CEBL to Celebrate 500th Game in League History as Undefeated Alliance Face Toughest Test Yet

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’ Miyrne Thomas appeared injure his shoulder during the third quarter and did not return. The Stingers led 25-23 after the first quarter on the strength of five-for-eight shooting from three-point range. Edmonton’s lead ballooned to 50-44 by halftime as the threes kept falling. In the third quarter, the Stingers finally gained some separation, but a late run by the BlackJacks cut Edmonton’s lead to just four points entering the final frame. Yet the Stingers responded, built a double-digit lead and cruised through Target Score Time. Now, Edmonton sports fans will turn their focus to the Stanley Cup Final, where the hope is that the Oilers make like the Stingers and earn a bounce-back victory of their own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Up Next Both teams face the Niagara River Lions in their next game — the Stingers visit Niagara on Friday, while the BlackJacks host the reigning champions on Sunday. Next CEBL Action The 500th game in league history, including playoffs, takes place Wednesday when the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

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

(Aperçu: Semaine 6) Le temps file quand on s’amuse, hein? On dirait que c’était hier que la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB) faisait ses débuts en 2019, devenant une pionnière dans le paysage sportif du pays. Pour la première fois, les amateurs de basketball avaient une ligue professionnelle affiliée à Basketball Canada et à la FIBA – ici même, chez nous. Ce mercredi, la LECB atteindra une étape marquante : son 500e match (incluant les séries éliminatoires) sera disputé alors que les Sea Bears de Winnipeg accueilleront l’Alliance de Montréal. Un duel symbolique entre deux formations qui n’existaient pas lors de la saison inaugurale, mais qui illustrent bien la croissance fulgurante de la ligue. Montréal a accueilli le championnat l’an dernier, où les River Lions de Niagara ont été couronnés, et c’est maintenant au tour de Winnipeg de se préparer à recevoir l’événement plus tard cette saison, au Canada Life Centre. Petite touche nostalgique : Alex Campbell, qui avait inscrit 19 points pour les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan lors du tout premier match de la ligue (une défaite de 99-97 contre les River Lions), enfilera le maillot des Sea Bears mercredi. Campbell est le seul joueur de l’histoire de la LECB à avoir disputé 100 matchs. Et voilà qu’il participera aussi au 500e. L’Alliance invaincue veut poursuivre sur sa lancée En parlant de Montréal, la seule équipe de la LECB basée au Québec est aussi la seule formation encore invaincue cette saison. Oui, l’Alliance de Montréal n’a disputé que quatre matchs — pendant que les Bandits de Vancouver entamaient leur saison avec cinq victoires de suite pour afficher maintenant une fiche de 7-1 — mais leur domination reste difficile à ignorer. En quatre rencontres, Montréal a surclassé ses adversaires par un écart combiné de 85 points, avec chaque victoire obtenue par au moins 20 points. Défensivement, c’est du solide : l’Alliance accorde en moyenne seulement 77 points par match — de loin la meilleure marque de la ligue. Vancouver suit à 81,5. Et en attaque, seuls les Bandits (100,4) marquent plus que Montréal (98,3). Et ça tombe bien : ces deux puissances vont s’affronter samedi, en Colombie-Britannique. D’ici là, Montréal pourrait ne plus être invaincue — l’équipe sera à Winnipeg jeudi soir — mais peu importe : ce match s’annonce excitant. Trop tôt pour parler d’un avant-goût du championnat? Harris contre son ancienne équipe Jalen Harris a changé de camp dans la Bataille des Prairies. L’ancien arrière des Raptors de Toronto a récemment signé avec les Sea Bears de Winnipeg après avoir passé la dernière saison avec les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan. À son quatrième match avec Winnipeg, il retrouvera déjà son ancienne équipe — ce dimanche, à domicile. Harris, qui a aussi évolué pendant deux saisons avec les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, connaît un excellent début de saison avec les Sea Bears, avec une moyenne de 19,5 points, 4,5 passes décisives et quatre rebonds par rencontre. Winnipeg a connu un départ difficile avec une fiche de 1-5, mais vient de signer une victoire dramatique contre Scarborough — et c’est Harris lui-même qui a joué les héros avec le panier décisif lors de la période du pointage cible contre une autre de ses anciennes équipes. Les Sea Bears peuvent maintenant se concentrer pleinement sur leur objectif : être fin prêts pour le championnat à domicile plus tard cette saison. Horaire hebdomadaire (neuf matchs) Match #36 – Mardi 10 juin – BlackJacks d’Ottawa c. Stingers d’Edmonton – 19 h HR / 21 h HE – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #37 – Mercredi 11 juin – Alliance de Montréal c. Sea Bears de Winnipeg – 19 h HAC / 20 h HE – Canada Life Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #38 – Vendredi 13 juin – Stingers d’Edmonton c. River Lions de Niagara – 19 h HE / 17 h HR – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #39 – Vendredi 13 juin – Shooting Stars de Scarborough c. Rattlers de la Saskatchewan – 19 h 30 HNC / 21 h 30 HE – SaskTel Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #40 – Samedi 14 juin – Stingers d’Edmonton c. Honey Badgers de Brampton – 19 h 30 HE / 17 h 30 HR – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #41 – Samedi 14 juin – Alliance de Montréal c. Bandits de Vancouver – 19 h HP / 22 h HE – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #42 – Dimanche 15 juin – River Lions de Niagara c. BlackJacks d’Ottawa – 14 h HE – The Arena at TD Place (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #43 – Dimanche 15 juin – Rattlers de la Saskatchewan c. Sea Bears de Winnipeg – 14 h HAC / 13 h HNC / 15 h HE – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #44 – Dimanche 15 juin – Shooting Stars de Scarborough c. Surge de Calgary – 14 h HR / 16 h HE – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB, visitez cebl.ca/games .

Il n’aura pas fallu longtemps à Montréal pour battre son propre record de points dans un match. Lors de la rencontre précédente, l’équipe avait inscrit 105 points. Ce soir, elle en a inscrit 108 à Scarborough. C’était le premier match de l’Alliance contre une équipe ayant une fiche gagnante (3-2), mais Montréal a commencé à prendre son avance au troisième quart. La fatigue de Scarborough s’est fait sentir en deuxième demie, et ils se sont inclinés 108-88. « C’est une séquence intense pour nous, » a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef de Scarborough, Mike De Giorgio, à propos de leur enchaînement de trois matchs en quatre soirs. « Un match sur la route, deux à la maison, avec seulement une journée de repos entre les deux. L’absence de Hason Ward a vraiment réduit notre rotation. On avait besoin de sa présence physique. » Montréal en a pleinement profité au troisième quart, prenant rapidement une avance de 13 points. Tavian Dunn-Martin (meilleur marqueur du match avec 26 points) a servi une superbe passe rebondie dans le trafic à Ben Stevens à l’aile droite, qui a facilement marqué. Scarborough a raté un lay-up de l’autre côté, et Anthony Walker (16 points au total) a réussi un tir de trois points tout en provoquant une faute. Il a raté son lancer franc, capté son propre rebond et marqué de nouveau. Cette séquence de cinq points a semblé assommer Scarborough. « Notre profondeur est clairement l’une de nos forces. Et c’est une bonne chose parce que ça garde tout le monde impliqué. On est rendus à quatre matchs, tout le monde joue, tout le monde est content, » a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef de Montréal, Jermaine Small. « Surtout quelqu’un comme Ant (Anthony) Walker — il est plus agressif dernièrement. Il a eu des ennuis de fautes tôt dans le match, mais je trouve qu’il est revenu fort en deuxième demie. » Walker a d’ailleurs continué de briller au troisième quart, bloquant un tir de Cat Barber avant de lancer une passe transversale parfaite à Kevin Osawe (11 points au total), qui a attaqué le panier et provoqué une faute. Le moment marquant du troisième quart : l’avance de 20 points s’est concrétisée quand Quincy Guerrier a réussi un tir de trois points, servi par nul autre que son compatriote montréalais Alain Louis. Louis, seul joueur de retour avec l’Alliance cette saison et membre de l’équipe depuis sa fondation, est devenu le meneur de tous les temps pour les passes décisives en saison régulière, avec un total de 332, dépassant Kadre Gray, un autre joueur passé de U SPORTS à la LECB. « J’ai toujours voulu bien représenter les joueurs de U SPORTS, » a confié Louis après la rencontre en réfléchissant à son exploit personnel. « Et maintenant que je suis le meneur, ça prouve que les gars de U SPORTS sont capables. On est assez bons. C’est vraiment ça le plus important pour moi. » Guerrier a lui aussi connu un fort match sur tous les plans, avec 21 points, sept rebonds et quatre « stocks » (interceptions + blocs). « Regardez les armes offensives qu’ils ont, » a résumé le descripteur Rod Black en parlant de la puissance de feu montréalaise au troisième quart. L’Alliance a cessé de s’appuyer uniquement sur Dunn-Martin, qui avait explosé pour 21 points en première demie, avec un rendement de neuf en 13 au tir, dont trois en cinq derrière l’arc. Le meneur de 5 pieds 8 pouces aurait sûrement impressionné un autre petit gabarit, Jamal Shead, qui observait le match depuis les lignes de côté en compagnie de plusieurs joueurs des Raptors : Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo et Ulrich Chomche. Fidèle à son image de marque, Scarborough continue d’attirer des vedettes au bord du terrain - l’athlète olympique médaillé d’or Andre De Grasse était présent à leur dernier match à domicile contre Winnipeg, quelques jours plus tôt. Mais Montréal n’était pas la seule équipe à inscrire des records. Le match marquait le retour de Cat Barber, deuxième meilleur marqueur de l’histoire de la LECB, qui a franchi le cap des 300 passes décisives en saison régulière. L’entraîneur-chef Mike De Giorgio reste optimiste quant au potentiel que peut offrir un duo Cat Barber–Yuri Collins à la position de garde, tout en reconnaissant l’importance de limiter les revirements à l’approche d’un voyage de trois matchs sur la route. Scarborough a vu plusieurs joueurs de soutien se démarquer par leurs efforts. David Walker, finaliste au titre de joueur en développement par excellence l’an dernier, a impressionné avec 21 points, réussissant sept de ses 11 tirs. Le tireur d’élite Danilo Djuricic a tenté de combler l’absence de Hasan Ward en captant quelques rebonds défensifs clés au deuxième quart. Il a terminé le match avec un total de sept rebonds. Le meilleur marqueur de la ligue, Donovan Williams, a terminé avec un sommet d’équipe de 23 points, en plus de réussir un gros bloc au deuxième quart, après un bloc spectaculaire à deux mains lors du dernier match contre Winnipeg. L’ailier de 6 pi 6 continue de se démarquer aux deux extrémités du terrain, mais cherchera à avoir un plus grand impact au quatrième quart alors que Scarborough tentera de mettre fin à une série de trois défaites consécutives. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600596 À venir pour les deux équipes Montréal (4-0) poursuivra son voyage sur la route en direction de l’Ouest pour y affronter les Sea Bears de Winnipeg le mercredi 11 juin, au Canada Life Centre. Scarborough (3-3), de son côté, tentera de mettre fin à une série de trois défaites consécutives et amorcera un voyage de trois matchs face aux Rattlers de la Saskatchewan (2-5) au SaskTel Centre, le vendredi 13 juin. Prochain match dans la LECB Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa (2-4) feront face aux Stingers d’Edmonton (2-5) au EXPO Centre lors du seul match prévu ce mardi. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB ainsi que les résultats à jour : cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

It didn’t take long for Montreal to break its own franchise record for most points in a game. Last game, they scored 105 points. Tonight, they dropped 108 in the Ends. It was Montreal’s first game facing a team with a winning record (3-2), but Montreal started to pull away in the third quarter. Scarborough’s fatigue was beginning to surface in the second half and they lost 108-88. “I think it’s a long stretch for us,” Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio said about playing three games in four nights. “Playing a game on the road and two at home with only one off-day in between. Not having Hason Ward shortened our bench for sure. We needed his size.” Montreal took full advantage in the third quarter when they quickly built up a 13-point lead. Tavian Dunn-Martin (game-high 26 points) threw a beautiful pocket bounce pass into Ben Stevens at the right elbow for an easy bucket. Scarborough missed a lay-up, and Anthony Walker (game total 16 points) nailed a triple on the other end while drawing a foul. He missed his free throw, scored on his own miss, and his five-point play seemed to deflate Scarborough. “Our depth is definitely a strength of ours. And it’s good because it keeps guys engaged. It’s been four games now and everyone’s getting in and they’re happy,” said Montreal head coach Jermaine Small. “Especially someone like Ant (Anthony) Walker, he’s been more aggressive. He got into foul trouble early on, but I think he came back on and had a really strong second half.” Walker continued to be impressive in the third, swatting Cat Barber and then threw a cross-court pass to Kevin Osawe (game total 11 points) that allowed him to drive to the hoop and draw a foul. Most notably, the 20-point lead was established in the third when Quincy Guerrier hit a triple, assisted by none other than fellow Montrealer Alain Louis. Louis, the only returning Alliance player from last season and who has been with them since its inception, became the all-time regular season assist leader with 332, surpassing another U SPORTS-to-CEBL pathway player Kadre Gray. “My biggest thing has always been, I gotta represent the U SPORTS players ,” said Louis after the game, reflecting on his individual record. “And for me to be the leader now, that just goes to tell you that U SPORTS guys can play. We’re good enough. That’s my biggest thing for sure.” Guerrier also had a strong all-around game, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four stocks. “Look at the weapons they have,” play-by-play commentator Rod Black summed up Montreal’s firepower in the third. They stopped relying on Dunn-Martin, who had exploded for 21 points in the first half, shooting nine-for-13 from the field and three-for-five from downtown. The 5-foot-8 guard would have impressed another diminutive guard, Jamal Shead, who watched from the sidelines along with Raptors players Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Ulrich Chomche. True to their team name, Scarborough has been consistently drawing celebrities to the sidelines as Olympic gold medalist Andre De Grasse was there just a few days ago at their last home game against Winnipeg. Records weren’t only being achieved by Montreal, however. It was CEBL’s all-time second leading scorer Cat Barber’s first game back, and he reached 300 regular season assists. Coach De Giorgio remains excited about the potential a Cat Barber-Yuri Collins backcourt could achieve, and recognized the need to limit turnovers as they head out on a three-game road trip. Scarborough saw a spirited effort from its role players. David Walker, last year’s Developmental Player of the Year finalist, had an impressive 21 points on seven-for-11 shooting. Sharp shooter Danilo Djuricic tried to fill in for Hasan Ward’s absence by grabbing some key defensive boards in the second quarter (game total seven boards). The league’s leading scorer, Donovan Williams, had a team-high 23 points, and recorded a big block in the second quarter after a massive two-handed block in the fourth against Winnipeg last time out. The 6-foot-6 star continues to be impressive at both ends of the court, but will be looking to make a mark in the fourth quarter as Scarborough looks to end its three-game losing streak. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600596 Up next for both teams Montreal (4-0) will continue their road trip as they head west to face the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Last Saturday night’s rematch will take place on Wednesday, June 11 at Canada Life Centre. Scarborough (3-3) will be looking to end their three-game losing streak on the road. They begin their three-game road trip against the Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-5) at SaskTel Centre on Friday, June 13. Next CEBL action The Ottawa BlackJacks (2-4) will face the Edmonton Stingers (2-5) at the EXPO Centre in Tuesday’s lone contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Vancouver Bandits (7-1) improved to 4-0 on the road this season with an emphatic 101-76 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-5) on Sunday evening. It was déjà vu for the franchise-record 3,518 fans in attendance at the SaskTel Centre as Vancouver took the second of four regular-season meetings in a similarly dominant fashion to their first matchup — now having won both by an average margin of 32.5 points. The Bandits used a full-team effort for their latest victory as seven different players made at least two field goals, while four scored in double figures. And just like he did last time against the Rattlers, Tyrese Samuel led the way as the Canadian put up 21 points. Behind him was Izaiah Brockington, who scored 18 points with three triples, while Shamar Givance and Mitch Creek added 16 points each. “Really happy with the win,” Vancouver head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said post-game. “Pleased with the energy, togetherness and connectivity of the guys.” On the other side, Cody John spearheaded the Rattlers as their two-game win streak got snapped, finishing with a team-high 18 points. Meanwhile, Jamir Chaplin chipped in 16 points, while Grant Anticevich and Jordan Bowden off the bench scored 11 points, respectively. It was no secret that the Rattlers entered Sunday looking for revenge after last month’s home-opener was spoiled thanks to a 40-point loss to the Bandits — a franchise-record win for Vancouver. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz admitted as much pre-game, noting the rematch had been marked on the calendar. Unfortunately for his Rattlers squad, the Bandits' league-leading offence continued to prove troublesome as they shot 66 per cent from the field (12-of-18) in the opening frame. The hot start sparked a 13-2 run that helped carve out a 30-16 lead after the first. Practically identical to last time, when Vancouver led by 11 points after 10 minutes into the first matchup. “We had moments where we fought back, but that’s got to be consistent for 40 minutes,” Magdanz said post-game. “We’ve improved in some areas, but we have some growth yet to happen … we (previously) found success by playing together, playing as a team and we lacked that today.” The Bandits have now scored at least 100 points in six of their eight games and are the only team in the CEBL averaging 100-plus points per game. And it’s been done collectively as four Bandits (Creek, Kyle Mangas, Samuel and Curtis Hollis) rank top 30 in the CEBL for scoring. “Not trying to be arrogant, but we seem to be getting everyone’s best game,” Julius said on his team’s mindset entering the contest. “But when you’re one of the top teams in the league, everybody really prepares for you, and so we really thought today was going to be a significant challenge.” As has been the case for much of the season, Vancouver asserted their dominance by spreading the wealth as all five starters scored in the first quarter — led by Brockington, who had eight points on 3-for-3 shooting, including two triples. Also like last time, the Bandits held onto the momentum from there, building their lead up to 20 points (56-36) at the break. Seven different players on Vancouver finished the half with five-plus points, spearheaded by Mangas’s nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. Unlike the first matchup, however, the Rattlers came out of halftime with a much better response. Rather than getting outscored by 17 in the third like the previous mid-May matchup, Saskatchewan won the frame on Sunday — the first-time beating Vancouver for a quarter this season — and chipped into the deficit, down 72-54. And that was largely thanks to John, as the Mississauga, Ont. native single-handedly scored the Rattlers' first 10 points of the quarter. “We played within our tempo, we played physically defensively and that let us get out in transition,” Magdanz explained when asked how his team found success in the third. But although Saskatchewan had already proven it could rally with the clock stopped — going on an 11-0 run in Target Score Time against the Calgary Surge on Friday for their second win — Sunday’s deficit proved too large to overcome. Ultimately, Vancouver’s game plan was similar to the first matchup, and it yielded similarly positive results. The Bandits focused exclusively on rim pressure and were met by little resistance, finishing plus-eight for paint points (50-42) while earning 10 more free throws than the Rattlers. “Proud of how we stuck to the game plan and attacked the paint first and really got ourselves going early,” Brockington said after the win. The Bandits went up by as many as 26 points headed into Target Score Time before Samuel tipped in a Hollis miss for the game-sealing score — providing one final dose of been there, done that as forward also made the winning basket the last time these teams played. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600593 Up next Both squads get a bit of rest before returning to action, starting with the Rattlers wrapping up their two-game homestand by welcoming the Scarborough Shooting Stars to Saskatchewan on Friday. Meanwhile, the Bandits head back to Vancouver as they’ll get set to host the Montreal Alliance on Saturday. Next CEBL action The undefeated Alliance (3-0) start a three-game road trip on Monday as they visit the Shooting Stars for the first of four regular-season meetings between the East rivals. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Le Surge de Calgary a rapidement pris le contrôle dimanche après-midi et, malgré une tentative de remontée des BlackJacks d’Ottawa, a su tenir bon pour s’imposer 107 à 93. Dès le départ, Calgary était en feu, prenant une avance rapide de 15-4 avant le premier temps mort. Sean Miller-Moore a donné le ton en inscrivant neuf de ses 28 points (meilleur marqueur du match) durant cette séquence. Les deux équipes ont eu peu de difficulté à trouver le fond du panier en première demie. Le Surge a réussi 15 de ses 20 tirs, tandis qu’Ottawa a réussi neuf de ses 13 tentatives. La grande différence ? Calgary a imposé une pression défensive constante sur le porteur de ballon adverse, forçant sept revirements sans en commettre un seul. « Je trouve qu’on est sortis avec notre identité défensive dès le départ », a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef Kaleb Canales après la victoire. « Les gars étaient concentrés défensivement. On sait qu’on affronte des bonnes équipes chaque soir. Les adversaires vont connaître des séquences offensives, mais je crois qu’on a su maintenir notre intensité défensive pendant tout le match. » Après avoir tiré de l’arrière 35-23 à la fin du premier quart, les BlackJacks ont riposté avec une séquence de 19-5 pour prendre les devants 42-40. Calgary a toutefois rebondi pour entrer au vestiaire avec une avance de 54-52. Le banc d’Ottawa a été crucial dans cette remontée, dominant celui de Calgary 18-4 dans cette période. Rudi Williams, Justin Jackson et Christian Rohlehr ont chacun marqué neuf points en sortie de banc. Tyrell Tate a ajouté 13 points, Matt Coleman III en a inscrit 11, et Deng Adel a mené les siens avec 24 points, quatre rebonds et six passes décisives — mais aussi sept des 19 pertes de ballon de l’équipe. « Calgary a commencé le match en réussissant tous ses tirs », a dit l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro. « Défensivement, on leur a donné trop d’occasions, surtout à cause de nos revirements. On a joué leur jeu lors du premier quart, mais je pense qu’on s’est ajustés par la suite. » Sur la performance du banc : « C’est crucial, surtout dans un voyage comme celui-ci où on joue trois matchs en cinq jours. Notre banc doit continuer de produire comme ça… Justin Jackson a été très bon aujourd’hui. Il était motivé à l'idée de jouer contre son ancienne équipe, et ça s’est vu. » Malgré l’absence de Khyri Thomas et Stefan Jankovic (blessés) ainsi que d’Osayi Osifo (en camp avec les Mavericks de Dallas), les joueurs-clés du Surge ont livré la marchandise. En plus des 28 points de Miller-Moore, Jameer Nelson Jr. a totalisé 24 points, six passes décisives et cinq vols avec une efficacité de 9/12. Greg Brown III a inscrit 25 points et six rebonds, dont 21 en deuxième demie. Olumide Adelodun a mené le banc du Surge avec 15 des 17 points de la deuxième unité, tandis que Javonte Brown et Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow ont fait leurs débuts professionnels. « (Gilgeous-Glasgow et Brown) ont été énormes », a dit Canales. « Même D.J. Jackson a joué des minutes importantes. On enseigne à tout le monde d’être prêt, parce que la saison est longue et que les blessures arrivent. C’est une preuve de leur travail. » Malgré leur 9e place au classement des lancers francs et leur dernière position aux tirs à trois points avant le match, le Surge a surpris en réussissant 29 de ses 38 lancers francs et en inscrivant 10 tirs à trois points sur 28 tentatives. Pas moins de 37 des 53 points marqués en deuxième demie sont venus soit de la ligne, soit au-delà de l’arc. Le capitaine Sean Miller-Moore a mentionné que garder son sang-froid a été un facteur clé. « Je sais que tout commence par moi », a-t-il affirmé. « Je joue avec beaucoup d’émotion. Mais je dois rester calme, car mes émotions influencent le reste de l’équipe. Coach nous répète souvent de rester calme, peu importe le moment du match. » Cette victoire permet au Surge de Calgary d’améliorer sa fiche à 3-0 contre Ottawa depuis leur arrivée dans la ville. De leur côté, les BlackJacks d’Ottawa tombent à 1-3 sur la route cette saison. Résumé du match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600590 Prochains matchs pour les deux équipes Le Surge de Calgary aura une semaine de congé avant de poursuivre sa série à domicile avec un match contre les Shooting Stars de Scarborough le 15 juin. Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa resteront en Alberta et affronteront les Stingers d’Edmonton le 10 juin. Prochain match de la LECB L’Alliance de Montréal, toujours invaincue, se rendra à Scarborough pour affronter les Shooting Stars, dans le premier de quatre matchs entre les deux équipes cette saison. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la CEBL 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

The Calgary Surge came out hot Sunday afternoon, and despite some pushback from the opposition, were able to hold off the Ottawa BlackJacks and lay claim to a 107-93 victory. Shots were falling for the Surge from the jump as they got off to a 15-4 lead before the first timeout, led by Sean Miller-Moore scoring nine of his game-high 28 points during the stretch. Neither team had trouble finding the bottom of the basket, as Calgary shot 15-of-20 from the field in the first quarter, while Ottawa was 9-of-13. The big difference early was the Surge putting pressure on the BlackJacks ball carrier and forcing seven turnovers whilst committing none of their own. “I thought we came out with our defensive identity from the start,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said after the win. “I think guys were locked into the defensive end. We know we’re going to play a good team every night, teams are going to go on runs and comeback. I thought we sustained our defense for the majority of the game.” Trailing 35-23 after the first quarter, the BlackJacks went on a 19-5 run of their own to open the second and take a 42-40 lead before the Surge pushed back to take a 54-52 lead into halftime. The bench played a major role in the comeback, outing the Surge 18-4 in that department. Rudi Williams, Justin Jackson and Christian Rohlehr all chipped in with nine points off the bench. Tyrell Tate had 13 points and Matt Coleman III had 11 while Deng Adel led the way with 24 points, four rebounds and six assists, but also accounted for seven of Ottawa’s 19 turnovers. “I thought Calgary came out and made every shot,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said post game. “Defensively they made us turn the ball over and we gave them points off of turnovers. I thought in the first quarter we played into Calgary’s hand a little bit, and in the second quarter we got better and took care of the ball a lot better.” “It’s critical,” he said of his team’s stellar bench play. “Especially when you’re on a road trip like this where you play three games in five days, our bench has to step up like that have in the last two games… I thought Justin Jackson was good today. I thought he played well today, coming back and playing against his old team he was a little motivated to play well, but he’s been strong for us.” With the Surge missing key pieces in Khyri Thomas and Stefan Jankovic due to injuries and Osayi Osifo away from the team to attend camp with the Dallas Mavericks, the core of the team stepped up in a big way. On top of Miller-Moore’s performance, Jameer Nelson Jr. finished with 24 points, six assists and five steals on 9-of-12 shooting, while Greg Brown III had 25 points and six rebounds, including 21 in the second half. Olumide Adelodun led the way for the Surge’s bench, scoring 15 of 17 points from a second unit that saw the professional debuts of Javonte Brown and Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow. “I thought (Gilgeous-Glasgow and Brown) were huge,” Canales said. “Even D.J (Jackson)’s minutes there. We coach it and we teach it that everyone has to be ready. I know it sounds like a cliché, but the season’s long and guys get banged up and guys have to step up, and it speaks to their work.” Despite coming into the game ninth in the league in free throw percentage and dead last in three-point percentage, the Surge shot 29-of-38 from the line and 10-for-28 from beyond the arc. 37 of the team’s 53 second-half points came from either the charity stripe or the three-point line, making their improvements in the areas critical to pull out a win. Team captain Sean Miller-Moore said keeping his own composure was key to setting the tone for his team to have an impactful second half. “I know it starts with me,” he said. “I’m very passionate when I play, I’m very emotional. So sometimes I just try to stay even keel because once I show that on my sleeve, it kind of affects the team. Coach always preaches staying poised, playing our game even when it’s (Target Time), fourth quarter, second quarter. It’s a game of runs, so teams are going to go on runs, but you just have to stay solid.” The win pushed the Surge to 3-0 all-time against the BlackJacks since relocating to Calgary. Ottawa fell to 1-3 on the road this season. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600590 Up next for both teams The Calgary Surge have a week off before their five-game homestand continues against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on June 15. The Ottawa BlackJacks stay in Alberta as they’ll face the Edmonton Stingers on June 10. Next CEBL action The undefeated Montreal Alliance travel to Scarborough to face the Shooting Stars in the first of four meetings between the teams this season. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Connor Vreeken came off the bench to score 14 points, and collect five rebounds and five assists as the Niagara River Lions defeated the Brampton Honey Badgers, 94-80, Sunday afternoon at Meridian Centre. Vreeken finished an efficient 5-for-11 from the field and added a couple steals in a career-high 14 minutes of action. The former Carleton Ravens star credits the River Lions (5-2) organization with preparing him for the moment. “We have a really good coaching staff here. They put me in good positions in order to make plays and then my teammates put me into good spots,” he said. “So, it makes it pretty easy to make reads and then it's just about executing at the end of the day.” Khalil Ahmad led all River Lions players with 22 points in 26 minutes, but was unable to finish the game as he was ejected, along with his Niagara teammate AJ Davis. Honey Badgers Koby McEwen and Amari Kelly were also ejected in the aftermath of a heated skirmish between both sides near the end of the third quarter. Quinndary Weatherspoon scored a game-high 25 points in the loss for the Honey Badgers (1–7), who looked out of the game early after a 14–3 Niagara run in the first quarter effectively put it out of reach for Brampton. The River Lions bombarded the Honey Badgers from three in the opening frame, going 6-of-13 from distance. “We always wanna play fast,” said River Lions assistant coach Troy Stevenson. “We thought we had an advantage in transition against them this time so we were really looking to go a little bit earlier, but that that being said, we’re always looking to hunt good shots. Talk to him first and then if it happens to unveil itself like it did today, we’ll take them. We’re not afraid to take shots.” Ahmad also become the first player in CEBL history to record 100 career steals with a couple in the first quarter. Niagara carried a 53-35 lead into halftime and an 85-66 lead into Target Score Time. The Honey Badgers made a spirited run in Target Score Time, scoring 14 points while the clock was turned off, but couldn’t overcome the hole they dug themselves into. The defending champion River Lions looked every part of it Sunday, but feel like there’s lots to work on moving ahead, so a Target Score Time like the one that occurred doesn’t happen again. “I think it’s just putting 40 minutes together,” Stevenson said. “We have we have veteran guys, we have guys who know how to win, guys that are proven winners. It’s just a matter of putting all the pieces together and getting comfortable with each other, communicating on the defensive side, not being stagnant on the offence, being aggressive. “So we’ve got the veterans, we’ve got the pieces and we’re gonna put it together. It’s just taking a little bit longer than we would like.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600587 Up next The River Lions will have a bit of a break and resume play Friday, June 13 at home against the Edmonton Stingers. The Honey Badgers also have a longer break before their next contest, also against Edmonton, at home on Saturday, June 14. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -