Honey Badgers Look to Maintain BCLA Winning Streak at Home as Action Kicks off at CAA Centre in Brampton

A huge week of basketball kicks off in Brampton on Tuesday. An all-Canadian roster for the Brampton Honey Badgers will represent Canada and play host to the Basketball Champions League Americas third window in Brampton at the CAA Centre this week.

The Honey Badgers will face Nicaragua’s Real Estelí today at 8 p.m. ET before also taking on Mexico’s Libertadores on Thursday, February 9 (also at 8 p.m. ET) with all of the action being broadcast live on NBA TV Canada. The games will also be livestreamed internationally on CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+.

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The all-Canadian roster that will compete in the third window of the BCLA features Canadian talent from across the country in a showcase of CEBL talent ahead of the league’s fifth season which will tip-off on May 24. 

The BCLA brings together 12 teams representing seven different countries in the Americas. Brampton is representing the CEBL in the event after winning the 2022 CEBL Championship. This tournament features all 12 teams competing over four months for a chance to win a berth to the 2024 FIBA International Cup.

Though the Honey Badgers are still looking for their first BCLA victory in this year’s competition, they will look to maintain an undefeated BCLA record for a CEBL team after the Edmonton Stingers won both their games last season in Calgary.

With 10 of the 11 players in this window’s Honey Badgers roster having previous experience in the CEBL, this collection of players speaks to the depth of basketball talent in Canada. This window is extra special for Brampton natives Alex Campbell, Jahvon Blair and Sean Miller-Moore, who have participated in the previous two windows and will now represent Canada on home soil with friends and family present.

Kitchener’s Murphy Burnatowski joins the Brampton trio in their third BCLA window this year, along with Winnipeg native Chad Posthumus and Toronto natives Jaylen Babb-Harrison and Shane Osayande.

Montreal will be represented by Kemy Osse and Alain Louis who will make their BCLA’s debut after playing for the Montreal Alliance during the 2022 CEBL season. Toronto native Daniel Walden-Mullings will also be making his BCLA debut after playing for the Niagara River Lions this past CEBL season. The lone player on Brampton’s roster without CEBL experience is Toronto’s Elijah Lufile who comes to the Honey Badgers after spending time with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League where he was coached by Canadian Scott Morrison earlier this year.

CEBL Commissioner and co-founder Mike Morreale recently spoke with Eric Smith and Paul Jones on the Smith and Jones Podcast about the continued growth of the league shortly after it was announced that Morreale had signed a new six-year contract extension. “I'm blessed to be part of the CEBL and be part of the creation of it,” Morreale said. “We’re still scratching the surface [of what’s to come.]”

As Morreale spoke about the success of the league through its first four seasons, he explained the importance of not just creating a domestic league for Canadian talent but providing an opportunity to play at home that doesn’t rule out playing elsewhere as well.

“We structured our league to play at a time when we had access to the best available players,” he said.  “That’s in spring and summer, opposite the [NBA’s] G League, opposite the NBA, opposite the major international leagues. Our ability to hone in on that particular time [has allowed the CEBL] to create a pathway to success, which we’ve been able to do, mostly through the players and their talent level. Nine guys in the last 12 months signing NBA contracts, we’ve created this pathway.”

During the first two BCLA windows this winter, Brampton has been coached by Honey Badgers lead assistant Sheldon Cassimy as head coach Ryan Schmidt has been unavailable due to commitments with the British Basketball League. On Monday, Brampton announced that Schmidt had resigned his position with the club due to scheduling conflicts with the BBL, where he led the London Lions to a BBL Championship last week. In addition to coaching the Honey Badgers to a CEBL Championship in 2022 and being named CEBL Coach of the Year, 30 of Schmidt’s CEBL players went on to ink pro contracts immediately following their time with him. 

“I would like to thank Honey Badgers president John Lashway and general manager Jermaine Anderson for giving me the opportunity to begin my career as a professional head coach and for their support and friendship,” Schmidt said. “It’s rare in pro sports for three people in our roles to work together so well and to share common beliefs about organizational culture and values. “I would like to thank our players, coaches and staff that have made the past three years so enjoyable and unforgettable. They’re exceptional people. And I would like to thank the CEBL and its staff for providing a platform where coaches and players can further develop to reach their next level. This has been an incredible experience for which I will always be grateful.”

Morreale spoke about Schmidt’s success with the BBL while speaking with Smith and Jones, highlighting the many avenues and opportunities that the CEBL provides for Canadians in sport, beyond just the players suiting up on the hardwood.

“It’s not just the coach, the GM, the player,” Morreale said. “It’s the player, the support staff, the trainer, the broadcaster. You don't have to look much further than Jevohn Shepherd who took this opportunity and has parlayed it into bigger and better things. Joel Anthony, Jermaine Anderson, that's just scratching the surface of people that didn’t get the opportunity to play in a domestic league when they came through the ranks but are back now, giving that opportunity to a new group of people. 

Proof of that ever-growing ecosystem will be on display at the CAA Centre in Brampton on Tuesday night as Brampton’s all-Canadian BCLA’s roster seek victory at home.