 


The CEBL regular season schedule includes 10 tripleheaders and 24 doubleheaders with 38 games falling on weekends. The league’s 10 teams are divided into Eastern and Western Conferences for the first time in league history. The Western Conference includes the Calgary Surge, Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Vancouver Bandits, and Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Eastern Conference includes the Brampton Honey Badgers, Montréal Alliance, Niagara River Lions, Ottawa BlackJacks, and Scarborough Shooting Stars. 


The full game schedule can be found here. The full postseason schedule will be announced later.


About CEBL

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 71 per cent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps last October. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.



Meet the full CEBL+ Broadcast Lineup


AJ Jakubec

Jakubec is a 24-year sports broadcasting veteran, who has been at TSN 1200 Ottawa for 15 years after stops throughout British Columbia and his native Edmonton. Jakubec’s first basketball call was as the voice of the Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas from 2001-03. In Ottawa, he has brought the action to viewers and listeners during numerous Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Gee-Gees games, including the annual Capital Hoops Classic and multiple U SPORTS Championships. His local play-by-play experience includes work with the Ottawa REDBLACKS, Ottawa 67’s, Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oil Kings, Atlético Ottawa, and Ottawa Fury FC, in addition to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.


Amy Prokop

Amy Prokop joins the Saskatchewan Rattlers broadcast team for her first season as a colour analyst. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Amy had an illustrious career as a point guard with the University of Saskatchewan Huskie Women’s Basketball program (2004-2009), helping win their first Canada West championship and U SPORTS National Championship appearances. She sits third all-time in Huskie career assists and 5th in steals. Leaning into her multi-sport background, Amy is in her 9th year as an assistant coach with Huskie Women’s Soccer. On air, Amy has called Canada West Basketball Championship games and spoken about women in sport on CBC radio.


Andrew Damelin 

Andrew enters his third season covering the CEBL. He's 6'5, loves his wife, kids, eggs benedict and nifty post moves. His playing days may be over, but his passion for the grassroots game has never been stronger. 


Cami Kepke

Cami Kepke joins the Calgary Surge as the team’s sideline reporter. She brings seven years of award-winning television sports reporting to the table with a passion for supporting community teams. She’s previously shot, written, produced and anchored Global Calgary’s weekend sportscasts and provided local coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs, 2019 Heritage Classic and 2019 Grey Cup. Cami is thrilled to see a CEBL team land in Calgary after covering the Edmonton Stingers’ victory over Cangrejeros and Real Esteli at the Basketball Champions League Americas’ Calgary stop in 2022. She’s held down the sidelines for the 2023 Canada West Women’s Basketball Championship, 2022 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship, and University of Calgary Dinos Football games. She’s jumped on the mic to provide colour commentary and play-by-play for several sports and leagues ranging from university volleyball to the QMJHL.


Christian Aumell

After a mediocre high school basketball career, Christian turned his attention to the microphone where he has lots of experience calling games. He served as the play-by-play voice of the Western Mustangs for three years before moving to Winnipeg where he has called games for the University of Winnipeg Wesmen since 2016. In his day job, Christian hosts the CJOB Sports Show, covering the Winnipeg sports scene on a nightly basis.


Danielle Bain

Danielle Bain is a sports broadcaster from Mississauga who has pushed to make a name for herself in the industry through her dedication and passion for sports journalism. Beginning her career as a video journalist in Thunder Bay, she quickly established herself as a talented storyteller with a focus on sports. Transitioning to Ottawa, Danielle covered local sports and breaking news on television and radio, honing her skills as a versatile reporter. Finally, she made her return to Toronto, where she currently thrives as the rinkside reporter for the Toronto Marlies and content host for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Danielle can’t wait to bring her skills and enthusiasm to the basketball court this summer.


Danny Marchand

I love the game of basketball since High school. Allen Iverson was definitely my favorite player and made me fall in love with the game. Since 2008, I work for RDS (French television network) and for the past two years, I am the producer for every  basketball shows (NBA, CEBL, NCAA). I loved my first experience as a play by play this year for the NCAA final four with my collegues William Archambault and Peter Yannopoulos. It’s a real pleasure for me to be part of the announcing team for the 91,9.


Dave Crook

Crook’s  connection to basketball spans 60 years, he started coaching High School basketball in Winnipeg in 1976 and has been involved in the game ever since. Coaching 27 years as a university Head Coach and working in university sport since 1980 ( Crook was named U SPORTS Basketball COY in 2000).  In 2015, he was named athletic director of Wesmen Athletics and in 2022 named president of Canada West. Crook also spent a decade working with Canada Basketball including four years as the Head Coach of the Junior and Young Men’s National teams. In 2004 Crook’s Young Men’s team qualified for the World Championships in 2005 ( the first age group Canadian team to ever qualify) hosted in Argentina. At this event the Canadians knocked off the U.S.A. in the Quarter finals ( first time Canada had beaten the US in a FIBA sanctioned event). The team went on to defeat reigning age group World Champions Australia to win a bronze medal, Canada’s first men’s FIBA medal since the 1936 Olympics.



Dhanung Bulsara

Dhanung Bulsara, or commonly known as ‘D' enters his third season with CEBL as a sideline reporter. For the past two season's Dhanung patrolled the sidelines covering home games for the Guelph Nighthawks, Hamilton Honey Badgers & Niagara River Lions.  Last year also saw him cover his first post game season on national television with CBC Sports for the league. This summer you can catch Dhanung at Rogers Centre, in-game hosting for the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent the last two seasons with the Raptors 905 as an in-game host as well.


Doug McLean

It started with a bus trip to Lethbridge in 2001 when Doug McLean first called University of Alberta basketball. While he continues to call Pandas and Golden Bears hoops, he has been the voice of the Edmonton Stingers since their inception, and has called Basketball Champions League Americas, FIBA Olympic qualifying, FIBA 3x3, and Team USA at the FISU World University Games. In addition, he calls Canada West university football, and has broadcast hockey at the University of Alberta and at four FISU World University Games. During the day, Doug is a marketing, strategy, and leadership development consultant, primarily focused on the sport and tourism sectors.


Dwight Walton

Member of Canada's National Basketball Team, from 1986-1995. Assistant Coach for the Men's Basketball Program at Concordia University, in Montreal. Basketball Analyst for TSN 690 Radio in Montreal and a contributor to Sportsnet 590 The Fan, in Toronto. 


Elias El-Zein

El-Zein has become a true basketball insider. His understanding of the game as well as his knowledge of the Ottawa/Gatineau basketball community will be showcased throughout each broadcast, keeping the fans informed and engaged during every BlackJacks game. El-Zein graduated in Radio Broadcasting at Algonquin College in 2012 and then specialized in Sports Broadcasting. During the 2014-15 U SPORTS season, El-Zein became the play-by-play commentator for the Carleton Ravens men’s and women’s basketball teams. In March of 2016, El-Zein and his friends started a basketball podcast called 3-in-the Key. Two years later, they had their first live radio show on TSN 1200 Ottawa. 3-in-the Key is now live every Sunday at noon talking about the CEBL, NBA, NCAA and U SPORTS. Roaming the CEBL sidelines this season, El-Zein will bring details from within the huddles to fans watching and listening at home.


Esfandiar Baraheni

Esfandiar Baraheni is an Iranian-Canadian NBA Reporter and content creator who has worked for publications like TheScore, Raptors Republic, and Def Pen in the past. He is currently the Lead NBA Reporter for the Steve Dangle Podcast Network (SDPN) in Toronto, covering the Raptors and writing about the NBA. Esfandiar prides himself on trying to connect the technical and schematic aspects of basketball with meaningful storytelling either through interviews, videos, or written work. 


Fabienne Blizzard

Fabienne Blizzard played basketball and graduated from Ottawa University. As the point guard, she was awarded Rookie of the year, MVP, Best Defensive Player, OUA All-Star, Athlete of the year and was inducted in the Hall of Fame for Ottawa University. She had the pleasure of coaching at every level in basketball (Grassroots, Club, University, College, Regional, Provincial, National and Professional) and has also had the opportunity to assist and coach with the NBA Basketball Without Boarders, Senegal SEED Forum and NBA Academy guest coach.


Gabriela Herbert

​​After playing U SPORTS basketball with McGill university, where she helped winning 5x provincials championships and helped lay the foundations for the eventual Bronze Baby winning Martlets, Gabriela Hébert started getting involved in broadcasts. She participated as an analyst for different provincial and national women’s basketball championships in the last few years. She is also the season analyst for both the women and men’s program at McGill university. You can also catch her on RDS during NBA half-time show as she discusses news in the world of basketball. She also joined the Montreal Alliance as their local sideline reporter for their first season in the CEBL.


Heather Morrison

Heather Morrison is a broadcaster, sideline reporter, and public speaking coach from Saskatoon, SK. This is Heather’s third season with the CEBL and she has also patrolled the sidelines for Canada West Football. She spent three years as an associate producer with CBC Saskatchewan, where she was a backfill host for their radio programs and for TV weather. Before that, Heather had a long career in the arts working as an actress, producer, writer, and director. She is the founder and CEO of Deliver Your Best public speaking coaching. A fan of all sports, Heather has played soccer for more than 30 years. 


Jamaine Cummings

Jamaine Cummings joins the Calgary Surge as the team’s colour commentator. Cummings served as the colour commentator for the SAIT Trojans basketball team from 2016 to 2023 and for the Okotoks Dawgs baseball team in 2022. He was the colour commentator at the 2023 ACAC Men’s Basketball Provincial Championship and at the 2023 CCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. He is also a member of the YYCSOLEdiers, Calgary’s longest-running sneaker club and the Master of Ceremonies for the club’s annual Sneaker Swap Event.


Joe Raso

Joe Raso has been involved in all levels of basketball for over 35 years. Joe is the all time winningest Head Coach in McMaster University history, while coaching his team to four OUA championships and four silver medals at the CIS National Championships. Joe has also worked on the international level as the Head Scout for the Canadian Men’s National team, as well as an assistant for four years. He has previously been the general manager and head coach of the Niagara River lions of the CEBL. Currently, Joe is the Senior Director of Operations for the CEBL, as well as a TV analyst for the CEBL, FIBA, CBC, and TSN. 


Joey Slattery

Joey has been with CTV News for the last ten years with stops in Northern Ontario, Regina, Edmonton and Winnipeg where he currently resides. An experienced video journalist, news anchor and host, he’s currently the sports director at CTV Winnipeg, and is excited to be working the sidelines for the Sea Bears’ first CEBL season in Winnipeg.


Korry Brankin

Korry Brankin is a Carleton University student in the Communications and Media Studies program where she has worked as a colour commentator for the National Champion Carleton Ravens Basketball Program for two seasons and sat in the analyst chair for the Ottawa BlackJacks in four games last season. Growing up playing sports, Korry fell in love with basketball at an early age and loved to break down the game which has led her to pursuing a career in broadcasting.


Lindsay Horsting

Lindsey was born and raised in Aldergrove, B.C., and is thrilled to be back for her sophomore season with the Bandits. She is currently a host of “OT with Lina and Lindsey” on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, and provides WNBA coverage for Winsidr. Her love of sports took her to Syracuse University where she earned her Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism and covered the Orange women’s and men’s NCAA Final Four runs in 2016. Her career started in New York at MLB and the NBA on the digital content teams before returning to B.C. to work in newspaper, radio, and television.


Marc Majeau

CEBL Sideline Reporter for Edmonton. Entering his fifth season on the sidelines for the Stingers. Current broadcaster for Canada West (University of Alberta Golden Bears + Pandas Basketball and University of Alberta Football). Formerly worked for TSN 1260 as a producer/host, and Edmonton Elks as web/podcast host. 


Matt Bonomi

Matt Bonomi is a play-by-play commentator and sports media professional. As a fan of the sport, Bonomi has called over 150 Canadian university basketball games as the voice of the Brock Badgers. In 2020, he earned the OUA Broadcaster of the Year Award. In addition, Bonomi was on the call for the 2023 CCAA Women’s Canadian College Basketball Championships and two windows of the 2023 FIBA Basketball Champions League of Americas, featuring the 2022 CEBL champion Honey Badgers.  Bonomi is a 2019 graduate of Brock University (Sport Management), and a 2022 graduate from the Ontario College of Sports Media. 


Matt Cullen

Matt Cullen is back for his third year as a play-by-play commentator with the CEBL. Excited to share his passion for basketball, Matt regularly covers the Raptors and the Raptors 905 during the winter season. He has called play-by-play in the NBA for Raptors Radio and has also been the voice of the Raptors 905 in the NBA G League for the past four years.  Outside of basketball, Matt has handled a wide variety of play-by-play duties at the past three Olympic Games for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). He is also currently working as a bilingual commentator (English-French) for Apple TV's coverage of Major League Soccer. 


Moe Khan

My name is Moe Khan, and I am proud to be the play by play voice of the Montreal Alliance broadcast team for the second consecutive season in the CEBL. Since 2012, I have been calling games in various varsity sports for McGill University in U SPORTS, Champlain St-Lambert in the CCAA, and across Quebec sports. I worked for TSN 690 as a fill-in producer, field reporter, and guest booker for their daily shows. Currently, I am the host for The Montreal Gazette’s Hockey Inside/Out show. I look forward to bringing passion, knowledge, and a fair broadcast where the artistic actions of these players will be on full display for the league’s supporters to enjoy during the upcoming season. It is an exciting time to be a basketball fan in Canada.


Miah-Marie Langlois

Miah-Marie Langlois, hailing from Windsor, Ontario, has had an extraordinary basketball journey. During her university career, she led her team to a remarkable feat of winning four consecutive Canadian National Championships, while also being recognized as Canada's Defensive Player of the Year and Canadian National tournament MVP three times each. Miah-Marie's success continued on the international stage, representing Canada for seven years, earning several international gold medals and competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Notably, she played a crucial role in Canada's victory at the Olympic Qualifier Tournament, paving the way to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. After retiring, Miah-Marie showcased her talents working at MLSE, skillfully merging sports, community, and business. She also excelled in broadcasting for the Toronto 905, sharing her knowledge of the game on a wider scale.


Mitch Peacock

Mitch Peacock joins the Calgary Surge as the team’s play-by-play announcer. Peacock comes to the Surge after a winter of calling World Cup alpine snowboard events and action from Europe’s Champions Hockey League. Last year, the versatile play-by-play announcer worked his fifth Olympics with CBC. He has been in the booth for short-track speed skating, diving, soccer, field hockey, and freestyle skiing. He was also a former rink reporter on Hockey Night in Canada, host of Calgary Flames Radio, and Fox Soccer Report Anchor.


Paul Sir

Paul Sir has spent his lifetime immersed in the game he loves. After playing at the university and pro levels, he coached at all levels for over 25 years. Paul is the Executive Director at the Alberta Basketball Association and the 3x3 Managing Director at Canada Basketball. He hosted The Basketball Show on TSN1260 for over 5 years and is the creator and host of The Basketball Show Podcast Network. He has been an analyst for the FIBA 3x3 events including the 2019 World Championships and the 2019 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. 'I am excited to call the Edmonton Stingers games during this COVID Comeback Season! Our broadcast team will strive to capture the CEBL's exciting brand of basketball for our viewers. It is great to have basketball back in Canada.


Ransford Brempong

Ransford Brempong is a basketball savant and lifer of the game. From Thornhill, Ontario Brempong was cultivated in the extremely competitive Toronto basketball scene in the last 90’s/early 2000’s. He was a five year starter at Western Carolina University where he broke the conference's all time shot block record. He then went on to play on the Canadian National Team for 8 yrs. Brempong also played professionally until the age of 39. Playing in Europe before playing his last season for the Vancouver Bandits in the inaugural season of the CEBL. Brempong has lived in Vancouver for the past 12 yrs where he coaches in the basketball community, and is now entering into his 3rd season as the colour commentator for the Bandits. 


Rob Fai

Rob Fai returns for his third season behind the microphone in Vancouver calling Bandits games alongside Ransford Brempong, and Lindsay Horsting. A Paul Carson Award recipient for play-by-play excellence in British Columbia, Rob also lends his voice to EA Sports NHL Hockey, and was inducted into the Vancouver Canadians Hall of Fame after 15 seasons of calling professional baseball. Rob has also worked within the TSN family hosting Rob Fai Nation Radio, and currently hosts talk shows on both CKNW 980 in Vancouver as well as 640 Toronto. He lives in Pitt Meadows with his wife Christina, and dog, Patches.


Rod Black

Rod Black is an award-winning broadcast personality and joins the CEBL as a play-by-play commentator for his second season in Scarborough. Rod has been around several important sporting events in international history, including multiple Olympic games and PGA tournaments. He is also known for calling Toronto Blue Jays games and was part of the pregame coverage team for both the 1992 and 1993 World Series victories. After a long career at TSN and CTV where he also covered the Toronto Raptors, Rod is currently the host and brand ambassador for NorthStar Gaming, a Canadian-owned gaming brand.




Ryan Flaherty

A veteran of ten years in TV news & sports, Ryan currently works as a freelance broadcaster including serving as a play-by-play voice of USask Huskies basketball, hockey and soccer and a sideline reporter for Canada West football. He's also the creator and host of Good Sports, a YouTube series covering local sports in Saskatoon. Ryan has been involved with the CEBL since its inception, first as a reporter covering the Rattlers inaugural championship run and more recently as the team's pre-game show host and PA announcer.


Sean Woodley

Sean Woodley has been involved with the CEBL since its inaugural season, calling play-by-play for games in 2019 and during the 2020 Summer Series, before moving to the studio to host CEBL Weekly on the CEBL Plus throughout the 2021 season. He has also been the host of the daily Locked On Raptors podcast since 2016, called play-by-play at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alberta, and was formerly a host on TSN 1150 Radio in Hamilton from 2018 to 2021.


Simon Hiatt

Simon Hiatt is a native Saskatonian and a media fixture in the city. His career at Shaw Spotlight began in 1997, covering news, sports, entertainment, and human-interest stories as a reporter and host. He has reviewed movies and is an award-winning filmmaker. He has served as the play-by-play voice for the U of S Huskies basketball teams and the voice of the Rattlers since their inaugural season, during which they claimed the league title, with Simon on the call in the championship game. He and his wife Joy live in Saskatoon with a cranky cat and an unruly puppy. 


Warren Ward

Warren Ward is a former Canadian professional basketball player. He attended the University of Ottawa before embarking on a 6 year professional career spent playing in countries such as Germany, France, Spain, and Canada. Warren currently is a radio broadcaster for TSN with the Toronto Raptors as well as a television broadcaster for the Raptors 905. This is Warren’s second season with the CEBL and the Scarborough Shooting Stars, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience articulated through the mic.


William Thériault

William Thériault is the Montréal Alliance's french play-by-play commentator. He has been covering the NBA, NCAA, FIBA and CEBL on different sports and news platforms since 2016. William currently works as a journalist for french newspaper La Presse, as well as hosting AlleyOop360, a weekly basketball-related radio show which airs on BPM Sports in the province of Québec. He was also part of the Alliance's 2022 inaugural season broadcast team, as its sideline reporter. At 21 years old, he hopes to continue to witness the development of pro basketball around Montreal while sharing his passion for the game.

Woodwendy Seraphin

Woodwendy Seraphin is a dedicated basketball coach with over 12 years of experience. He  is currently coaching at College Jean de Brebeuf in Montreal and is the co-founder of the highly successful basketball program, Dynastie Basketball. Woodwendy is also responsible for the development of basketball at the non-profit organization Sun Youth. With a passion for teaching and developing young players, Woodwendy has become an integral part of the Montreal basketball community.

Shooting Stars End Losing Streak with Road Win Over Rattlers

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

Stingers Hold Off River Lions for Win on Ring Night in Niagara

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

k-os en vedette au spectacle de la mi-temps de la finale du championnat de la LECB 2025 à Winnipeg

June 12, 2025
The Lytics et Boogey The Beat offriront une performance pendant les finales de conférence dans le cadre du WC25

k-os to Headline 2025 CEBL Championship Final Halftime Show in Winnipeg

June 12, 2025
The Lytics and Boogey The Beat set to perform at CEBL Conference Final doubleheader as part of CW25

Bandits Ink CEBL Single-Season Assists Record Holder Davis Jr.

June 12, 2025
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-1 American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters. ### About the Vancouver Bandits: The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

Les Sea Bears amorcent une séquence victorieuse et infligent une première défaite à l’Alliance

By Zulfi Sheikh • June 12, 2025
Simi Shittu n’aurait pas pu rêver d’un meilleur départ avec les Sea Bears de Winnipeg. Le joueur canadien a été le héros de la soirée mercredi au Canada Life Centre, aidant les Sea Bears à résister à une remontée tardive de l’Alliance de Montréal pour finalement l’emporter 92-89 dans le 500e match de l’histoire de la LECB. « Je n’ai pas trop de mots, pour être honnête », a dit Shittu après avoir inscrit cinq points lors de la période du pointage cible, dont le tir gagnant - un joli crochet près du panier. « La foule était derrière nous tout le match. Ce n’était pas parfait, mais on a déjà une belle chimie. » Cette victoire marque la première séquence de deux gains consécutifs cette saison pour les Sea Bears, qui infligent du même coup une première défaite à l’équipe de tête dans l’Est tout en mettant fin à une série de trois revers à domicile. Shittu a mené la charge avec 20 points (neuf en 16 aux tirs), mais Winnipeg a pu compter sur plusieurs autres contributions : Tevian Jones et Jaylin Williams ont ajouté 17 et 15 points respectivement. Terry Roberts a enregistré un doublé avec 10 points et 12 passes décisives, tandis que Jalen Harris a égalé un sommet personnel avec neuf passes décisives, même s’il a été limité à seulement quatre points. Du côté de l’Alliance, le capitaine Quincy Guerrier a été le meilleur marqueur du match avec 25 points, dont 13 au quatrième quart, réussissant huit de ses douze tirs. Tavian Dunn-Martin et Dontay Bassett ont aussi atteint la dizaine avec 14 et 17 points respectivement. « On a essayé de se battre jusqu’à la fin », a réagi Dunn-Martin après la rencontre. « On a mal commencé, mais on a montré notre cœur. » Shittu s’est imposé dès ses premières minutes sous ses nouvelles couleurs, marquant les premiers points du match des Sea Bears avec un tir de trois points, suivi d’un dunk en transition après avoir scellé son défenseur dans la clé — faisant exploser les 6 505 partisans présents. Même s’il a rapidement dû retourner sur le banc avec deux fautes rapides, son énergie a donné le ton. Winnipeg a imposé un rythme rapide dès le départ — sur tirs réussis, ratés ou pertes de ballon adverses — ce qui leur a permis de prendre les devants 25-21 après 10 minutes de jeu. « C’est un joueur qui fait une différence », a souligné l’entraîneur-chef et DG des Sea Bears, Mike Taylor. « Il a commencé le match en force, mais les fautes l’ont ralenti. Heureusement, le banc a vraiment bien répondu. Je suis fier de l’effort collectif. » Les Sea Bears ont gardé le pied sur l’accélérateur au deuxième quart, mais c’est surtout leur défense qui a brillé, forçant cinq pertes de ballon à une équipe de Montréal pourtant réputée pour son jeu discipliné — elle n’avait en moyenne que 11 pertes par match avant cette rencontre. « On a commencé lentement, en jouant de façon négligente », a reconnu Dunn-Martin. « Ils ont été plus agressifs que nous dès le début… On s’est fait frapper en pleine face. » Cette activité défensive a permis à Winnipeg d’inscrire 11 points à la suite des sept pertes de ballon de Montréal en première demie. Offensivement, les Sea Bears ont terminé le quart avec une séquence de 10-2, conclue par deux tirs de trois points consécutifs — dont celui de Williams au buzzer, son deuxième de trois dans le match, pour porter l’avance à 52-37 à la demie. « On est dans une bonne position », a mentionné Williams après son impressionnant six-en-six aux tirs. « On a encore de la place pour progresser. » Au retour de la pause, l’Alliance a répliqué avec de la robustesse sous le panier. Leurs trois premiers paniers de la deuxième demie sont venus sur des retours offensifs, ce qui leur a permis de dominer 17-4 au chapitre des points de deuxième chance après trois quarts — un écart qui est passé à 19-9 à la fin du match grâce à 13 rebonds offensifs. Cette poussée a aidé Montréal à réduire l’écart à un chiffre au troisième quart, mais les Sea Bears ont retrouvé leur rythme derrière l’arc. Des tirs de trois points consécutifs de Harris et Williams ont redonné une avance de 19 points à Winnipeg, qui a terminé le quart menant 78-61. En défensive, Winnipeg a aussi marqué les esprits en fin de troisième : Williams a bloqué un crochet de Kevin Osawe, un jeu qui a résumé la soirée difficile de Montréal au tir. L’Alliance affichait un taux de réussite de moins de 40 % après trois quarts et a terminé à 43 % (32 en 74), mettant fin à sa séquence de deux matchs à plus de 100 points. Mais Montréal n’avait pas dit son dernier mot. L’Alliance a amorcé le dernier quart avec une séquence de 9-0, réduisant l’écart à huit points grâce à un tir de trois points de Dunn-Martin avec 7:27 à faire. Roberts a ensuite servi une passe lobée parfaite à Shittu en transition pour redonner un peu d’air aux locaux, mais Montréal est revenu avec une autre séquence de 9-2, dont cinq points de suite signés Bassett, ramenant le pointage à 83-79 au début de la période du pointage cible. Guerrier et Dunn-Martin ont ensuite enchaîné deux tirs de trois points qui ont permis à l’Alliance de prendre l’avance pour la première fois depuis la quatrième minute de jeu. Les Sea Bears ont une fois de plus répondu. Emmanuel Akot a marqué deux fois alors que le chrono était arrêté, terminant sa soirée avec 13 points et neuf rebonds, puis Shittu a fermé les livres avec un crochet près du panier, sur une passe de Harris, qui disputait son premier match au Canada Life Centre depuis son arrivée à Winnipeg. « C’est Jalen qui a appelé ce jeu pour Simi », a expliqué Taylor. « Quand tu vois deux nouveaux joueurs travailler ensemble comme ça, c’est très encourageant. » « Très fier. Ce n’était pas facile, et ça ne devrait pas l’être. On veut continuer à progresser, mais c’est une super victoire. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600602 À venir pour les deux équipes L’Alliance de Montréal conclura son voyage de trois matchs sur la route ce samedi en rendant visite aux Bandits de Vancouver pour un affrontement au sommet entre deux équipes en tête de leur conférence. De leur côté, les Sea Bears de Winnipeg seront de retour devant leurs partisans dimanche alors qu’ils accueilleront les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les River Lions (5-2) accueillent les Stingers d’Edmonton (3-5) à Niagara ce vendredi dès 19 h (HE) / 16 h (HP) pour le premier match d’un programme double dans la LECB. Un peu plus tard, à 21 h 30 (HE) / 19 h 30 (locale), les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan (2-5) recevront les Shooting Stars de Scarborough (3-3). Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB ainsi que les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games. - LECB -

Sea Bears Start Win Streak with Victory, Hand Alliance First Loss After Thriller

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

Les Stingers s’enflamment derrière l’arc de pour dominer les BlackJacks

By Myles Dichter • June 11, 2025
Pluie de trois points à Edmonton mardi. Les Stingers d’Edmonton ont mis fin à une séquence de deux défaites consécutives grâce à leurs lancers de trois points pour l'emporter 93-74 contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa mardi au Edmonton EXPO Centre. Grâce à cette victoire, Edmonton passe à une fiche de 3-5, tandis qu’Ottawa tombe à 2-5. Scottie Lindsey a été le leader pour les Stingers avec une performance éclatante de 23 points, dont 18 en première mi-temps. Il a également ajouté neuf rebonds et cinq vols de ballon. Au total, les Stingers ont inscrit 50 % de leurs tirs à trois points, après avoir débuté la rencontre avec une moyenne de 34 % (quatrième rang de la ligue). Jordan Baker, entraîneur-chef des Stingers, a déclaré : « Si tu veux gagner des matchs de basketball, tu dois être dans une bonne position, mais je pense que la clé aujourd'hui a été la qualité de nos tirs. On a eu quelques problèmes avec l'isolement dans nos derniers matchs, donc ça fait du bien de voir notre jeu collectif, de pénétrer dans la clé et de partager le ballon pour se trouver des tirs ouverts. » Les Stingers sont entrés dans la période du pointage cible avec une avance de 83-69 après une séquence de 13-3. Leur tir extérieur a continué à être au rendez-vous une fois le chronomètre arrêté. Mason Bourcier a marqué ses premiers points en tant que Stinger avec un tir de trois points, Lindsey en a ajouté un autre pour réduire l’écart à trois points, et enfin, Sean East II et Keon Ambrose-Hylton ont mis la touche finale avec des layups pour sceller la victoire. Baker a ajouté : « Les gars ont exécuté, ont joué avec intensité, et on a eu des contributions de toute l’équipe. On est contents de la victoire, mais on n’est pas satisfaits. » East II a terminé avec 20 points et six passes décisives, tandis qu'Ambrose-Hylton a ajouté 13 points et huit rebonds. Elijah Miller, en sortie de banc, a marqué 12 points. Miller, originaire de Rexdale en Ontario, a déclaré que c’était une « belle victoire ». « Ça va prendre du temps pendant la saison, mais à mesure que les matchs avancent, on commence vraiment à trouver notre rythme. » Lindsey, natif de l’Illinois âgé de 29 ans, est arrivé à Edmonton après une saison à Winnipeg, où il avait tiré à 42,1 % du terrain, pour une moyenne de 13,5 points par match. Mais en début de saison avec les Stingers, bien qu’il soit toujours à 13 points par match, son pourcentage de tirs avait chuté à 30,4 %. Lindsey a mis fin à cette mauvaise passe de manière éclatante mardi. « Lorsqu’il laisse le jeu venir à lui, il devient vraiment très bon offensivement. On essaie de le placer dans de bonnes positions, mais il a fait un super travail en se déplaçant sans ballon et on l’a trouvé souvent. Et quand il est en feu, il est vraiment en feu », a déclaré Baker. Du côté d’Ottawa, la défaite marque une troisième consécutive, et l’équipe reste au quatrième rang de la Conférence de l’Est. Justin Jackson a mené les BlackJacks avec un doublé de 12 points et 11 rebonds. Meshack Lufile (11 points) et Christian Rohlehr (10 points) ont été les autres marqueurs à atteindre la barre des dix points. L’entraîneur-chef Dave DeAveiro a déclaré que son équipe avait gardé les choses proches pendant trois quarts, mais qu’ils avaient eu du mal à conclure, une tendance qui se confirme durant cette série de défaites. Il a ajouté que les BlackJacks ont besoin de « force mentale » pour en sortir. « Je trouve que quand ça ne va pas bien pour nous, c’est là qu’on est au plus bas. » Le capitaine d’Ottawa, Tyrrel Tate, a inscrit neuf points et cinq rebonds. Il a mentionné que l’équipe apprend encore à connaître les habitudes des autres joueurs, tout en attendant l’arrivée de certains joueurs qui n’ont pas encore fait leurs débuts. « On essaie juste de créer de la chimie avec les gars qu’on a maintenant. Je pense qu’on a progressé dans plusieurs domaines, mais on a encore beaucoup de travail à faire. On va apprendre de ce match, regarder la vidéo, et se préparer à prendre soin des affaires à la maison », a-t-il ajouté. Miryne Thomas des BlackJacks semble s’être blessé à l’épaule pendant le troisième quart et n’est pas revenu. Les Stingers menaient 25-23 après le premier quart grâce à leurs cinq tirs de trois points réussis en huit tentatives. L’avance d'Edmonton est montée à 50-44 à la mi-temps, avec les trois points qui continuaient de tomber. Dans le troisième quart, les Stingers ont enfin pris une petite avance, mais une course tardive des BlackJacks a réduit l’écart à seulement quatre points avant le dernier quart. Cependant, les Stingers ont réagi, ont construit une avance à deux chiffres et ont tranquillement géré la période du pointage cible. Maintenant, les fans de sports d’Edmonton se tourneront vers la finale de la Coupe Stanley, avec l’espoir que les Oilers fassent comme les Stingers et obtiennent une victoire de retour après une défaite. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Prochain match de la LECB Les deux équipes affrontent les River Lions de Niagara lors de leur prochain match — les Stingers se rendent à Niagara vendredi, tandis que les BlackJacks reçoivent les champions en titre dimanche. 500e match de l’histoire de la ligue Le 500e match de l’histoire de la ligue, toutes compétitions confondues (incluant les séries éliminatoires), aura lieu mercredi, lorsque les Sea Bears de Winnipeg recevront l’Alliance de Montréal. Pour le calendrier complet de la LECB 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Stingers Catch Fire from Deep to Down BlackJacks

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

Stingers Sign Former NBA G-Leaguer Smith

June 10, 2025
The Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday the signing of American forward Chris Smith. This will be Smith’s second year in the CEBL. Smith recently completed an international season playing for the Ironi Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Winner-League, averaging 29 minutes, 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 24 games in his fourth pro-season. Before joining the CEBL, Smith played several seasons in the NBA G-League. Smith began his pro career in 2021-22 with the Motor City Cruise, appearing in 19 games and averaging 9.4 points and 23.2 minutes played. He joined the Salt Lake City Stars for the 2022–23 season but appeared in only one game due to injury. In 2023–24, Smith began the season with the Grand Rapids Gold, before transferring to the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 3.3 points and 10.9 minutes in 23 games. Following his 2024 season in Iowa, Smith made his first CEBL appearance with the Montreal Alliance. Smith scored a season-high 24 points on three separate occasions – on July 14th, June 19th and 16th, while playing against Ottawa, Brampton and Saskatchewan. Post-season, Smith was named All-CEBL Second Team and CEBL rebounding champion (2024). “We are very excited to be able to bring Chris to Edmonton for the remainder of the season.” said Head Coach and General Manager Jordan Baker. “His versatility, size, and athleticism will provide an immediate boost on both ends of the floor. I know he will enjoy playing in front of our passionate fans at The Hive!” The 6’9” forward also has several collegiate seasons under his belt, playing at UCLA. During his time as a Bruin, he scored a collegiate-best of 30 points on Jan 30, 2020 while playing against Colorado. He was also named First-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Most Improved Player that same year (2020). Smith and the Stingers will return to the Edmonton EXPO Centre on June 10th to host the Ottawa Blackjackets. Tickets are available for as low as $20 per seat and can be purchased online or by contacting the Stingers head office via email ( [email protected] ) or phone (1-87STINGERS).
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