Edmonton Extends Win Streak to Six in Target Time Thriller

The CEBL got its first look at the new-look Winnipeg Sea Bears on Friday night, and if early returns are any indication, the roster moves are already paying dividends. With Terry Roberts and Jaylin Williams away from the team while plying their trade in NBA Summer League, Will Richardson and Trevon Scott stepped in and looked like established veterans on the squad as the Sea Bears led nearly from buzzer to buzzer to take a 94-70 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Simi Shittu had a game-high 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Harris had 19 points. Emmanuel Akot finished with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists while Richardson introduced himself to the league with 18 points and a game-high eight assists. Scott had 16 points and five rebounds off the bench. “Today was a game where we really played well together. I thought we brought a good energy,” Sea Bears head coach Mike Taylor said afterwards. “The last couple of games, there were distractions and stuff going on within the team that really prevented us from being our best. I thought this was a credit to the players today. They really played hard, they really played well. It was just an excellent performance on both ends.” Richardson – the Oregon Ducks alum – and Scott – former member of the Calgary Surge – made their impact felt immediately. The former played every second of the first quarter and quickly tallied up eight points. The latter checked in at the start of the second quarter and never came off, piling up 11 points of his own. “Really pleased with the way they played,” Taylor said of his new additions. “They brought a fresh energy to the team. Both guys fit in really, really well. They played like they’ve been here a while. You saw the natural point guard talent of Will in terms of his playmaking and hitting big shots. (Trevon) contributed in so many ways on both ends of the floor. Those two new guys fit in seamlessly and we’re really pleased with their play today.” It was all Sea Bears in the first half, as they led 40-25 heading into the break and held the home team to just 37 per cent from the floor. Winnipeg – on the other hand – seemingly could do no wrong on offense, making 56 per cent of their shots and hitting six three-pointers in the first half. The Saskatchewan Rattlers would regroup and try to take a run at it to start the third quarter. They opened the second half by outscoring the Sea Bears 16-6. Nate Pierre-Louis led the way for Saskatchewan, scoring 11 of his 14 points through the first three quarters. He finished the game with six assists, leaving him just three shy of the CEBL single-season record. Johnny Hughes III had a team high 16 points to go with eight rebounds, while Devonte Bandoo chipped in with 10 points. Australian big man Grant Anticevich finished just shy of a double-double, scoring 11 points – nine of them in the first half – and grabbing nine rebounds. “It was just an individual check within each of ourselves about who we are, who we want to be and how we want to play,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said of his halftime message. “And credit to our guys, they took that message to heart and competed in the second half.” Although the Rattlers were able to cut the lead down to 13 and flirted with bringing the score within single digits on a few occasions, it was all for naught. Winnipeg would hold onto a 15-point lead heading into target time, where a clean 9-0 run put an end to the Rattlers night. “We just came out flat,” Magdanz said. “We didn’t have the energy, the effort, the level of compete that we’ve had for the entire season in the first half, and that dug us a hole. And once you dig yourselves a hole in this league, it’s pretty hard to come back.” The win was the Sea Bears’ first since June 20, snapping a four-game losing streak. For the Rattlers, it was another disappointing setback after a spirited effort in Target Time earned them a win in their last outing. The loss to Winnipeg dropped their record to 4-12. “It’s just been a tough season. Every game has been like this. We’re either sad that we didn’t get the win or we’re mad that we lost or just happy that we got the win,” Pierre-Louis, the Rattlers team captain, said after the loss. “I just tell the guys to keep their head up and stay together. There’s going to be days like that. You just have to stay even keel and get back to the drawing board on Monday. Myself, I have to be better. I felt that today wasn’t my best one. I’ve been playing well but today wasn’t one of my high standard games. Just got to get back to the drawing board. Never too high, never too low.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600636 Up next for both teams The Winnipeg Sea Bears return home following a three-game road trip to host the Calgary Surge on July 17. The Saskatchewan Rattlers wrap up a four-game homestand as they take on the Calgary Surge on July 15. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers take to the road to face the Scarborough Shooting Stars in their second of three meetings on the season, streaming live on CEBL+, TSN+, and NLSE. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Vancouver Bandits proved on Friday that it’s not about how you start a game, just how you finish it. Despite trailing for a majority of the game, and by eight points at the start of Target Score Time, the Bandits walked away with an 89-85 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Friday thanks to a 19-7 run once the clock stopped. Leading Vancouver’s effort as they improved to 12-4, extending their lead atop the West to 1.5 games, was Zach Copeland, who finished with a team-high 27 points and a franchise-record tying seven made triples. Behind him were Corey Davis Jr. (18 points, 10 assists) and Kur Jongkuch (13 points, season-high 17 rebounds) with a pair of double-doubles, while Mikyle McIntosh chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds. The quartet helped the Bandits overcome the fact that they were missing all three of their leading scorers on the season — Mitch Creek (23.1 points per game), Tyrese Samuel (18.9) and Kyle Mangas (17.8). “We were working hard to adapt to our roster,” Vancouver head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said after the win. “We’ve had some changes and some new faces, so we just wanted to be able to settle in … and I thought we did a good job of that.” Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers fell to 4-12 on the season after a fourth consecutive loss, still in last place out East. Spearheading Brampton on Friday was Quinndary Weatherspoon, who put up a game-high 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Rounding out the Honey Badgers’ double-digit scoring efforts were David Muenkat and Marcus Carr with 17 and 13 points, respectively. “It was a tough loss,” Weatherspoon said post-game. “I thought we played well throughout the whole game, but just the last couple of possessions … some things got away.” Despite both squads entering the matchup on the heels of double-digit losses, their last time squaring off less than a week earlier — an 87-84 down-to-the-wire win for the Bandits — led to the belief that Friday’s contest would also be a neck-and-neck battle. Which turned out to be true for much of the ball game, as neither squad carved out a double-digit lead for the entirety of the contest and were separated by a narrow 63-62 Bandits edge headed into the fourth quarter. The final frame proved to be the ultimate difference maker, but it, too, wasn’t without back-and-forth action. Brampton appeared to capture the momentum thanks to an 11-0 run in the early minutes of the fourth, sparked by three consecutive triples. The Honey Badgers finished with 12 made threes on a 38 per cent clip, five of those long balls coming in the fourth. And although Brampton led 78-70 at the start of Target Score Time thanks to that run to open the fourth, Vancouver stormed right back thanks to a defensive clinic. The Honey Badgers punched first with back-to-back threes by Carr and Weatherspoon to put themselves on the cusp of victory but were held to just one point after that point as they missed their next six field goal attempts while the Bandits rallied. Vancouver shot 7-of-12 in Target Score Time, capping off the comeback effort with a Davis triple from the right corner. “Crazy, hard-fought game,” Copeland said after the win. “I just felt like we stuck it out to the end and made a lot of high-level plays to pull it out.” Underscoring the Bandits' comeback effort was their effort on the glass, building a 50-36 rebounding edge throughout the night, leading to 15 second-chance points (plus-10). “We have to end possessions,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said post-game. “If we don’t give up 19 offensive rebounds, then we win the game by way more.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600634 Up next Both squads return Sunday, starting with the Honey Badgers visiting the Scarborough Shooting Stars for the second of three regular-season matchups between the GTA rivals. Meanwhile, the Bandits visit the Montreal Alliance to wrap up a three-game road trip before heading back to Vancouver. Next CEBL action Friday’s triple-header slate wraps up with the Winnipeg Sea Bears looking to end a four-game skid as they visit the Saskatchewan Rattlers 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 -

The Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday that they have signed forward Anthony Walker. The 6-foot-9 Baltimore native most recently played with BC Beroe of the Bulgarian NBL, where he averaged 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 29.5 minutes across 25 games during the 2024–25 season. Walker shot 58% from two-point range, 31.8% from three, and 81.2% from the free throw line, totaling 482 points, 182 rebounds, 29 steals, and 14 blocks. He led Beroe in scoring and emerged as one of the team’s most efficient offensive weapons in his rookie season. Walker began his pro career overseas after a five-year NCAA journey split between the University of Miami and Indiana University. He appeared in 158 games with 37 starts, averaging 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds across his collegiate career. His standout college campaign came in 2020–21, when he posted 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Hurricanes. At Indiana in 2023–24, he contributed 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 48.3% from the field, helping the Hoosiers throughout a competitive Big Ten season. Walker joins a strong Shooting Stars roster that includes returnees Kalif Young, Cat Barber, and NC State standout Terquavion Smith as the team looks to build momentum heading into the second half of the season. Scarborough currently holds a 7–7 record and returns to action tonight, Friday, July 11, for its first home game since June 22. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. against the Edmonton Stingers at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Tonight’s game also celebrates Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) Night, welcoming young athletes and community partners from across the province. The team will be back at home on Sunday, July 13, to take on Brampton in another key matchup for STC Day.  For more information on the team, tickets, and schedule, visit scarboroughshootingstars.ca. ### About the 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 73% of its rosters being Canadian and more than 10 players with NBA game experience in 2025. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by Tonybet, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . ###

It was a battle worthy of a championship rematch. And perhaps, even, a championship preview. In the end, the Niagara River Lions left no doubt they are coming for the CEBL crown once again. The River Lions beat the Vancouver Bandits 96-77 on Thursday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., in a contest pitting the top team in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences. Both squads entered on winning streaks — but only Niagara’s continued as the Rivers Lions earned their third straight victory and improved to 10-5 on the season. “We just haven't played to our potential yet, and we're starting to now,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said. “I mean, we defended with serious intensity. We took quality shots. We were on the same page. We won a rebounding battle. We had 25 assists and eight turnovers. Like, that was the best we’ve played.” Vancouver, meanwhile, saw its three-game run end to fall to 11-4. A closely contested game was blown open by Niagara in the third quarter with an 18-5 run to start the frame, pushing its lead to a game-high 14 points. Vancouver never got particularly close again. When Target Score Time rolled around, Niagara led by a massive 23-point margin at 87-64. The game ground to a bit of a halt with the clock off as a series of unsportsmanlike and technical fouls — plus ensuing reviews — lengthened what was essentially a done deal. After the final review, Niagara’s Eddie Ekiyor finally iced the game with a pair of free throws. “It was a battle, but our identity's effort and just trying hard. We got a lot of skilled guys, and we just worked as a team, right? We were very upset about our first loss with them. … So it's just that togetherness and we're proud of the outcome,” River Lions forward Elijah Lufile said. Niagara beat Vancouver 97-95 in the CEBL Finals last year for the franchise’s first-ever title. However, the Bandits got a measure of revenge early in the season with a 37-point blowout win in the rematch. In that game, the Bandits enjoyed a near-full roster while Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad, among others, was out for the River Lions. On Thursday, the roles were reversed. With Niagara boasting its top roster, Vancouver was without second-leading scorer Tyrese Samuel and sharpshooter Kyle Mangas, who are both competing at NBA Summer League. Still, the River Lions made sure they wouldn’t blow the opportunity against a short-handed Bandits team. “It's taken a long time for us to play really good basketball, and it's just the beginning of what we're capable of. I've been saying that this team's got a lot of potential to play well, and I think we saw tonight what it can look like when we're completely dialled in,” Raso said. It was a team effort for Niagara, who got contributions from up and down the lineup. Curry, in his third game back with Niagara, paced the River Lions with 20 points to go with seven assists and four rebounds. Ekiyor had 16 points and seven rebounds, while Lufile neared a double-double off the bench with eight points and 10 rebounds. Kimbal Mackenzie added 17 points and six rebounds. Leading scorer Khalil Ahmad has 13 points on five-for-nine shooting. “I think it was just a collective effort on the bench because you got all the guys on the bench clapping, just cheering the guys on the court, whether they make or miss a shot on defence,” Lufile said. “So I had that energy from the get-go. I knew exactly what my assignment was. So coming into the game, it was just a no-brainer.” Meanwhile, the Bandits struggled to get going offensively in their first game without the Canadian Samuel. Potential MVP candidate Mitch Creek struggled to the tune of 13 points on five-for-18 shooting, adding five rebounds and three assists. Zach Copeland led the way for Vancouver with 15 points despite making just two of 10 three-point attempts, and Corey Davis Jr., posted 14 points and six assists before being ejected in Target Score Time thanks to a pair of technical fouls. “Got a little out of control,” Copeland said. “We tried to scrap it out, grind it out, trying to make comeback, but it's tough team, so we couldn't pull it out.” Vancouver will now be back on the court in less than 24 hours as an Ontario road trip continues in Brampton on Friday before a trip to Scarborough on Sunday. Copeland said the team’s ball movement must improve in order to get the offence humming again. “I felt like it was kind of stagnant. They played good defence. They were in the gaps, but we got to drive the ball and get kickouts,” he said. In the first quarter, Niagara used a frame-ending 8-0 run to lead 20-17 after 10 minutes. Vancouver replied with a 12-0 run in the middle of the second as the teams traded blows, but the River Lions held a 40-39 advantage at halftime. In the third quarter, the River Lions widened the gap with an 18-5 start to the quarter. They led 67-56 after 30 minutes, and did not look back from there. Niagara and Vancouver will not see each other again in the regular season as they look to pave their paths to and through the playoffs. But, off course, a date in the Finals could still await. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600627 Up Next Vancouver’s Ontario trip heads to Brampton for a game against the Honey Badgers on Friday, while Niagara’s home stand continues against Brampton on Wednesday. Next CEBL Action In addition to Vancouver-Brampton on Friday, Scarborough hosts Edmonton and Winnipeg head west to face Saskatchewan. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Santa Fe, NM guard adds depth to the Rattlers backcourt

Evan Gilyard rayonnait après la rencontre. Lorsque la journaliste de terrain Heather Morrison lui a dit qu’il venait de battre un record de franchise avec une performance de 37 points — le plus grand nombre de points marqués dans un match — il avait l’air surpris. « Ahhh, on est en feu » a-t-il lancé. « Je savais qu’on devait rebondir après le dernier match qu’on a perdu, » faisant référence à la défaite de 113-90 contre leurs rivaux provinciaux, les Stingers d’Edmonton, au EXPO Centre. « Je pense qu’une grande partie de l’énergie du dernier match s’est transférée à celui-ci… On est sortis fort et on s’est battus. » Le Surge de Calgary a effacé un déficit de 13 points en première demie pour renverser l’Alliance de Montréal en deuxième, l’emportant 107-91. Alors que l’un des plus grands spectacles extérieurs au monde battait son plein à l’extérieur de l’aréna, Calgary a offert tout un spectacle à ses 6 954 partisans au Saddledome lors de la Soirée Stampede. Le match avait tous les ingrédients d’un affrontement télévisé à l’échelle nationale, avec Paul Jones et Rod Black à la description — deux visages bien connus du basketball canadien. L’affrontement était férocement disputé, opposant deux meneurs de petite taille mais très talentueux. Et sur la grande scène, Gilyard a prouvé qu’il pouvait faire encore mieux que Tavian Dunn-Martin (TDM). TDM a inscrit cinq tirs de trois points en première demie, lançant avec aisance — comme s’il jouait dans un parc. Mais Calgary a immédiatement répliqué au retour du vestiaire avec une poussée de 11-3. Gilyard a réussi un tir de trois points, Montréal a commis une perte de ballon, et Calgary en a profité pour marquer. Même si TDM a inscrit son sixième trois points, donnant l’impression d’un coussin de sécurité, Gilyard a répliqué du même coup, et un autre tir de trois points de Khyri Thomas a forcé Montréal à prendre un temps mort. Calgary ne tirait alors plus de l’arrière que par cinq points. Ce temps mort n’a pas ralenti l’élan du Surge, qui a dominé le troisième quart 39-15, mené par une performance magistrale de 21 points de Gilyard, qui a terminé le match avec une efficacité de 12 tirs réussis sur 23. Il a montré à la foule locale qu’il pouvait être encore plus électrisant que TDM. Après ce temps mort, Gilyard a enchaîné les tirs en suspension à mi-distance, puis un autre tir de trois points pour ramener le Surge à deux points. Greg Brown (23 points au total) a ensuite marqué un tir extérieur pour donner l’avance à Calgary — une avance que l’équipe n’a jamais laissée filer. Fait notable : même un geste technique écopé par Gilyard après un tir de trois points n’a pas ralenti l’intensité du Surge. Il a enchaîné avec un autre tir de trois points à 1:37 de la fin du troisième quart, donnant une avance de six points à Calgary — un tir aussi lointain que ceux de TDM en deuxième quart. Le favori des partisans, Sean « Rugzy » Miller-Moore, a lui aussi connu un match constant, terminant avec 23 points. Montréal a tenté de revenir en fin de match, mais c’était trop peu, trop tard. L’Alliance s’est rapprochée à dix points à l’approche de la période du pointage cible, mais Calgary a conclu le match sans difficulté. Montréal avait pourtant livré une prestation impressionnante au deuxième quart, dominant dans la clé et réussissant neuf tirs de trois points sur 13 en première demie. Avant de rentrer au vestiaire, l’entraîneur-chef du Surge, Kaleb Canales, a déclaré : « On les a laissés trop libres. 69 pour cent de réussite du centre-ville, c’est inacceptable pour nous. » TDM a marqué de partout — même en reculant hors de la clé pour réussir un tir de trois points pendant que deux joueurs du Surge tentaient de le contenir (Gilyard a d’ailleurs marqué un tir similaire au troisième quart, malgré une double couverture montréalaise). Comme elle l’a démontré toute la saison, l’Alliance ne dépendait pas uniquement de TDM. Le nouveau venu, Shamiel Stevenson, a attaqué le panier — sans réussite — mais un rebond offensif a mené à un tir de trois points de Malcolm Duvivier, qui a ensuite enchaîné avec un autre. Pendant que l’attention se concentrait sur TDM, Montréal a renversé le jeu de l’autre côté, trouvant Abdul Mohamed qui a lui aussi marqué du centre-ville. Montréal a pris son envol au deuxième quart quand Duvivier a effectué une passe en retrait vers TDM, qui a réussi un tir de très loin, gardant sa main levée pour que toute l’assistance du Saddledome en soit témoin. Même les bras tendus de Gabe Osabuohien n’ont pas réussi à le perturber. Le pointage était alors de 52-44, mais cette avance s’est rapidement évaporée en deuxième demie. Avec TDM sur le banc pendant la majorité du troisième quart, Gilyard et le Surge en ont profité pleinement — et ont gardé le contrôle du match. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600630 À venir pour les deux équipes L'Alliance de Montréal (fiche de 6-8) sera de retour à l'Auditorium de Verdun pour accueillir les puissants Bandits de Vancouver (11-3), meneurs au classement de la ligue, le dimanche 13 juillet. Le Surge de Calgary (10-5) poursuit sa route vers l’Est et affrontera les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan (4-11) au SaskTel Centre, le mardi 15 juillet. Prochain match dans la LECB Les Bandits de Vancouver (11-3), au sommet de la LECB, feront d’abord escale au Meridian Centre demain pour se mesurer aux River Lions de Niagara (9-5), l’une des meilleures formations de l’Est. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le site cebl.ca/fr-ca/games . - LECB -

Evan Gilyard was all smiles after the game. When sideline reporter Heather Morrison told him about his 37-point franchise-record breaking performance for most points in a game, he looked astonished. “Ahhh, we’re seeing red,” he said. “I knew that we had to have a bounce back game from the last game that we lost,” referring to the 113-90 loss against provincial rival Edmonton Stingers at the EXPO Centre. “I feel like a lot of that energy from the last game carried over…We came out and fought.” Calgary surged back from a 13-point first-half deficit and punched Montreal back in the second half en route to a 107-91 victory. While the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth was happening outside the arena, Calgary gave its 6,954 fans inside the Saddledome a treat on Stampede Night. The game had all the hallmarks of a nationally televised game as Paul Jones and Rod Black – two familiar faces in Canadian basketball – on the broadcast. The game was hyper-competitive with two elite undersized guards. On the big stage, Gilyard proved that what Tavian Dunn-Martin could do, the former could do better. TDM buried five three-pointers in the first half, tossing up shots – and making them – as if he were casually shooting at the park. Calgary, however, instantly punched back after halftime, making a 11-3 run. Gilyard hit a triple, Montreal turned the ball over, and Calgary capitalized by running out and scoring. Though TDM hit his sixth triple in what briefly seemed to be a buffer builder, Gilyard answered back with a triple and Khyri Thomas’ three-pointer forced Montreal to take a timeout. Calgary suddenly trailed by five points. The timeout did little to stop the bleeding as Calgary would dominate the third 39-15, led by Gilyard’s miraculous 21-point third quarter extravaganza on 12-for-23 shooting. He showed the home crowd he was even more electrifying than TDM. After the timeout, Gilyard hit some mid-range jumpers, a triple to inch within two points before Greg Brown (game total 23 points) hit one of his own to give Calgary a one-point lead and the team never looked back. Most notably, the tide had swung so much in Calgary’s favour that Gilyard’s technical after his three-pointer did little to stop his team’s relentless surge. He hit another triple with 1:37 left in the third to give Calgary a six-point lead, a triple as deep as TDM’s second quarter threes. Fan favourite Sean “Rugzy” Miller-Moore also had a consistent scoring night, finishing the game with 23 points. Montreal tried to punch back towards the end of the game, but it was too little, too late. They got within 10 points by Target Time, but Calgary easily put the game away. Montreal had an extremely strong showing in the second quarter. They pounded the ball inside and went nine-for-13 from downtown in the first half. Before the second half, Calgary Surge head coach Kaleb Canales said, “We just let them get loose. 69 per cent from three is just not a good number for us.” TDM splashed threes from everywhere and even flew out of the paint to hit one as two Surge players came out to the perimeter to contest (Gilyard also made a similar triple in the third quarter as two Alliance players came to blitz him). As Montreal has shown throughout the season, they didn’t have to solely rely on TDM. Newcomer Shamiel Stevenson attacked the hoop and missed, but an offensive board led to a three-pointer by Malcolm Duvivier, who then splashed another one. When so much focus went into stopping TDM, Montreal went to the second-side, swinging the ball to Abdul Mohamed who splashed a triple of his own. Montreal made their surge in the second quarter when Duvivier made a pitch pass to TDM who nailed a deep three, and kept his shooting hand suspended for all in the Saddledome to see. Even Gabe Osabuohien’s outstretched hands didn’t phase him. The score was 52-44, but that lead quickly disappeared in the second half. With TDM out for most of the third, however, Gilyard and the Surge took full advantage and never looked back. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600630 Up next for both teams The Montreal Alliance (6-8) return to Verdun Auditorium and host the league-best Vancouver Bandits (11-3) on Sunday, July 13. The Calgary Surge (10-5) stampede east to face the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-11) at SaskTel Centre on Tuesday, July 15. Next CEBL action The league-best Vancouver Bandits (11-3) face the best of the East. They head to Meridian Centre tomorrow to play the Niagara River Lions (9-5). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Alors que les nuages couvraient le ciel de Brampton mercredi, il pleuvait des tirs de trois points à l’intérieur du CAA Centre. Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa ont égalé un record de franchise avec 17 tirs de trois points réussis dans une victoire convaincante de 101-73 face aux Honey Badgers. Ottawa en a inscrit 11 en deuxième demie seulement, terminant le match avec un différentiel de +7 au chapitre des tirs de trois points, tout en maintenant une efficacité de 54 % du terrain. Grâce à cette victoire, les BlackJacks portent leur fiche à sept victoires et sept défaites, à égalité avec les Shooting Stars de Scarborough pour le deuxième rang de l’Est, à deux matchs des River Lions de Niagara. De leur côté, les Honey Badgers glissent à 4-11 et restent à la dernière position dans la conférence. Javonte Smart a mené la charge avec 28 points, un sommet du match, réussissant quatre de ses six tentatives derrière l’arc. Depuis l’arrivée de l’arrière américain, les BlackJacks présentent une fiche de 5-1. Isaih Moore a aussi brillé avec un doublé de 17 points, 13 rebonds et six passes décisives, réussissant huit de ses 11 tirs du match. Deng Adel et Zane Waterman, ce dernier en sortie de banc, ont chacun ajouté 17 points et inscrit cinq tirs de trois points. Ensemble, le duo a affiché une efficacité de 10 en 15 derrière l’arc. Keevan Veinot a complété la performance offensive d’Ottawa avec 12 points et huit passes décisives, réussissant cinq de ses sept tirs du match. « On a connu une excellente deuxième demie. C’est vrai qu’on a bien tiré, mais la vraie différence a été notre défense, » a affirmé Deng Adel après la rencontre. « On a mieux égalé leur intensité et contenu leurs meilleurs marqueurs. » Chez les Honey Badgers, David Muenkat a été le meilleur marqueur avec 16 points et sept rebonds, dans une troisième défaite consécutive pour Brampton. Quinndary Weatherspoon a ajouté 14 points, alors qu’Amari Kelly et Bryson Williams ont terminé avec respectivement 11 et 10 points. « Ottawa a enchaîné plusieurs tirs de trois points au troisième quart, et c’est vraiment là que le match a basculé, » a commenté l’entraîneur-chef Sheldon Cassimy. « Parfois, ils avaient des tirs ouverts, parfois c’étaient des tirs difficiles. Ils étaient tout simplement en feu… c’est littéralement là que le match s’est joué. » Les affrontements entre rivaux de conférence ne sont jamais faciles, surtout quand une équipe, comme Ottawa, a remporté les deux premiers matchs de la série avec une moyenne de 17,5 points d’écart. Mercredi, Brampton semblait déterminé à changer le scénario. La première demie a donné lieu à 12 changements de l’équipe en avance au pointage, sans qu’aucune ne parvienne à creuser un écart de plus de six points. Les BlackJacks ont connu une poussée de 8-0 en milieu de deuxième quart, immédiatement suivie d’une réplique de 10-0 par les Honey Badgers. Après une demie très serrée, marquée par un tir de trois points d’Adel juste avant le buzzer et un pourcentage identique de 51 % des deux côtés, Brampton est rentrée au vestiaire avec une mince avance de 45-42. Les Honey Badgers ont alors brillé défensivement, forçant 12 pertes de ballon d’Ottawa en première demie, dont huit dans le deuxième quart seulement — une équipe qui n’en commet en moyenne que 14,7 par match. Cela leur a permis de dominer la bataille de la possession et de marquer 14 points sur pertes de ballon contre sept. Mais cette tendance n’a pas duré, les BlackJacks ne concédant que trois pertes de ballon en deuxième demie. « À la mi-temps, on s’est dit deux choses : élever notre niveau défensif, et protéger le ballon, » a expliqué l’entraîneur Dave DeAveiro. « Je trouve qu’on a fait du bon boulot sur ces deux aspects après la pause. » Puis, le troisième quart a tout changé. Les BlackJacks ont surclassé Brampton 32-13 dans le quart, grâce à une avalanche de tirs de trois points. Après en avoir inscrit six en première demie, Ottawa en a ajouté huit au troisième quart seulement. Adel a pris les choses en main avec quatre tirs de trois points réussis dans le quart, marquant 12 points pour effacer une première demie discrète de seulement trois points. « Deng est très lucide sur son jeu, » a souligné DeAveiro. « Il avait pris seulement quatre tirs en première demie et savait qu’il devait en prendre plus. Il a joué avec plus d’énergie, plus d’initiative, et a laissé le jeu venir à lui. » Juste derrière lui, Waterman a inscrit deux tirs de trois points en fin de troisième quart, contribuant à une poussée de 12-0 des BlackJacks qui leur a permis de prendre les devants 74-58 avant le début du quatrième. Son deuxième panier à longue distance était son 100e en saison régulière dans la LECB, faisant de lui seulement le 15e joueur à atteindre ce plateau. « Notre énergie a chuté en deuxième demie, » a avoué Muenkat. « On n’a pas su répondre à leur poussée tardive… ils se sont mis à tout réussir et ça a changé tout le momentum. » L’avance d’Ottawa n’a cessé de croître à partir de là, grimpant à 92-68 au début de la période du pointage cible. Moore a ensuite complété la victoire de la Journée des camps en inscrivant un lancer franc, dans un quatrième quart où il a marqué neuf points, devant les 2 641 spectateurs présents. Les deux rivaux de l’Est ne tarderont pas à croiser le fer à nouveau, alors que leur quatrième et dernier affrontement de la saison régulière aura lieu dans moins de deux semaines, le 21 juillet, à Ottawa. Les BlackJacks tenteront alors de balayer la série. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600625 À venir Les Honey Badgers restent à Brampton, où ils accueilleront les Bandits de Vancouver vendredi, meneurs de l’Ouest — un match revanche de dimanche dernier, lorsque Vancouver s’était imposé de justesse par trois points. De leur côté, les BlackJacks d’Ottawa profiteront d’une pause prolongée avant de retrouver l’action le 17 juillet à domicile contre les Stingers d’Edmonton, qui affichent présentement une séquence de cinq victoires consécutives. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Le programme double du mercredi reprend avec le tout premier match du Stampede au Scotiabank Saddledome, alors que l’Alliance de Montréal rend visite au Surge de Calgary pour une confrontation inter-conférences à 21 h 30 HNE / 19 h 30 locale. Pour le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB ainsi que les résultats à jour, veuillez visiter cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

While the clouds were outside in the Brampton area on Wednesday, it was raining threes inside the CAA Centre as the Ottawa BlackJacks tied a franchise-record with 17 made triples en route to a 101-73 win over the Honey Badgers. The BlackJacks made 11 of those long-balls in the second half, finishing plus-seven on made triples overall while converting on a 54 per cent clip for the game as they improved to 7-7 on the season — tied with the Scarborough Shooting Stars for second in the East and two games back of the Niagara River Lions. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers fell to 4-11 and remain at the bottom of the conference. Leading Ottawa’s three-point onslaught was Javonte Smart, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 4-of-6 shooting from distance as the team improved to 5-1 since adding the import guard. Behind him was Isaih Moore with 17 points, 13 rebounds and six assists on 8-of-11 from the field. Deng Adel and Zane Waterman (off the bench) each chipped in 17 points as the forward duo also each knocked down five threes, respectively, going a combined 10-of-15. Meanwhile, Keevan Veinot added 12 points and eight assists while going 5-of-7 from the field. “It was a great second half, we obviously shot the ball well, but I think the main difference in the second half was just defending (better),” Adel said after the win. “We did a good job of matching their intensity and stopping their main scorers.” On the other side, David Muenkat’s 16 points and seven rebounds led the way as Brampton lost its third game in a row. Quinndary Weatherspoon added 14 points while Amari Kelly and Bryson Williams rounded out the double-digit scoring efforts with 11 and 10 points apiece. “Ottawa made a lot of threes in the third quarter and that kind of just opened up the game,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said. “Sometimes it was making open shots, other times it was tough shots, they just had it rolling … that was literally the game right there.” Conference rivalry games are never supposed to be easy, especially when one team has taken the first two of four matchups by an average of 17.5 points, like Ottawa had. Something Brampton appeared determined to change on Wednesday, as they kept things much closer early on. The first half between the East rivals saw 12 lead changes as neither team carved out a lead larger than six points, despite the BlackJacks going on an 8-0 run mid-way through the second, to which the Honey Badgers responded with a 10-0 charge of their own. Once the dust settled on an opening half that fittingly saw both teams shoot an identical 51 per cent from the field, and was capped off by an Adel triple right before the buzzer , Brampton held on for a 45-42 lead. That narrow edge was largely thanks to their efforts defensively as the Honey Badgers forced 12 BlackJacks turnovers in the first half, eight in the second quarter alone, from a team that entered the day averaging 14.7 per game. That disruptive play not only won Brampton the first-half possession battle, it also earned it a 14-7 edge on points off turnovers. That trend wouldn’t continue, however, as the BlackJacks only gave the ball away three times the rest of the way. “The two things we talked about at halftime were turning things up on defence, and then taking care of the ball,” Ottawa head coach Dave DeAveiro said post-game. “I thought we did a really good job in those two areas in the second half.” And then the third quarter happened. A frame in which the BlackJacks outscored the Honey Badgers 32-13 after Ottawa caught fire from beyond the arc. The same team that made six threes in the opening half drilled eight triples in the third quarter alone. Leading that charge was Adel, who hit four shots from beyond the arc as he scored 12 points in the third to more than remedy a quiet first half with just three points. “Deng has great self-awareness,” DeAveiro explained. “He had four shots in the first half (he knew) he needed to take more shots … he played with a lot more bounce, a lot more step and let the game come to him.” Right behind him was Waterman, who’s two triples towards the end of the third not only contributed to a 12-0 BlackJacks run en route to a 74-58 lead before the fourth, but also marked his 100th regular-season three-point make all-time. The sharpshooter was just the 15th player in CEBL history to reach that mark. “Our energy kind of died down in the second half,” Muenkat said after the loss. “We weren’t able to have a response to their late-game push … they just really got hot, which kind of tilted the momentum.” Ottawa’s lead only ballooned from that point, leading 92-68 at the start of Target Score Time before Moore wrapped up the Camp Day win in front of the 2,641 in attendance with a make at the charity stripe as part of nine points in the fourth quarter. It won’t be long before the East rivals square off again, as they’ll run it back for their fourth and final regular-season matchup in less than two weeks (July 21) when the BlackJacks host the Honey Badgers with hopes of sweeping the series. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600625 Up next The Honey Badgers stay put in Brampton as they get set to host the West-leading Bandits on Friday — a rematch from Sunday when Vancouver held on for a three-point win. Meanwhile, the BlackJacks get an extended break as they’ll return on July 17 when they host the red-hot Edmonton Stingers, winners of five straight. Next CEBL action Wednesday’s double-header slate resumes with the first-ever Stampede Game at Scotiabank Saddledome as the Montreal Alliance visit the Calgary Surge for a cross-conference clash 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 -