Le portrait des séries s’éclaircit à l’approche du sprint final
July 15, 2025
Myles Dichter
(Aperçu: Semaine 11)
Depuis maintenant dix semaines, une seule équipe connaît son sort en vue des séries : Winnipeg.
Les Sea Bears de Winnipeg ont assuré leur place au week-end du Championnat, eux qui accueilleront le carré d’as de la LECB au Canada Life Centre, où les trois matchs seront disputés et un champion couronné.
Pendant ce temps, le reste de la ligue s’est battu pour sa place, jonglant avec des effectifs instables et des adversaires coriaces, chaque victoire arrachée avec acharnement.
Il reste maintenant entre sept et dix matchs à disputer pour chaque formation dans le nouveau calendrier de 24 rencontres — et l’urgence est sur le point de grimper d’un cran.
Dimanche, les Bandits de Vancouver sont devenus la première équipe, autre que Winnipeg, à sécuriser une place en séries après une victoire de 94-87 contre l’Alliance de Montréal, concluant ainsi un voyage de trois matchs dans l’Est avec une fiche de deux victoires et une défaite.
Avec une fiche de 13-4, les Bandits mènent l’Ouest et se trouvent en excellente position pour décrocher une qualification automatique pour les demi-finales de conférence, où un billet pour Winnipeg sera en jeu.
Mais Calgary et Edmonton sont tout juste derrière.
Le Surge de Calgary — qui figure parmi les meilleures équipes de la ligue depuis le début de la saison et qui a infligé deux des quatre défaites de Vancouver — pourrait améliorer sa situation avec une victoire contre la Saskatchewan mardi.
Si Calgary (fiche de 10-5) l’emporte face aux Rattlers (4-12), Saskatchewan ne pourra plus faire mieux qu’une égalité au classement avec le Surge, laissant ainsi un éventuel accès aux séries se jouer au bris d’égalité.
Cela dit, rien n’est gagné pour Calgary, qui a déjà subi deux revers contre les Rattlers, derniers de la ligue, et qui devra se passer de son meneur vedette Jameer Nelson Jr., actuellement en action à la ligue d’été de la NBA.
Le capitaine des Rattlers, Nate Pierre-Louis, a causé bien des maux de tête au Surge, avec un total de 51 points, 16 rebonds et 11 passes décisives lors des deux victoires. Il n’est d’ailleurs qu’à quatre passes décisives du record de la LECB pour une saison, établi par Corey Davis Jr. (126), et pourrait le dépasser dès mardi soir.
Une victoire de Calgary serait à la fois bénéfique et néfaste pour son rival d’Edmonton. Les Stingers, qui ont remporté leurs six derniers matchs pour porter leur fiche à 10-6, affronteront Ottawa et Vancouver sur la route cette semaine. Un gain du Surge les rapprocherait d’une place en séries, mais rendrait encore plus difficile l’obtention d’un match à domicile en séries éliminatoires.
Si Vancouver continue de creuser l’écart en tête de l’Ouest et que Saskatchewan demeure au dernier rang, un affrontement de qualification 100 % albertain entre Edmonton et Calgary pourrait bien être au programme.
Pendant ce temps, un scénario similaire se dessine dans l’Est.
Les champions en titre, les River Lions de Niagara, semblent avoir trouvé leur rythme de croisière, avec trois victoires de suite et une occasion de porter cette séquence à cinq cette semaine.
Niagara accueille Brampton mercredi, formation qui occupe le dernier rang. Les Honey Badgers n’ont toujours pas gagné à l’extérieur cette saison, mais ils avaient tout de même infligé une défaite de 35 points aux River Lions lors de leur dernier affrontement en juin.
Une victoire de Niagara permettrait d’assurer que Brampton ne pourra plus les dépasser au classement.
Puis, samedi, Niagara recevra les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, à égalité au deuxième rang de l’Est avec une fiche de 8-8, tout comme les BlackJacks d’Ottawa à 7-7.
Contrairement à l’Ouest, où Winnipeg a déjà son laissez-passer pour les demi-finales, la qualification automatique est toujours à portée de main dans l’Est.
Niagara sait mieux que quiconque à quel point cet avantage peut faire la différence, après avoir échappé de justesse à une élimination en demi-finale de conférence contre Ottawa l’an dernier. Jouer deux matchs au lieu de trois rend la défense du titre nettement plus accessible.
Les Shooting Stars, champions de 2023, ne se laisseront pas faire. Après trois revers de suite, Scarborough s’est repris avec une victoire convaincante de 15 points contre Brampton dimanche, alors que Terquavion Smith a explosé pour 33 points en l’absence de Donovan Williams, le deuxième meilleur marqueur de l’équipe, aussi à la Ligue d’été.
Les BlackJacks demeurent aussi dans la course, eux qui ont remporté cinq de leurs six derniers affrontements.
La séquence victorieuse d’Ottawa coïncide avec l’arrivée du grand Zane Waterman, ancien des Honey Badgers, qui affiche une moyenne de 14,3 points et 5,1 rebonds par match à sa première saison avec les BlackJacks.
Beaucoup reste à jouer alors que la saison de la LECB s’accélère — et on peut s’attendre à de nombreux rebondissements et des fins de match palpitantes lors de la période du pointage cible.
Calendrier hebdomadaire (neuf matchs)
Match #80 – Mardi 15 juillet – CGY à SSK – 19 h 30 HC / HR / 21 h 30 HE – SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+)
Match #81 – Mercredi 16 juillet – BHB à NRL – 19 h HE – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+)
Match #82 – Jeudi 17 juillet – EDM à OTT – 19 h 30 HE / 17 h 30 HR – Aréna de la Place TD (CEBL+, TSN+)
Match #83 – Jeudi 17 juillet – CGY à WPG – 19 h HAC / 18 h HR / 20 h HE – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)
Match #84 – Vendredi 18 juillet – SSK à VAN – 19 h HP / 20 h HC / 22 h HE – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+)
Match #85 – Dimanche 20 juillet – SSS à NRL – 15 h HE – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+)
Match #86 – Dimanche 20 juillet – WPG à MTL – 16 h HE / 15 h HAC – Auditorium de Verdun (RDS, CEBL+, TSN+)
Match #87 – Dimanche 20 juillet – EDM à VAN – 17 h HP / 18 h HR / 20 h HE – Langley Events Centre (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE)
Match #88 – Lundi 21 juillet – BHB à OTT – 19 h 30 HE – Aréna de la Place TD (CEBL+, TSN+)
Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB, veuillez visiter
cebl.ca/games.
(Preview: Week 11) For the past 10 weeks, only one team has known its playoff fate: Winnipeg. The Sea Bears, of course, clinched a spot at Championship Weekend for the CEBL’s Final Four as hosts, with all three games to be played and a champion set to be crowned at Canada Life Centre. Meanwhile, the rest of the league has jockeyed for position, battling roster churn and opponents alike, scratching and clawing for every win. Now, seven to 10 games remain for each team on the brand new 24-game schedule — and urgency is about to be kicked up a notch. On Sunday, the Vancouver Bandits became the first non-Winnipeg team to secure a playoff spot after beating the Montreal Alliance 94-87 to wrap a three-game Eastern road trip at 2-1. The Bandits now lead the West at 13-4 and sit in pole position for an automatic berth into the conference semifinals, where a trip to Winnipeg will be on the line. But Calgary and Edmonton are hot on Vancouver’s heels. The Surge — who have been among the league’s best from the very start of the season, while handing the Bandits half of their losses — could help their cause with a win over Saskatchewan on Tuesday. If Calgary (10-5) indeed beats Saskatchewan (4-12), it would guarantee the Rattlers could finish no better than tied with the Surge, leaving a potential playoff spot up to a tiebreaker. However, it will be no easy task for Calgary, who have lost twice to basement-dwelling Saskatchewan already this season and will be without star guard Jameer Nelson Jr., who is playing at NBA Summer League. Rattlers captain Nate Pierre-Louis has proved problematic for the Surge, racking up 51 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists in the two wins. He is also just four assists away from breaking Corey Davis Jr.’s CEBL single-season record of 126 assists and could eclipse that mark on Tuesday night. A Calgary win would both help and hurt rival Edmonton, who have won six straight to improve to 10-6 and face road games against Ottawa and Vancouver this week. The Stingers would move closer to a playoff spot with a Surge victory, but also face an even tougher climb for a home game in the post-season. If the Bandits keep creating space atop the conference, and the Rattlers keep their spot at the bottom, a Battle of Alberta play-in game could be in store. Meanwhile, a similar story is playing out in the East. The reigning champion Niagara River Lions appear to have found their groove, winning three straight with an opportunity to stretch their run to five this week. Niagara hosts last-place Brampton on Wednesday. The Honey Badgers have yet to win a road game on the season, though they did crush the River Lions by 35 points in their last meeting in June. A win for the River Lions in the rematch would assure the Honey Badgers cannot catch them in the standings. Then, on Saturday, the River Lions welcome the Scarborough Shooting Stars, who sit tied for second in the East at 8-8 alongside 7-7 Ottawa. Unlike in the West, where Winnipeg has the semifinal bye, the automatic berth is still up for grabs in the East. Niagara should know firsthand how important that free pass is after barely surviving a conference semifinal scare against the BlackJacks last season. It would make the championship defence a whole lot easier to play two games instead of three. But the Shooting Stars, the 2023 champions, will not go down easily. After three straight losses, Scarborough rebounded with a 15-point win over Brampton on Sunday as Terquavion Smith erupted for 33 points in the absence of second-leading scorer Donovan Williams (Summer League). The BlackJacks also remain in the fight as winners of five of their last six games. Ottawa’s hot streak has coincided with big man Zane Waterman’s introduction to the team. The longtime Honey Badger is averaged 14.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in his first season in Ottawa. Plenty is at stake as the CEBL season heads into overdrive — and you can be sure there will be no shortage of twists, turns and Target Score thrillers along the way. Weekly schedule (Nine games) Game #80 – Tuesday, July 15 – CGY at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST/MT / 9:30 p.m. ET– SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #81 – Wednesday, July 16 – BHB at NRL – 7 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #82 – Thursday, July 17 – EDM at OTT – 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT – The Arena at TD Place (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #83 – Thursday, July 17 – CGY at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #84 – Friday, July 18 – SSK at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. CST / 10 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #85 – Sunday, July 20 – SSS at NRL – 3 p.m. ET – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #86 – Sunday, July 20 – WPG at MTL – 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CDT – Verdun Auditorium (RDS, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #87 – Sunday, July 20 – EDM at VAN – 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #88 – Monday, July 21 – BHB at OTT – 7:30 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .
6-foot-7 guard has averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 25 CEBL games with Scarborough and Winnipeg
The Canadian guard appeared in 10 games for the Rattlers last season
L’Alliance et les BlackJacks s’affronteront dans un match additionnel le 6 août à l’Auditorium de Verdun
Alliance, BlackJacks set for additional matchup August 6 at Verdun Auditorium in Montréal
Ce ne fut pas toujours facile, mais les Bandits de Vancouver ont eu le dessus sur l’Alliance de Montréal par la marque de 94 à 87, devenant ainsi la première équipe à se qualifier pour les séries éliminatoires de la saison 2025 de la LECB. Vancouver a pris les devants par 19 points tôt dans le troisième quart et semblait bien en voie de filer vers la victoire. Mais Montréal n’avait pas dit son dernier mot et est revenu en force pour transformer la fin de match en véritable duel, jusqu’à la période du pointage cible. Les Bandits ont été menés par Zach Copeland, qui a établi un nouveau record de franchise avec huit tirs de trois points réussis, battant son propre record précédent de sept. Il a terminé la rencontre avec 36 points, égalant ainsi ses coéquipiers Mitch Creek et Tyrese Samuel pour le record de points marqués en un match dans l’histoire de l’équipe. Corey Davis Jr. a enregistré 14 points et 10 passes décisives pour son quatrième doublé en cinq matchs, Mikyle McIntosh a ajouté 15 points et sept rebonds, tandis que Duane Notice a contribué avec 12 points dans la victoire. « J’ai été vraiment concentré ces derniers matchs, » a affirmé Copeland au bord du terrain après la rencontre. « Un de nos joueurs clés, Mitch (Creek), était absent aujourd’hui, donc tout le monde devait élever son jeu, et c’est exactement ce que j’ai essayé de faire. » Au sujet de la qualification en séries, il a ajouté : « C’est très important. On veut obtenir l’avantage du terrain en séries, alors on est venus ici pour tout donner. Ce fut un voyage difficile, trois matchs en quatre jours, alors on voulait vraiment finir ça en force. » Le match a démarré en force alors que les deux équipes ont combiné 19 tirs réussis sur 29 tentatives au premier quart, dont une séquence parfaite de huit tirs consécutifs des Bandits. Le tir de trois points a été un facteur clé du succès initial de Vancouver, qui a réussi ses cinq premiers tirs derrière l’arc, pour un total de six dans le quart. Le deuxième quart a marqué un changement de rythme : L’Alliance a ralenti le jeu et laissé sa défensive faire le travail, limitant Vancouver à seulement cinq tirs réussis sur 19 dans le quart. Mais les tirs de trois points et les points sur deuxième chance – un secteur où les Bandits menaient 13-0 à la mi-temps – ont permis aux visiteurs de maintenir une avance de 48-41 à la pause. En amorçant la deuxième demie, les Bandits voulaient sceller l’issue du match rapidement avec une séquence de 16-4. Mais après deux temps d’arrêt, Montréal a répliqué avec une poussée de 12-0, réduisant l’écart à un seul chiffre. « Il y a des matchs où on joue bien pendant deux, parfois trois quarts, mais dans cette ligue, c’est crucial d’enchaîner les 40 minutes complètes, parce que n’importe quelle équipe peut partir sur une grosse séquence. » Mohamed a inscrit 16 points – tous en deuxième demie – en plus de capter quatre rebonds. Kevin Osawe a mené l’équipe avec 17 points et cinq rebonds, Tavian Dunn Martin a ajouté 13 points et huit passes décisives, O.D Anosike a terminé avec 11 points et huit rebonds, tandis que Shamiel Stevenson a inscrit 10 points pour l’Alliance. « Je me mets beaucoup de pression pour aider l’équipe, » a ajouté Mohamed. « L’organisation, les entraîneurs et la direction comptent sur moi pour contribuer, donc je prends cette responsabilité très au sérieux. Peu importe ce que l’équipe a besoin – défensive, tirs – je suis prêt à tout donner. » Montréal est parvenu à réduire l’écart à 85-80 en entrant dans la période du pointage cible, puis a même égalé le score à 87-87, se donnant ainsi une vraie chance de l’emporter. Mais une poussée de 7-0 des Bandits – couronnée par un tir de trois points record de Copeland suivi d’un lancer franc – a anéanti les espoirs de la foule locale. Cette défaite fait glisserlL’Alliance à une fiche de 6-8, avec seulement deux victoires à ses dix derniers matchs. Pour les Bandits, il s’agissait d’un deuxième gain consécutif, portant leur fiche à 13-4, ce qui consolide leur première place au classement. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600640 À venir pour les deux équipes L’Alliance de Montréal poursuit sa série de trois matchs à domicile en accueillant les Sea Bears de Winnipeg le 20 juillet. De leur côté, les Bandits de Vancouver seront de retour à la maison après un voyage de trois rencontres sur la route pour affronter les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan le 18 juillet. Prochain match de la LECB Les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan tenteront de porter leur fiche à 3-0 face au Surge de Calgary lors de leur avant-dernière rencontre de la saison, le 15 juillet. Le match sera diffusé en direct sur CEBL+ et TSN. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le site cebl.ca/games. - LECB -
It wasn’t always easy, but the Vancouver Bandits triumphed over the Montreal Alliance 94-87 to become the first team to punch their ticket to the 2025 CEBL playoffs. Vancouver got up to as much as a 19-point lead early in the third quarter and looked well on their way to securing the victory. Unfortunately for them, Montreal wasn’t willing to go down that easy and came roaring back to make it anyone’s game heading into Target Time. The Bandits were led by Zach Copeland, who set a franchise record with eight made three-pointers, breaking his own previous record of seven. He finished with 36 points on the night – tying teammates Mitch Creek and Tyrese Samuel for the franchise record. Corey Davis Jr. had 14 points and 10 assists for his fourth double-double in the last five games, Mikyle McIntosh had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Duane Notice notched 12 points in the win. “I’ve just been locked in these past few games,” Copeland said from the sidelines following the game. “One of our main players in Mitch (Creek) was down today, so everyone had to step up and that’s just what I was trying to do.” “Very important,” he said about his team securing a spot in the post-season. “We want to establish homecourt advantage for the playoffs, so we just wanted to come in here and give it our all. It’s been a tough road trip, three games in four days. So, we were just trying to finish strong.” Things got off to a fiery start as the teams combined to hit 19 of 29 shots in the first quarter, including the Bandits making their first eight from the field. Three-point shooting was pivotal to Vancouver’s early success, as they hit their first five from beyond the arc and six total in the quarter. The second quarter saw a shift in momentum as the Alliance slowed the pace and let their defense take over, holding the Bandits to just 5 of 19 shooting in the period. Unfortunately for the home squad, three-pointers and second-chance points — an area in which the Bandits held a 13–0 advantage at the half — dictated the game and allowed the visitors to carry a 48–41 lead into the break. Coming into the second half, the Bandits looked to put the game away early by starting on a 16-4 run. After a pair of timeouts, the Alliance were able to chip away at the seemingly insurmountable lead by going on a 12-0 run of their own and cut the deficit down to single digits. “I think the biggest thing for us is just putting 40 minutes together,” Abdul Mohamed said of his team’s performance on the season. “There are times where we put two quarters, three quarters together, but putting together the full 40 is important in this league because any team can go on a massive run, just like you saw from us. Just putting 40 minutes together is big.” Mohamed had 16 points – all of them coming in the second half – to go along with four rebounds. Kevin Osawe led the team with 17 points and added five rebounds, Tavian Dunn Martin had 13 points and eight assists, O.D Anosike had 11 points and eight rebounds, while Shamiel Stevenson added 10 points for the Alliance. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to help the team in any way,” Mohamed said. “The organization, the coaches and the ownership all look at me as a player that needs to contribute, so there’s immense pressure and I take it with full responsibility. Whatever the team needs, whether it’s defense or making shots – anything, I’m willing to do it.” Montreal was able to cut the lead down to 85-80 heading into Target Time and even tied the game at 87-87 to give themselves a chance to win. Put a 7-0 run by the Bandits – capped by Copeland’s record setting three-pointer and a subsequent free throw – dashed the hopes of the home crowd. The loss dropped the Alliance to 6-8 on the season with just two wins in their last ten games. It was the second straight win for the now 13-4 Bandits, who extend their lead at the top of the standings. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600640 Up next for both teams The Montreal Alliance continue their three-game homestand as they host the Winnipeg Sea Bears on July 20. The Vancouver Bandits return home following a three-game road trip to face the Saskatchewan Rattlers on July 18. Next CEBL action The Saskatchewan Rattlers look to make it 3-0 against the Calgary Surge in their penultimate meeting on the season July 15. You can catch the game streaming live on CEBL+ and TSN. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
Terquavion Smith defied the numbers in the Scarborough Shooting Stars 86-71 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Sunday afternoon. Scarborough is the league’s worst free throw shooting team, yet Smith’s four consecutive free throws capitalized on a pair of Brampton’s technical fouls right before Target Time. Those freebies gave Scarborough an eight-point lead, then Smith’s triple gave Scarborough a nine-point lead. Before the game, Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio talked about avoiding “self-inflicted wounds” like poor free throw shooting, which have cost them games in the past. After scoring just 11 points in the first quarter, the Shooting Stars turned up the tempo in the second quarter and maintained it throughout the remainder of the game. “I think our first quarter was poor,” said De Giorgio. “I think the last three quarters were more indicative of who we are as a team.” Scarborough took full advantage of their seven-point buffer in Target Time and put the game away, including another triple from Smith, who had a game-high 33 points on five-for-11 three-point shooting. Brampton, led by David Muenkat’s career-high 31 points, played a scrappy game. They came out of halftime on a 8-0 run, but Scarborough’s Cat Barber stopped the bleeding as his triple gave them a 42-40 lead, forcing a timeout. He then hit another one right away – a transition dribble, pull-up three-pointer, using a drag screen from Kalif Young. Barber had a highlight play in third where he split the screen, turned Amari Kelly and Quinndary Weatherspoon inside and out with handles that mirrored fellow Virginia basketball legend, Allen Iverson. Barber, who had 15 points, showed a lot of scrappiness too in the second quarter after missing both free throws, airballing the second one. After being on the receiving end of a LeBron James-like block by Muenkat, he still put on the jets to give his team a quick deuce for a five-point lead going into halftime. His fellow backcourt mate started to heat up in the second half, matching the temperature outside. After Muenkat tried to crown Smith with a two-handed dunk, the latter hit a deep three. Then, later in the frame, he answered Bryson Williams’ triple with his own to give Scarborough a seven-point lead. Muenkat made his former team pay with an incredible three-point shooting performance. He shot six-for-nine from downtown and embodied Brampton’s tenacity. In the fourth, he refused to let his team be put away, hitting a triple to inch within six points. Guard Marcus Carr dribbled out in transition, waited, then dished it out to Muenkat. He threw a pump fake, made a nice spin move on Young, and reversed the ball for his 30th point. But it was Weatherspoon’s foul on the defensive end and reaction to it that killed Brampton’s momentum. When asked about Muenkat’s progression as a shooter, his secret is simple. “A lot of reps. I think I just spend a lot of time in the gym getting shots up,” he said about how he has grown so confident from long-range. Young recently surpassed his 600th rebound and Brampton’s Prince Oduro surpassed his 500th point this afternoon. More and more Canadians are returning to the CEBL year after year and setting records. “I mean it feels good,” Oduro smiled. “I don’t really think about stuff like that, but obviously it’s still a good accomplishment.” Scarborough busted its three-game losing streak, and today’s Battle of the 401 was a preview of Caribbean Night coming up at the CAA Centre on Friday, July 25. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600638 Up next for both teams The Brampton Honey Badgers (4-13) head to Meridian Centre to play the beast of the East Niagara River Lions (10-5) on Wednesday, July 16. The Scarborough Shooting Stars’ (8-8) next game is against Niagara too, on Sunday, July 20. Next CEBL action CEBL’s lone Tuesday, July 15 game will feature the Calgary Surge (10-5) playing against the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-12) at SaskTel Centre. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
The CEBL got its first look at the new-look Winnipeg Sea Bears on Friday night, and if early returns are any indication, the roster moves are already paying dividends. With Terry Roberts and Jaylin Williams away from the team while plying their trade in NBA Summer League, Will Richardson and Trevon Scott stepped in and looked like established veterans on the squad as the Sea Bears led nearly from buzzer to buzzer to take a 94-70 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Simi Shittu had a game-high 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Harris had 19 points. Emmanuel Akot finished with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists while Richardson introduced himself to the league with 18 points and a game-high eight assists. Scott had 16 points and five rebounds off the bench. “Today was a game where we really played well together. I thought we brought a good energy,” Sea Bears head coach Mike Taylor said afterwards. “The last couple of games, there were distractions and stuff going on within the team that really prevented us from being our best. I thought this was a credit to the players today. They really played hard, they really played well. It was just an excellent performance on both ends.” Richardson – the Oregon Ducks alum – and Scott – former member of the Calgary Surge – made their impact felt immediately. The former played every second of the first quarter and quickly tallied up eight points. The latter checked in at the start of the second quarter and never came off, piling up 11 points of his own. “Really pleased with the way they played,” Taylor said of his new additions. “They brought a fresh energy to the team. Both guys fit in really, really well. They played like they’ve been here a while. You saw the natural point guard talent of Will in terms of his playmaking and hitting big shots. (Trevon) contributed in so many ways on both ends of the floor. Those two new guys fit in seamlessly and we’re really pleased with their play today.” It was all Sea Bears in the first half, as they led 40-25 heading into the break and held the home team to just 37 per cent from the floor. Winnipeg – on the other hand – seemingly could do no wrong on offense, making 56 per cent of their shots and hitting six three-pointers in the first half. The Saskatchewan Rattlers would regroup and try to take a run at it to start the third quarter. They opened the second half by outscoring the Sea Bears 16-6. Nate Pierre-Louis led the way for Saskatchewan, scoring 11 of his 14 points through the first three quarters. He finished the game with six assists, leaving him just three shy of the CEBL single-season record. Johnny Hughes III had a team high 16 points to go with eight rebounds, while Devonte Bandoo chipped in with 10 points. Australian big man Grant Anticevich finished just shy of a double-double, scoring 11 points – nine of them in the first half – and grabbing nine rebounds. “It was just an individual check within each of ourselves about who we are, who we want to be and how we want to play,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said of his halftime message. “And credit to our guys, they took that message to heart and competed in the second half.” Although the Rattlers were able to cut the lead down to 13 and flirted with bringing the score within single digits on a few occasions, it was all for naught. Winnipeg would hold onto a 15-point lead heading into target time, where a clean 9-0 run put an end to the Rattlers night. “We just came out flat,” Magdanz said. “We didn’t have the energy, the effort, the level of compete that we’ve had for the entire season in the first half, and that dug us a hole. And once you dig yourselves a hole in this league, it’s pretty hard to come back.” The win was the Sea Bears’ first since June 20, snapping a four-game losing streak. For the Rattlers, it was another disappointing setback after a spirited effort in Target Time earned them a win in their last outing. The loss to Winnipeg dropped their record to 4-12. “It’s just been a tough season. Every game has been like this. We’re either sad that we didn’t get the win or we’re mad that we lost or just happy that we got the win,” Pierre-Louis, the Rattlers team captain, said after the loss. “I just tell the guys to keep their head up and stay together. There’s going to be days like that. You just have to stay even keel and get back to the drawing board on Monday. Myself, I have to be better. I felt that today wasn’t my best one. I’ve been playing well but today wasn’t one of my high standard games. Just got to get back to the drawing board. Never too high, never too low.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600636 Up next for both teams The Winnipeg Sea Bears return home following a three-game road trip to host the Calgary Surge on July 17. The Saskatchewan Rattlers wrap up a four-game homestand as they take on the Calgary Surge on July 15. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers take to the road to face the Scarborough Shooting Stars in their second of three meetings on the season, streaming live on CEBL+, TSN+, and NLSE. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
Edmonton got its six-game win streak in the Six. Scarborough had a 72-71 lead heading into Target Time and it was anyone’s game. Edmonton, who trailed in a two-possession game for the majority of the game, came alive when it mattered most, going on a 10-4 run in Target Time. Keon Ambrose-Hylton, who had 16 points on another efficient seven-for-nine shooting, made a lay-up in Target Time after Sean East baited Scarborough into fouling him and made both free throws. Scarborough took a timeout and Terquavion Smith missed a triple before Cat Barber missed a lay-up. Scottie Lindsey, who was fresh off a 29-point performance from the previous game, made Scarborough pay by pushing the lead to 79-74. Unfortunately, Edmonton’s game-winning bucket was an anticlimactic one. Edmonton guard Mason Bourcier’s defence may not show up in the stat sheet, but his tenacity stood out late in the game. “He gets tasked with the toughest match-up every single night. He rises to the challenge,” said Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker. “That’s what he gets excited about. He did a great job on the ball.” This made life difficult for Cat Barber and Terquavion Smith. Captain Nick Hornsby, who willed himself a bucket in the fourth and completed the and-one, finished the game with 16 points and 15 rebounds. In tight, two-possession games like this, it’s easy to look back and find reasons for a loss, but Scarborough’s 10-for-24 (41%) free throw shooting hurt them in a win-in-the-margins type of game. Scarborough was, however, happy with its defence tonight. Edmonton’s star Sean East, who is the league’s third-leading scorer through the last five games (24.4 PPG) has shot 50 per cent from three-point range (13-for-26). Tonight, he was zero-for-six from downtown, held to four points in the first half as Scarborough constantly threw doubles at him. “That was part of our game plan and we did a good job of it early,” said Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio. “We got kind of loose towards the end. I think a little bit of that was our defensive transition.” The intimate vibes inside the arena was electric and Anthony Walker had a game-high 19 points in his debut. When Scaborough was trying to pull away in the third, he had a rim-rattling two-handed dunk and hit a big three at the end of the quarter. Another highlight for Scarborough was Kalif Young, the league’s all-time rebounder, grabbing his 600th one. He laughed at the milestone: “I’ve been here a long time. Over six years, so I guess 100 a year.” Young had 14 rebounds tonight. Scarborough got close to icing Edmonton’s hot streak in their first road game. It spells progress for Scarborough as they were blown out in their previous matchup. After beating their provincial rival Calgary Surge by three points on the road, Edmonton went on a perfect four-game homestand, where they averaged a margin of +16 in through their four home games. Edmonton had a slow start to this season, but they are now putting the entire league on notice. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600632 Up next for both teams The Scarborough Shooting Stars (7-8) host the Brampton Honey Badgers (4-12) at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on Sunday, July 13th. The Edmonton Stingers (10-6) continue their road trip as they head to TD Place to face the Ottawa BlackJacks (7-7) on Thursday, July 17th. Next CEBL action Double-header this Sunday with the said 401 Series, and league-best Vancouver Bandits (12-4) face Montreal Alliance (6-8) at Verdun Auditorium. Vancouver will be looking to reassert their dominance after only winning against Brampton by a narrow margin. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -