L'Alliance fait l'acquistion du meneur d'elite Dunn-Martin

Bourcier has appeared in 65 games across five seasons in the CEBL

Pour la toute première fois, les 10 équipes de la LECB seront en action ce vendredi. On peut s’attendre à une journée de basketball bien remplie : des moments intenses pendant la période du pointage cible, des performances individuelles électrisantes, et bien plus encore. Et oui, ce sera beaucoup de basketball. Pour vous préparer à plus de cinq heures consécutives d’action de la LECB, voici un aperçu rapide de chaque match au programme vendredi. Shooting Stars de Scarborough (3-0) c. River Lions de Niagara (3-2) — 19 h HE, CEBL+, TSN+ Ce n’est que le début de la saison, mais ces deux équipes pourraient bien être les formations à battre dans la Conférence de l’Est. Après avoir fait leurs débuts cette saison, les Shooting Stars ont connu un départ canon avec trois victoires de suite contre Brampton, Ottawa et la Saskatchewan. Donovan Williams, dans sa deuxième saison avec Scarborough, mène tous les joueurs ayant disputé plusieurs matchs avec une moyenne de 25,3 points par rencontre. Les champions de 2023 semblent plus menaçants que jamais. Mais les River Lions représenteront leur plus gros défi jusqu’à présent. Champions en titre, Niagara a remporté trois de ses cinq premiers matchs malgré quelques passages difficiles, et vient tout juste de réintégrer le joueur par excellence de la finale, Khalil Ahmad. Ce dernier a inscrit 36 points lors d’une défaite contre la Saskatchewan, se retrouvant à seulement deux points du plateau des 1 000 en carrière dans la LECB. Ce n’est peut-être que le premier quart de la saison, mais il n’est pas trop tôt pour dire que cette rencontre pourrait avoir un impact direct sur le portrait des séries. Sea Bears de Winnipeg (1-4) c. Honey Badgers de Brampton (0-5) — 19 h 30 HE / 18 h 30 HAC, Game+, CEBL+, TSN+ D’un autre côté, la situation pourrait rapidement devenir critique pour l’équipe qui perd ce match. À sa deuxième saison sous la direction de l’entraîneur-chef Sheldon Cassimy, Brampton éprouve encore des difficultés, mais sa dernière défaite contre Calgary a tout de même laissé entrevoir des signes encourageants. Le duo formé de Quinndary Weatherspoon et Koby McEwen semble sur le point de trouver son rythme, surtout alors que McEwen se remet d’un début de saison lent au tir. De son côté, Winnipeg vit un scénario semblable à celui de Montréal la saison dernière : l’équipe sait déjà qu’elle participera au week-end du Championnat à titre d’hôte, ce qui complique parfois la motivation en début de saison. Ancien joueur des Shooting Stars, Tevian Jones assure une bonne production offensive avec une moyenne de 21,8 points par match, mais les Sea Bears - qui ne devancent que Brampton pour les points marqués par match - auront besoin de renfort très bientôt. Stingers d’Edmonton (2-4) c. Alliance de Montréal (1-0) — 20 h HE / 18 h HR, CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca C’est l’épreuve ultime entre le repos et la rouille : Edmonton a déjà disputé six matchs, un sommet dans la ligue, alors que Montréal n’en a joué qu’un seul. Les Stingers sont menés par la recrue Sean East II, qui a fait une entrée fracassante avec une moyenne de 24,2 points par match. Mais Edmonton a du mal à freiner ses adversaires, accordant le troisième plus grand nombre de points par rencontre. Difficile de savoir à quoi s’attendre du côté de Montréal, surtout après un virage majeur pendant la saison morte qui a laissé le vétéran Alain Louis comme l’un des seuls visages familiers de retour. Mais l’Alliance pourrait bien vouloir s’inviter dans la course au sommet de l’Est. L’équipe a complètement dominé Brampton lors de son unique match jusqu’ici, et menait Ottawa 52-29 à la mi-temps du de la Classique estivale de la LECB - Un match extérieur conclu sans résultat en raison de conditions de sol dangereuses qui ont forcé l’arrêt du match. L’Alliance ouvrira aussi sa semaine mercredi à Brampton dans le cadre du match scolaire, la seule rencontre prévue avant le grand spectacle de vendredi avec les 10 équipes en action. Restez à l’affût! Rattlers de la Saskatchewan (1-4) c. Surge de Calgary (5-1) — 19 h 30 HR / 21 h 30 HE — CEBL+, TSN+ Les deux équipes abordent ce match avec une victoire surprise en poche. Les Rattlers ont mis fin à la séquence de 15 victoires à domicile des River Lions (en saison régulière), décrochant ainsi leur première victoire de la saison dans une fin de match imprévisible lors de la période du pointage cible, qui a offert un peu de tout. Mais au final, la formation tenace de la Saskatchewan a su tirer son épingle du jeu. Elle tentera maintenant de garder cet élan face à l’une des puissances de l’Ouest : le Surge de Calgary. Le Surge vient tout juste d’infliger une première défaite aux Bandits de Vancouver, qui semblaient imbattables après cinq matchs, grâce à un gain convaincant de 95-80. Calgary semble avoir trouvé une belle cohésion offensive avec le retour de Sean Miller-Moore, lui qui vient de franchir le cap des 1 000 points en carrière (séries incluses), en compagnie des recrues Jameer Nelson Jr. et Greg Brown III. BlackJacks d’Ottawa (2-2) c. Bandits de Vancouver (5-1) — 19 h HP / 22 h HE, CEBL+, TSN+ Le sentiment d’invincibilité qui entourait les Bandits a été brisé par Calgary. La grande question est maintenant de savoir comment Vancouver réagira. Tous les éléments sont toujours en place : l’entraîneur-chef Kyle Julius, l’ailier étoile Mitch Creek, et le franc-tireur Kyle Mangas. Un retour en force pourrait bien être exactement ce qu’il leur faut. Jusqu’ici, l’attaque a été la grande force des Bandits, mais à mesure que la saison avance, ils devront aussi pouvoir miser davantage sur leur défense. Du côté des BlackJacks, l’équipe se maintient à flot avec une fiche de .500, un résultat raisonnable en attendant les renforts de Zane Waterman, Keevan Veinot et Tevin Brown. En attendant, le vétéran Deng Adel prend les choses en main avec une moyenne de 21,5 points par match. Horaire de la semaine (11 matchs) Match #25 – Mercredi 4 juin – Montréal @ Brampton – 11 h HE – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #26 – Vendredi 6 juin – Scarborough @ Niagara – 19 h HE – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #27 – Vendredi 6 juin – Winnipeg @ Brampton – 19 h 30 HE / 18 h 30 HAC – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #28 – Vendredi 6 juin – Edmonton @ Montréal – 20 h HE / 18 h HR – Auditorium de Verdun (CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca) Match #29 – Vendredi 6 juin – Saskatchewan @ Calgary – 19 h 30 HR / 21 h 30 HE – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #30 – Vendredi 6 juin – Ottawa @ Vancouver – 19 h HP / 22 h HE – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #31 – Samedi 7 juin – Winnipeg @ Scarborough – 20 h HE / 19 h HAC – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #32 – Dimanche 8 juin – Brampton @ Niagara – 15 h HE – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #33 – Dimanche 8 juin – Ottawa @ Calgary – 14 h HR / 16 h HE – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #34 – Dimanche 8 juin – Vancouver @ Saskatchewan – 16 h HNC / 15 h HP / 18 h HE – SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #35 – Lundi 9 juin – Montréal at Scarborough – 19 h 30 HE – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Pour l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB, visitez cebl.ca/games .

For the first time ever, all 10 CEBL teams will be in action on Friday. It promises to be a jam-packed day of basketball, filled with tense Target Score Time moments, rousing individual performances and much more. And it will definitely be a lot of basketball. So, to get you prepped for five-plus consecutive hours of CEBL action, here’s a brief look at every game on Friday: Scarborough Shooting Stars (3-0) at Niagara River Lions (3-2) — 7 p.m. ET, CEBL+, TSN+ It’s early days still, but these could well be the two teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. After debuting last this season, the Shooting Stars have soared to three straight wins, beating Brampton, Ottawa and Saskatchewan. Donovan Williams leads all players who have played in multiple contests with 25.3 points per game in his second season with Scarborough, and the 2023 champs seem to be a force to be reckoned with. But the River Lions will present their biggest test yet. Champions last year, Niagara has won three of five despite some shaky moments and just reintroduced Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad to its lineup. Ahmad promptly scored 36 points in a loss to Saskatchewan, moving within two points of 1,000 for his CEBL career. It may still be the first quarter of the season, but it’s not too soon to say this game could have playoff implications. Winnipeg Sea Bears (1-4) at Brampton Honey Badgers (0-5) — 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CDT, Game+, CEBL+, TSN+ On the other hand, it could be getting late early for whoever loses this game between the Sea Bears and Honey Badgers. In Year 2 under head coach Sheldon Cassimy, Brampton has once again struggled – but in its latest loss against Calgary there were signs of life. Namely, the duo of Quinndary Weatherspoon and Koby McEwen should round into form sooner than later, especially as the latter rebounds from a slow shooting start. Meanwhile, Winnipeg is struggling in the spot that Montreal did last season, knowing it has its spot at Championship Weekend locked up as host. Former Shooting Star Tevian Jones has brought the offence at 21.8 points per game, but Winnipeg — which sits only above Brampton in points per game — will need more soon. Edmonton Stingers (2-4) at Montreal Alliance (1-0) — 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. MT, CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca It’s the ultimate test of rest vs. rust, with Edmonton having played a league-high six games and Montreal just one. The Stingers have been led by rookie Sean East II, who’s exploded onto the scene with 24.2 points per game. But Edmonton has struggled getting stops, allowing the third-most points per game. It’s hard to know what to expect from Montreal — especially after an off-season makeover that left veteran Alain Louis as one of few holdovers. But the Alliance might have something to say about the race at the top of the East. They crushed Brampton in their one game and led Ottawa 52-29 at halftime of the CEBL Summer Classic when the outdoor game was deemed a ‘no contest’ due to unsafe floor conditions. They will also open the week travelling to Brampton for its school day game on Wednesday in the lone CEBL matchup before Friday’s 10-team showcase. Stay tuned. Saskatchewan Rattlers (1-4) at Calgary Surge (5-1) — 7:30 p.m. MT/CST / 9:30 p.m. ET — CEBL+, TSN+ Both teams enter this game coming off upset wins. The Rattlers ended the River Lions’ 15-game home winning streak (regular season) for their first victory of the season in a wacky Target Score Time finish that featured a little bit of everything. Ultimately, though, the plucky Saskatchewan side was able to pull it out. Now, it’ll try to maintain that momentum against one of the top West teams in Calgary. The Surge just handed the Vancouver Bandits, who seemed untouchable through five games, their first loss in convincing 95-80 fashion. Calgary seems to have found a solid offensive mix with returnee Sean Miller-Moore — who just crossed the 1,000-point barrier, including playoffs, for his career — alongside rookies Jameer Nelson Jr. and Greg Brown III. Ottawa BlackJacks (2-2) at Vancouver Bandits (5-1) — 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET, CEBL+, TSN+ The air of invincibility around the Bandits was pierced by Calgary — the question now is how Vancouver will respond. All the pieces remain there from head coach Kyle Julius to star forward Mitch Creek and sharpshooter Kyle Mangas, and a bounce-back might just be what the doctor ordered. But while Vancouver’s offence has been its strength, it’ll need to lean on defence a little more as the season continues. Meanwhile, the BlackJacks have treaded water as the lone .500 team in the league — likely a good result as they await the likes of Zane Waterman, Keevan Veinot and Tevin Brown. In their absence, veteran Deng Adel has picked up the slack with 21.5 points per game. Weekly schedule (11 games) Game #25 - Wednesday, June 4 - MTL at BHB – 11 a.m. ET – CAA Centre Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #26 – Friday, June 6 – SSS at NRL – 7 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #27 – Friday, June 6 – WPG at BHB – 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CDT – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #28 – Friday, June 6 – EDM at MTL – 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. MT – Verdun Auditorium (CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca) Game #29 – Friday, June 6 – SSK at CGY – 7:30 p.m. MT/CST / 9:30 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #30 – Friday, June 6 – OTT at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #31 – Saturday, June 7 – WPG at SSS – 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CDT – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #32 – Sunday, June 8 – BHB at NRL – 3 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #33 – Sunday, June 8 – OTT at CGY – 2 p.m. MT / 4 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #34 – Sunday, June 8 – VAN at SSK – 4 p.m. CST / 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #35 – Monday, June 9 – MTL at SSS – 7:30 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

Veteran floor general brings European pedigree to Montréal

The Calgary Surge ended the Vancouver Bandits’ undefeated start and jumped to the top of the CEBL standings on Sunday (June 1). Calgary led for almost the entire game in a comprehensive 95-80 win over Vancouver at Langley Events Centre. Surge guard Sean Miller-Moore dropped a game-high 22 points, including the game-winning layup, while hitting a major milestone. “Rugzy” became the sixth player in CEBL history to score 1,000 total points, including the regular season and playoffs. “It’s just a testament to [the] work I put in… it feels good,” Miller-Moore said. Miller-Moore was proud of Calgary’s resilience down the stretch when Vancouver cut the deficit to just four points after trailing by 21 in the third. “They were at the top of the west … so of course, it was a statement win,” he said. “But I'm just proud of how we showed our composure at the end there when they went on a run.” Greg Brown III also had a massive impact on Sunday despite early foul trouble. The NBA-experienced forward notched a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Jameer Nelson Jr. continued to contribute on both ends for Calgary as well, with 15 points, eight assists, six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. The Surge defence laid the foundation for its transition offence on Sunday, outscoring the Bandits 24-6 on the fast break. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales has emphasized the defence to offence formula throughout the season. After a 5-1 start, Canales said the Surge are a great group to battle with every night. “The togetherness, the communication on and off the floor, the chemistry – they just love being around each other, and we love coaching them,” he said. Meanwhile, the Bandits picked up their first loss after a 5-0 start. Head coach Kyle Julius said the Bandits need to take it on the chin after they “flat out got beat”. “To be honest, we got a lot of wide open shots .. I think we got more wide open shots today than any other game we've played. I think we just didn't make them,” Julius said. Mitch Creek led the Bandits in scoring once again with 20 points to go along with 13 rebounds. Curtis Hollis also had a big night off the bench for Vancouver, scoring 17 points and sparking a 17-3 run in the fourth quarter. “The ball just finally hit my hands a couple times. I've been looking for it all game – sometimes it goes like that. We have a really deep team, so once it came to me I just stayed aggressive, and I started making [shots],” Hollis said. Vancouver started the game with a pair of quick buckets before Calgary seized control with a 10-0 run. The Surge locked in defensively, limiting Vancouver to 23 per cent shooting from the field in the opening 10 minutes and 0-6 from beyond the arc. The duo of Khyri Thomas and Stefan Jankovic led Calgary on another run to close the quarter, and the Surge carried a 26-13 advantage into the second. Miller-Moore showed off his offensive versatility in the second quarter, fading from the short corner, forcing a Vancouver timeout with a fastbreak layup, and burying a pair of triples to slow momentum. Vancouver responded by attacking the paint, sparking a late-half run that featured several highlight-reel finishes—including a massive transition poster dunk by Kyle Mangas. The Bandits closed the gap to 47-40 heading into halftime. After a pair of mid-range finishes from Izaiah Brockington early in the third cut into the deficit, Calgary took a stranglehold on the lead. The Surge went on an 18-2 run and led by as much as 21 before free throws from Mangas made it 71-52 heading into the fourth. Hollis jumpstarted the Vancouver offence in the fourth quarter, drilling three trifectas to lead the Bandits on a 17-3 run. The big run made it a four-point game, but Calgary maintained its poise. Brown III calmed things down with the hoop and the harm, and the teams traded blows until Olumide Adelodun buried a clutch three to give Calgary an 85-77 lead ahead of Target Score Time. Nelson Jr. drilled a triple of his own to open scoring in the final stretch. Brown III inched Calgary closer with a floater before Miller-Moore ended Vancouver’s undefeated start with back-to-back buckets. The Surge and Bandits meet again later this month on June 22 at WinSport Event Centre. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600592 Up next for both teams Both teams are back in action next Friday (June 6) when Vancouver continues its home-stand against the Ottawa BlackJacks and Calgary welcomes the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers search for their first win of the season in a morning matchup with the Montréal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games .  - CEBL -

Après un départ lent, les BlackJacks d’Ottawa ont explosé avec une séquence de 21-2 au deuxième quart, prenant le contrôle du match pour finalement l’emporter 88-73 contre les Sea Bears de Winnipeg samedi soir.  Deng Adel a mené la charge pour Ottawa avec 20 points, un sommet pour son équipe. Il a marqué des paniers clés à chaque quart. Lors du premier quart, il a réussi un tir du centre-ville pour ramener les siens à trois points. Lors du deuxième quart, il a enchaîné avec deux autres tirs de trois points, donnant aux BlackJacks des avances de sept, puis de dix points. Au troisième quart, il a réussi un gros bloc sur Terry Roberts, ce qui a permis à Ottawa de conserver une avance de huit points, avant de profiter d’un avantage physique sous le panier pour inscrire deux points faciles. Contrairement à Winnipeg, qui s’est appuyé presque exclusivement sur son duo Tevian Jones (meilleur pointeur du match avec 32 points) et Jaylin Williams (16 points), Ottawa a pu compter sur une contribution plus équilibrée de l’ensemble de son alignement. Ottawa n’a réussi que 5 de ses 19 tirs de trois points en première demie, mais a commencé la deuxième demie avec deux trois points rapides. À l’intérieur, c’est le pivot Meshak Lufile qui a dominé la clef, pendant que le tir de mi-distance de Deng Adel a forcé un temps mort. Au quatrième quart, Christian Rohlehr a réussi un dunk qui a redonné une avance de sept points aux siens. Rohlehr a eu un gros impact en sortie de banc, ajoutant 10 points près du cercle. « Je pense que notre banc a fait un travail remarquable aujourd’hui, ils ont su prendre les choses en main et nous ramener au calme quand ça brassait un peu », a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef d’Ottawa, Dave DeAveiro. « Sans notre banc ce soir, on ne repart pas avec la victoire. » Le duo explosif de Jaylin Williams et Tevian Jones a gardé Ottawa sur le qui-vive toute la soirée. Williams a contré un tir de Deng au troisième quart, menant à une contre-attaque conclue par un lay-up de Jones. Winnipeg s’est ainsi rapprochée à deux points. Puis, en quatrième, Jones a capté un rebond défensif, a traversé le terrain et a conservé la possession sur une remise en jeu en ligne de fond. Cette séquence a mené au tir du coin gauche de Solomon Young, un trois points qui a réduit l’écart à seulement deux points. Ce soir, 8 374 partisans se sont déplacés au Centre Canada Life dans l’espoir de voir les Sea Bears décrocher une deuxième victoire cette saison. Mais l’histoire s’est répétée : Winnipeg n’a encore jamais mené contre Ottawa à la mi-temps, et pour la première fois, l’équipe encaisse une troisième défaite consécutive à domicile. Malgré tout, la vedette des Sea Bears, Tevian Jones, affirme que lui et ses coéquipiers gardent la tête haute et l’ambiance positive dans le vestiaire. « Je pense qu’on fait du bon travail à ce niveau-là. Je suis un gagnant, personnellement, et je pense que les autres gars le sont aussi », a-t-il dit avec assurance. « On veut tous gagner. » Le Centre Canada Life accueillera le week-end du Championnat cette année, et l’intensité démontrée par Winnipeg ce soir donne aux partisans de bonnes raisons d’y croire. Terry Roberts, malgré des douleurs à la hanche, a été particulièrement solide au troisième quart. Son entraîneur, Mike Taylor, l’a d’ailleurs félicité pour son énorme effort sur ses 34 minutes de jeu. Feuille de match Consultez les statistiques complètes ici À venir pour les deux équipes Winnipeg (1-4) se rendra au CAA Centre le vendredi 6 juin pour y affronter les Honey Badgers de Brampton (0-5). Ottawa poursuivra son voyage vers l’Ouest et affrontera les Bandits de Vancouver (5-0), encore invaincus, le même soir au Langley Events Centre. Prochain match dans la LECB Les Bandits de Vancouver accueilleront le Surge de Calgary (4-1) demain au Langley Events Centre. Avec une fiche parfaite de 5-0, Vancouver tentera de rester invaincu, tandis que Calgary espère être la première équipe à les faire tomber. Pour consulter l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez le site : cebl.ca/games. - LECB -

Despite a slow start for the Ottawa Blackjacks, they went on a 21-2 run in the second quarter and never looked back, winning 88-73 against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Saturday night. Ottawa’s Deng Adel (team-high 20 points) hit key shots throughout the game. In the first quarter, he hit a triple to inch within three points, and in the second, he hit a pair of threes to give Ottawa a seven-point and 10-point lead, respectively. In the third, he had a huge block on Terry Roberts, which helped Ottawa maintain an eight-point lead, and he exploited a mismatch down low for two easy points. Ottawa, however, relied on contributions from the rest of the team unlike Winnipeg’s overreliance on the one-two punch of Tevian Jones (game-high 32 points) and Jaylin Williams (16 points). Ottawa shot 5-for-19 from downtown in the first half, but instantly hit two threes in the second half. Ottawa relied on big man Meshak Lufile when scoring deep inside the paint and Deng’s mid-range forced a timeout. In the fourth quarter, Christian Rohlehr’s dunk gave them a seven-point buffer, and Rohlehr had a huge impact off the bench today, pouring in 10 points down low. “I thought our bench did a tremendous job today, stepping up and settling us down when things got a little chaotic,” said Ottawa’s head coach Dave DeAveiro. “We don’t get a win without our bench tonight.” The Jaylin Williams-Tevin Jones one-two punch kept Ottawa on their toes throughout the game. Williams’ block on Deng in the third quarter fueled a transition lay-up to Jones, and Winnipeg inched within two points. In the fourth, Jones ripped down a defensive rebound, took the ball coast-to-coast, and regained possession of the ball on a baseline out of bounds play. That led to Solomon Young’s left corner triple that made it a two-point game. 8,374 fans came to Canada Life Centre tonight, hoping to see the Sea Bears get their second victory of the season. History repeated itself as Winnipeg has never led against Ottawa going into halftime, and for the first time, Winnipeg have lost three-straight home games. But Winnipeg’s star Jones says he and his team remain unphased, keeping the vibes high in the locker room. “I think we’re doing a good job of that. I’m a winner personally and I think the rest of the guys are winners as well,” Jones said calmly. “We all wanna win.” Canada Life Centre will host the Championship Weekend this year, and the spirited effort by Winnipeg gives fans lots to be hopeful for. Terry Roberts came alive in the third quarter despite issues with his hip, and Taylor complimented him on his tremendous effort throughout 34 minutes. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600589 Up next for both teams Winnipeg (1-4) will head to the CAA Centre on Friday, June 6th to play against the Brampton Honey Badgers (0-5). Ottawa will continue to travel further west to play the undefeated Vancouver Bandits (5-0) on Friday, June 6 at Langley Events Centre. Next CEBL action The Vancouver Bandits will host the Calgary Surge (4-1) tomorrow at Langley Events Centre. Vancouver has a perfect 5-0 record, and Calgary will be looking to be the first team to topple their undefeated record. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Vancouver Bandits weathered a late push from the Edmonton Stingers to remain undefeated on Friday night (May 30). Mitch Creek and Kyle Mangas combined for 10 trifectas and 53 points to drive the Bandits to a 104-95 victory. Both Bandits impacted the game as playmakers as well. Mangas scored an efficient 27 points on eight-of-11 shooting, including the game-winning triple, to go along with eight assists. Creek tallied 26 points while dishing seven assists and snagging six rebounds. “I really tried to get my teammates involved and just make the right play,” Mangas said. “Basketball is fun when everyone's involved out there and touching the ball. If I have a shot, I'm going to take it – my team expects me to do that – but I'm trying to get others involved too.” With the win, the Bandits became the second team in the history of the CEBL to start 5-0. Edmonton was the only other franchise to do it, with its 7-0 start in 2021 remaining the standard. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said his team looked tired as they wrap up a two-game road trip. “I thought they showed really good fight. I thought our leadership really showed out there, and we got great contributions,” Julius said. Through one half of basketball, the Stingers looked poised for a tight finish with the Bandits. But offensive struggles in the third quarter allowed Vancouver to seize control. “It was just our defensive game plan. I thought we were off it in the first [half] – we were missing some of our key assignments,” Julius said. “Then we were better with that in the second half and I thought the bench was really good in the second half.” Friday’s matchup at Edmonton Expo Centre was the second meeting between the two squads in less than a week. The Bandits routed the Stingers in the previous contest 109-79. Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker said the team isn’t satisfied with the loss but can come away with some positives compared to the previous game. “We're still early in the season and we want to learn from our experiences and learn from every game. So we definitely have some things to clean up but the guys showed some resilience and some effort after getting down early,” Baker said. Despite the loss, Edmonton’s Sean East II, Scottie Lindsey and Nick Hornsby all had stellar performances. East tied Mangas with a game-high 27 points, while Hornsby tallied 17 points and nine rebounds. Meanwhile, Lindsey dropped 20 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter in an effort to crawl back into the game. East said the Bandits had more execution and attention to detail down the stretch. “I got to do better. We got to do better as a team, and we just got to keep fighting and keep building towards something special,” he said. To open the game, Vancouver pounced with an 11-0 run that forced a Baker timeout. The Stingers went the opening four minutes without a field goal when East drained a triple to end the drought. From there, Edmonton dominated the remainder of the quarter. The Stingers finished the frame on a 19-4 run to take a three-point lead into the second. After a quarter defined by big runs, the second was more tightly contested with Edmonton getting into foul trouble early. Creek and East showcased their capabilities, duelling throughout the quarter. Back-to-back buckets from Creek late in the half regained the lead for the Bandits and Vancouver headed into the locker room with a 48-46 advantage. East finished the first half with 17 points, while Creek was close behind with 16. Creek’s playmaking helped Vancouver maintain its lead early in the third. A transition three from Mangas gave the Bandits their biggest lead of the quarter and forced the Stingers into a timeout. Mangas stayed hot out of the timeout and buried another trifecta. A contact finish from Curtis Hollis added to the run and Vancouver carried a 77-65 lead into the fourth despite a late push from Edmonton. Lindsey started the final frame on fire with back-to-back threes, cutting the deficit to six points. Unfortunately for the Stingers, Mangas stayed just as hot. The Indiana native connected on a pair of and-one trifectas before Creek joined the action with a three of his own. The Stingers closed the gap slightly before Target Score Time, but Vancouver headed into the final stretch ahead 14 with their sights on the 103-point mark. Lindsey almost single-handedly pulled the Stingers back into the game with 10 points in Target Score Time, but the duo of Creek and Mangas were steady for the Bandits. Creek scored Vancouver’s first five points of Target Time with a killer dropstep and a contested three. Meanwhile, Mangas netted the final five points with a pair at the charity stripe and a catch-and-shoot three to ice it. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600586 Up next for both teams Vancouver hosts the red-hot Calgary Surge on Sunday at Langley Events Centre, while Edmonton heads east to face the Montréal Alliance next Friday (June 6). Next CEBL action The Winnipeg Sea Bears battle the Ottawa BlackJacks on Saturday (May 31) in the lone game of the day. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

An instant classic unfolded at Niagara’s Meridian Centre on Friday — but, for the first time since 2023, the home side did not come out on top. The Saskatchewan Rattlers pulled out an 89-87 victory over the reigning champion River Lions (2-3), earning their first win in five games this season and snapping Niagara’s 15-game home winning streak that dated back nearly two years. Both teams had multiple chances to emerge victorious during a wild, back-and-forth Target Score Time. Saskatchewan (1-4) held a 79-77 lead when the clock stopped. But two things were working against the Rattlers — they’ve struggled all season in these situations, and the River Lions were welcoming back Khalil Ahmad, the two-time Clutch Player of the Year. Yet after multiple swings, a flurry of missed free throws, some vintage Ahmad play and a dose of controversy, the Rattlers’ Jordan Bowden sent the crowd home sad when he followed a transition attempt and cleaned up a rebound to give Saskatchewan the hard-earned win. “It's kind of the weight off our shoulders. When you get you have a bunch of close ones that maybe slip away, and you get another close one like tonight, you fear guys are going to maybe tighten up under the weight of it. And you know what? They battled through, they fought through, and I think this may be gives us some confidence the next time we're in the situation,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said. In Target Score Time, Ahmad immediately tied the game with a floater, but the Rattlers’ Nate Pierre-Louis responded with a monstrous slam, converting the and-one to give his side a three-point lead. Ahmad replied with a dunk of his own to cut the Niagara deficit back to one. A debatable three-shot foul against the River Lions’ Ron Curry then sent Pierre-Louis to the line, but he missed all three attempts and Ahmad took advantage with a layup on the other end, handing the River Lions their first advantage of Target Score Time. Eventually, the River Lions extended their lead to 86-83 with possession. Following a timeout from head coach Victor Raso, Ahmad received the ball with everyone in the building expecting him to end the game — to the point that even when he missed, the celebratory lights went off in the home arena. That’s when Niagara went cold, allowing Saskatchewan to take an 87-86 lead and setting up a next-bucket-wins scenario with the River Lions getting the ball. Ahmad missed a desperation three-pointer at the end of the shot clock but flew in for the offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback attempt, giving him a chance to win the game at the line. But he missed the second, leaving both teams within one. Then, controversy struck — an Elijah Ifejeh attempt rattled on top of the rim and was knocked away above the cylinder by the River Lions’ Guillaume Boucard. The refs initially called it goaltending — which would have ended the game — but convened and overturned the call, giving possession back to the River Lions. “I don't think I've ever seen a basket called back. Just a number of situations that were probably first for me and I've been in this league a while now. So, I think the fans got their money's worth,” Magdanz said. After more misses by each team, Pierre-Louis came up with a steal and ran the other way. When he missed, Bowden was there to clean up. And that was the ballgame. “It's been a tough week here where we've had a number of close ones that haven't bounced our way. So to see us continue to fight through [Target Score Time] and find a way to make the ball bounce the right way, credit to our guys,” Magdanz said. Meanwhile, Ahmad described the game’s final possessions as “intense.” “You gotta get stops [or] you're gonna lose, and that showed today, but we'll figure it out,” he said. Australian big man Grant Anticevich led the Rattlers with 25 points, including five makes from deep, while nearing a double-double with nine rebounds. Jamir Chaplin added 22 points while Cody John contributed 16 points off the bench. “Credit to my teammates, they give me a lot of confidence,” Anticevich said. “They get me open shots … they get draw a lot of help, a lot of attention from the defence and get me open. I was able to get a bit of a rhythm, I guess, tonight, and knock down some shots.” Ahmad led the way for the River Lions without looking like he missed a step. The star guard scored 36 points — one off his personal career high and River Lions record — including 20 in the first half alone, while also hauling in nine rebounds and dishing six assists. Canadian Nathan Cayo, also making his season debut, was the only other River Lion in double digits with 14 points. “Obviously we're a new group, there's a lot we gotta figure out, but we're very capable. Just a matter of practice and getting experience together,” Ahmad said. Ahmad, the 28-year-old from Corona, Calif., returned to the River Lions after missing the first four games of the season while finishing his pro season in Italy. Despite the eventual loss, he said it was “amazing” to make his CEBL return on the heels of last year’s championship. “Especially to be at home, the crowd is amazing, the city's amazing, the team's amazing. So it's all love,” Ahmad said. After falling into an early 15-6 hole, the River Lions responded with a 17-0 run and took a 29-19 lead into the second quarter. But Saskatchewan fought back, cutting the Niagara lead to 45-41 at halftime. Led by Anticevich, the Rattlers kept rolling in the third quarter, retook the lead and entered the final frame up 66-63. Then the end-of-game chaos ensued. Yet it wasn’t the home-dominant, defending champion River Lions that were able to keep composed and pull out the win. Instead, the Rattlers emerged victorious, busting their slump and ending Niagara’s Meridian Centre run. Anticevich said the win was “a great feeling.” “We've had a bit of trouble closing the game up and we've had leads before Target Score [Time]. So to be able to close that out and fix our mistakes … hopefully we can use that momentum moving forward.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600583 Up Next Both teams are off until next Friday when the River Lions host the Scarborough Shooting Stars and the Rattlers visit the Calgary Surge. Next CEBL Action Just one game is set for Saturday as the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Ottawa BlackJacks with both teams looking for their second win of the season. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -