The Montréal Alliance (-115) host the Saskatchewan Rattlers (-118) in a cross-conference class from the Verdun Auditorium on Wednesday at 7:30 pm ET. 

It will be nationally televised live on TSN 1/4 as TSN’s CEBL game of the week and will also be available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.

Tonight, will be the first and only time these two teams will face-off in the regular season. Going back to last year, Saskatchewan and Montréal went head-to-head twice, and it was the Rattlers sweeping the series. 

With 2022 being the inaugural season for the Alliance, those were the first and only times these teams went at it, meaning Montréal have yet to record a win against their cross-conference opponents.

A few familiar faces from those matchups will look to play a role once again, such as Michael Nuga, Malik Benlevi, Anthony Tsegakele, and D’Andre Bernard for Saskatchewan. On the other side, players like Nathan Cayo, Alain Louis, and Marcus Ottey will be suiting up once again.

Despite some players being a part of the history between these two teams, there will be some newcomers that’ll likely make a difference this time around. Rattlers’ Justin Wright-Foreman – the current points per game leader in the CEBL – was not on the roster a season ago and has been a powerhouse for Saskatchewan so far. 

He leads the squad in average points, rebounds, assists, and steals, and will surely look to continue his strong play as he tries to help his team get consecutive victories for the first time this season. The guard is currently averaging 29 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals per game. 

For a Montréal team that averaged just 79 points per game in their two games against Saskatchewan last year, names like Ahmed Hill and Blake Francis will be welcomed additions. The guard duo currently sits at fifth and sixth in the league’s points per game ladder, averaging a near-identical 19.4 and 19.3 points respectively. Keep an eye on the backcourt pairing as they look to get the Alliance their first win against the Rattlers in franchise history.

Montréal are coming into the contest trending in an upward direction. The team started the season 2-5 and well behind their Eastern Conference counterparts but flipped the script by winning three of their last four games. With their most recent 93-88 win over the Edmonton Stingers, the Alliance hold a 5-6 record, tied with the Brampton Honey Badgers.

It was the guard-forward duo of Hill and Nathan Cayo who led the way for Montréal in their latest victory, with each player scoring 28 on better than 60 per cent shooting. The point total was the fifth time in six games that Hill has hit double-digits since returning from injury, and also a season-high mark for Cayo.

A major factor in the team’s success recently has been their increased efforts defensively. During their three most-recent wins, the team has held their opponents to 82 points per game, while forcing double-digit turnovers each time. Another noticeable improvement has been their intensity on the perimeter, with the team holding their opponents to 30.7 shooting from beyond the arch. 

In contrast, during their five-game losing skid the team allowed 95.2 points per game while allowing their opponents to shoot 43 per cent from three.

Saskatchewan come into the game having snapped a losing streak of their own. With their 79-65 win over the Scarborough Shooting Stars the team broke a five-game spell, improving to a 3-6 record on the season.

The aforementioned Wright-Foreman led the way for the Rattlers via his 30 points, five rebounds, and two steals. He knocked down six triples in the process on an efficient 50 per cent from the field, while hitting the 30-point mark for the third time in four outings.

A factor to keep an eye on for Saskatchewan will be their bench production. A team some may consider top heavy, with just three double-digit scorers, when their second unit is producing, the team is finding success. For instance, in their three wins the Rattlers are a +42 on bench points versus a -9 during their losses. 

Saskatchewan may also be getting some additional support to bolster their team heading into this road trip with the services of the newly signed Quenton DeCosey. The wing is coming to the CEBL with experience in the NBA Summer League, NBA G-League, and various European destinations. 

Most recently, DeCosey completed a season overseas in Hungary with Alba Fehervar in the NBIA where he averaged 12.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 27 minutes of action. His status going into the game remains uncertain, but if the forward does play, keep an eye on what he can provide for a team in this league. 

The outcome of this game can also go a long way for either team in terms of seeding in their respective conferences. For Montréal a win breaks their tie with Brampton at the bottom of the East and puts them just half a game behind the conference leading Ottawa BlackJacks. Whereas Saskatchewan can find themselves back in the mix in the West, as a win for them would put them into a tie with the Vancouver Bandits for fourth place.

Full broadcast schedule of CEBL Games of the Week on TSN can be found here. All games will also be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Full list of betting props available on BetVictor. Preview written by Zulfi Sheikh (@zulfi_sheikh).