L’Alliance de Montréal arrache une victoire serrée en milieu de semaine face aux BlackJacks

Former Cincinnati standout and All-AAC Player of the Year has 158 games of pro experience including in the NBA and NBA G League

The first thing that comes to Khalil Ahmad’s mind when he thinks back on his maiden CEBL title is a miss. Ahmad, long since known as the league’s Clutch King, was absent only the Championship Trophy to complete his wide-ranging, impressive set of league accomplishments. Yet with a chance to ice the Niagara River Lions’ first title, the sharp-shooting, cool-as-a-cucumber Corona, Calif., native missed a free throw. Before Ahmad knew it, then-Vancouver Bandits guard Koby McEwen nailed a three-pointer on the other end, and both teams were one point away from victory. But Ahmad had a shot at redemption. “And then it was kind of just, there was no play. It wasn't a play call. Just make something happen. And finished the play, got the chip. So that was all she wrote,” Ahmad recalled in a recent interview. Except, well, the story didn’t end there. A celebration ensued in Montreal as one of the CEBL’s most storied teams finally earned its first banner. Now, Ahmad and the River Lions are on the hunt to become the second team in league history to successfully run it back. At 12-5, Niagara leads the Eastern Conference by four games and has already punched its playoff ticket. “For guys to be able to sacrifice [their overseas off-season] and come back and compete and be together for something bigger than themselves, I think that's a testament to our togetherness and the amazing club that we have,” Ahmad said. Ahmad, 28, is in his fourth season with the River Lions, and quickly climbing the all-time league leaderboards. Somewhat ironically, given how the 2024 Finals played out, Ahmad has made more free throws and nailed more Target Score Winners than anyone in league history. He is also the CEBL’s all-time steals leader. It’s those finishes, though, that have become Ahmad’s calling card. His 28 winners are 10 more than second-place Cat Barber in the all-time ranks. He said compounding confidence in those situations has helped him continue to succeed. “Confidence can take you places you would've never expected to go before and have you do things you never expected to do,” he said. Growing up in California, it’s impossible that Ahmad would have ever expected to become the face of a Canadian professional basketball league. The CEBL didn’t even exist when Ahmad starred at Centennial High School in Corona. He went on to play four years at Cal State Fullerton, breaking the 1,000-point barrier for his career — as he’s now done in the CEBL, too — and reaching the NCAA tournament in 2018, when his 15th-seeded Titans fell to No. 2 Purdue. Still, Ahmad carries that cool southern California swagger with him even as he competes in southern Ontario. “I definitely would say that I'm pretty nonchalant as a person. My friends tell me that all the time, but it helps a lot, you know? I can keep a cool head, stay focused, stay in the moment, don't get too high, don't get too low. And I think that's the perfect level to be at,” Ahmad said. Head coach Victor Raso has been with Ahmad for all four years of his CEBL journey. They’ve experienced those up and downs together and shared the joy of that first championship one year ago in Montreal. For Raso, it’s comforting knowing he has such a reliable star player. “Like that that musician or painter, they're themselves in their own world but when they're doing the craft it's like this [different] person comes out and that's Khalil,” Raso said. “Since Day 1, he's a mental monster and he's physically gifted, he works hard and he's just coachable. And we've had our struggles too, we've gone through losses and recommitted to each other, each and every year. And to see him last year just a switch flip mentally, that he was going to be super solid, and he was going to show everyone that he's a winner … it's like, this is an unbelievable basketball player.” Outside of the court, Ahmad holds his Japanese heritage close to his heart. His father was born there — and he’s honoured his background with tattoos, in addition to learning the culture through his grandmother, through books and through cooking. If you’re wondering, Ahmad says his specialty is a Japanese-inspired salmon recipe. He said his hope is to one day represent Japan as a basketball player on the national team, though there are certain citizenship hurdles he still must jump through. “If I can get the opportunity to make that happen, that would be amazing,” he said. For now, Ahmad’s sights sets are set on a second consecutive title. His River Lions are once again among the league’s top teams — despite a rocky start to the season, they’ve won five straight to re-establish themselves as a legitimate threat. A trip to Winnipeg for Championship Weekend in August is starting to feel likelier than not. After a recent victory, in which the River Lions clinched a playoff spot, Raso said they weren’t done there. “We wanna win the East. We wanna win the championship,” he said. “Our standards are much higher. We expect to make the playoffs.” Likewise, Ahmad is focused on one goal only. “Hey, we're trying to run it back.” - CEBL -

The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that they have re-signed forward Yaw Obeng-Mensah and have picked up former Ottawa BlackJack Wheza Panzo for the remainder of the season. With five games remaining in the 2025 regular season, the Honey Badgers are rounding out their roster as some players have headed back overseas, including David Muenkat and Marcus Carr. Yaw Obeng-Mensah spent the entire 2024 season with the Honey Badgers and averaged 5.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 15.8 minutes in 19 games. He finished the season with the best game of his professional career, recording 25 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks, and one steal versus Ottawa on July 29. Since his last stint with the team, the Niagara University product has spent time with London in the Basketball Super League (BSL) and Independ in Argentina. Now he will get a chance to play right back where his career started. “Yaw’s energy will be a welcome presence to the team for the remainder of the season,” said Honey Badgers General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jermaine Anderson. “He’s familiar with our system, and he will play with passion and grit regardless of our position in the standings. Wheza Panzo on the other hand is currently playing through his first professional season of basketball. Coming from Iona University, the Mississauga-native signed with the Ottawa BlackJacks and played with them through their first four games of the season. The sharpshooter will now join the Honey Badgers to close the CEBL season. Panzo is a sharpshooter. He shot .395 from distance throughout his five-year collegiate career and currently holds the single game three-point record at Stetson University where he made 10 threes in a career-high 30-point effort vs. Webber International University on December 10, 2022. “Similar to Yaw, we’re familiar with Wheza and his ability to space the floor” said Anderson. “As players leave for their respective teams and national team duties, Wheza will have the opportunity to prove himself in the last five games of the season.” Overall, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 24.6 minutes in 154 games with Iona (2023-2024) & Stetson (2019-2023). The Honey Badgers 2025 campaign is set to continue this Friday at the CAA Centre for Caribbean Night where Obeng-Mensah and Panzo will make their season debuts with the team. This is followed by the Honey Badgers’ final home game of the season where they will face the Niagara River Lions on July 27 on Fan Appreciation Day. In the spirit of the end of the regular season, please find a Buy One, Get One free offer here for the Honey Badgers last two home games. We look forward to seeing you at the CAA Centre! ###  About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca .

Montreal Alliance guard Tavis “Pistol” Smith ended the game the same way he started it. Montreal only had a three-point lead going into Target Time, but it was the return of “Pistol” Smith and his stepback three-point marksmanship that put the game away, 87-79, for Montreal against the Ottawa BlackJacks on Wednesday. “I literally asked him if he wanted to come back yesterday morning,” Montreal head coach Jermaine Small admitted. “I think he gives TDM (Tavian Dunn-Martin) a break in handling the ball…And I mean I think he was clutch and he played really good defence.” Smith, who played for the Alliance earlier this season, finished with a game-high 26 points on four-for-seven three-point shooting and made an immediate impact in his return to the Montreal lineup. Coming off the bench, he put his biggest stamp on the game in the third quarter. This was mostly a two-possession game, so any momentum-shifting plays to break parity was desperately needed. Smith answered the call by stripping Ottawa’s Keevan Veinot and hitting a triple. Ottawa’s Deng Adel answered back with a mid-range jumper, but Smith hit another three to give Montreal a two-point lead. Then, he ended the third frame by switching hands mid-air in a MJ-esque way, and capitalized on Ottawa’s turnover by throwing down a dunk to give Montreal a six-point lead going into the final frame. That would set the tone for Montreal’s captain Quincy Guerrier, fresh off Summer League with the Toronto Raptors, to rise to the occasion. He not only became an one-man offensive rebounding machine, he also put Veinot on his hip and scored inside for a bucket to build a five-point lead before Target Time. Guerrier finished with a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double performance. But Montreal could not rest as Javonte Smart answered with a clutch two of his own for Ottawa. Another eurostep lay-up by Smart in Target Time would make it a one-point game, but six consecutive free throws made by TDM, Smith and Osawe built a seven-point lead and they were within three points of the Target Score. Montreal did not have to rely as much on TDM, who finished with 10 points and seven assists. Coach Small credited Osawe – who had a 15-point, 10-point double-double – for setting tone early on the glass and pushing Smart inside. Smart and Isiah Moore combined for 39 points for the BlackJacks and were pivotal in keeping the game close throughout. “Our coach has been adamant about me driving to the basket and trying to draw fouls, so I’ve just been trying to follow that game plan and get to the free throw line and get going early,” said Moore at halftime. Ottawa head coach David DeAveiro credited Small’s tactics in the third quarter. “I think they did a really good job defensively when Coach went to a small line-up,” he said. “I thought that changed the game a little bit and we didn’t really have an answer for that. My hat goes off.” Ottawa lost the rebounding battle 48-37 and DeAveiro admitted to feeling the absence of Zane Waterman. The East remains in a tight playoff race. While Montreal looks to continue improving its record, Ottawa will be fighting neck-and-neck with Scarborough for the second seed. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600666 Up next for both teams Montreal (7-10) will head to Meridian Centre in St. Catharines on Friday night for a tilt with the East-leading Niagara River Lions (12-5). The BlackJacks (8-9) host the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-14) at TD Place in the lone CEBL game on Saturday, July 26. Next CEBL action There will be a quadruple header on Friday, July 25. In addition to Ottawa-Niagara, the Brampton Honey Badgers (4-15) host Scarborough (8-9) at CAA Centre; Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-10) host the Edmonton Stingers (11-7) at Canada Life Centre; and Calgary Surge (12-5) host Vancouver Bandits (15-4) at WinSport Event Centre. For the full 20 25 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

La Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB) a annoncé mercredi la prolongation du partenariat national de Kal Tire jusqu'à la saison 2027, ce qui permettra à l'expert officiel en pneus de la LECB d'étendre ses droits pour devenir le partenaire présentateur de la Conférence de l'Ouest et des séries éliminatoires de la Conférence de l'Ouest de la ligue. Cette extension du partenariat entre Kal Tire et la LECB témoigne du soutien d'un des plus grands détaillants indépendants de pneus au Canada envers le basketball canadien, et renforce l'engagement de l'entreprise envers les cinq équipes de la Conférence de l'Ouest de la LECB. Dans le cadre de ce partenariat historique, Kal Tire et ses 197 établissements dans l'Ouest canadien appuieront les prochaines séries éliminatoires de la Conférence de l'Ouest en améliorant l'expérience des partisans et en lançant une campagne de marque. « Kal Tire est un partenaire incroyable de la LECB, et nous sommes fiers de voir leur engagement s'accroître avec l’obtention des droits de présentation de notre conférence de l'Ouest, a déclaré Mike Morreale, commissaire et cofondateur de la LECB. Leur soutien continu renforce nos liens et alimente la passion des amateurs de basketball à travers le Canada, en particulier ceux qui encouragent nos équipes de l'Ouest. » « Nous sommes ravis d'approfondir notre partenariat avec la LECB en tant que partenaire présentateur de la Conférence de l'Ouest, a déclaré Jamie Shillingford, directeur du marketing, magasins, de Kal Tire. Le basketball connaît une croissance rapide au Canada, et ce partenariat nous permet d'établir un lien significatif avec les amateurs, surtout dans les collectivités où vivent et travaillent les membres de notre équipe. Nous sommes fiers de soutenir une ligue qui met en valeur les talents canadiens et qui apporte une énergie incroyable sur le terrain et dans les communautés. » Les amateurs pourront suivre le reste de la saison régulière 2025 de la LECB et la course aux séries éliminatoires de la Conférence de l'Ouest, présentées par Kal Tire, en direct au Canada sur TSN, CEBL+ et TSN+, et aux États-Unis sur NLSE. Les séries éliminatoires de la Conférence de l'Ouest, présentées par Kal Tire, débuteront le jeudi 14 août avec les matchs de qualification, puis se poursuivront avec la demi-finale le samedi 16 août, au cours de laquelle l'équipe classée deuxième accueillera l'équipe gagnante du match de qualification. Les séries éliminatoires de la LECB de 2025 culmineront lors du week-end du Championnat (CW25) , qui se tiendra à Winnipeg du 22 au 24 août. Pour obtenir des renseignements sur les billets pour tous les matchs de la LECB, visitez cebl.ca/billets et cebl.ca/cw25/billets . - LECB - À propos de la LECB Une ligue créée par des Canadiens pour les Canadiens avec pour mission de développer les joueurs, entraîneurs, dirigeants sportifs et arbitres canadiens, la LECB affiche le plus haut pourcentage de joueurs canadiens de toute ligue professionnelle au pays avec 73% de ses effectifs étant canadiens et plus de 15 joueurs ayant une expérience NBA en 2025. Les joueurs apportent également de l’expérience de la NBA G League, des meilleures ligues professionnelles internationales, du programme de l’équipe nationale canadienne, des programmes NCAA, ainsi que du U SPORTS et de l’ACSC. Plus de 20 joueurs ont signé des contrats NBA à la suite d’une saison dans la LECB, et de nombreux joueurs de la LECB participent aux camps d’entraînement de la NBA G League chaque année. La saison de la LECB s’étend de mai à août avec des matchs diffusés en direct sur CEBL+ propulsé par Tonybet, TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ et Next Level Sports & Entertainment . Plus d’informations sur la LECB sont disponibles au CEBL.ca et @cebleague sur Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook et YouTube . À propos de Kal Tire Kal Tire est l'un des plus grands distributeurs indépendants de pneus au Canada et l'un des plus importants en Amérique du Nord. Le groupe de pneus miniers de Kal Tire est un chef de file mondial dans le secteur des services et des fournitures de pneus miniers, et dessert plus de 150 sites miniers sur cinq continents. Kal Tire possède des entrepôts dans tout le Canada et dessert plus de 270 magasins de détail et commerciaux. L'entreprise possède et exploite également 11 installations de rechapage de pneus de camions au Canada, ainsi que six installations de rechapage de pneus d'engins de terrassement au Canada, au Royaume-Uni, au Chili, au Ghana et au Mexique. L'entreprise emploie plus de 6 500 personnes. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter le site www.kaltire.com .

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday the extension of Kal Tire’s national partnership through the 2027 season, which will see the Official Tire Expert of the CEBL expand its rights to become the presenting partner of the league’s Western Conference and Western Conference Playoffs. The expansion of Kal Tire’s partnership with the CEBL reinforces one of Canada’s largest independent tire retailer’s support of Canadian basketball and further ingrains its commitment to the CEBL’s five Western Conference teams. As part of this landmark partnership, Kal Tire and its 197 locations in Western Canada will support the upcoming Western Conference Playoffs through an enhanced fan experience and brand campaign. “Kal Tire is an incredible partner of the CEBL, and we’re proud to see their commitment grow with the presenting rights to our Western Conference,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and Co-Founder of the CEBL. “Their ongoing support strengthens our connection and fuels the passion of basketball fans across Canada, especially those cheering on our Western teams.” “We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with the CEBL as the presenting partner of the Western Conference,” said Jamie Shillingford, Kal Tire’s Marketing Manager, Stores. “Basketball is growing rapidly across Canada, and this partnership allows us to connect with fans in a meaningful way — especially in the communities where our team members live and work. We’re proud to support a league that champions Canadian talent and brings such incredible energy to the court and communities.” Fans can catch the remainder of the CEBL’s 2025 regular season and the race for playoff positioning in the Western Conference presented by Kal Tire, live in Canada on TSN, CEBL+, and TSN+, and in the United States on NLSE. The Western Conference Playoffs presented by Kal Tire begin Thursday, August 14, with the Play-In Game, followed by the Semifinal on Saturday, August 16, where the second-place team will host the Play-In winner. The 2025 CEBL Playoffs will culminate at Championship Weekend (CW25), hosted in Winnipeg from August 22–24. For ticket information for all CEBL games, visit cebl.ca/tickets and cebl.ca/cw25/tickets . - CEBL - About the CEBL A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 73% of its rosters being Canadian and more than 15 players with NBA game experience in 2025. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by Tonybet, TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . About Kal Tire Kal Tire is one of Canada's largest independent tire dealers and one of North America's largest commercial tire dealers. Kal Tire's Mining Tire Group is an international leader in mining tire service and supply, servicing more than 150 mine sites across five continents. The company has warehouse facilities across Canada servicing more than 270 Kal Tire retail and commercial stores. Kal Tire owns and operates 11 truck tire retread facilities across Canada, plus six earthmover retreading facilities located in Canada, the United Kingdom, Chile, Ghana and Mexico. The company employs more than 6,500 team members. For more information, please visit Kaltire.com .

L’Alliance de Montréal annonce aujourd’hui le retour du meneur explosif Tavis “Pistol” Smith ainsi que l’ajout de l’ailier Sascha Kappos alors que l’équipe renforce son effectif pour la fin de la saison régulière et la course aux séries éliminatoires.  Smith, qui avait amorcé la saison 2025 avec l’Alliance avant d’être libéré en raison des règles de construction d’effectif, revient à Montréal après s’être imposé comme l’une des principales armes offensives de l’Alliance lors de son passage initial. Le meneur de 25 ans s’était initialement joint à l’Alliance après une saison remarquable avec MBK Handlová en première division slovaque, où il avait maintenu des moyennes de 20,8 points, 5,1 rebonds et 4,7 passes décisives en 38 matchs. Sa puissance offensive s’était manifestée avec constance, marquant plus de 10 points à chaque apparition, incluant 17 matchs de plus de 20 points, quatre matchs de plus de 30 points, et une explosion offensive de 43 points contre Iskra Svit. « Revenir à Montréal, c'est comme rentrer à la maison, a déclaré Smith. J'ai adoré mon passage avec l'Alliance et nos partisans, et j'ai hâte de retrouver ce groupe. » L’Alliance a également annoncé l’embauche de l’ailier de 6’10” Sascha Kappos, double champion de la LECB qui retrouve l’entraîneur-chef Jermaine Small après avoir remporté des titres consécutifs avec les Stingers d’Edmonton en 2020 et 2021. « Sascha constitue un ajout précieux à l'équipe », a mentionné Small. « Son expérience dans la ligue et au sein de mon système facilitera grandement sa transition. » Kappos revient dans la LECB après quatre saisons à compétitionner à l’international, maintenant des moyennes de 12,8 points et 3,8 rebonds avec les Criollos de Caguas dans la ligue première de Porto Rico en 2024-25. Durant sa carrière collégiale à l’Université Dalhousie (2015-2020), Kappos avait été nommé sur la deuxième équipe d’étoiles du Sport universitaire de l’Atlantique (SUA) tout en aidant les Tigers à remporter quatre championnats du SUA et à atteindre la scène nationale avec des performances de bronze (2016-17) et d’argent (2019-20) U SPORTS. Pour faire place aux nouveaux ajouts, l’Alliance a annoncé avoir libéré les ailiers O.D. Anosike et Abdullah Shittu. Anosike a disputé six matchs cette saison, maintenant des moyennes de 9,8 points, 7,2 rebonds et 2,5 passes décisives en 19,9 minutes par rencontre. Shittu a contribué lors de sept apparitions, enregistrant des moyennes de 2,6 points, 1,3 rebonds et 0,9 passe décisive en 8,7 minutes par match. L’organisation de l’Alliance remercie les deux joueurs pour leur professionnalisme et leurs contributions. L’Alliance revient à l’Auditorium de Verdun ce mercredi 23 juillet à 19h30 HE pour recevoir les BlackJacks d’Ottawa dans un affrontement divisionnaire crucial. Les billets sont disponibles dès 20$ sur alliancemontreal.ca/billets .

The Montréal Alliance announced today the return of dynamic guard Tavis “Pistol” Smith alongside the addition of veteran forward Sascha Kappos as the team bolsters its roster for the crucial final stretch of the regular season and playoff push. Smith, who began the 2025 season with the Alliance before being released due to roster construction rules, returns to Montréal. The Detroit native had emerged as one of the Alliance’s top offensive weapons during his initial tenure, bringing explosive scoring ability and playmaking skills that quickly made him a fan favourite at Verdun Auditorium. The 25-year-old guard originally joined the Alliance after a standout season with MBK Handlová in Slovakia's top division, where he averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists over 38 games. His offensive prowess was consistently on display, scoring double digits in every appearance including 17 games over 20 points, four games over 30 points, and a season-high 43-point explosion against Iskra Svit. “Coming back to Montreal feels like coming home,” said Smith. “I loved my time with the Alliance and our fans, and I’m excited to rejoin this group.” The Alliance also announced the signing of 6’10” forward Sascha Kappos, a two-time CEBL champion who reunites with head coach Jermaine Small after winning back-to-back titles with the Edmonton Stingers in 2020 and 2021. “Sascha is a welcome addition to the team,” said Small. “His experience in the league and within my system will make for a seamless transition.” Kappos returns to the CEBL after four seasons competing internationally, most recently averaging 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds with Criollos de Caguas in Puerto Rico’s premier league. During his collegiate career at Dalhousie University (2015-2020), Kappos earned Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Second Team All-Star honours while helping the Tigers capture four AUS championships and reach the national stage with U SPORTS bronze (2016-17) and silver (2019-20) medal performances.  In corresponding moves to make room for new additions, the Alliance announced the release of forwards O.D. Anosike and Abdullah Shittu. Anosike appeared in six games this season, averaging 9.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 19.9 minutes per game. Shittu contributed across seven appearances, averaging 2.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.9 assist in 8.7 minutes per contest. The Alliance organization thanks both players for their professionalism and contributions. The Alliance return to Verdun Auditorium this Wednesday, July 23 at 7:30 PM ET to host the Ottawa BlackJacks in a crucial division matchup. Tickets are available at alliancemontreal.ca/en-ca/tickets .

(Aperçu: Semaine 12) La ligne d’arrivée est en vue — mais il reste encore beaucoup de chemin à faire pour les équipes à travers la ligue. Que ce soit pour finir premier au classement, obtenir un match de séries à domicile ou simplement accéder au tournoi, plusieurs choses restent à déterminer avec trois semaines à jouer cette saison. D’abord cette semaine, les BlackJacks d’Ottawa pourraient confirmer leur place dans les séries avec une victoire contre leur rival, l’Alliance de Montréal, mercredi. Ils deviendraient ainsi la deuxième équipe à se qualifier dans l’Est, rejoignant les River Lions de Niagara, premiers au classement. Le portrait pourrait se clarifier encore plus vendredi, alors que huit des dix équipes de la ligue seront en action lors d’une journée à quatre matchs. Les River Lions, sur une série de cinq victoires, pourraient continuer de se rapprocher d’une place automatique pour le week-end du Championnat s’ils amorcent la soirée avec une victoire contre l’Alliance. Les champions en titre semblent avoir trouvé leur rythme, alors que leurs adversaires québécois enchaînent une quatrième défaite consécutive, tombant à une fiche de 6-6 au total, et 2-10 depuis un départ fulgurant de quatre gains d’affilée. Les difficultés de Montréal laissent un brin d’espoir aux Honey Badgers de Brampton, derniers au classement — qui affronteront leur rival provincial, les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, dans le deuxième match de la soirée. Avec une victoire, Scarborough peut aussi valider sa place en séries. Malgré une défaite récente qui les place à quatre matchs derrière Niagara, ils pourraient encore rattraper les River Lions au sommet de la conférence. Il est impératif pour les Shooting Stars de gagner leur match face à une équipe dernière au classement — mais vous pouvez être certains que les Honey Badgers de Sheldon Cassimy vont tout donner pour gagner. Dans la Conférence de l’Ouest, les Stingers d’Edmonton ont vu leur impressionnante série de sept victoires s’effondrer contre les Bandits de Vancouver, premiers au classement. La réponse des Stingers sur la route à Winnipeg lors du troisième match — où ils espèrent revenir dans environ un mois — s’annonce fascinante. Edmonton devra également se mesurer à la solide formation du Surge de Calgary dans la course à l’avantage du terrain pour le match de qualification, où une bataille de l’Alberta semble presque inévitable. Compte tenu de la rivalité, le lieu du match aura toute son importance. De son côté, Winnipeg misera sur sa nouvelle acquisition — le centre canadien Jordy Tshimanga — avec l’objectif clair de prouver au reste de la ligue qu’il faudra les prendre au sérieux au moment du Championnat. Pendant ce temps, dans le dernier match de la soirée, Calgary affrontera Vancouver en cherchant à renforcer sa prise sur la deuxième place. Les Bandits n’ont perdu que quatre fois cette saison — dont deux face au Surge. Calgary a clairement l’avantage et peut renforcer sa domination en semant le doute dans l’esprit de Vancouver en vue d’un possible affrontement en séries, si l’équipe décroche une autre victoire. Mais les Bandits performent, ayant gagné leurs quatre derniers matchs malgré plusieurs joueurs absents en raison de la Ligue d’été. Vancouver, comme Niagara dans l’Est, se rapproche de la tête de série numéro un. On peut dire qu’il y a beaucoup en jeu alors que l’action de la LECB est en plein essor d’un bout à l’autre du pays ce vendredi. Briseurs de records Quelques chiffres à connaître... 6 — une victoire de plus pour les River Lions serait leur sixième de suite, égalant un record de franchise. 17 — les Bandits ont réussi 17 tirs de trois points dans chacun de leurs deux derniers matchs; leur record de franchise est 18. 131 — Nate Pierre-Louis de la Saskatchewan détient déjà le record de passes décisives en une saison. 544 — le record de points en une saison établi par Teddy Allen est menacé par Sean East II d’Edmonton, qui compile une moyenne de 23,5 points par match cette saison, mais qui n’a besoin que de 20 points par match sur les six derniers pour dépasser la marque. 1509 — dimanche, Cat Barber est devenu le deuxième joueur de l’histoire de la ligue à franchir le cap des 1 500 points en carrière, incluant les séries, rejoignant Ahmed Hill des River Lions de Niagara dans ce club exclusif. Le garde des River Lions, Khalil Ahmad, qui est à 1 347 points, pourrait être le prochain à joindre la liste. Horaire de la semaine (neuf matchs) Match #89 — Mercredi 23 juillet – OTT à MTL – 19 h 30 (HE) – Auditorium de Verdun (RDS, CEBL+, TSN+) Match #90 — Vendredi 25 juillet – MTL à NRL – 19 h (HE) – Meridian Centre (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #91 — Vendredi 25 juillet – SSS à BHB – 19 h 30 (HE) – CAA Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #92 — Vendredi 25 juillet – EDM à WPG – 19 h 30 (HAC) / 18 h 30 (HR) / 20 h 30 (HE) – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #93 — Vendredi 25 juillet – VAN à CGY – 20 h (HR) / 19 h (HP) / 22 h (HE) – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Match #94 — Samedi 26 juillet – SSK à OTT – 14 h (HE) / midi (HNC) – L’Aréna de la Place TD (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #95 — Dimanche 27 juillet – NRL à BHB – 14 h (HE) – CAA Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Match #96 — Dimanche 27 juillet – SSS à MTL – 15 h (HE) – Auditorium de Verdun (CEBL+, TSN+, RDS.ca, NLSE) Match #97 — Dimanche 27 juillet – WPG à CGY – 14 h (HR) / 15 h (HAC) / 16 h (HE) – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Pour consulter l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB, visitez cebl.ca/games .