Les Stingers s’enflamment derrière l’arc de pour dominer les BlackJacks

A game between the two teams on opposite ends of the conference standings came down to the last shot, but it was the East-leading Niagara River Lions that were able to emerge victorious in their seventh straight game. Trailing by as many as 23 points in the second quarter, Niagara leaned on the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer in Ahmed Hill to get them back into the game and lead them to the 86-84 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers. Hill posted a team-high 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting for the River Lions, while Khalil Ahmad had 22 points. Eddie Ekiyor had 10 points and eight rebounds, and Nathan Cayo scored nine points to go with eight rebounds and five assists in the win. “Once he started going, we made sure we were getting him the looks,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said of his star player. “That’s Ahmed Hill. That’s the all-time leading scorer in the CEBL and we have him coming off our bench. He’s a phenomenal teammate and we knew there was a Med game coming, because there hasn’t been a Med game yet, and that was it today.” Niagara became just the fourth team to string together seven consecutive wins, the third longest streak in the history of the CEBL. Today’s victory also secured the River Lions a top-3 seed in the conference, ensuring – at worst – they’ll play host in a playoff game as they continue to vie for the conference’s automatic spot at Championship Weekend. “You have to approach every game the same, whether we clinch it in our next win or it gets clinched in the next loss before that, it doesn’t matter,” Raso added. “There’s a long time before championship weekend, and our task is a very difficult one: becoming the most improved team from now until championship weekend.” Brampton got off to a hot start, scoring the game’s first five points as part of a 20-9 run to start the game. Weatherspoon made his mark early, scoring nine points in the opening frame. But the biggest difference was made on the defensive end, with the home squad holding the opposition to 33-percent shooting and owning a 16-6 rebounding edge in the quarter. An 18-7 run to start the second quarter made it look like the game would soon be completely out of hand, but a timeout by the River Lions sparked a 16-5 run of their own, with Ahmad and Cayo combining to score 12 of those points and evening things up in the quarter to cut the lead back down to 12. With Brampton up 61-48 late in the third quarter, it was an 11-4 Niagara run – with every River Lion point being scored by Hill – that brought them back into the game. “I just wanted to be aggressive, my teammates wanted me to be aggressive, so I just wanted to find my shot. I hit two in a row, so I shot another one to get a good look,” Hill said of the stretch. “We love each other, we have fun playing with each other, but we also got on each other,” he said of his team’s recent success. “When you’re playing like ---, we tell each other and when we’re playing great, we tell each other – it’s the accountability.” The Honey Badgers led 77-76 heading into Target Time, but unfortunately for the home crowd, Hill saw it as an opportunity to take over again. He scored eight of his team’s 10 points in the decisive period, including the game-winning three-point shot. One of the determining factors in the game was Quinndary Weatherspoon’s foul trouble. The team’s leading scorer coming into the game, he had 19 points in the first half before being limited to the bench for the majority of the second half. He ended up with a game-high 28 points, while Ali Sow filled in admirably in his role to contribute 12 points off the bench. Bryson Williams had eight points and 11 rebounds, and Prince Oduro had six points and 12 boards. “I thought we had that one and we let it slip,” Oduro said. “There were some unfortunate events: (Weatherspoon)’s foul troubles, me getting hurt. Stuff like that is really out of our control, but we can do a better job of focusing on what we can control.” The loss was Brampton’s eighth in their last nine games after they snapped a seven-game losing streak last time out. With their positioning in the standings, they have to win out their remaining three games and hope for some help from the teams above them in order to make the playoffs. Box Score  https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600655 Up next for both teams The Brampton Honey Badgers start a three-game road trip to finish out their season against the Montreal Alliance on August 1. The Niagara River Lions will play their final home game of the season against the Ottawa BlackJacks on July 31. Next CEBL action The Scarborough Shooting Stars take on the Ottawa BlackJacks on July 29 in a game pivotal to both teams playoffs hopes, streaming live on CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Wisconsin native joins the Shooting Stars with NBA Summer League and G League experience

The Niagara River Lions announced today the signing of 6-foot-9 Canadian forward Meshack Lufile, whose deal was finalized ahead of the team’s July 26 transaction deadline. The 32-year-old Burlington, Ontario native started the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season with the Ottawa Blackjacks where he averaged 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 7 games. “Meshack is a veteran Canadian 5 man, who will bring a veteran presence and depth to our team for our playoff run”, said Head Coach and General Manager, Victor Raso. “He’s a quality basketball player who is familiar with our team and organization, and we are glad to have him for the rest of the season.” Lufile is no stranger to the CEBL having suited up for the Guelph Nighthawks (now Calgary Surge ), Newfoundland Growlers, Edmonton Stingers , Scarborough Shooting Stars , and Ottawa Blackjacks . Lufile’s eight-year professional career has taken him overseas playing in The Netherlands, Romania and most recently KTP Basket of the Finnish Korisliiga League where he finished first in blocks (26), second in rebounds (154), third in points (335) and fifth in assists (42). Prior to his professional career, Lufile played for Cape Breton University from 2011 to 2016 where he was named to the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) First All-Star Team in 2014–15 and earned AUS Defensive Player of the Year honours in 2015–16. Lufile is part of a basketball family, with three of his brothers having CEBL experience. Meshack joins his brother Elijah currently on the River Lions,, while Abednego and Chadrack previously suited up for the Guelph franchise during the 2019 season. “I’m excited to be part of an organization that has championship pedigree, and learning from a great group of guys. I’m hoping to bring a veteran presence, hard work ethic and a low post threat to add to what they have already established”, said Lufiile, “I’m also excited to share the court with my brother, in what feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.” The Niagara River Lions are one of the original six teams of the CEBL and the league's reigning champions. Playing out of Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines, the River Lions represent the twelve municipalities of the Niagara Region while living up to the River Lions moniker of pride and strength of community. Visit www.riverlions.ca/tickets for more information. ###

Même si la saison ne s’est pas déroulée comme les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan l’auraient souhaité, l’équipe a été ravie de la performance de Jaden Bediako samedi après-midi. Originaire de Brampton, le joueur a marqué un record personnel dans la LECB avec 23 points, égalant par la même occasion le record de la ligue avec 20 rebonds, et menant les Rattlers à une victoire de 97 à 96 contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa. Plusieurs joueurs se sont illustrés : Devonte Bandoo a inscrit 24 points, un sommet du match, tandis que Tevian Jones a ajouté 21 points et six rebonds, dont les lancers francs de la victoire lors de la période du pointage cible. Nate Pierre-Louis a terminé avec neuf points et 11 passes décisives, manquant de peu le doublé. « On le dit depuis le début de la saison : cette saison, ce n’est pas la fin du chemin pour personne ici, a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef des Rattlers, Éric Magdanz, dont l’équipe était déjà éliminée des séries éliminatoires. On travaille pour devenir de meilleurs joueurs, de meilleurs professionnels, se préparer pour la prochaine opportunité et établir une culture forte. C’est l’une des raisons pour lesquelles on m’a embauché : instaurer cette culture. Je le répète depuis le début de la saison et les joueurs ont adhéré à cette idée. On a un bon groupe de professionnels. » Malgré sa domination évidente sur le terrain, ni Bediako ni son entraîneur ne savaient qu’il approchait — et avait même atteint — le record de rebonds de la LECB avant la fin du match. « Je ne savais même pas ça… Maintenant, je suis fâché. J’aurais dû en avoir 21 ! » a plaisanté Bediako en apprenant son exploit. « C’est mon style de jeu. C'était déjà comme ça à Seton Hall, dans la Big East. J’ai mené la conférence au chapitre des rebonds offensifs, et lors de ma première année dans la LECB, j’en ai attrapé quatre par match lors de mes six derniers matchs. C'est une partie intégrante de mon jeu, même à l'étranger. C'est une question de mental. » « On travaille avec Jaden depuis le début de la saison, a ajouté Magdanz. Il y a eu des moments où nous ne l’avons pas utilisé comme il le fallait, et d’autres où nous lui avons demandé d’en faire davantage. On l'a mis au défi toute la saison et, au cours du dernier mois, il a vraiment relevé le défi. Il a changé de style et imposé sa présence sur le terrain. » Le match a débuté avec beaucoup d’intensité dès le premier quart. Alors qu'Ottawa voulait confirmer sa place en séries éliminatoires, les Rattlers ne comptaient pas se laisser faire. Après avoir pris l’avantage 15-9, la Saskatchewan a vu Ottawa répliquer avec une série de 14-2. Les Rattlers ont toutefois terminé le quart avec une poussée de sept points consécutifs, menant 24 à 23 après dix minutes. Le rythme offensif est resté élevé au deuxième quart, avec 28 points de chaque côté. Les BlackJacks ont pris une avance de sept points grâce à une série de 12-4, mais les Rattlers ont renversé la vapeur pour mener à la mi-temps. Jones a dominé pour les Rattlers avec 17 points en première mi-temps, tandis que Moore en avait 15 pour Ottawa, terminant à un rebond près du doublé. Le match est resté serré jusqu’à ce que les Rattlers enchaînent une série de 8-2, portant le score à 71-62. Ottawa a rapidement répliqué, réduisant l'écart à 74-70 avant le dernier quart. Les deux équipes se sont échangé les paniers jusqu’à ce qu’une situation de prochain panier gagnant se présente. Alors que la victoire était en jeu, Jones a pénétré depuis la ligne des trois points, a été victime d’une faute en route vers l’anneau, puis a réussi le lancer franc décisif. Les BlackJacks sont les derniers de la ligue en matière de rebonds, et les Rattlers se sont ajoutés à la liste des équipes qui en ont profité cette saison. L’entraîneur-chef, Dave DeAveiro, a admis qu’il s’agissait d’un problème récurrent. « On remet constamment notre combativité en question. Le rebond, c’est une question de dureté, pas de talent, a-t-il déclaré. Tu dois vouloir le ballon. Ce sont des duels qu'on perd trop souvent. C’est ce qu’on est présentement. Tant qu’on n’y remédie pas, on continuera de jouer une bonne défense, pour ensuite accorder un rebond offensif, puis rejouer en défense, puis encaisser un autre rebond. Je suis fier de mes gars. On se bat sans relâche. Mais il faut en faire davantage. L’attention portée aux détails fait gagner des matchs. Or, nous ne sommes pas bons là-dedans. » Javonte Smart et Isaiah Moore ont chacun marqué 22 points pour Ottawa, ce dernier ajoutant 13 rebonds. Deng Adel a récolté 16 points, six rebonds et huit passes décisives, devenant ainsi le cinquième joueur de l’histoire de la LECB à dépasser les 300 passes décisives, et égalant par la même occasion le record d’équipe pour les vols. Keevan Veinot et Tyrell Tate ont chacun marqué 11 points. Cette défaite empêche les BlackJacks de confirmer leur place en séries éliminatoires, mais ils pourront y parvenir lors de leur prochaine victoire ou lors d’une prochaine défaite de Brampton. Cette victoire met fin à une série de trois revers consécutifs pour les Rattlers, dont la dernière victoire remontait au 5 juillet, encore une fois contre Ottawa. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600653 À venir pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa accueilleront les Shooting Stars de Scarborough le 29 juillet, dans un match crucial pour le classement en vue des séries. Les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan poursuivront leur séquence de quatre matchs sur la route en affrontant les Sea Bears de Winnipeg le 1er août. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les River Lions de Niagara, meneurs de l’Est, se rendront à Brampton pour y affronter les Honey Badgers le 27 juillet. Le match sera diffusé en direct sur CEBL+ et TSN+. Pour consulter l’horaire complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

While the season may not have gone the way the Saskatchewan Rattlers would have hoped, there’s no denying there were happy with how Jaden Bediako looked on Saturday afternoon. The Brampton native had a CEBL career high 23 points and tied the league rebound record with 20 to help lift the Rattlers over the Ottawa BlackJacks, 97-96. The team got strong performances across the board, with Devonte Bandoo posting a game high 24 points and Tevian Jones adding 21 points and six rebounds, including nailing the game-winning free throws. Nate Pierrel-Louis finished with nine points and 11 assists to finish just shy of a double-double. “We’ve talked about it from the start of the season: this whole season isn’t the end of the road for anybody here,” said Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz, whose team entered the game mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. “We’re building to become better basketball players, to become better professionals, to set ourselves up for the next opportunity and to set a standard and a culture for our program. A big reason why I was brought on is to give some of that culture setting. I’ve preached that all year and the guys have bought in. We got a good group of professionals.” Despite his obvious dominance on the court, both player and coach were unaware that Bediako was approaching – and eventually met – the CEBL rebounding record until after the game. “I didn’t even know that, but now I’m mad. I should have got 21,” Bediako joked after learning of his record. “That’s my game. It’s been my game since I was at Seton Hall in the Big East,” he continued. “I led the Big East in (offensive rebounds), and then my first year (in the CEBL), for the last six games, I averaged four a game. It’s been a part of my game’s repertoire even overseas. It’s a mental thing.” “We’ve been working with Jaden all year,” Magdanz added. “There’s been times where we haven’t utilized him properly, and I think there’s times where we’ve asked Jaden to sort of grow into a bigger role. Over the course of the season we’ve challenged him. In the last month, he’s really stepped up to that challenge and changed his style of play and his force on the court.” Things got off to a back-and-forth start early in the first quarter, with the BlackJacks looking to punch their ticket to the postseason and the Rattlers determined to make sure that didn’t come at their expense. A 15-9 Saskatchewan lead was erased by a 14-2 Ottawa run, before the away team rattled off seven straight to take a 24-23 lead into the break. The points kept coming in the second quarter with both teams piling up 28 in the period. A 12-4 run by the BlackJacks would put them up by as much as seven, but the Rattlers would storm back to retake the lead at halftime. Jones led the way for the Rattlers with 17 points in the half, while Moore had 15 for the BlackJacks and finished one rebound shy of the early double-double. Things would remain close until an 8-2 run by Saskatchewan would give them a 71-62 advantage, which would by answered by an Ottawa run to make the game 74-70 going into the final period. The teams would trade blows all the way through the final quarter to eventually set up a next basket wins scenario. With the game on the line, Jones drove the ball in from the three-point line and was fouled on his way to the net, setting up the game winning shot. The BlackJacks entered the game at the bottom of the league in terms of rebounding. That was something that the Rattlers joined a long list of teams to take advantage of against Ottawa, and BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro admitted needed to be addressed. “Our toughness is being challenged day in and day out. This is a toughness category,” he said of his team’s rebounding metrics. “This is not skill, this is toughness. You want the ball. These are one-on-one battles that we are not winning. This is who we are. Until we address this, we’re going to have situations where we’re playing really good defense and then we give up an offensive rebound, then we’re playing defense again – then another offensive rebound… I’m proud of my team. We fight and we fight and we fight. But there has to be more. We have to pay attention to detail. Detail wins games. We’re not great at detail.” Javonte Smart and Isaih Moore tied for the team lead with 22 points, with the latter adding 13 rebounds. Deng Adel had 16 points, six rebounds and eight assists, becoming the fifth CEBL player to surpass the 300-assist mark, as well as tying the team record for all-time steals. Keevan Veinot and Tyrell Tate both chipped in with 11 points. The loss prevented the BlackJacks from clinching a playoff berth, which they will do with their next win or Brampton’s next loss. The win snapped a three-game skid for the Rattlers, with their previous victory on July 5 also coming at the BlackJacks’ expense. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600653 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks will play host to the Scarborough Shooting Stars on July 29 in a game that will be critical in determining both teams’ playoff positioning. The Saskatchewan Rattlers continue their four-game road trip in Winnipeg when they face the Sea Bears on August 1. Next CEBL action The East leading Niagara River Lions head to Brampton to face the Honey Badgers on July 27, streaming live on CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Au bord du gouffre, les River Lions de Niagara ont encore une fois prouvé pourquoi ils sont les champions en titre. Les River Lions ont terminé la rencontre avec une poussée renversante de 10-0 pour arracher une victoire de 91-89 à l’Alliance de Montréal, vendredi soir, au Meridian Centre de St. Catharines, en Ontario. Montréal, qui accusait pourtant un retard de 16 points en début de match, était à deux points d'un retour tout aussi spectaculaire, mais n'a pas su tirer parti de trois possessions consécutives. À la place, Khalil Ahmad, nommé deux fois Joueur clutch de la ligue, a encore une fois mené les siens avec un sang-froid remarquable, permettant à Niagara d’égaliser un record d’équipe avec une sixième victoire d’affilée. « On le voulait plus qu’eux, tout simplement. On s’est resserrés en défensive, on a rentré nos tirs, et on est repartis avec la victoire », a déclaré Ahmad au journaliste Esfandiar Baraheni après le match. Les River Lions, qui dominent l’Est, améliorent leur fiche à 13 victoires et cinq défaites. L’Alliance, qui aurait pu confirmer sa place en séries avec une victoire combinée à une défaite de Brampton face à Scarborough, glisse à 7-10. Par ailleurs, la domination de Niagara sur Montréal se poursuit : les River Lions montrent maintenant un dossier de 10-1 contre l’Alliance, avec un balayage de la série cette saison. Montréal semblait pourtant en bonne position pour décrocher une victoire, menant 82-75 au moment où la période de pointage cible a été enclenchée. Mais Khalil Ahmad a aussitôt répondu avec un tir de trois points en déséquilibre à partir du coin. Puis, après un panier de Tavis Smith, il a récidivé de l’autre côté du terrain pour réduire l’écart à trois points. « Honnêtement, je n’ai pas de mots », a dit Ahmad. « Quand la période de pointage cible commence, je passe en mode différent. » Comme ils l’avaient fait tout au long du match, les Montréalais ont répondu avec intensité : un vol de ballon de Smith suivi d’un panier de Quincy Guerrier dans la clé a rapproché l’Alliance à quatre points de la victoire. Montréal a même repris une avance de deux points et semblait filer vers une victoire inspirante. Mais soudainement, plus rien ne rentrait pour l’Alliance. Pendant ce temps, Niagara a enchaîné huit points sans réplique : un jeu de trois points de Ron Curry, un autre tir de trois points d’Ahmad, et un puissant dunk d’Ahmed Hill ont placé les deux équipes à un panier de la victoire. Une perte de balle coûteuse de la part de Montréal a ensuite permis à Niagara de récupérer le ballon. Le coach Victor Raso a aussitôt appelé un temps mort. Ahmad a raté son tir de trois points, mais Nathan Cayo a capté le rebond offensif et a remis à Hill, qui a foncé au panier, absorbé le contact et marqué un layup en plongeant, scellant ainsi la victoire et laissant l’Alliance abasourdie. « Ahmed a joué sur réception et a attaqué le panier avec brio. Il a connu un début de match difficile, mais quelle belle façon de conclure contre son ancienne équipe », a affirmé l’entraîneur-chef, Victor Raso. Raso a qualifié la victoire de « calibre de championnat ». « Ces gars-là n’abandonnent jamais. Ils croient toujours qu’ils peuvent gagner chaque match, même quand nous jouions mal en début de saison. Rien n’est garanti pendant la période du pointage cible. Tant que l’autre équipe n’a pas atteint le pointage, ils y croient. » De son côté, l’entraîneur-chef de Montréal, Jermaine Small, a affirmé que cette défaite était représentative des difficultés de son équipe cette saison. « On a souvent dit cette année que ce n’est pas eux qui nous battent, c’est nous qui nous battons nous-mêmes. Mais comme je l’ai dit aux gars, pas le temps de s’apitoyer. On remonte dans l’autobus et on se remet au travail », a déclaré Small. Ahmad a terminé avec 29 points — dont neuf pendant la période du pointage cible — en plus de cinq rebonds et cinq passes décisives. Ron Curry, clé du revirement défensif, a également brillé en attaque avec 19 points, quatre rebonds et trois passes décisives. Nathan Cayo a été le seul autre joueur de Niagara à atteindre la dizaine, avec 10 points, six rebonds et cinq passes décisives. Les River Lions se rapprochent ainsi d’une qualification pour le week-end du Championnat à Winnipeg, comme première tête de série de la conférence de l’Est. « Il faut continuer à travailler. Notre objectif, c’est la première place, et cette victoire nous rapproche », a affirmé Raso. À noter que Kimbal Mackenzie, meneur et capitaine de Niagara, n’a pas pris part au match. Pour Montréal, la défaite est d’autant plus difficile à avaler qu’elle survient deux jours après une victoire qui avait mis fin à une vilaine série de sept revers, contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa. Small a pointé du doigt le manque d’efficacité aux lancers francs. L’Alliance n’a réussi que 10 de ses 20 tentatives, dont un 0 sur 7 en première mi-temps. « On avait notre chance. Ils ont réussi une super remontée. Mais ce qui fait mal, ce sont nos lancers francs. Comme je l’ai dit aux gars, on gagne ou on apprend, et il y a encore beaucoup de marge de progression », a-t-il ajouté. « Personne n'aura pitié de nous. Demain, nous avons un match important dimanche contre les Shooting Stars de Scarborough, alors nous devons nous préparer et lancer des lancers francs demain.» Tavis Smith a été le meneur offensif de l’Alliance avec 19 points, cinq passes décisives et quatre vols, dont un tir à la dernière seconde du troisième quart. Michael Diggins Jr., en sortie de banc, a contribué avec 17 points et cinq rebonds, tandis que Brandon Porter a ajouté 11 points et six rebonds. Niagara avait entamé le match force avec une série de 10-0, dont sept points d'Ahmad. Les River Lions menaient 27-18 à la fin du premier quart, mais Montréal a réduit l’écart à six points à la mi-temps. L’Alliance a ensuite pris l’avance au troisième quart, concluant la période avec un tir de trois points de Smith pour mener 64-62. L’intensité est montée d’un cran en fin de match lorsque Curry et Smith ont eu une altercation verbale après une faute. Un avertissement technique et deux fautes antisportives ont été distribués. C'est alors que la vraie folie a commencé. Et lorsque la sirène finale a retenti, l’ordre avait été rétabli dans la LECB : les River Lions de Niagara étaient de nouveau au sommet. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600669 À venir Les deux équipes seront de retour sur le terrain dimanche : les River Lions de Niagara rendront visite aux Honey Badgers de Brampton, tandis que l’Alliance de Montréal accueillera les Shooting Stars de Scarborough. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Un seul match est au programme samedi alors que les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan seront de passage à Ottawa pour affronter les BlackJacks. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB ainsi que les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

A few friendly bounces at the rim made all the difference for the Calgary Surge in a tense battle against rival Vancouver on Friday night (July 25). With the game on the line in Target Score Time at WinSport Events Centre, Calgary guard Evan Gilyard Jr. launched a deep three that rattled in after a few tense moments. It was Gilyard’s first triple of the game, but it lifted the Surge past the Bandits 98-96. The Surge have now swept the regular season series against the top-ranked Bandits, with both teams already locked into playoff spots in the Western Conference. The intensity of Friday’s contest mimicked a postseason showdown. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said the group executed the game plan on both ends of the floor with togetherness and championship poise. “We felt we had a great week of practice. We knew this was a heavyweight fight. We have a lot of respect for that team but I love our team and I love our squad and I love where we’re at,” Canales said. Both teams saw the return of NBA Summer League talent, with Vancouver’s Tyrese Samuel and Calgary’s Jameer Nelson Jr. making an impact after their time in Las Vegas. Nelson Jr. netted 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while tallying six rebounds, six assists and four steals. “[Jameer] was playing both ends at an … elite level. We absolutely love him and he was making plays when it was time to make plays,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore and Greg Brown III also had standout performances in the win. Miller-Moore dropped a game-high 27 points and hauled in eight rebounds, while Brown III notched a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Samuel finished with a team-high 26 points for Vancouver on 12-15 shooting. He said he could’ve done better on the boards, but was happy with his return to the lineup overall. “It feels good to be back out there with the guys. Obviously, today wasn't the result we wanted but we're just gonna go back to the drawing board and just be ready for the playoffs,” Samuel said. Aussie big man Mitch Creek was also a force in the frontcourt with 25 points and 13 rebounds in the loss, while Kyle Mangas added 12 off the bench in his second game back from NBA Summer League. After three consecutive games with at least 15 threes, the Bandits cooled down on Friday with eight from long range at a 29 per cent clip. Calgary also capitalized on 18 Vancouver turnovers with 25 points. “Some turnovers and giving them some easy offensive rebounds I think was part of the problem for sure,” Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said. The range of talent for both squads was on full display in the early stages of the game. The Bandits and Surge each started hot before the pace slowed. A catch-and-shoot triple from Corey Davis Jr. gave the Bandits their first lead at 16-14, and they stayed ahead 25-22 after 10 minutes. Vancouver extended its lead to nine in the second quarter following inside finishes from Creek, Zach Copeland, Samuel and a three from Davis Jr. However, Nelson Jr. willed the Surge back into the game with 11 points in the quarter. He showed off his complete game as well, stealing the rock on defence before dishing to Brown III in transition for a massive slam. After trailing for the entire second quarter, Calgary tied it up heading into the locker room with a buzzer-beating putback from Javonté Brown. Miller-Moore regained the lead for the Surge to kick off the third quarter with a transition dunk. Calgary locked in defensively for the remainder of the frame, limiting the high-powered Bandits' offence to just 18 points. Brown III added to his highlight reel late in the quarter, spinning for a left-handed dunk on Kur Jongkuch that put him on the free throw line as well. Down four points entering the final quarter, Creek and Samuel went to work inside for Vancouver. The frontcourt duo combined for 17 points before Target Score Time to knot the game at 87, but Brown III finished a putback to give Calgary a two-point advantage heading into the final stretch. The bigs continued to duel in Target Score Time, with Samuel opening the scoring before Brown III showed his versatility, connecting on back-to-back threes and rejecting Creek on the other end. Calgary missed multiple shots for the win, and Samuel added another layup before fouling out. A putback from Creek vaulted Vancouver back in front at 96-95, putting both teams a bucket away from victory. On the following possession, Gilyard did his best Kawhi Leonard impression to win the game with a deep three that needed multiple bounces before dropping. Box Score  https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600650 Up next for both teams Calgary hosts Winnipeg on Sunday in another Western Conference showdown, while Vancouver has a week off before visiting Edmonton next Friday (Aug. 1). Next CEBL action Saskatchewan and Ottawa meet in the nation’s capital on Saturday (July 26) in the lone game of the day. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

“What’s my name?” Booster Juice Player of the Game and Edmonton Stinger star Scottie Lindsey asked his teammates after the game. “Big Shot Scott!” “Scottie Too Hottie!” his teammates yelled at the camera. “We needed this win. We’re trying to get a home game for the playoffs and we want to be right back here in a couple weeks,” Lindsey pointed down to the Canada Life Centre floor. The Winnipeg Sea Bears were only within three points of Target Score, while Edmonton trailed by seven. Two free throws by Winnipeg’s Trevon Scott inched them within one, but Sean East buried a three, followed by Lindsey’s triple put the game away, 95-92, in front of 7,142 stunned fans inside Canada Life Centre. Edmonton has only lost against Vancouver in July, and stole the game from Winnipeg. Now, they are on an 8-1 stretch. When asked what Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker wanted to improve upon, “Wow, there’s a lot,” he said. “I think our defensive rebounding, we needed to do a better job. They got a lot of second-chance opportunities … but it was nice to come out with a win.” Winnipeg was plus-two in second chance points and grabbed 18 offensive boards. But the three consecutive triples made by Edmonton in the fourth quarter was a harbinger of what was to come for Winnipeg. Lindsey had a smooth crossover and hit a big three to make it a three-point game. Then, Edmonton took full advantage of the attention Lindsey attracted as he swung the ball out to Mike Nuga for another three. Elijah Miller dribbled side-to-side and handed the ball off to Lindsey, who lifted perfectly from the corner to splash another for a one-point lead. Lindsey finished with a game-high 26 points, shooting six-for-11 from downtown, and nine rebounds. Miller hit two big free throws right before Target Time. Sean East II (game total 19 points) also kept them in the game when it mattered most. He had a tough finish as he drove on Simi Shitu, tying the game at 86 apiece. Winnipeg head coach Mike Taylor credited Edmonton’s pace of play in the first half and Edmonton’s Keon Ambrose-Hylton (19 points on nine-for-15 shooting) for giving Winnipeg a lot of pressure in the first half. The high scoring first half – both teams shooting 52% from the field – gave it an almost All-Star Game-like feel. “I thought our team put out a great effort. We put ourselves where we needed to be, but when it comes down to winning time possessions, we gotta do a better job,” he said. “There’s no way we can come out of a timeout with our defensive coverages in place and have breakdowns that cost us the game.” In a game where two teams constantly traded baskets, the details mattered. Trevon Scott had his highest scoring game this season with a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double performance. He shot nine-for-17 from the field. His highlight plays consisted of bumping Lindsey in the paint and turning around for a fadeaway jumper that screamed “Koobee!” He also flew inside for a huge fourth quarter dunk off Emmanuel Akot’s miss. Akot had 15 points and made two consecutive baskets to give Winnipeg their first five-point lead in the second half. Simi Shittu had an impressive game, finishing with a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double performance. He even showed some point forward skills, taking Nick Hornsby off the dribble and pushed in a basket for a 63-61 lead. Will Richardson was the fourth Winnipeg player to finish in double-digit scoring, posting up 18 points on seven-for-13 shooting. He had a key play in the last 53 seconds of the third quarter, finishing through contact and making the free throw. He took a play out of East’s foul-drawing playbook in Target Time and got to the line, but missed his second free throw. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600646 Up next for both teams The Edmonton Stingers (12-7) return home to host the Vancouver Bandits (15-4) at Edmonton EXPO Centre on Friday, August 1. The Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-11) hit the road and face the Calgary Surge (12-5) at WinSport Event Centre on Sunday, July 27. Next CEBL action Tomorrow’s lone CEBL game will Tomorrow - July 26 - Saskatchewan 4-14 at Ottawa 8-9 at TD Place . Only one game For the full 20 25 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Scarborough Shooting Stars' path to a playoff berth entering Friday was clear: win and you’re in. None of which mattered to the Brampton Honey Badgers, however, as they picked up a 96-89 win over their GTA rivals to spoil those plans. Brampton’s victory not only snapped a seven-game skid, now 5-15 on the season, but it also aided its chances of making a run to the playoffs. While the Honey Badgers were busy stopping the Shooting Stars from clinching a post-season spot, they were helped in their playoff quest by the Niagara River Lions, who rallied past the Montreal Alliance earlier in the night to keep Brampton’s hopes mathematically alive. Koby McEwen led the Honey Badgers in their pivotal win, scoring 29 points while going 9-for-9 from the free throw line to go with two assists and two steals. Not far behind was Quinndary Weatherspoon, who chipped in 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting with three rebounds, four assists and two steals. Meanwhile, Prince Oduro had one of his best showings of the season with 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting to go with 10 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Rounding out Brampton’s double-digit scoring efforts was Yaw Obeng-Mensah off the bench with his 12 points and nine rebounds. “We played really hard today,” Oduro explained after the win. “We brought good intensity, and it was also good to see the ball movement … a really good team win today.” All of which was made more impressive by the fact that the Honey Badgers were missing David Muenkat and Marcus Carr, the team’s Nos. 2 and 3 scorers heading into the contest. On the other side, the Shooting Stars' second consecutive loss dropped them to 9-9 on the season and out of a tie for second in the East with the Ottawa BlackJacks. Terquavion Smith did most of Scarborough’s damage on the night as he racked up 27 points on 8-of-16 shooting to go with nine rebounds, a steal and two blocks. The import also made 5-of-9 triples, two shy of tying the franchise record. Behind him was Cat Barber with 18 points and six assists, while Anthony Walker added 12 points, five rebounds and two steals. “An unacceptable loss,” Shooting Stars head coach Mike De Giorgio said post-game. “(Our) energy and effort waxed and waned throughout the game … let them come back, let them stay close. Kudos to them, they made shots, but an unacceptable loss on our part.” It’s no secret that one of Scarborough’s main advantages in the season series against Brampton — previously leading 2-0 before Friday’s tilt, the final regular-season matchup between the two sides — was its production from distance. The Shooting Stars had shot 36 per cent from beyond the arc and averaged 11.5 triples in their previous two meetings with the Honey Badgers. And sure enough, those trends continued on Friday as Scarborough opened the game by making six of its first seven three-point attempts en route to an 8-of-12 effort from beyond the arc through 10 minutes. Leading that charge — as the Shooting Stars carved out a 34-20 lead following the first quarter — was Barber, who started a torrid 4-of-4 from distance as he spearheaded a 20-3 run midway through the frame. Unlike previous matchups, however, the Honey Badgers were able to reclaim momentum after losing it early. Remarkably, flipping what was a 14-point deficit after the first into a 52-51 lead at halftime after outscoring the Shooting Stars 32-17 in the second. The frame included an 11-2 run and a 6-0 finish as Brampton took charge headed into the break. “We did a good job of weathering the storm in the first quarter,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said post-game. “Scarborough came out and they were making a lot of shots, maybe in the past we might’ve crumbled, but we fought back.” Part of that swing was Scarborough’s hot shooting from the first fizzling out as the team shot 2-of-10 from distance throughout the second. “Once we were able to get stops — they were shooting lights out — but once we were able to get stops, it helped us get out in transition a little bit … and that’s what I think helped us,” Cassimy added. Another catalyst for that comeback was Oduro, who scored eight points in the quarter as part of 12 points at halftime on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting. All of his points came inside the paint, indicative of the Honey Badgers' collective success scoring up close, as they were a plus-10 (26-16) inside the key through 20 minutes. They’d finish plus-16 in the paint (44-28). “Just trusting (my teammates’) passes,” Oduro said when asked about his strong performance. “The season hasn’t gone how we wanted … but I still think I’m one of the best bigs in this league, so I’m still going to come out and play the same way and let the work show.” Brampton carried its narrow one-point advantage into the fourth (72-71) after a stalemate of a third quarter. And in the decisive 10 minutes, the Honey Badgers eked out the pivotal victory largely by dominating the possession battle. Once the dust settled on a back-and-forth final frame, the Shooting Stars had taken 15 fewer field goal attempts. An outcome made possible largely due to Brampton’s success on the glass (plus-11). All the while, the Honey Badgers capitalized on the Shooting Stars' 16 turnovers on the night to the tune of a 27-13 edge in points off those giveaways. “We didn’t defend at a high enough level, we turned the ball over for easy scores on their part and their guys made a bunch of those shots,” De Giorgio said. The Honey Badgers were also helped by the fact that their starting backcourt of McEwen and Weatherspoon combined to score 19 of the team’s final 21 points, including all 10 in Target Score Time. McEwen did his work first, nailing a floater and then a triple, to which Weatherspoon matched with a mid-range jumper and then a three to end the ball game. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600644 Up next Both squads return to action on Sunday, starting with the Honey Badgers staying put in Brampton to host the defending champion River Lions . Meanwhile, the Shooting Stars will visit the Alliance for their third of four straight road games. Next CEBL action Just one game is on the docket for Saturday as the Saskatchewan Rattlers head to Ottawa to take on the BlackJacks. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -