Everything you need to know about the Award Races in the CEBL

July 10, 2023
Zulfi Sheikh (

As the CEBL’s regular season inches closer to its conclusion, and teams gear up for playoff basketball, conversations around hardware have started to get louder. With a season where parity seems more prevalent than ever, it’s only fitting that awards races have the same feeling.


Candidates for the league’s major awards have come from teams all over the league, as players have made an impact in all sorts of ways. These are some of the frontrunners in each category – according to me – and what fans need to know about their seasons. 


Canadian Player of the Year


Kadre Gray – Ottawa BlackJacks

The Laurentian University product has been one of the league’s most consistent players on one of the strongest teams this season. His 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.3 steals a night have helped the BlackJacks – at the time of writing this – to a league best 10-5 record and the CEBL’s longest win streak (six games). In his third CEBL campaign, Gray has not only been a great facilitator, leading the league in dimes, he’s also been one of the most efficient scorers. The Toronto, Ontario, native is top-10 for three-point and free throw percentage, averaging 42 and 78 per cent a game, and is also top-20 with his 50 per cent shooting from the field. 


To put his numbers into context even further, Gray has also been the only mainstay at guard for Ottawa’s starting lineup. While other players have fluctuated up and down the roster, he’s been asked to take on a majority of the playmaking responsibilities in his 32 minutes of action, also top 10 in the league.


Simi Shittu – Calgary Surge

The Surge’s big man has helped the relocated franchise to the second-best record in the West and one of the top defenses in the league. One of the only players in the CEBL averaging a double-double, the Burlington, Ontario, native has been putting up 15.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and a block a game. He’s also been the league’s leader in both total and average rebounds, the only player in the CEBL currently averaging double-digit boards a night.


Calgary started the season 3-0 with the help of Shittu, and currently hold a 7-7 record, taking wins off the top teams in both conferences.


Koby McEwen – Brampton Honey Badgers

The league’s current Sixth Man of the Year has taken on a greater role for the defending champion Honey Badgers and his impact on the court has reflected that. In his second CEBL season the Toronto, Ontario, native has been putting up 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists a night, a year-over-year increase across the board. The guard has also been top-10 in assists, minutes (32), and free throw percentage (85.7).


His team has struggled for parts of the season, currently holding a 5-8 record but the guard has been one of the constants for the squad as McEwen leads the team in games played, assists, and, minutes, as they look to fight back into the post-season to defend their title. 


Honourable mentions: Sean Miller-Moore (CLG), Nathan Cayo (MTL), Thomas Kennedy (SCR), and Eddy Ekiyor (NIA)


U Sports Player of the Year


Diego Maffia – Vancouver Bandits

The sixth overall pick in the 2023 CEBL U Sports draft, Maffia has been making strides for his hometown Bandits all season. He’s started in four of his nine games played this season and, in those contests, Maffia has averaged 7.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on 17 minutes of action.


Despite being a rookie, the University of Victoria product has been integral for his team’s campaign. He’s top five on the Bandits in points, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and assists. He’s put up double-digits in four games this year, with his best performance coming against the conference leading Winnipeg Sea Bears when he put up 20 points and three assists on over 50 per cent shooting from the field and 40 per cent from distance.


Simon Hildebrandt – Winnipeg Sea Bears

Also playing for his hometown team, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the first overall pick in the 2023 U Sports draft has been a steady contributor in his role off the bench. Hildebrandt has played in all 14 of the Sea Bears’ games, notching a solid 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds for the conference leading Sea Bears.


The forward’s best game of the season just happened on July 8, against the Edmonton Stingers when he put up 19 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes of action.


Elijah Miller – Edmonton Stingers

Despite leaving the Stingers most-recent game with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury, Miller has been one of the brightest young players this season. The Toronto, Ontario, native has played in 14 games till this point and started in nine of them for Edmonton, playing around 20 minutes a night.


In his first real season playing in the CEBL, after playing in just two games a year ago, Miller is averaging 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, three assists, and a steal per game. Before going down, the University of Prince Edward Island product had been playing some of his best basketball all season. He hit double figures in six of his last eight games and put up a season high stat-line of 21 points, six rebounds, and seven assists on July 1, against the Vancouver Bandits.


Coach of the Year


James Derouin – Ottawa BlackJacks

After serving as interim head coach for the BlackJacks since June of last year, Derouin took over the role permanently for this season. A native of Ottawa, he’s helped build the squad into an Eastern Conference powerhouse. The BlackJacks are top-three in the league in points, field goal and three-point percentage, and assists, making them the first team this year to reach 10 wins.


Sitting with an impressive 10-5 record at this point, it might’ve seemed hard to believe three weeks ago when the team was just 4-5 and fighting at the bottom of the conference. Derouin has completely turned the team’s fortunes around, building a team around his two stars in Kadre Gray and Deng Adel, filling the rest of the lineup with shooters, and creating a team built for modern basketball.


Mike Taylor – Winnipeg Sea Bears

In the team’s first season, as the newest expansion franchise to join the CEBL, head coach Taylor has led the squad to a roaring start. His team currently has a 9-5 record, earning sole possession of first place in the Western Conference. Despite having no continuity with roster, or coaching staff, with it being their first year, Taylor has established one of the best offenses in the league and helped unlock a star in Teddy Allen. 


The Sea Bears are the second-best scoring team in the league (90.1 PPG), and one of just two squads averaging over 90 points a game. They’re also top-three in three-point percentage, rebounding, and the CEBL’s most disciplined squad with the lowest turnover rate by any team at 11.4 a game. The Sea Bears are the only team this season to have two separate win streaks lasting at least three games, as they’ve remained at the top of the conference the entire campaign.


Derrick Alston Sr. – Montréal Alliance

Alston Sr.’s case for the award is more unique in that his team hasn’t had a dominant record like some of the other candidates. However, he has taken an Alliance squad that won just four games in their first season a year ago, and he’s led them to a higher win total through seven less games as they currently have a 6-7 record.


The NBA experienced coach has also kept his team afloat despite a myriad of injuries to key contributors. He’s lost four players to injuries, three of which were starters, and none more notable than Blake Francis. The guard was a top-five scorer in the league, putting up over 20 points in four of his seven games played prior to injury and was carrying much of the team’s load offensively. He led the team with 35 minutes of action a night, and after losing Francis, Alston Sr. has still been able to find a way for his team to succeed. They’ve been 4-2 since, pushing out of last place in the East and in the mix for playoff contention for the first time in the franchise’s history.


Sixth Man of the Year


Jelani Watson-Gayle – Winnipeg Sea Bears

Straight out of the BBL and into the CEBL, the import has been one of the most dynamic players this season, leading the league in scoring off the bench. Watson-Gayle has played in 14 games for the Sea Bears, all of which have been off the pine, where he’s averaged 13.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and one steal a game.


The Fresno Pacific product has scored over 10 points in all but three of Winnipeg’s games this season. Not only has he been an elite scorer off the bench, he’s also been one of the best shooters in the CEBL all together. Watson-Gayle leads the league with his 50.7 per cent shooting from beyond the arch, seven per cent higher than the next closest player. His lights out play from distance and punch off the bench have been vital for the Sea Bears as a top squad in the West, as he’s been top-three on the team in points, field goal and three-point percentage, and assists, in his 23 minutes of action a night. 


Michael Nuga – Saskatchewan Rattlers

Despite the Rattlers struggles this season, Nuga’s contributions are still worth mentioning. When it comes to an award like sixth man, the records don’t count as much as the individual contributions of the player do. The Toronto, Ontario, native has put up an average of 12.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds for Saskatchewan.


In just his second season in the CEBL, Nuga has more than doubled his totals and is playing nearly 27 minutes a night. He’s top-three on the team for points, field goal percentage, three-point makes, and assists. He may be the most consistent of the candidates as the guard has scored 10 or more points in all, but one of his 12 games played this season.


Adika Peter-McNeilly – Edmonton Stingers

A veteran of the CEBL, having played in the league in all five years it has existed, Peter-McNeilly has remained a top sixth man candidate throughout his time. In his 21 minutes of action a game this season, the Toronto, Ontario, native is averaging 9.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.


His play off the bench has helped the Stingers remain relevant in a tough Western Conference as he’s top five on the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Similarly, to Watson-Gayle, the guard has scored in the double figures in all but three games, having put up a season-high 15 points in two different games.


Honourable mentions: Eddy Ekiyor (NIA), Thomas Kennedy (SCR)


Defensive Player of the Year


Thomas Kennedy – Scarborough Shooting Stars

This may come as a surprise for a player that’s only started in four games, but the University of Windsor product has been a force off the bench. He may be part of the second unit, but he plays 24 minutes a night and is currently the only player in the league in the top-10 for both average steals (1.6) and blocks (1.1) a game.


His play has helped lead a Shooting Stars team that is in the top-half of the league for blocks a game and leads the league with 9.9 steals on average. Despite coming off the pine, Kennedy is often guarding the other team’s best forward, doing everything he can to limit their production. If the numbers weren’t proof enough of that, his game-winning steal against MVP candidate Deng Adel that then led to his viral game-winning dunk ought to help strengthen his case. 


E.J. Onu – Niagara River Lions

The league’s current Defensive Player of the Year has made a strong case for back-to-back seasons taking home the award. His River Lions have been one of the league’s best defensive teams, averaging a CEBL best 5.1 blocks a night, largely due to the play of Onu down the middle.


He’s averaging two blocks on his own, the only player currently doing so, and he recently hosted a block party against the defending champion Honey Badgers where he rejected five shots. Niagara with the help of Onu have gone on a four-game win streak where they’ve limited opponents to 80.2 points a game in that span. Through 15 games so far this season, opponents of the River Lions have managed to score 90 or more points just four times.


Maxime Boursiquot – Ottawa BlackJacks

In a league where dynamic guards seem to reign supreme, a player whose job it is to guard them every night deserves to be highlighted. Boursiquot is one of the most versatile defenders in the league, having demonstrated an ability to guard all five positions on the court.


His numbers may not jump out, averaging 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks per game, but if you consider the success, he’s had against some of the best scorers in the league, you can see why his case has merit. The forward out of Ottawa has held players like Justin Wright-Foreman, Khalil Ahmad, and Christian Vital to a combined average of 34 per cent shooting and some of their lowest scoring outputs this entire season. During the team’s six-game win streak, they’ve held teams to just 83.3 points a game, and during that stretch they’ve limited Niagara and Winnipeg – the only two teams scoring more than 90 a night – to below their season averages, and Boursiquot has been a major catalyst of that.


Most Valuable Player


Teddy Allen – Winnipeg Sea Bears

An import from Phoenix, Arizona, Allen has been in the running for the award since the season got underway. The guard has been putting up 25.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals a night, as he’s led the Sea Bears to the top record in the Western Conference. 

His numbers are all over the CEBL’s statistical leaderboard as he’s second in scoring, sixth in rebounding, sixth in free throw percentage, third in three-point makes, and doing all of this while leading the league with his 36 minutes of play a night. During his campaign Allen has also etched his name into the CEBL history books, tying two league records. He dropped 42 points against the Shooting Stars on June 3 to tie the league record for points in a game, and not even two weeks later he tied the CEBL record for threes made in a game when he splashed nine in a victory against the Honey Badgers.


Cat Barber – Scarborough Shooting Stars

The NBA experienced guard’s season has been a model of consistency. In his third year in the CEBL, Barber is putting up his best numbers yet, tallying 21.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, with two steals a night. He’s third in the league in scoring, ninth in assists, third in steals, seventh in three-point makes, and fifth in average minutes. 


Coming into the season, the Shooting Stars were expected to be led by a guard duo of Barber and Jalen Harris, but with the latter having only played in three games, much of that responsibility was thrusted onto the shoulders of the Hampton, Virginia, native. After starting the season 1-4 and on the verge of losing the reigns on their season, Barber helped lead the Shooting Stars to a 6-2 record since as they’ve kept pace with the rest of the conference and currently sit in third in the East.


Deng Adel – Ottawa BlackJacks

Adel has been a Swiss-army knife for the BlackJacks, doing just about everything you could ask for out of one player. He joined the team four games into the season after finishing up commitments overseas, and in that time, the big man has averaged 16.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists, while shooting over 40 per cent from the field and distance. He’s outside of the top-10 in scoring, but the former Cleveland Cavalier is sixth in assists, ninth in defensive rebounds, and 10th in minutes per night.


He's been the arguably the best player on the best team, and his fingerprints have been all over the squad’s success. He’s top-five for the squad in points, rebounds, assists, three-point makes, and percentage. He’s passed the 20-point mark in five of his 11 games played, putting up a season 25 points in the team’s win over one of the other favourite’s, Allen and the Sea Bears as part of Ottawa’s six-game win streak.


Honourable mentions: Justin Wright-Foreman (SSK), Khalid Ahmad (NIA), Kadre Gray (OTT)


A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball. The CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

Honey Badgers Ink CEBL-Experienced Guard Carr

June 17, 2025
The University of Texas product and Canadian National Team guard appeared in six games last summer with Vancouver.

La bataille de l’Alberta débarque à Red Deer alors que la saison bat son plein

By Myles Dichter • June 17, 2025
Les partisans de basketball à Red Deer, Alberta, auront droit à tout un spectacle jeudi. La Bataille de l’Alberta se transporte au centre de la province alors que les Stingers d’Edmonton affrontent le Surge de Calgary au Westerner Park Centrium de Red Deer (19 h 30 HR / 21 h 30 HE, LECB+, TSN+). Il s’agit du tout premier match de la LECB disputé à Red Deer, et tout indique que ce sera un affrontement électrisant. Les Stingers arrivent forts de deux victoires à leurs trois derniers matchs, propulsés par un duo de meneurs en feu : Sean East II et Scottie Lindsey. East II, recrue de la LECB, s’impose déjà comme un sérieux candidat au titre de joueur par excellence. Il occupe le troisième rang au chapitre des points par match (24,4) tout en menant la ligue avec un impressionnant 52,8 % de réussite au tir de trois points (minimum de sept tentatives). De son côté, Lindsey, vétéran de trois saisons dans la ligue, commence à trouver son rythme à Edmonton. À 29 ans, il a enchaîné trois matchs consécutifs de 20 points, après un début de saison plus discret. Durant cette séquence, il a réussi 13 de ses 29 tirs de trois points, offrant ainsi une option offensive complémentaire à East II. Malgré tout, avec une fiche de quatre victoires et six défaites, les Stingers sont déjà engagés dans une lutte serrée pour une place en séries éliminatoires dans l’Ouest, surtout que le Surge de Calgary trônent parmi les deux premières positions avec une fiche de sept victoires et deux défaites. Calgary se classe troisième au classement général pour les points marqués et concédés, tout en dominant la ligue au chapitre des rebonds et des vols par match; des indicateurs d’une équipe bien équilibrée. Tout comme les Stingers, le Surge s’appuient sur un duo formé d’un jeune et d’un vétéran : Greg Brown III et Sean Miller-Moore. Brown III, à sa première saison dans la LECB, mène son équipe avec 20,3 points et 8,1 rebonds par match, tandis que Miller-Moore, à sa troisième saison avec Calgary, le suit de près avec 19,6 points par match. Calgary a battu Edmonton 86-84 lors du match d’ouverture, leur seul affrontement en saison régulière cette saison. Le chapitre II se jouera donc à Red Deer. Une autre journée à cinq matchs Le 6 juin, pour la première fois de l’histoire de la LECB, les dix équipes ont joué le même jour. Et voilà que ça se répète, un peu plus de deux semaines plus tard. Le dimanche promet d’être spectaculaire avec cinq matchs au programme, dont deux duels très attendus entre puissances de conférence. Les River Lions de Niagara, champions en titre et meneurs dans l’Est, accueilleront les Shooting Stars de Scarborough (fiche de 4-4) pour lancer cette journée de basketball. La défense du titre des River Lions de Niagara connaît un départ irrégulier, entre succès serrés et revers marquants, un écart global de moins 30 points en témoigne. Mais l’équipe semble se stabiliser avec le retour récent de Jahvon Blair, pendant que Khalil Ahmad maintient un niveau de jeu de calibre MVP et que Ahmed Hill, meilleur marqueur de l’histoire de la LECB, retrouve peu à peu son tir. Scarborough, après un départ canon de trois victoires en trois matchs, a perdu quatre de ses cinq derniers affrontements. Ce match à domicile contre Niagara pourrait être un tournant de saison : une victoire pourrait raviver l’élan, tandis qu’une autre défaite soulèverait davantage de doutes. Plus tard dans la journée, les deux meilleures formations de l’Ouest se retrouveront alors que le Surge de Calgary recevra les Bandits de Vancouver Calgary est la seule équipe à avoir battu Vancouver cette saison, avec une victoire dont l’écart de 15 points a surpris bien des gens. Attendez-vous donc à ce que les Bandits arrivent prêts pour la revanche. Le centre australien Mitch Creek continue de mener Vancouver, mais il est bien épaulé par l’ailier Tyrese Samuel, natif de LaSalle (Québec), qui affiche une moyenne de doublé avec 19,3 points et 10,5 rebonds par match. Horaire de la semaine (11 matchs) Match #45 – Mercredi 18 juin – SSS à MTL – 19 h 30 HE – Auditorium de Verdun (Game+, RDS, LECB+, TSN+) Match #46 – Jeudi 19 juin – EDM à CGY – 19 h 30 HR / 21 h 30 HE – Westerner Park Centrium (LECB+, TSN+) Match #47 – Vendredi 20 juin – MTL à NRL – 11 h HE – Meridian Centre (LECB+, TSN+) Match #48 – Vendredi 20 juin – OTT à SSS – 19 h 30 HE – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (LECB+, TSN+) Match #49 – Vendredi 20 juin – SSK à BHB – 20 h HE / 18 h HC – CAA Centre (Game+, LECB+, TSN+) Match #50 – Vendredi 20 juin – WPG à VAN – 19 h HP / 21 h HAC / 22 h HE – Langley Events Centre (LECB+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #51 – Dimanche 22 juin – NRL à SSS – 14 h HE – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (LECB+, TSN+) Match #52 – Dimanche 22 juin – OTT à BHB – 14 h 30 HE – CAA Centre (LECB+, TSN+) Match #53 – Dimanche 22 juin – SSK à MTL – 15 h HE / 13 h HC – Auditorium de Verdun (LECB+, TSN+, RDS.ca) Match #54 – Dimanche 22 juin – VAN à CGY – 14 h HR / 13 h HP / 16 h HE – WinSport Event Centre (LECB+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #55 – Dimanche 22 juin – WPG à EDM – 16 h HR / 17 h HAC / 18 h HE – Edmonton EXPO Centre (LECB+, TSN+) Pour consulter l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB, visitez lecb.ca/games.

Battle of Alberta Heads to Red Deer as Schedule Heats Up

By Myles Dichter • June 17, 2025
Basketball fans in Red Deer, Alta., are in for a treat on Thursday. The Battle of Alberta will meet in the middle as the Edmonton Stingers face the Calgary Surge at Red Deer’s Westerner Park Centrium (7:30 p.m. MT / 9:30 p.m. ET, CEBL+, TSN+). It’s the first time a CEBL game will take place in the Alberta city, and it promises to be a good one. The Stingers enter having won two of their past three games and with an offence that is heating up on the backs of guard duo Sean East II and Scottie Lindsey. East II, the CEBL rookie, has established himself as an early MVP contender, sitting third at 24.4 points per game while leading the league with a 52.8 three-point percentage (minimum seven attempts). Lindsey, meanwhile, is a three-year CEBL veteran who is beginning to find his footing in Edmonton. The 29-year-old has put up three straight 20-point games after a slow start to the season while making 13 of 29 three-point attempts over that span to provide a secondary scoring jolt next to East II. But at 4-6, the Stingers find themselves in an early dogfight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference — especially as the 7-2 Surge sit comfortably in the top two. Calgary stands third overall in points for and against while leading the league in both rebounds and steals per game — all signs of a well-rounded team. Like the Stingers, the Surge have been buoyed by a rookie and a veteran in Greg Brown III and Sean Miller-Moore. In his first CEBL season, Brown III leads the team with 20.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while Miller-Moore — in his third season with the Surge — is second in scoring at 19.6 points per game. Calgary beat Edmonton 86-84 in a season-opening thriller — the lone matchup between the Alberta rivals this season. Now, they’ll take Part II to Red Deer. Another Five-Game Day On June 6, for the first time in CEBL history, all 10 teams played on the same day. Now, just over two weeks later, it’ll happen again. Sunday’s quintuple-header is highlighted by a pair of high-powered conference showdowns. The defending champion and East-leading Niagara River Lions host the 4-4 Scarborough Shooting Stars to tip off the full day of basketball. Niagara’s start to its title defence has been uneven, mixing close wins with big losses as evidenced by its minus-30 point differential. But it could begin to round into form with the recent return of Jahvon Blair. Meanwhile, Khalil Ahmad continues to perform at an MVP-like level and CEBL all-time leading scorer Ahmed Hill appears to be finding his stroke over the past few games. Scarborough, on the other hand, opened its season 3-0 but has since lost four of five. The home game against the River Lions could be pivotal for the Shooting Stars’ season — with a win a launching point for success and a loss further creating doubt. Later, the top two teams in the West will duke it out when the Surge host the Bandits. Calgary handed Vancouver its lone loss of the season — a somewhat stunning 15-point romp — and so the Bandits can be expected to come out firing in the rematch. Australian big man Mitch Creek has once again led the way for the Bandits, but fellow forward Tyrese Samuel of LaSalle, Que., has aided the cause by averaging a double-double of 19.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest. Other contests on Sunday’s five-game slate include Ottawa (2-6) at Brampton (2-7), Saskatchewan (2-7) at Montreal (4-2) and Winnipeg (4-5) at Edmonton (4-6). Buckle up. Weekly schedule (11 games) Game #45 – Wednesday, June 18 - SSS at MTL – 7:30 p.m. ET – Verdun Auditorium (Game+, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #46 – Thursday, June 19 – EDM at CGY – 7:30 p.m. MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – Westerner Park Centrium (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #47 – Friday, June 20 – MTL at NRL – 11 a.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #48 – Friday, June 20 – OTT at SSS – 7:30 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #49 – Friday, June 20 – SSK at BHB – 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CST – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #50 – Friday, June 20 – WPG at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. CDT / 10 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #51 – Sunday, June 22 – NRL at SSS – 2 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #52 – Sunday, June 22 – OTT at BHB – 2:30 p.m. ET – CAA Centre Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #53 – Sunday, June 22 – SSK at MTL – 3 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CST – Verdun Auditorium (CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca) Game #54 – Sunday, June 22 – VAN at CGY – 2 p.m. MT / 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #55 – Sunday, June 22 – WPG at EDM – 4 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

Brown III, Nelson Jr. Push Surge Past Shooting Stars

By Dillon White • June 15, 2025
A combined 58 points from Greg Brown III and Jameer Nelson Jr. propelled the Calgary Surge past the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday (June 15). The Surge weathered a late push from the Shooting Stars and buried a trio of long-range jumpers in Target Score Time to earn a 94-80 victory at WinSport Event Centre. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said his squad responded with “championship poise” to finish the game while praising the performances of Brown III and Nelson Jr. “[They were] just unbelievable today. They've been unbelievable for us the whole season. Just really proud of those two guys and really proud of our group. But obviously Jameer is our PG one. He sets the tone for us on both ends, he's a two way player, and so is Greg,” Canales said. Despite playing the bulk of the game in foul trouble, Brown III led all scorers and notched a CEBL career-high with 30 points while staying perfect at the line with nine free throws. Brown III credited his teammates for putting him in the right situations to score. “I kind of struggled coming out the game – just missing layups that I normally make – so my teammates just kept believing me, and just kept giving me the rock. And then it just turned on and kept clicking,” Brown III said. Nelson Jr. found a variety of ways to score, showcasing acrobatic finishes, a dangerous midrange jumper, and pinpoint shooting from beyond the arc. The former TCU guard netted 28 points to go along with four steals in the win. “I felt like offensively, I was efficient and defensively, I forced a lot of turnovers. I made it hard for who I was guarding, so I think I affected the game equally, offensively and defensively,” Nelson Jr. said. On an off night from the field, Sean Miller-Moore rounded out the Surge attack with 18 points Donovan Williams paced the Shooting Stars’ offence with 26 points after just two points in the opening quarter. Big man Hason Ward chipped in with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Cat Barber was limited to just six points on two-for-nine shooting. Calgary led by as much as 22 in the second half, but Scarborough managed to narrow the deficit to two points before the Surge closed it out in Target Score Time. “A lot of energy we expelled trying to come back, we kind of ran flat when it was actually time to win,” Williams said. Turnovers made the biggest difference in the contest, with Scarborough’s 22 giveaways leading to 27-16 points-from-turnovers advantage for Calgary. “You dig yourself a 22-point hole and you have to waste all your energy coming back and you don’t have any left at the end,” Shooting Stars’ head coach Michael De Giorgio said. “I’m happy they didn’t lay down and quit … we showed how we reacted well to [adversity], I just wish there was some more fight prior.” Both teams came out firing from deep to start the game. The Surge and Shooting Stars traded blows — with four lead changes and three ties — before the game settled into a defensive struggle. Nelson Jr. was the star of the show in the opening frame, scoring in a variety of ways with long-range shooting, floaters, a lefty layup and a back-to-the-basket finish. The Calgary defence held the Scarborough to no field goals in the last six minutes to head into the second quarter with a 20-14 lead. Ward ended the drought with a putback to start the second quarter for Scarborough, but Adelodun quickly responded with a triple. Calgary maintained its lead throughout the quarter, and a buzzer-beating trifecta from Olumide Adelodun bounced in to send the Surge into halftime up 48-39. Calgary came out firing to start the second half with a 9-1 run that forced a De Giorgio timeout. Nelson Jr. and Brown III continued to cook offensively for the Surge, extending the lead to 22 – Calgary’s largest of the afternoon. From there, the Shooting Stars pushed their way back into the game with a 15-0 run that featured a pair of trifectas from Williams and closed the gap to seven points. However, four straight points from Miller-Moore, including a buzzer-beating three on the run, extended the advantage back to double digits. Scarborough’s Ward proved difficult to deal with in the paint, delivering emphatic dunks and strong finishes at the rim, and helping to reduce the deficit to just two points. The Surge responded with a run of their own to go ahead 85-78 heading into Target Score Time. The combination of Brown III and Nelson Jr. made quick work of Target Score Time, with Nelson Jr. drilling a pair of wing threes before Brown III put the finishing touches on the win with a triple of his own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600594 Up next for both teams Calgary hosts Edmonton in another Battle of Alberta on Thursday (June 19) at Westerner Park Centrium, while Scarborough wraps up a three-game road trip in Montréal on Wednesday (June 18). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Ahmad propulse les River Lions vers une victoire de justesse contre les BlackJacks

By Alex Lough • June 15, 2025
Freiné en début de match en raison de problèmes de fautes, Khalil Ahmad a fait ce qu’il fait de mieux : prendre le contrôle au moment le plus crucial. Le joueur par excellence de la LECB en 2022 a inscrit 11 de ses 21 points au quatrième quart et durant la période du pointage cible pour mener les River Lions de Niagara à une victoire de 90-89 contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa. Ahmed Hill et Nathan Cayo ont chacun ajouté 13 points. Hill a aussi capté neuf rebonds tandis que Cayo a terminé avec cinq rebonds et cinq passes décisives. « Je savais qu’il allait finir par débloquer », a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef Victor Raso à propos de son joueur vedette. « Mais on ne pouvait tout simplement pas le garder sur le terrain à cause de ses fautes. Il a pris sa troisième et sa quatrième avec six minutes et demie à jouer au troisième quart. On l’a remis avec huit minutes à faire, puis on essayait de le sortir lors des possessions défensives. Mais il est resté concentré. Khalil est un joueur très solide dans cette ligue. C’est frustrant de l’affronter parce qu’il est physique. J’étais fier de la façon dont il a gardé son sang-froid en fin de match, et il a finalement réussi le lancer franc de la victoire. » « Parfois je pense à l’utiliser comme leurre, me dire : “Allons ailleurs.” Mais ensuite je me dis : “T’es fou, Khalil marque tout le temps.” Ce n’est pas lui qui a inscrit tous les points dans la période du pointage cible, mais il avait le ballon dans les mains et a pris de bonnes décisions. Il règle les choses. » Les River Lions ont frappé fort dès le départ, terminant le premier quart avec une avance de 30-14 grâce à 14 rebonds et en limitant Ottawa à cinq tirs réussis sur 16. Les BlackJacks ont riposté au deuxième quart avec une poussée de 24-16 pour réduire l’écart à six points, mais Niagara est rentré au vestiaire avec une avance de 51-44. « On a simplement ajusté quelques éléments en défense », a expliqué l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro. « Parfois, en tant qu’entraîneurs, on complique les choses inutilement. On a gardé ça simple en deuxième demie, et les gars ont vraiment haussé leur niveau d’intensité. » Malgré la défaite crève-cœur, plusieurs joueurs des BlackJacks se sont illustrés. Isaih Moore a récolté 23 points – dont 15 au deuxième quart – en plus de capter 16 rebonds, terminant à un seul du record de l’équipe en saison régulière. Il s’agissait de son retour au jeu depuis sa blessure du 21 mai. Rudi Williams a inscrit 14 points en sortie de banc, tandis que Tyrell Tate a réussi quatre tirs de trois points sur huit tentatives pour un total de 12 points. De son côté, Justin Jackson, pour son premier départ de la saison, a frôlé le doublé avec sept points et neuf rebonds. Zane Waterman faisait ses débuts avec les BlackJacks dimanche après-midi, lui qui avait passé les trois dernières saisons avec les Honey Badgers, remportant un titre en 2022. Il a impressionné son nouvel entourage avec 16 points et huit rebonds en sortie de banc. « Zane apporte une certaine robustesse, comme on l’a vu au rebond, et du tir extérieur qu’on cherchait », a dit DeAveiro à propos de sa nouvelle acquisition. « Le défi, c’est de jongler avec la règle qui permet seulement trois joueurs internationaux sur le terrain en même temps. Trois matchs sur la route sans Moore… peut-être que si on l’avait eu, l’issue aurait été différente. Il a un tel impact. Son retour, combiné à l’arrivée de Waterman, ne peut que nous aider. » « C’était plaisant de jouer avec ce groupe », a partagé Waterman. « Ça faisait trois ans que je les affrontais et j’aimais bien leur style. Ce fut agréable d’enfin jouer avec eux. On a manqué de peu, mais on a livré un gros match. Ça aurait pu aller dans un sens comme dans l’autre. Les gars m’ont très bien intégré. Certains soirs, c’est ton match. Ce soir, c’était le mien, mais j’aurais aimé qu’on reparte avec la victoire. »  Les BlackJacks ont continué à gruger l’écart avec une séquence de 16-4 en fin de troisième quart, réduisant l’écart à un seul point. Un panier de Waterman à 8:10 du quatrième quart leur a permis de prendre leur première avance du match, qu’ils ont poussée jusqu’à huit points avant de mener 81-76 à l’entrée de la période du pointage cible. Malheureusement pour l’équipe locale, le scénario a ressemblé à celui du match d’ouverture contre Niagara. « On le répète tout le temps : on doit s’améliorer en période du pointage cible », a dit Moore. « Il faut apprendre à finir nos matchs. C’est là-dessus qu’on doit progresser. » « C’est une vraie rivalité », a-t-il ajouté. « Nos trois derniers matchs contre Niagara se sont décidés par trois points ou moins. L’alley-oop d’Ahmad l’an dernier, une défaite de deux points pour commencer la saison, et maintenant une défaite d’un point. On ne peut pas faire plus serré. Il n’y a pas de matchs nuls. Il faut commencer à gagner ces matchs-là. Trois points, deux points, un point… ça fait mal. Un point, c’est difficile à avaler. Je vais y penser toute la journée. » Avec cette victoire, les River Lions portent leur fiche à 2-0 cette saison à Ottawa. Les BlackJacks, eux, tombent à 1-2 à domicile. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600588 Prochains matchs pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa reprendront la route pour affronter les Shooting Stars de Scarborough le 20 juin. Ce même jour, les River Lions de Niagara seront de retour à la maison pour accueillir l’Alliance de Montréal. À venir dans la LECB Le 18 juin, l’Alliance de Montréal recevra les Shooting Stars de Scarborough. La rencontre sera diffusée sur Game+, RDS, CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Sea Bears Outlast Rattlers for Third Straight Win in Father’s Day Matinee

By Zulfi Sheikh • June 15, 2025
Stars know how to respond, and Jalen Harris showed how bright his game can be. After his quietest outing of the year — four points on 1-for-10 shooting — the import guard bounced back with a season-high 32 points as he led the Winnipeg Sea Bears (4-5) to a 91-84 win over his former Saskatchewan Rattlers (2-7) at the Canada Life Centre on Sunday. Harris’s buckets weren’t only plentiful, finishing a lights-out 7-of-10 from distance, they were also timely. Whether it was an and-one finish to give Winnipeg some breathing room when Saskatchewan pushed a once 16-point gap down to two right before Target Score Time, or his five points — capped off by a game-winning dunk — to seal the Sea Bears' third-straight win, the star guard routinely answered the call. “He was extra motivated,” Winnipeg head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said post-game. “His family arrived (for Father’s Day) and this is a former team of his … I had a feeling Jalen was going to have a big game today. “We knew at some point he was going to get it going. It was really a difference in the game.” Behind Harris’s heroics was Simi Shittu as he chipped in 18 points and 11 rebounds, his first double-double for Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Terry Roberts proved why he ranked sixth in the CEBL for assists entering the day, finishing with 10 dimes to go with his 15 points. Jaylin Williams did his part as well, scoring eight points with seven rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. The Rattlers have now lost three straight despite multiple strong efforts on Sunday. Jamir Chaplin led the way, finishing with 22 points with four triples to go with four rebounds and three steals. Behind him were Cody John and Nate Pierre-Louis who scored 20 and 19 points, respectively, and Jaden Bediako who added a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double. Taylor made one thing abundantly clear about Sunday’s matchup before tip-off: “It’s always a rivalry.” And the Father’s day matchup proved as much, the Western Conference foes spending the majority of the opening quarter deadlocked before a Kyler Filewich putback gave Winnipeg the lead in the waning moments and rewarded Roberts’ early effort — the import scored 11 points in the opening frame on a perfect 3-for-3 start from the field and 4-for-4 from the line. Not to be outdone, however, John matched Roberts’ 11 first-quarter points as he started 4-for-4 with three made triples, blowing kisses to the 9,620 in attendance after each deep make. His lone miss of the first — a side-step three-point attempt at the buzzer — proved to be the difference as his Rattlers trailed 25-24 after the first. Then came Harris’s turn to catch fire, single-handedly scoring Winnipeg’s first 14 points of the frame after a torrid 4-for-4 stretch from beyond the arc and a precursor of what was to come. The former NBAer helped the Sea Bears build their lead up to 49-43 at the break. “It was due time,” Harris said after the win. “The past few games I hadn’t been really getting a feel for it, but I got a couple easy ones early (on Sunday) and it helped me get in a rhythm.” Underscoring Winnipeg’s first-half lead was a heightened level of urgency on the glass, something Taylor emphasized entering the matchup. The Sea Bears held a 25-20 rebounding lead after 20 minutes, namely their nine offensive boards (plus-three) leading to a plus-seven edge (16-9) for second-chance points at the break. “What killed us was the offensive rebounds,” Bediako said after the loss. “Something to look back on in the tape and clean things up … we need to be the aggressive team. Winnipeg went on to finish with 50 rebounds (plus-nine), a more inspiring effort than the 39 they averaged entering Sunday, which ranked seventh in the CEBL. Again, most of their impact was on the offensive glass, finishing with 17 on that end and earning a 31-13 advantage on second-chance points for the game. “It’s really been a point of emphasis for us,” Taylor explained on his team’s improved rebounding. “That’s a testament to the players. When you get guys committing to the details and physical stuff like that, it’s really going to help your team.” Meanwhile, Harris didn’t stop there, his fifth triple of the day at the 1:44 mark of the third gave the Sea Bears the first double-digit lead — a margin they held and built to 72-59 after 30 minutes. The Rattlers did respond, however, going on an 11-0 run in the fourth as they cut their deficit to just 82-79 when Target Score Time got underway. Erasing what was once a 16-point deficit was in large part thanks to Chaplin — Saskatchewan outscored Winnipeg 20-10 prior to the clock stopping on the back of his 11 points. Saskatchewan’s comeback didn’t get any closer as the team was held to just one field goal and a couple free throws throughout Target Score Time. Fittingly, it was Winnipeg’s inspired effort on the offensive glass, from a team that entered the day ranked second last in that regard, which helped seal the victory. Roberts corralled a Tevian Jones miss from deep and astutely found Harris (who had also crashed in looking for a rebound) wide-open underneath the basket for a game-sealing slam. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600591 Up next The Rattlers return to the court on Friday, taking on the Brampton Honey Badgers (2-7) in the second contest of a three-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Sea Bears depart Winnipeg and begin a two-game stretch of away games, starting with a road matchup against the West-leading Vancouver Bandits (8-1) on Friday. Next CEBL action Sunday’s CEBL triple-header wraps up with a rematch of 2023’s Championship Final between the visiting Scarborough Shooting Stars and Calgary Surge at 4:00 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Ahmad, River Lions Finish Strong to Take Down BlackJacks

By Alex Lough • June 15, 2025
Limited early in the game thanks to foul trouble, Khalil Ahmad did what he seemingly always does and turned it on when it mattered most. The 2022 CEBL MVP scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Target Time to lead his team to a 90-89 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. Ahmed Hill and Nathan Cayo added 13 points each, with the former adding nine rebounds and the latter grabbing five boards and dishing out five assists. “I thought that he was bound to get going,” Niagara head coach Victor Raso said of his star player. “But we just couldn’t get him any minutes because he was getting into foul trouble and then he picked up his third and fourth with six and a half minutes to go in the third quarter. So, we put him in with eight minutes left and were trying to take him out on defensive possessions, but he just stuck with it. Khalil is a very good player in this league, and it’s a frustration experience for him and to play against him because he is so physical. I was proud that he kept his composure down the stretch and ultimately made the free throw for the win.” “Sometimes I do want to use him as a decoy. I have those thoughts of, “Okay, let’s go somewhere else’. But then I’m like, ‘You’re an idiot. Khalil scores all the time’. He didn’t score all the points in target time, but he did have the ball in his hands and he was making good decisions. Can I use him somewhere else or do I just get him the ball? He tends to get things done.” The River Lions came out hot and finished the first quarter with a 30-14 lead, thanks largely to their 14 rebounds and holding the BlackJacks to 5-of-16 from the field. Ottawa answered strongly in the second quarter, going on a 24-16 run to cut the lead to as little as six before Niagara went into halftime up 51-44. “We just changed a few things on defense,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said post game. “Sometimes as coaches you complicate things when you don’t need to. Just kept in simple in the second half and guys really stepped up and played a lot harder. We made the change, and I thought our guys did a tremendous job.” Despite the disappointing outcome, of number of players on the BlackJacks had standout performances. Isaih Moore had 23 points – including 15 in the second quarter – and added 16 rebounds, finishing one shy of the team regular season record in his first game since suffering an injury on May 21. Rudi Williams had 14 points off the bench and Tyrell Tate went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc to finish with 12. In his first start of the season, Justin Jackson finished just shy of a double-double, with seven points and nine rebounds. Zane Waterman made his BlackJacks debut Sunday afternoon after spending the previous three seasons with the Honey Badgers franchise, winning a title in 2022. He impressed the coaching staff with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench. “Zane adds a toughness, you saw of that today on the rebounding, and some shooting that we needed,” DeAveiro said of his new additions. “The hard part is figuring out the rule where you can only play three imports at a time and juggling that and making that work. You saw; three games on the road without (Moore). Maybe if he plays in those games it’s a different outcome. He’s just an impact guy like that. Having him back – and the addition of Waterman – will only make us better.” “It was nice to play with these guys,” Waterman said of his new squad. “I’ve played against them for three years and I really like their game, so it was nice to play with them for once. Came up short, but we played a really good game. It could have gone either way. It’s a credit to these guys. They helped me fit in well. Some nights it’s going to be your night. Tonight it was for me personally, but I wish we could have got the win.” The BlackJacks continued to crawl back into the game, going on a 16-4 run at the end of the third to close the gap to one. A Waterman basket at the 8:10 mark of the fourth quarter saw the team take their first lead of the game, a lead they would extend to as much as eight before being up 81-76 going into Target Time. But unfortunately for the home team, things played out much like they did when the squads faced each other in Ottawa’s season opener. “Something we’ve been preaching out here is that we have to get better at Target Time,” Moore said. “We got to finish games. He have to finish basketball games. We have to get better at finishing games.” “It’s a rivalry,” he added. “Last three games against Niagara have all been decided by three points. The lob from Khalil Ahmed last year, lost by two at the start of the year, and now lost by one. It doesn’t get closer than one point in this game. There’s no ties. Now we have to win. Three points, two points, one point; we have to win. It’s always going to be a good game against Niagara, it’s always going to be hard fought game to the end like that. But we have to get a win. One point. That hurts. I’m going to think about that all day.” The win improved Niagara to 2-0 in Ottawa this season. The BlackJacks fell to 1-2 at home on the year. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600588 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks hit the road once again to face the Scarborough Shooting Stars on June 20. On the same day, the River Lions will return to Niagara to host the Montreal Alliance. Next CEBL action On June 18, the Montreal Alliance will host the Scarborough Shooting Stars, streaming on Game+, RDS, CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Surge Add Forward Boakye to Roster

June 15, 2025
The Calgary Surge have added another physical big man to their roster, signing Canadian center Enoch Boakye for the 2025 CEBL season. Boakye, a 6’11”, 255-pound Brampton, ON native, brings elite rebounding instincts, shot- blocking ability, and physical toughness to Calgary’s lineup. He most recently suited up for Villanova University in the 2024-25 season, where he started all 36 games and helped lead the Wildcats to the College Basketball Crown (CBC) semifinals. Boakye averaged 4.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game, while shooting an efficient 65.9% from the field. His season was highlighted by a double-double performance of 11 points and 11 rebounds against UCF in the tournament semifinal game. Before transferring to Villanova, Boakye played for Fresno State during the 2023-24 campaign, posting 7.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the Mountain West Conference. A former top high school prospect, Boakye represented Canada at the international level and was widely recruited for his defensive prowess, strength, and upside as a rim protector. “Enoch immediately alters the game with his rare combination of length and physicality,” said General Manager Shane James. “He controls the paint on both ends—securing boards, protecting the rim, and powering us through contact. Adding him to our frontcourt gives us another dominant interior presence we’ve been seeking.” “I’m honoured to join an organization already chasing championships and eager to contribute wherever I can,” said Boakye. “Calgary’s energy is electric, and I can’t wait to connect with fans and immerse myself in this vibrant community.” Boakye becomes the latest addition to a growing list of high-level collegiate and pro talent joining the Surge for 2025 as the team prepares for another deep CEBL run. Tickets for the Calgary Surge’s ‘TRILOGY’ season are now available at calgarysurge.ca . This season includes regular season games at WinSport Event Centre and marquee events at the Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer (June 19) and the Scotiabank Saddledome (July 9 & August 10).  ### About the Calgary Surge The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). From day one, the Surge have been committed to being the Home Team for Calgary and a space where everyone is welcome. The Calgary Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over two seasons, the Surge have made back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023, hold the league’s single-game attendance record, and have sent over 4000 deserving kids and families to their games for free. Fans can expect even more excitement for 2025! For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca. About the Canadian Elite Basketball League 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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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+ , TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .

Les Bandits comblent un déficit de 20 points et l’emportent face à l’Alliance

By Par l’équipe de la LECB • June 15, 2025
Vancouver a signé une impressionnante remontée samedi (14 juin) au Langley Events Centre, dans un duel entre les meneurs des deux conférences de la LECB. Derrières par 20 points en première demie, les Bandits ont enchaîné une troisième victoire consécutive grâce à une poussée de 15-0 au quatrième quart. Curtis Hollis a livré des tirs clés, pendant que Mitch Creek et Shamar Givance ont multiplié les finitions près du cercle dans la clé. L’entraîneur-chef de Vancouver, Kyle Julius, a souligné que certaines possessions au troisième quart ont changé la dynamique. « On n’arrêtait pas de se répéter de gruger l’écart, possession par possession. On parlait de l’impact qu’une seule possession peut avoir sur l’issue d’un match », a affirmé Julius. Creek a mené l’attaque des Bandits avec 30 points, un sommet dans le match, en plus de capter sept rebonds. Hollis a ajouté 18 points, dont le tir de la victoire. « Je savais qu’il nous fallait un panier de plus. Les gars m’ont laissé libre toute la soirée, je ne sais pas trop pourquoi. Mon défenseur est encore allé en aide et m’a laissé ouvert. Shamar m’a fait une passe décisive parfaite, et il ne me restait qu’à rentrer le tir », a raconté Hollis. James Karnik et Corey Davis Jr. faisaient leur première apparition de la saison dans l’uniforme de Vancouver, marquant chacun neuf points. Julius a admis que l’intégration de nouveaux joueurs en cours de saison représente un défi. « La chimie d’un vestiaire, c’est fragile. Tu construis ton attaque et ta défense autour d’un groupe précis, et dès que tu changes des pièces, ça peut perturber ton système. Alors oui, il faut ajuster beaucoup de choses dans la semaine », a-t-il expliqué. Du côté de Montréal, le garde Tavian Dunn-Martin a été difficile à contenir malgré une deuxième demie plus difficile pour son équipe. Il a terminé le match avec 20 points, dont quatre tirs de trois points, réussissant huit de ses 13 tentatives de tirs du terrain. « On s’est contentés de trop de tirs de trois en deuxième demie. On n’a pas attaqué le panier, on n’est pas allés à la ligne. Puis ils ont couru en transition, ils ont rentré leurs tirs, et nous, non », a mentionné Dunn-Martin. L’Alliance de Montréal avait pourtant pris le contrôle tôt dans le match, réussissant 70 % de ses tirs au premier quart, ce qui a forcé les Bandits à jouer du basketball de rattrapage. L’entraîneur-chef de l’Alliance, Jermaine Small, a souligné le manque de rebonds en deuxième demie, tout en gardant confiance. « Faut comprendre que ça se joue sur 40 minutes. On a très bien commencé, puis on a ralenti un peu. C’est une bonne leçon… Le basketball, c’est un long match. Je ne suis pas inquiet », a-t-il dit. Montréal a débuté la rencontre avec une séquence de 14-4, conclue par deux tirs de trois points consécutifs d’Anthony Walker et de Quincy Guerrier. Mitch Creek a gardé Vancouver dans le coup grâce à trois deuxièmes efforts offensifs. L’attaque montréalaise était en feu dans les 10 premières minutes, terminant le quart avec une poussée de 13-3, ponctuée par deux dunks de Michael Diggins Jr. et un tir profond de trois points de Dunn-Martin, pour porter la marque à 32-15. Guerrier a marqué sur un lancer franc et un layup en rotation pour porter l’avance de l’Alliance à 20 points au début du deuxième quart, mais Vancouver a riposté en transition pour réduire l’écart. Montréal a répliqué avec un autre tir de trois points de Dunn-Martin et un tir du coin de l’ancien Bandit Malcolm Duvivier. L’attaque montréalaise s’est refroidie vers la fin de la demie, et Vancouver en a profité pour réduire l’écart à moins de dix points, grâce à une poussée de 9-2, portant la marque à la mi-temps à 48-41 en faveur de Montréal. Le troisième quart a été défensif, les deux équipes étant limitées à moins de 15 points. Les Bandits ont égalé le score pour la première fois du match grâce à une poussée de 11-2, pendant que l’Alliance n’a réussi aucun tir. Mais Montréal a repris l’avantage grâce à deux tirs consécutifs de trois points signés Guerrier et Dunn-Martin. L’Alliance menait 62-56 après trois quarts. Dunn-Martin a ajouté un autre tir de loin en début de quatrième pour ramener l’écart à deux chiffres. Mais les Bandits ont démontré leur résilience avec une énorme séquence de 15-0, leur permettant de passer en tête pour la première fois du match. Alain Louis a rentré quelques tirs de trois points importants dans les dernières minutes, mais un panier avec faute de Creek a donné l’avance à Vancouver 80-77, alors que le pointage cible était fixé à 89. Guerrier a ouvert la période du pointage cible avec un dunk en transition, mais Davis Jr. a répliqué avec un tir de trois points, suivi d’un jeu à trois points de Creek, puis d’un panier en transition de Givance qui a amené Vancouver à un point de la victoire. Finalement, Curtis Hollis a conclu la remontée avec un tir en attrapé depuis l’aile, scellant la victoire des Bandits, qui améliorent leur fiche à huit victoires et une défaite. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600585 À venir pour les deux équipes L’Alliance de Montréal sera de retour à l’Auditorium de Verdun ce mercredi 18 juin pour un match revanche face aux Shooting Stars de Scarborough. De son côté, les Bandits de Vancouver poursuivront leur séjour à domicile en accueillant les Sea Bears de Winnipeg le vendredi 20 juin. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Ce dimanche, la LECB présente un programme triple : les River Lions ouvriront la journée face aux BlackJacks à Ottawa, suivis des Rattlers qui rendront visite aux Sea Bears, avant que les Shooting Stars concluent leur voyage avec un arrêt à Calgary. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 et les résultats à jour, rendez-vous au cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

Bandits Complete 20-Point Comeback to Down Alliance

By CEBL Staff • June 15, 2025
Vancouver emerged victorious over Montréal in a battle between the best of both conferences on Saturday (June 14) at Langley Events Centre. The Bandits stormed back from a 20-point deficit in the first half to earn their third straight victory. A timely 15-0 run in the fourth quarter propelled the Bandits to the comeback, featuring clutch shooting from Curtis Hollis, along with inside finishing from Mitch Creek and Shamar Givance. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said certain possessions in the third quarter set the tone for the comeback. “We just kept talking about chipping away, and we talked a lot about the power of one possession and how it can change a game,” Julius said. Creek paced the Bandits’ attack with a game-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds. Hollis added 18 points, including the game-winner. “I knew we had to get one more bucket. I knew the guys were helping off me all game, which I really don't know why, but I saw he helped off me, and Shamar made a great pass and I just had to make a shot,” Hollis said. James Karnik and Corey Davis Jr. also made their season debuts for Vancouver, adding nine points each. Julius said incorporating new faces mid-season can be a challenge. “The chemistry of a locker room is fragile. You build your offence around a particular group, you build your defense around a particular group, and when certain pieces change, it can affect your scheme. And so, yeah, you have to tweak things all week,” Julius said. Meanwhile, Montréal guard Tavian Dunn-Martin proved difficult to stop despite second-half struggles as a team. He netted 20 points with four threes on eight-of-13 shooting overall. “We settled for too many threes [in the second half]. We didn't attack the basket … didn't get to the line. Then they got out in transition and made shots, and we didn't,” Dunn-Martin said. Montréal seized control early on, shooting 70 per cent from the field in the first quarter and forcing the Bandits into catch-up mode. Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said his squad was outrebounded in the second half but expects to get better from the loss. “You have to understand that you've got to play a 40-minute game. We got off to a really good start [and] obviously we tapered off a little bit. But it's just a good lesson … basketball is a long game, so I'm not worried about it,” Small said. Montréal began the game on a 14-4 run that culminated in back-to-back threes from Anthony Walker and Quincy Guerrier. Creek showed off his rebounding ability on the offensive glass, keeping the Bandits in the contest with three putbacks. However, the Alliance offence was on fire in the opening 10 minutes. Montréal closed the quarter on a 13-3 run, highlighted by a pair of Michael Diggins Jr. slams and a deep trifecta from Dunn-Martin, to take a 32-15 lead into the second. Guerrier connected on a free throw and a spin layup to extend Montréal’s lead to 20 early in the second before Vancouver went on a quick run fueled by transition finishes to narrow the gap. However, the Alliance stayed hot with another deep triple from Dunn-Martin and a corner three from former Bandit Malcolm Duvivier. The red-hot Montréal offence cooled off to end the half and Vancouver took advantage, closing the deficit to single digits by halftime at 48-41 with a 9-2 run. The third quarter turned into a defensive battle, with neither team scoring more than 15 points. The Bandits fought back to tie the game for the first time since the opening tip, powered by an 11-2 run in which the Alliance didn’t connect on a field goal. However, long-range shooting put Montréal back in front with back-to-back threes from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin. The Alliance carried a 62-56 advantage into the fourth quarter. Dunn-Martin continued to showcase his range with another deep three early in the fourth to bring the Alliance lead back to double-digits. But the Bandits demonstrated their resilience with a massive 15-0 run that put the home squad in front for the first time all game. Alain Louis made some clutch trifectas ahead of the final stretch, but a Creek and-one put Vancouver ahead 80-77 with an 89-point Target Score. After Guerrier kicked off scoring in Target Score Time with a transition slam, Davis Jr. buried a three, Creek got the hoop and the harm, and Givance scored in transition to put Vancouver one point away from victory. Hollis connected on a catch-and-shoot from the wing to complete the comeback and improve the Bandits’ record to 8-1. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600585 Up next for both teams Montréal returns to Verdun Auditorium on Wednesday (June 18) for a rematch with the Scarborough Shooting Stars, while Vancouver turns its attention to another home game against the Winnipeg Sea Bears next Friday (June 20). Next CEBL action Sunday sees a CEBL triple-header with the River Lions kicking things off against the Black Jacks in Ottawa, followed by the Rattlers visiting the Sea Bears and Shooting Stars wrapping up a road trip in Calgary. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
More Posts