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

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

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

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

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

The Calgary Surge have added another physical big man to their roster, signing Canadian center Enoch Boakye for the 2025 CEBL season. Boakye, a 6’11”, 255-pound Brampton, ON native, brings elite rebounding instincts, shot- blocking ability, and physical toughness to Calgary’s lineup. He most recently suited up for Villanova University in the 2024-25 season, where he started all 36 games and helped lead the Wildcats to the College Basketball Crown (CBC) semifinals. Boakye averaged 4.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game, while shooting an efficient 65.9% from the field. His season was highlighted by a double-double performance of 11 points and 11 rebounds against UCF in the tournament semifinal game. Before transferring to Villanova, Boakye played for Fresno State during the 2023-24 campaign, posting 7.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the Mountain West Conference. A former top high school prospect, Boakye represented Canada at the international level and was widely recruited for his defensive prowess, strength, and upside as a rim protector. “Enoch immediately alters the game with his rare combination of length and physicality,” said General Manager Shane James. “He controls the paint on both ends—securing boards, protecting the rim, and powering us through contact. Adding him to our frontcourt gives us another dominant interior presence we’ve been seeking.” “I’m honoured to join an organization already chasing championships and eager to contribute wherever I can,” said Boakye. “Calgary’s energy is electric, and I can’t wait to connect with fans and immerse myself in this vibrant community.” Boakye becomes the latest addition to a growing list of high-level collegiate and pro talent joining the Surge for 2025 as the team prepares for another deep CEBL run. Tickets for the Calgary Surge’s ‘TRILOGY’ season are now available at calgarysurge.ca . This season includes regular season games at WinSport Event Centre and marquee events at the Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer (June 19) and the Scotiabank Saddledome (July 9 & August 10).  ### About the Calgary Surge The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). From day one, the Surge have been committed to being the Home Team for Calgary and a space where everyone is welcome. The Calgary Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over two seasons, the Surge have made back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023, hold the league’s single-game attendance record, and have sent over 4000 deserving kids and families to their games for free. Fans can expect even more excitement for 2025! For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca. About the Canadian Elite Basketball League A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ , TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .

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

In the final minute of the first half, the Brampton Honey Badgers were inbounding the ball with three seconds remaining on the shot clock. Quinndary Weatherspoon fed Koby McEwen as he rounded the corner above the three-point arc. McEwen rose up, fading toward the sideline, and drilled a three-pointer to put his team up 46-45. It was Brampton’s first lead since the early stages of the game — and, after plenty of back and forth, it held up as the Honey Badgers beat the Edmonton Stingers 95-91 on Saturday at the CAA Centre. Brampton improved to 2-7 with the win, while Edmonton fell to 4-6. “We played well together. First five minutes we didn’t really lock in on the game plan, but we were able to regroup and turn things around and play through the runs, so good team win,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said. The Honey Badgers took an 85-83 lead into Target Score Time. Edmonton tied things on its second possession with a Keon Ambrose-Hylton floater, but Omari Kelly nailed a three to give Brampton back the lead on the following play. Scottie Lindsey then cut the Stingers’ deficit to one, but David Muenkat responded with a triple. After Muenkat knocked down a pair of free throws, Brampton was one point away from victory. But Edmonton wasn’t done yet. A Lindsey free throw and an and-one from Sean East II cut the Honey Badgers’ lead to 93-91 — and put both teams a bucket away from victory. Brampton got the first shot at victory and Quinndary Weatherspoon missed a layup, but the rebound went out of bounds off of Edmonton — and the Honey Badgers didn’t miss their second chance. Muenkat received a pass under the basket and turned around for a layup off the glass for his second game-winner of the season. “I had a little guy on me so kind of wanted to use that size advantage. It was just recognizing and try to attack the mismatch,” Muenkat, who was named player of the game, told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara after the contest. McEwen wound up as the team’s leading scorer with 23 points to go with six assists and three rebounds. Muenkat, the hometown kid, finished with a massive 15-point, 14-rebound double-double, while Kelly also had 15 points. Weatherspoon contributed 16 points and seven assists to the winning cause as well. McEwen, another GTA local who chose to play with the Honey Badgers so he could be closer to home, said the win felt good for the team. “I think for the most part we played well. We rebounded, we shot the ball and we defended when we needed to. A lot of things to clean up, but it’s always good to win,” McEwen said. Cassimy said McEwen’s strong performance started on the defensive end. “I have all the trust and faith in Koby. He’s a great player and he just focused on defence first and the offence came,” Cassimy said. The Stingers were coming off a win over the defending champion Niagara River Lions one night earlier, and the strong play continued in the first quarter with a seven-for-seven mark from deep. But, perhaps with tired legs on the second half of the back-to-back, the Stingers offence sagged from there, finishing with a 40 per cent mark from deep and 44 per cent overall. “(The Honey Badgers) punished us inside, they got shots that they wanted and we were OK with trading baskets and not really giving a full effort defensively but that’s a challenge of a back-to-back is trying to stay engaged and dialed in,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Sean East II once again led all Stingers scorers with 22 points, while Scottie Lindsey added 20 points, four rebounds and four assists. Do-it-all forward Nick Hornsby stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds. But Lindsey said his squad may just not have had enough left in the tank coming off Friday’s hard-fought win. “Tough loss for the team when we were building momentum, but every loss is something you can learn from and there’s always room for improvement,” Lindsey said. Edmonton’s Mason Bourcier left the game in the second half with an upper-body injury. The Stingers beat the Honey Badgers 99-81 in their first meeting of the season in May, and it looked like things were headed in the same direction in the early going. Edmonton’s perfect three-point shooting propelled it to a 33-24 lead after the first quarter. But Brampton ramped up its defence in the second frame and took a 49-47 advantage into halftime after two late threes of their own. A tightly contested third quarter ended in a 73-71 lead for the Honey Badgers, and they were able to hang on from there. Now with wins in two of three following a slow start to the season, Brampton appears primed to go on a run. “Early on in the season, we were trying to build the chemistry,” Cassimy said. “But we had basically a whole week to practice, so we’re gelling, we’re working together better and I think it’ll continue to go in the right direction.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600610 Up Next Brampton’s home stand continues with a game against the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday, while Edmonton heads to Red Deer, Alta., for a showdown with the Calgary Surge. Next CEBL Action A three-game Sunday slate includes Ottawa hosting Niagara, Winnipeg welcoming Saskatchewan and Calgary awaiting Scarborough. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

A convincing second-half performance lifted the Scarborough Shooting Stars past the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday (June 13) to snap a three-game losing streak. Scarborough guard Donovan Williams said the win was especially important. “Off of a three-game losing streak, you want to gain that confidence back – especially on the road,” Williams said. “Picking up a win right here now, it just gives us that confidence of going to Calgary to pick up one more.” The return of Cat Barber helped the Shooting Stars regain winning form to improve their record to 4-3 on the season. Barber scored four of his 19 points in Target Score Time, banking in the game-winner from mid-range to seal the 101-93 victory at SaskTel Centre. The dynamic duo of Barber and Williams proved difficult for the Rattlers to stop. After the game, Williams welcomed Barber back. “It feels good… when you have somebody that dynamic,” Williams said in a post-game interview. “For us as a team, [Cat’s] our engine. So having him back – I mean, that does a lot for us. The defence has to focus on him, they gotta focus on me, and we got all these pieces around us to help us win these games.” In Scarborough’s seven-point win over Saskatchewan at home on May 29, Williams netted a game-high 34 points. He followed up that performance with another stellar 26-point outing on Friday, showcasing a mix of long-range shooting and rim-rocking finishes. “Donovan and Cat really pushed the pace for us. I mean, Donovan was relentless getting into the rim. Every time he puts pressure on the rim, it just puts a lot of pressure on the defence,” Shooting Stars’ head coach Michael De Giorgio said. The Shooting Stars were efficient offensively in the win, finishing at 52 per cent from the floor, 41 per cent from three and 82 per cent from the free throw line. Scarborough won the battles in the paint and off the bench as well, but it was a big run towards the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth that created separation in a tight game. De Giorgio said the inside finishing helped extend the lead in the second half. “I thought in the second half, we did a way better job on the glass. We limited their easy buckets, and then we were able to run out and get transition buckets,” he said. On the other side, Jamir Chaplin helped cut the deficit to single digits four times in the final quarter but it wasn’t enough to earn Saskatchewan’s first home win of the season. Chaplin scored a team-high 25 points in the loss. “I just tried to attack, attack, attack. Let the threes come to me and try to get to the free throw line as best as I can,” Chaplin said. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz said the team needs to do a better job stopping transition offence and be more aggressive defensively. “We wanted to get the ball out of Donovan Williams’ hands and I think in the half court, we did a good job of that. I think we didn't do a good job of stopping the ball in transition,” Magdanz said,. The Shooting Stars opened the game by rocking the rim with three consecutive dunks from different players before Nate Pierre-Louis got in on the action with a slam of his own. Scarborough maintained a lead for the bulk of the quarter, fueled by efficient 64 per cent shooting from the field and 60 per cent from beyond the arc. Trailing by three to begin the second, Cody John connected from the corner to tie it at 23. Several possessions later, John drilled another corner three to give the Rattlers their first lead of the night and force a De Giorgio timeout. John and the Rattlers stayed hot throughout the second, but Scarborough hit timely triples of its own. The teams traded leads five times in the closing minutes of the quarter, and a buzzer-beating putback jam from Hason Ward inched the Shooting Stars ahead by two after 20 minutes. Saskatchewan regained the lead early in the third with a long-range connection from Grant Anticevich. However, the Shooting Stars struck back and maintained control for the majority of the quarter. Williams showed off his high-flying finishing ability with a pair of massive dunks, including one slam that kicked off an 8-2 run to close the quarter. The Shooting Stars extended the run to begin the fourth and went ahead by 11 points. Chaplin cut the deficit back to six points with a steal and slam to force a De Giorgio timeout, but Scarborough bounced back right away. Heading into Target Score Time, the Shooting Stars carried a 92-83 advantage. Ward tipped in the first bucket of the final stretch for Scarborough before Chaplin buried a three and John nailed a floater to cut it back to single digits. From there, Williams and Barber put the finishing touches on the win. Williams euro-stepped through contact for an and-one before Barber iced it with the final four points. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600606 Up next for both teams Both teams are back in action on Sunday (June 15) as Scarborough continues its three-game road trip against the Calgary Surge while Saskatchewan starts a road trip of its own against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Next CEBL action The Edmonton Stingers visit the Brampton Honey Badgers at CAA Centre on Saturday (June 14) while the Montréal Alliance head west for a matchup with the Vancouver Bandits. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

On ring night in Niagara, it was the Edmonton Stingers who showed championship quality. The Stingers opened the game on a 9-0 run and led wire-to-wire en route to a 106-88 victory over the River Lions on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont. Edmonton dominated through the first 25 minutes or so and opened a 71-46 lead midway through the third quarter when Niagara offered a taste of the championship mettle that earned them diamonds, chipping away to cut the lead to six in the fourth quarter. But Edmonton still held a 97-88 lead at Target Score Time — and it was all Stingers from there. With the River Lions held scoreless after the clock turned off, it was Edmonton’s Scottie Lindsey who ultimately ended the proceedings with a three-pointer and a dunk. “Basketball is a game of runs, and it was exemplified by that tonight. I mean, obviously, we played well in the first half, and to start the third, but credit to them, they battled back,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. “But Target Time is when games are won and lost, and we managed to hold them scoreless, which is a good win for us.” Edmonton dominated from the field and on the glass, shooting 48 per cent from three-point range and outrebounding Niagara 46-37. The Stingers had three players in double-digits by halftime, with Lindsey ultimately leading the team in scoring with 32 points. The win for Edmonton (4-5) was its second straight after losing two in a row, while Niagara (5-3) saw a two-game win streak of its own come to an end. “We just gotta keep playing with the same intensity we’ve been playing with,” Lindsey, who was named player of the game, told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara in a post-game interview. River Lions head coach Victor Raso said his side did not come out with the proper intensity. “They punched us in mouth at the start of the first half, start of the second half, start of Target Time. We just didn't have it tonight. Simple as that,” he said. Stingers guard Sean East II continued his torrid start to the season after entering third leaguewide at 24 points per game. The Louisville, Kent., native and CEBL rookie had 30 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Nick Hornsby neared a first-half triple-double with seven points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He failed to score in the second half, but finished with a 10-rebound, 10-assist double-double. Forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton also contributed 18 points and seven rebounds. East II said the team now hopes to take its good vibes into a Saturday night showdown in Brampton. “Just keep stacking and keep focusing on defensive end, playing hard (and) having fun out there,” he said. Baker said the team’s offensive success was about sharing the ball. “I think we played with pace. I mean, we had 17 assists in the first half, ended with 29, like when we were moving it, sharing it, being unselfish, we got some skilled guys out there that can make plays,” he said. The River Lions made a valiant second-half comeback effort as they ramped up their defence to fuel their offence and chip away at the Stingers’ lead. However, a slow start and poor shooting night — Niagara made just four of 29 three-point attempts — ultimately proved its undoing. “That's what this league really is, is that if one team's ready to go, they always win, and that team was ready to fight. They were desperate,” Raso said. For Niagara, reigning Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad led the way with 30 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Ahmad reached 300 career assists (including playoffs) with his first helper, joining Kadre Gray, Cat Barber and Alain Louis as the only players to accomplish the feat in league history. “I mean, it's a great accolade, like, I appreciate it from the league and the recognition and whatnot, but just focused on the main goal, which is the championship,” Ahmad said. Eddie Ekiyor (14 points) and Nathan Cayo (10) were the only other River Lions scorers in double digits. Canadian point guard Jahvon Blair made his season debut after finishing a campaign in France, posting seven points and three rebounds in nearly 17 minutes of action. In a pre-game ceremony, commissioner Mike Morreale and River Lions executives Richard Petko (owner), Michael Skrtich (owner) and Michelle Biskup (president) presented players, coaches and support staff their 2024 CEBL championship rings. A banner commemorating the title run was unfurled from the rafters of the Meridian Centre. “That was amazing, just like a cherry on top the big season last year. It's a 10-out-of-10 moment I'll keep with me for a long time,” Ahmad said. On the other hand, he’ll hope to forget the game that ensued rather quickly. The Stingers led 34-25 after the first 10 minutes and extended their advantage to 61-44 at halftime. Niagara put together a 20-6 run in the middle of the third quarter to cut a 25-point deficit to 12 heading into the final frame. But while Niagara cut things even closer from there, it could not close the deal — and ultimately walked away with rings, but without a win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600604 Up Next Edmonton is back at it Saturday with a visit to the Brampton Honey Badgers, while the River Lions head to Ottawa to face the BlackJacks on Sunday. Next CEBL Action In addition to the Stingers-Honey Badgers game on Saturday, a battle of conference leaders will occur as the Vancouver Bandits host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -