CEBL NEWS ARTICLES

The CEBL got its first look at the new-look Winnipeg Sea Bears on Friday night, and if early returns are any indication, the roster moves are already paying dividends. With Terry Roberts and Jaylin Williams away from the team while plying their trade in NBA Summer League, Will Richardson and Trevon Scott stepped in and looked like established veterans on the squad as the Sea Bears led nearly from buzzer to buzzer to take a 94-70 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Simi Shittu had a game-high 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Harris had 19 points. Emmanuel Akot finished with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists while Richardson introduced himself to the league with 18 points and a game-high eight assists. Scott had 16 points and five rebounds off the bench. “Today was a game where we really played well together. I thought we brought a good energy,” Sea Bears head coach Mike Taylor said afterwards. “The last couple of games, there were distractions and stuff going on within the team that really prevented us from being our best. I thought this was a credit to the players today. They really played hard, they really played well. It was just an excellent performance on both ends.” Richardson – the Oregon Ducks alum – and Scott – former member of the Calgary Surge – made their impact felt immediately. The former played every second of the first quarter and quickly tallied up eight points. The latter checked in at the start of the second quarter and never came off, piling up 11 points of his own. “Really pleased with the way they played,” Taylor said of his new additions. “They brought a fresh energy to the team. Both guys fit in really, really well. They played like they’ve been here a while. You saw the natural point guard talent of Will in terms of his playmaking and hitting big shots. (Trevon) contributed in so many ways on both ends of the floor. Those two new guys fit in seamlessly and we’re really pleased with their play today.” It was all Sea Bears in the first half, as they led 40-25 heading into the break and held the home team to just 37 per cent from the floor. Winnipeg – on the other hand – seemingly could do no wrong on offense, making 56 per cent of their shots and hitting six three-pointers in the first half. The Saskatchewan Rattlers would regroup and try to take a run at it to start the third quarter. They opened the second half by outscoring the Sea Bears 16-6. Nate Pierre-Louis led the way for Saskatchewan, scoring 11 of his 14 points through the first three quarters. He finished the game with six assists, leaving him just three shy of the CEBL single-season record. Johnny Hughes III had a team high 16 points to go with eight rebounds, while Devonte Bandoo chipped in with 10 points. Australian big man Grant Anticevich finished just shy of a double-double, scoring 11 points – nine of them in the first half – and grabbing nine rebounds. “It was just an individual check within each of ourselves about who we are, who we want to be and how we want to play,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said of his halftime message. “And credit to our guys, they took that message to heart and competed in the second half.” Although the Rattlers were able to cut the lead down to 13 and flirted with bringing the score within single digits on a few occasions, it was all for naught. Winnipeg would hold onto a 15-point lead heading into target time, where a clean 9-0 run put an end to the Rattlers night. “We just came out flat,” Magdanz said. “We didn’t have the energy, the effort, the level of compete that we’ve had for the entire season in the first half, and that dug us a hole. And once you dig yourselves a hole in this league, it’s pretty hard to come back.” The win was the Sea Bears’ first since June 20, snapping a four-game losing streak. For the Rattlers, it was another disappointing setback after a spirited effort in Target Time earned them a win in their last outing. The loss to Winnipeg dropped their record to 4-12. “It’s just been a tough season. Every game has been like this. We’re either sad that we didn’t get the win or we’re mad that we lost or just happy that we got the win,” Pierre-Louis, the Rattlers team captain, said after the loss. “I just tell the guys to keep their head up and stay together. There’s going to be days like that. You just have to stay even keel and get back to the drawing board on Monday. Myself, I have to be better. I felt that today wasn’t my best one. I’ve been playing well but today wasn’t one of my high standard games. Just got to get back to the drawing board. Never too high, never too low.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600636 Up next for both teams The Winnipeg Sea Bears return home following a three-game road trip to host the Calgary Surge on July 17. The Saskatchewan Rattlers wrap up a four-game homestand as they take on the Calgary Surge on July 15. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers take to the road to face the Scarborough Shooting Stars in their second of three meetings on the season, streaming live on CEBL+, TSN+, and NLSE. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

Edmonton got its six-game win streak in the Six. Scarborough had a 72-71 lead heading into Target Time and it was anyone’s game. Edmonton, who trailed in a two-possession game for the majority of the game, came alive when it mattered most, going on a 10-4 run in Target Time. Keon Ambrose-Hylton, who had 16 points on another efficient seven-for-nine shooting, made a lay-up in Target Time after Sean East baited Scarborough into fouling him and made both free throws. Scarborough took a timeout and Terquavion Smith missed a triple before Cat Barber missed a lay-up. Scottie Lindsey, who was fresh off a 29-point performance from the previous game, made Scarborough pay by pushing the lead to 79-74. Unfortunately, Edmonton’s game-winning bucket was an anticlimactic one. Edmonton guard Mason Bourcier’s defence may not show up in the stat sheet, but his tenacity stood out late in the game. “He gets tasked with the toughest match-up every single night. He rises to the challenge,” said Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker. “That’s what he gets excited about. He did a great job on the ball.” This made life difficult for Cat Barber and Terquavion Smith. Captain Nick Hornsby, who willed himself a bucket in the fourth and completed the and-one, finished the game with 16 points and 15 rebounds. In tight, two-possession games like this, it’s easy to look back and find reasons for a loss, but Scarborough’s 10-for-24 (41%) free throw shooting hurt them in a win-in-the-margins type of game. Scarborough was, however, happy with its defence tonight. Edmonton’s star Sean East, who is the league’s third-leading scorer through the last five games (24.4 PPG) has shot 50 per cent from three-point range (13-for-26). Tonight, he was zero-for-six from downtown, held to four points in the first half as Scarborough constantly threw doubles at him. “That was part of our game plan and we did a good job of it early,” said Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio. “We got kind of loose towards the end. I think a little bit of that was our defensive transition.” The intimate vibes inside the arena was electric and Anthony Walker had a game-high 19 points in his debut. When Scaborough was trying to pull away in the third, he had a rim-rattling two-handed dunk and hit a big three at the end of the quarter. Another highlight for Scarborough was Kalif Young, the league’s all-time rebounder, grabbing his 600th one. He laughed at the milestone: “I’ve been here a long time. Over six years, so I guess 100 a year.” Young had 14 rebounds tonight. Scarborough got close to icing Edmonton’s hot streak in their first road game. It spells progress for Scarborough as they were blown out in their previous matchup. After beating their provincial rival Calgary Surge by three points on the road, Edmonton went on a perfect four-game homestand, where they averaged a margin of +16 in through their four home games. Edmonton had a slow start to this season, but they are now putting the entire league on notice. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600632 Up next for both teams The Scarborough Shooting Stars (7-8) host the Brampton Honey Badgers (4-12) at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on Sunday, July 13th. The Edmonton Stingers (10-6) continue their road trip as they head to TD Place to face the Ottawa BlackJacks (7-7) on Thursday, July 17th. Next CEBL action Double-header this Sunday with the said 401 Series, and league-best Vancouver Bandits (12-4) face Montreal Alliance (6-8) at Verdun Auditorium. Vancouver will be looking to reassert their dominance after only winning against Brampton by a narrow margin. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games .  - CEBL -

The Vancouver Bandits proved on Friday that it’s not about how you start a game, just how you finish it. Despite trailing for a majority of the game, and by eight points at the start of Target Score Time, the Bandits walked away with an 89-85 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Friday thanks to a 19-7 run once the clock stopped. Leading Vancouver’s effort as they improved to 12-4, extending their lead atop the West to 1.5 games, was Zach Copeland, who finished with a team-high 27 points and a franchise-record tying seven made triples. Behind him were Corey Davis Jr. (18 points, 10 assists) and Kur Jongkuch (13 points, season-high 17 rebounds) with a pair of double-doubles, while Mikyle McIntosh chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds. The quartet helped the Bandits overcome the fact that they were missing all three of their leading scorers on the season — Mitch Creek (23.1 points per game), Tyrese Samuel (18.9) and Kyle Mangas (17.8). “We were working hard to adapt to our roster,” Vancouver head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said after the win. “We’ve had some changes and some new faces, so we just wanted to be able to settle in … and I thought we did a good job of that.” Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers fell to 4-12 on the season after a fourth consecutive loss, still in last place out East. Spearheading Brampton on Friday was Quinndary Weatherspoon, who put up a game-high 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Rounding out the Honey Badgers’ double-digit scoring efforts were David Muenkat and Marcus Carr with 17 and 13 points, respectively. “It was a tough loss,” Weatherspoon said post-game. “I thought we played well throughout the whole game, but just the last couple of possessions … some things got away.” Despite both squads entering the matchup on the heels of double-digit losses, their last time squaring off less than a week earlier — an 87-84 down-to-the-wire win for the Bandits — led to the belief that Friday’s contest would also be a neck-and-neck battle. Which turned out to be true for much of the ball game, as neither squad carved out a double-digit lead for the entirety of the contest and were separated by a narrow 63-62 Bandits edge headed into the fourth quarter. The final frame proved to be the ultimate difference maker, but it, too, wasn’t without back-and-forth action. Brampton appeared to capture the momentum thanks to an 11-0 run in the early minutes of the fourth, sparked by three consecutive triples. The Honey Badgers finished with 12 made threes on a 38 per cent clip, five of those long balls coming in the fourth. And although Brampton led 78-70 at the start of Target Score Time thanks to that run to open the fourth, Vancouver stormed right back thanks to a defensive clinic. The Honey Badgers punched first with back-to-back threes by Carr and Weatherspoon to put themselves on the cusp of victory but were held to just one point after that point as they missed their next six field goal attempts while the Bandits rallied. Vancouver shot 7-of-12 in Target Score Time, capping off the comeback effort with a Davis triple from the right corner. “Crazy, hard-fought game,” Copeland said after the win. “I just felt like we stuck it out to the end and made a lot of high-level plays to pull it out.” Underscoring the Bandits' comeback effort was their effort on the glass, building a 50-36 rebounding edge throughout the night, leading to 15 second-chance points (plus-10). “We have to end possessions,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said post-game. “If we don’t give up 19 offensive rebounds, then we win the game by way more.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600634 Up next Both squads return Sunday, starting with the Honey Badgers visiting the Scarborough Shooting Stars for the second of three regular-season matchups between the GTA rivals. Meanwhile, the Bandits visit the Montreal Alliance to wrap up a three-game road trip before heading back to Vancouver. Next CEBL action Friday’s triple-header slate wraps up with the Winnipeg Sea Bears looking to end a four-game skid as they visit the Saskatchewan Rattlers at 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday that they have signed forward Anthony Walker. The 6-foot-9 Baltimore native most recently played with BC Beroe of the Bulgarian NBL, where he averaged 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 29.5 minutes across 25 games during the 2024–25 season. Walker shot 58% from two-point range, 31.8% from three, and 81.2% from the free throw line, totaling 482 points, 182 rebounds, 29 steals, and 14 blocks. He led Beroe in scoring and emerged as one of the team’s most efficient offensive weapons in his rookie season. Walker began his pro career overseas after a five-year NCAA journey split between the University of Miami and Indiana University. He appeared in 158 games with 37 starts, averaging 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds across his collegiate career. His standout college campaign came in 2020–21, when he posted 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Hurricanes. At Indiana in 2023–24, he contributed 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 48.3% from the field, helping the Hoosiers throughout a competitive Big Ten season. Walker joins a strong Shooting Stars roster that includes returnees Kalif Young, Cat Barber, and NC State standout Terquavion Smith as the team looks to build momentum heading into the second half of the season. Scarborough currently holds a 7–7 record and returns to action tonight, Friday, July 11, for its first home game since June 22. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. against the Edmonton Stingers at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Tonight’s game also celebrates Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) Night, welcoming young athletes and community partners from across the province. The team will be back at home on Sunday, July 13, to take on Brampton in another key matchup for STC Day.  For more information on the team, tickets, and schedule, visit scarboroughshootingstars.ca. ### About the CEBL A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 73% of its rosters being Canadian and more than 10 players with NBA game experience in 2025. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by Tonybet, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . ###

It was a battle worthy of a championship rematch. And perhaps, even, a championship preview. In the end, the Niagara River Lions left no doubt they are coming for the CEBL crown once again. The River Lions beat the Vancouver Bandits 96-77 on Thursday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., in a contest pitting the top team in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences. Both squads entered on winning streaks — but only Niagara’s continued as the Rivers Lions earned their third straight victory and improved to 10-5 on the season. “We just haven't played to our potential yet, and we're starting to now,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said. “I mean, we defended with serious intensity. We took quality shots. We were on the same page. We won a rebounding battle. We had 25 assists and eight turnovers. Like, that was the best we’ve played.” Vancouver, meanwhile, saw its three-game run end to fall to 11-4. A closely contested game was blown open by Niagara in the third quarter with an 18-5 run to start the frame, pushing its lead to a game-high 14 points. Vancouver never got particularly close again. When Target Score Time rolled around, Niagara led by a massive 23-point margin at 87-64. The game ground to a bit of a halt with the clock off as a series of unsportsmanlike and technical fouls — plus ensuing reviews — lengthened what was essentially a done deal. After the final review, Niagara’s Eddie Ekiyor finally iced the game with a pair of free throws. “It was a battle, but our identity's effort and just trying hard. We got a lot of skilled guys, and we just worked as a team, right? We were very upset about our first loss with them. … So it's just that togetherness and we're proud of the outcome,” River Lions forward Elijah Lufile said. Niagara beat Vancouver 97-95 in the CEBL Finals last year for the franchise’s first-ever title. However, the Bandits got a measure of revenge early in the season with a 37-point blowout win in the rematch. In that game, the Bandits enjoyed a near-full roster while Finals MVP Khalil Ahmad, among others, was out for the River Lions. On Thursday, the roles were reversed. With Niagara boasting its top roster, Vancouver was without second-leading scorer Tyrese Samuel and sharpshooter Kyle Mangas, who are both competing at NBA Summer League. Still, the River Lions made sure they wouldn’t blow the opportunity against a short-handed Bandits team. “It's taken a long time for us to play really good basketball, and it's just the beginning of what we're capable of. I've been saying that this team's got a lot of potential to play well, and I think we saw tonight what it can look like when we're completely dialled in,” Raso said. It was a team effort for Niagara, who got contributions from up and down the lineup. Curry, in his third game back with Niagara, paced the River Lions with 20 points to go with seven assists and four rebounds. Ekiyor had 16 points and seven rebounds, while Lufile neared a double-double off the bench with eight points and 10 rebounds. Kimbal Mackenzie added 17 points and six rebounds. Leading scorer Khalil Ahmad has 13 points on five-for-nine shooting. “I think it was just a collective effort on the bench because you got all the guys on the bench clapping, just cheering the guys on the court, whether they make or miss a shot on defence,” Lufile said. “So I had that energy from the get-go. I knew exactly what my assignment was. So coming into the game, it was just a no-brainer.” Meanwhile, the Bandits struggled to get going offensively in their first game without the Canadian Samuel. Potential MVP candidate Mitch Creek struggled to the tune of 13 points on five-for-18 shooting, adding five rebounds and three assists. Zach Copeland led the way for Vancouver with 15 points despite making just two of 10 three-point attempts, and Corey Davis Jr., posted 14 points and six assists before being ejected in Target Score Time thanks to a pair of technical fouls. “Got a little out of control,” Copeland said. “We tried to scrap it out, grind it out, trying to make comeback, but it's tough team, so we couldn't pull it out.” Vancouver will now be back on the court in less than 24 hours as an Ontario road trip continues in Brampton on Friday before a trip to Scarborough on Sunday. Copeland said the team’s ball movement must improve in order to get the offence humming again. “I felt like it was kind of stagnant. They played good defence. They were in the gaps, but we got to drive the ball and get kickouts,” he said. In the first quarter, Niagara used a frame-ending 8-0 run to lead 20-17 after 10 minutes. Vancouver replied with a 12-0 run in the middle of the second as the teams traded blows, but the River Lions held a 40-39 advantage at halftime. In the third quarter, the River Lions widened the gap with an 18-5 start to the quarter. They led 67-56 after 30 minutes, and did not look back from there. Niagara and Vancouver will not see each other again in the regular season as they look to pave their paths to and through the playoffs. But, off course, a date in the Finals could still await. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600627 Up Next Vancouver’s Ontario trip heads to Brampton for a game against the Honey Badgers on Friday, while Niagara’s home stand continues against Brampton on Wednesday. Next CEBL Action In addition to Vancouver-Brampton on Friday, Scarborough hosts Edmonton and Winnipeg head west to face Saskatchewan. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Santa Fe, NM guard adds depth to the Rattlers backcourt

Evan Gilyard was all smiles after the game. When sideline reporter Heather Morrison told him about his 37-point franchise-record breaking performance for most points in a game, he looked astonished. “Ahhh, we’re seeing red,” he said. “I knew that we had to have a bounce back game from the last game that we lost,” referring to the 113-90 loss against provincial rival Edmonton Stingers at the EXPO Centre. “I feel like a lot of that energy from the last game carried over…We came out and fought.” Calgary surged back from a 13-point first-half deficit and punched Montreal back in the second half en route to a 107-91 victory. While the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth was happening outside the arena, Calgary gave its 6,954 fans inside the Saddledome a treat on Stampede Night. The game had all the hallmarks of a nationally televised game as Paul Jones and Rod Black – two familiar faces in Canadian basketball – on the broadcast. The game was hyper-competitive with two elite undersized guards. On the big stage, Gilyard proved that what Tavian Dunn-Martin could do, the former could do better. TDM buried five three-pointers in the first half, tossing up shots – and making them – as if he were casually shooting at the park. Calgary, however, instantly punched back after halftime, making a 11-3 run. Gilyard hit a triple, Montreal turned the ball over, and Calgary capitalized by running out and scoring. Though TDM hit his sixth triple in what briefly seemed to be a buffer builder, Gilyard answered back with a triple and Khyri Thomas’ three-pointer forced Montreal to take a timeout. Calgary suddenly trailed by five points. The timeout did little to stop the bleeding as Calgary would dominate the third 39-15, led by Gilyard’s miraculous 21-point third quarter extravaganza on 12-for-23 shooting. He showed the home crowd he was even more electrifying than TDM. After the timeout, Gilyard hit some mid-range jumpers, a triple to inch within two points before Greg Brown (game total 23 points) hit one of his own to give Calgary a one-point lead and the team never looked back. Most notably, the tide had swung so much in Calgary’s favour that Gilyard’s technical after his three-pointer did little to stop his team’s relentless surge. He hit another triple with 1:37 left in the third to give Calgary a six-point lead, a triple as deep as TDM’s second quarter threes. Fan favourite Sean “Rugzy” Miller-Moore also had a consistent scoring night, finishing the game with 23 points. Montreal tried to punch back towards the end of the game, but it was too little, too late. They got within 10 points by Target Time, but Calgary easily put the game away. Montreal had an extremely strong showing in the second quarter. They pounded the ball inside and went nine-for-13 from downtown in the first half. Before the second half, Calgary Surge head coach Kaleb Canales said, “We just let them get loose. 69 per cent from three is just not a good number for us.” TDM splashed threes from everywhere and even flew out of the paint to hit one as two Surge players came out to the perimeter to contest (Gilyard also made a similar triple in the third quarter as two Alliance players came to blitz him). As Montreal has shown throughout the season, they didn’t have to solely rely on TDM. Newcomer Shamiel Stevenson attacked the hoop and missed, but an offensive board led to a three-pointer by Malcolm Duvivier, who then splashed another one. When so much focus went into stopping TDM, Montreal went to the second-side, swinging the ball to Abdul Mohamed who splashed a triple of his own. Montreal made their surge in the second quarter when Duvivier made a pitch pass to TDM who nailed a deep three, and kept his shooting hand suspended for all in the Saddledome to see. Even Gabe Osabuohien’s outstretched hands didn’t phase him. The score was 52-44, but that lead quickly disappeared in the second half. With TDM out for most of the third, however, Gilyard and the Surge took full advantage and never looked back. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600630 Up next for both teams The Montreal Alliance (6-8) return to Verdun Auditorium and host the league-best Vancouver Bandits (11-3) on Sunday, July 13. The Calgary Surge (10-5) stampede east to face the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-11) at SaskTel Centre on Tuesday, July 15. Next CEBL action The league-best Vancouver Bandits (11-3) face the best of the East. They head to Meridian Centre tomorrow to play the Niagara River Lions (9-5). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

While the clouds were outside in the Brampton area on Wednesday, it was raining threes inside the CAA Centre as the Ottawa BlackJacks tied a franchise-record with 17 made triples en route to a 101-73 win over the Honey Badgers. The BlackJacks made 11 of those long-balls in the second half, finishing plus-seven on made triples overall while converting on a 54 per cent clip for the game as they improved to 7-7 on the season — tied with the Scarborough Shooting Stars for second in the East and two games back of the Niagara River Lions. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers fell to 4-11 and remain at the bottom of the conference. Leading Ottawa’s three-point onslaught was Javonte Smart, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 4-of-6 shooting from distance as the team improved to 5-1 since adding the import guard. Behind him was Isaih Moore with 17 points, 13 rebounds and six assists on 8-of-11 from the field. Deng Adel and Zane Waterman (off the bench) each chipped in 17 points as the forward duo also each knocked down five threes, respectively, going a combined 10-of-15. Meanwhile, Keevan Veinot added 12 points and eight assists while going 5-of-7 from the field. “It was a great second half, we obviously shot the ball well, but I think the main difference in the second half was just defending (better),” Adel said after the win. “We did a good job of matching their intensity and stopping their main scorers.” On the other side, David Muenkat’s 16 points and seven rebounds led the way as Brampton lost its third game in a row. Quinndary Weatherspoon added 14 points while Amari Kelly and Bryson Williams rounded out the double-digit scoring efforts with 11 and 10 points apiece. “Ottawa made a lot of threes in the third quarter and that kind of just opened up the game,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said. “Sometimes it was making open shots, other times it was tough shots, they just had it rolling … that was literally the game right there.” Conference rivalry games are never supposed to be easy, especially when one team has taken the first two of four matchups by an average of 17.5 points, like Ottawa had. Something Brampton appeared determined to change on Wednesday, as they kept things much closer early on. The first half between the East rivals saw 12 lead changes as neither team carved out a lead larger than six points, despite the BlackJacks going on an 8-0 run mid-way through the second, to which the Honey Badgers responded with a 10-0 charge of their own. Once the dust settled on an opening half that fittingly saw both teams shoot an identical 51 per cent from the field, and was capped off by an Adel triple right before the buzzer , Brampton held on for a 45-42 lead. That narrow edge was largely thanks to their efforts defensively as the Honey Badgers forced 12 BlackJacks turnovers in the first half, eight in the second quarter alone, from a team that entered the day averaging 14.7 per game. That disruptive play not only won Brampton the first-half possession battle, it also earned it a 14-7 edge on points off turnovers. That trend wouldn’t continue, however, as the BlackJacks only gave the ball away three times the rest of the way. “The two things we talked about at halftime were turning things up on defence, and then taking care of the ball,” Ottawa head coach Dave DeAveiro said post-game. “I thought we did a really good job in those two areas in the second half.” And then the third quarter happened. A frame in which the BlackJacks outscored the Honey Badgers 32-13 after Ottawa caught fire from beyond the arc. The same team that made six threes in the opening half drilled eight triples in the third quarter alone. Leading that charge was Adel, who hit four shots from beyond the arc as he scored 12 points in the third to more than remedy a quiet first half with just three points. “Deng has great self-awareness,” DeAveiro explained. “He had four shots in the first half (he knew) he needed to take more shots … he played with a lot more bounce, a lot more step and let the game come to him.” Right behind him was Waterman, who’s two triples towards the end of the third not only contributed to a 12-0 BlackJacks run en route to a 74-58 lead before the fourth, but also marked his 100th regular-season three-point make all-time. The sharpshooter was just the 15th player in CEBL history to reach that mark. “Our energy kind of died down in the second half,” Muenkat said after the loss. “We weren’t able to have a response to their late-game push … they just really got hot, which kind of tilted the momentum.” Ottawa’s lead only ballooned from that point, leading 92-68 at the start of Target Score Time before Moore wrapped up the Camp Day win in front of the 2,641 in attendance with a make at the charity stripe as part of nine points in the fourth quarter. It won’t be long before the East rivals square off again, as they’ll run it back for their fourth and final regular-season matchup in less than two weeks (July 21) when the BlackJacks host the Honey Badgers with hopes of sweeping the series. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600625 Up next The Honey Badgers stay put in Brampton as they get set to host the West-leading Bandits on Friday — a rematch from Sunday when Vancouver held on for a three-point win. Meanwhile, the BlackJacks get an extended break as they’ll return on July 17 when they host the red-hot Edmonton Stingers, winners of five straight. Next CEBL action Wednesday’s double-header slate resumes with the first-ever Stampede Game at Scotiabank Saddledome as the Montreal Alliance visit the Calgary Surge for a cross-conference clash at 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Montréal Alliance is pleased to announce the signing of Canadian forward Shamiel Stevenson. The 6’6” forward from Toronto joins the organization after a productive 2024 CEBL campaign with the Brampton Honey Badgers where he averaged 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 30.8 minutes across 19 games. Most recently, he completed the 2024-25 season with Inter Bratislava in Slovakia, averaging 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32.8 minutes per game. Stevenson brings valuable CEBL experience to Montréal, having played three seasons in the league with both the Ottawa BlackJacks (2022) and the Brampton Honey Badgers (2023-2024). During the 2024 season, he scored in double figures in 11 contests, including four games with 20+ points. His standout performances included a 2024 season-high 24 points against Montréal on June 2 and a dominant 28-point, 10-rebound effort against Scarborough on July 26, 2023. The Toronto native played four years of NCAA Division I basketball at the University of Pittsburgh and University of Nebraska, averaging 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds over 62 games. As a freshman at Pittsburgh in 2017-18, he led the team in field goal percentage (.505) and total rebounds (141). The Alliance also announces the promotion of local players Nate Tshimanga and Blondeau Tchoukuiegno from the practice squad. Tshimanga recently completed his collegiate career at New Mexico State (2024-25), where he appeared in 31 games with nine starts. His college career also included stops at Utah Valley (2023-24) and Troy University (2021-22, 2022-23). Montréal guard Tchoukuiegno also joins the active roster. Tchoukuiegno returns from a season in Croatia with Osijek, where he averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 33.8 minutes across 11 games. The California Baptist University graduate  Both players will be available starting with the Alliance’s next game. The team currently holds a 6-7 record and continues its pursuit of a playoff position.

(Preview: Week 10) In the CEBL, every game can be its own rodeo. Hard-charging opponents barrel toward each other from the opening tip, scores swing wildly in either direction and you never know how Target Score Time is going to end. It’s fitting, then, that the CEBL will be teaming up with the literal rodeo for the first time ever. On Wednesday, the Calgary Surge will host their first Stampede Game at the Scotiabank Saddledome, taking on the visiting Montreal Alliance. Action from the 19,289-seat arena begins at 7:30 p.m. MT / 9:30 p.m. ET, with tickets available starting at $35 for the upper bowl and $45 for the lower bowl (plus applicable fees and taxes). “The Calgary Stampede is one of the most iconic celebrations in Canada, and it’s only fitting that CEBL basketball will become part of that energy and tradition,” commissioner Mike Morreale said when the game was announced in May. Indeed, this Surge-Alliance matchup should bring the energy. Calgary enters with a chip on its shoulder on the heels of a loss to provincial rival Edmonton. Still, the Surge, who sit second in the West at 9-5, have represented one of the breakout stories of the season. Fueled by a three-headed monster in Sean Miller-Moore, Greg Brown III and Jameer Nelson Jr., the Surge have consistently turned defence into offence, ranking first leaguewide on a per-game basis in steals (10.1), second in rebounds (41.4) and blocks (4.8) and third in points (93.5). Head coach Kaleb Canales has instilled his philosophy quickly and effectively in his first year leading a CEBL squad. The former Portland Trail Blazers bench boss adapted quickly to the league’s quirks — including Target Score Time — and turned the Surge into a well-oiled machine. While Nelson Jr., will miss the Stampede Game as he heads to NBA Summer League (more on that to come), Calgary should not miss a step. Meanwhile, Alliance head coach Jermaine Small referred to his team’s season as a “roller-coaster.” Montreal won its first four games, lost the next four and has gone 2-3 since for a total record of 6-7. The Alliance could enter short-handed, with star forward Quincy Guerrier also off to Summer League while leading scorer Tavian Dunn-Martin missed the team’s last game with an injury. Reinforcements could be on the way ahead of Wednesday’s game. Stay tuned. As a team, Montreal has made and attempted the most three-pointers per game while leading the league in assists per game. Its swift ball movement — even with some new players — could present a challenge for Calgary’s opportunistic defence in a battle of strengths. Giddy up. Championship rematch 2.0 Any time Niagara and Vancouver face off these days, it’s a treat. Not only will Thursday’s matchup in St. Catharines, Ont., feature last year’s Finals combatants, but it also could be a preview of this year’s championship game with both teams currently atop their conferences — and riding winning streaks, to boot. The season hasn’t been all smooth-sailing for the River Lions, whose current two-game surge comes after a two-game skid. Niagara has won ugly at times — see Sunday’s victory over Montreal for proof of that — and its minus-61 point differential does not portend confidence. But Khalil Ahmad has provided his usual Target Time heroics, and players like Nathan Cayo — who scored a team-high 18 points in his hometown — have stepped up in support. In Vancouver, the Bandits carry a league high plus-154 point differential and 11-3 record, with two of three losses coming at the hands of the Surge. They are rolling once more now with a three-game winning streak. While sharpshooter Kyle Mangas and Canadian Tyrese Samuel are off at Summer League, leading scorer Mitch Creek should continue to carry the load at both ends alongside CEBL vet Corey Davis Jr., for Kyle Julius’s squad. The Bandits crushed the River Lions 109-72 in their first matchup of the season in May, but Niagara’s squad is much improved from then — and now they’re at home, too. It all adds up to what should be a fascinating measuring-stick game for both sides. Record number of players headed to Summer League The CEBL just continues to churn out talent. Now, a record 15 players will temporarily leave their teams to compete at NBA Summer Leagues. Calgary’s Nelson Jr., the son of longtime NBAer Jameer Nelson, is already with the San Antonio Spurs alongside the Bandits’ Mangas. Both have been crucial parts of their teams, with Nelson Jr., an early favourite to win Defensive Player of the Year and Mangas knocking down triples at a team-high rate of 3.7 per game. Calgary forward Osayi Osifo is also set to be on the Spurs' Summer League roster, having played about 15 minutes per contest for the Surge off the bench. Elsewhere, the Raptors will feature the Canadian Guerrier, who was second on Montreal in scoring and first rebounds. Guerrier played for Toronto’s G League affiliate Raptors 905 last season. Brooklyn will feature Vancouver’s Samuel and Winnipeg’s Terry Roberts. And Scarborough has lost second-leading scorer Donovan Williams, who is averaging 24.3 points per contest but is off to play for the Denver Nuggets. Other players headed to Summer League include Jaylin Williams (Dallas), Izaiah Brockington (New Orleans), Jaden Campbell (New York), Hason Ward (Oklahoma City), Cam McGriff (Utah) and Jalen Gainey (Utah). Weekly schedule (Eight games) Game #72 -- Wednesday, July 9 – OTT at BHB – 12:30 p.m. ET– CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #73 – Wednesday, July 9 – MTL at CGY – 7:30 p.m. MT / 9:30 p.m. ET – Scotiabank Saddledome (TSN, RDS, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #74 – Thursday, July 10 – VAN at NRL – 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #75 – Friday, July 11 – EDM at SSS – 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #76 – Friday, July 11 – VAN at BHB – 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #77 – Friday, July 11 – WPG at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST / 8:30 p.m. CDT / 9:30 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #78 – Sunday, July 13 – BHB at SSS – 2 p.m. ET – Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #79 – Sunday, July 13 – VAN at MTL – 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT – Verdun Auditorium (RDS, CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .

The duo adds valuable NBA G League experience to Winnipeg's roster

During his first year in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, Calgary Surge head coach Kaleb Canales has had to watch his mouth. “I'm used to using the word 48 minutes, right?” Canales said recently, in reference to the length of an NBA game. Of course, in the CEBL, games are 40 minutes — or thereabouts, depending on how Target Score Time goes. And so it’s safe to say that the league has been an adjustment for Canales, whose long NBA career includes 23 games as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. He is the first former NBA head coach to come to the CEBL. “With Target Score and having strategy when it comes to that, when the clock stops, we want to execute certain things. But no, listen, I think from a coaching perspective, it probably keeps me up at night. But from a fan perspective, I think it's pretty cool,” Canales said. Canales, the 46-year-old from Laredo, Texas, moved north of the border in May in pursuit of furthering his coaching career. He has spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Texas Legends — the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate — but was ready to move back into a lead role. “I felt strongly about taking this step to lead an organization, to lead a team to a championship, to have the challenge of leading a team to a championship. And so we took it head on,” Canales said. Canales’s rise up the coaching ladder was swift. He was a high-school assistant for two years, spent one season at the NCAA level and then jumped to the NBA, where he spent four years as a Blazers assistant. In 2012, after head coach Nate McMillan was fired by Portland, Canales took over for the final stretch of the season, becoming the youngest head coach in the NBA and the first ever of Mexican-American descent. But since his brief stint in Portland, Canales had not returned to the lead chair until joining the Surge. “Any opportunity to lead a franchise and lead an organization is a big step in my development as a coach. So I wanted to continue to grow as a coach like players continue to grow as players,” he said. “In my coaching journey where I was at, I think everything matched and it was a blessing for me to get this opportunity. And I also wanna get better, and obviously this was a great opportunity for my career and to help my growth as a coach.” It was also an opportunity for Canales to help expand his coaching creativity. While he was familiar with Target Score endings since the G League uses them in overtime, the rules are slightly different. Plus, the run of game before the clock turns off in the CEBL is much shorter. Other rule differences — such as the maximum three imports allowed on the floor per team — create new situations, too. “I have a lot of respect for other coaches in this league. There's a lot of good coaches, a lot of good players. And I felt, right when I started studying the league, it's a young dynamic league that's growing and it's going to continue to explode here in the next couple of years,” Canales. Canales has found plenty of success in the early going with Calgary. At 9-5, the Surge are second in the West, having handed the first-place Vancouver Bandits (11-3) two of their three losses. Statistically, the Surge score the third-most points per game in the league and allow the fourth fewest. They lead the CEBL in steals per game and sit second in blocks — essential parts of Canales’ coaching philosophy. “I love our team. I love our squad. I love that our identity is defence to offence and staying in an attack mindset throughout the game. I've just been really proud of the group,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore, who’s played four CEBL seasons for the Surge franchise under four different coaches, said Canales’s energy stands out. “He’s one of those coaches that makes me want to play for him because of how energetic he is and how focused he is. And obviously he knows what it takes to win a championship because he’s been at the NBA level before,” Miller-Moore said. Canales isn’t the only NBA-experienced coach in the league. Nathaniel Mitchell, a former assistant for three teams including the Toronto Raptors, recently signed with the Brampton Honey Badgers as a coaching consultant. Meanwhile, longtime CEBL head coaches like Vancouver’s Kyle Julius and Niagara’s Victor Raso have proven their chops year after year in the league. Now, Canales is looking to chart his own path through the CEBL and up the NBA ranks — just like his players. “One of our main goals going into the season is to help these players develop and to have them have a great summer of development to put them in a great position in their careers heading into next season,” Canales said. Miller-Moore said Canales allows him to be himself on the court — to “play without thinking.” “He’s like a player’s coach. He makes me want to take shots that I might not usually take and he instills confidence in me,” he said. Together, Canales and the Surge could be ascending toward a CEBL title — and potentially beyond. - CEBL -

While the game was contested between two teams on either side of the standings, you never would have guessed it by what took place on the court. The Vancouver Bandits and Brampton Honey Badgers traded power punches until the very end, but it was the home team that managed to come on late and take the 87-84 victory in front of their fans. Mitch Creek led the game with 30 points for the Bandits, including 15 in the pivotal third quarter. Zach Copeland added 20 points for Vancouver, while Corey Davis Jr. had 15 points to go along with 11 assists. Vancouver was able to pick up the win despite missing a number of players as they attend NBA camps and participate in the NBA Summer League. Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius was proud of the way his team performed despite the roster turnover. “We weren’t that composed today, but I think that’s part of the process,” he said post-game. “We’re in a messy time right now with personnel changes, and I’m really proud of the fact we were able to win a game missing some key pieces, and it was a messy game at that.” “Our leadership; we have really good leadership,” he said when asked how the team was able to perform despite the personnel changes. “But there isn’t consistency. We had a completely different rotation today. Our sub pattern was wacky, and we found a way to win at the end. We have to find a way to grind through this time until our main pieces get back.” The Bandits struck first, getting off to a 12-4 lead before the visitors called a timeout. The Honey Badgers cam back strong, going on a 16-6 run out of the break to take a momentary lead before the Bandits were able to bring a 23-22 lead into the first break. A big part of the Brampton comeback was thanks to Quinndary Weatherspoon. The former Golden State Warrior had 11 of his 22 first half points in the quarter, ensuring his team was able to stay in the game. “We need these performances from (Weatherspoon),” teammate Amari Kelly said afterwards. “They’re big and they help keep us going. He’s a big factor for our team and kind of our leading guy, so we always want nights like this from him.” Things kept rolling for Weatherspoon in the second quarter, as he and David Muenkat started the period off with back-to-back three-pointers to take a lead that their team would carry into halftime, leading 44-40 – with the former NBA champion accounting for half his team’s points. In the second half, it was time for the Bandits’ star play to answer. Creek scored nine of his team’s first 15 points in the third quarter, and the team made three consecutive three-pointers to cap off a 12-2 run for a 61-56 lead. But the road team refused to go down quietly, rebounding with an 11-2 run off their own to go ahead leading into the final quarter. Weatherspoon was held to just three points in the third. A 9-0 Honey Badgers run to start the fourth had them up by as many as 10, but a pair of Copeland threes kickstarted a streak of 11 straight points for the team. The Honey Badgers led 78-77 at the start of Target Time, but another nine-point run from the Bandits put things out of reach, and they eventually took the win off a Duane Notice free throw. “They did a good job of making shots,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said of the opposition. “They made some tough shots that gave them a lead and then we were going through one of our droughts where we’re trying to execute, we’re looking for our mismatches or their rotations to break down. But they were solid in their rotations and we had a couple of turnovers.” Weatherspoon led his team with 27 points, though just five of them came in the second half. Kelly carried the load of the offense in the final two quarters, where he scored 12 of his 16 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds for the game. Marcus Carr and Bryson Williams had strong performances off the bench, as both finished with 12 points. “One of the things we’re struggling with is winning on the road,” Cassimy said. “Early on, we had a lot of games on the road, so that’s part of the reason for the struggle. We have to find a way to put together wins on the road. I think once we do that we’ll be fine.” Brampton got off to a tough start on the season, boasting just a 1-7 record early on. The team had won three of their last five and were looking to continue their improved play against the top team in the CEBL. Despite coming out on the losing end, Cassimy was happy with his team’s performance and what it means for them going forward. “Just being together, trusting each other, and being able to execute and cut down on our turnovers,” he said about what his team needs to continue to work on in the second half of the season. “In the first half we were good with our turnovers, but in the second half, not so great. Once we’re trusting each other and cutting down on turnovers, then I think we’ll be fine.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600624 Up next for both teams The west leading Vancouver Bandits will head on the road to take on the east leading Niagara River Lions only July 10 in a championship rematch. The Brampton Honey Badgers will head home for a pair of games, starting with a contest against the Ottawa BlackJacks on July 9. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers will host the Ottawa BlackJacks in a special Camp Day game on July 9, streaming live at 12:30PM ET on CEBL+, TSN+ and Game+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The always entertaining Battle of Alberta has come to an end for the time being. With a 113-90 victory over the Calgary Surge on Sunday, the Edmonton Stingers not only took the inter-province season series 2-1, but they also extended their league-best win streak to five consecutive games. Edmonton improved to 9-6 with the win, now just half a game back of Calgary, who fell to 9-5, for second place in the West. Leading that charge for the Stingers, as they hit a new season-high in scoring and the largest Target Score mark of any team this season, was Scottie Lindsey with 29 points on 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Behind him was Sean East II, who chipped in 22 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, and Nick Hornsby, who added 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as part of five different Edmonton players to reach double figures in scoring. “We’re in a groove,” Lindsey said after Edmonton extended its win streak. “We took a tough loss to Montreal, and even since then, we've been locked in, in a different way.” Meanwhile, Olumide Adelodun led the way for the Surge as he finished with 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting from distance off the bench. Greg Brown III and Jamarko Pickett each scored 16 and 12 points, respectively. “We allowed their runs to affect us,” Adelodun said post-game. “We let play after play roll over, and we didn’t fight back after that … just too much for us to come back.” The lopsided outcome was a surprise considering both of the previous two Battle of Alberta matchups this season had been decided by a combined five points — the first half of Sunday’s contest proving similar. Neither team went ahead by more than 10 points through the first 20 minutes as Calgary led 43-40 at halftime. But then the third quarter happened. Edmonton opened the second half on a 17-0 run en route to a league-record 42 points in the third quarter, one shy of the most points scored in any frame all-time. Calgary’s first basket of the second half didn’t come until he 6:08 mark of the third, a Sean Miller-Moore triple, to which Edmonton immediately replied with an 11-0 run as it carved out an 82-64 lead ahead of the fourth. “We had two close games with (Calgary) already this season, so we knew them well,” Lindsey explained. “We just wanted to come out and protect home court, and we did that in the second half.” The Stingers built that lead as high as 29 points throughout the final frame, ultimately carrying a 103-79 edge into Target Score Time. “Great third quarter,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said on what made the difference in the win. “We felt the energy in this building from the fans, and it was easy to get on a run.” Underscoring Edmonton’s CEBL-record second-half scoring output of 73 points was a drastic turnaround from beyond the arc. The League’s No. 1 three-point percentage (37.7) team entering Sunday, starting the contest just 1-for-14. Yet they caught fire as the game went on, making 10 of their next 16 attempts from distance — fittingly ending the ball game on a Lindsey triple from the right wing. “We didn’t play our brand of defence or our brand of basketball,” Surge head coach Caleb Canales said after the loss. “Which led to us not playing efficient offence … just have to give them credit, they had a great game today.” Meanwhile, the Stingers also did plenty of damage inside the arc, outscoring the Surge 60-32 in the paint as Edmonton shot 57 per cent on two-pointers to Calgary’s 36 per cent. Much of which was predicated on the Stingers' commitment to ball movement as they finished with 27 assists (plus-16) on as many turnovers (12) as the Surge. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600641 Up next The Surge head back to Calgary as they prepare to host the Montreal Alliance on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Stingers head east as they get set to begin a four-game road trip by visiting the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Friday. Next CEBL action The West-leading Vancouver Bandits host the Brampton Honey Badgers at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. local to wrap up Sunday’s triple-header slate. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

It was a momentous return to Montreal for Ahmed Hill and the Niagara River Lions. Hill, the former Alliance member, scored 12 points to become the first player to pass the 1,500-point plateau in league history (including playoffs), and the River Lions won 77-73 on Sunday at Verdun Auditorium — the site of their championship victory last season. The win marked a second straight for East-leading Niagara (9-5), while Montreal dropped under .500 at 6-7 with the loss. “It was just a war. It felt like a playoff game a little bit,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said of a game in which the teams combined to shoot just 21 per cent from beyond the arc and 60 per cent from the free-throw line. After the River Lions controlled much of the contest, building an 11-point lead, a spirited Alliance comeback gave the home side a one-point advantage at the 5:16 mark. But the Verdun frenzy was short-lived as the River Lions responded with an 8-0 run. When the clock turned off for Target Score Time, Niagara led 68-61. The Alliance tightened their deficit to as little as three, but a raft of missed free throws prevented them from getting any closer. In the end, the game ended the same way Niagara’s last Montreal contest — the 2024 Finals — did, as Khalil Ahmad nailed the game-winner, this time from the free-throw line. Raso said the win wasn’t necessarily a pretty one. “It just became a slugfest. We did not shoot the ball well from three, but a couple guys stepped up,” he said. For Hill — the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer — it was a milestone night in one of the CEBL cities he once called home. The 30-year-old from Fort Valley, Ga., was competing in his 90th career game, which ranks third all-time and first among international players. Hill joined the CEBL in 2021 and spent two seasons with the Guelph Nighthawks before moving to Montreal for two more. He’s now in his first season as a River Lion, where he joined the reigning champions in search of his first career title. On Sunday, he came off the bench for the second straight game, making four of 10 field-goal attempts. “Truly blessed to be on a couple teams with great coaches, great teammates, who let me be me and shine,” Hill said. “Credit to everybody I played with and the organizations. And shout out to the CEBL.” Montreal native Nathan Cayo paced the River Lions in his hometown, scoring 18 points to go with six rebounds. Ron Curry, who recently returned to Niagara after a five-game absence, added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Eddie Ekiyor contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, it was a strangely quiet night for reigning Finals MVP and River Lions leading scorer Ahmad, who struggled with his shot en route to just six points on one-for-10 shooting. He also had seven assists. Still, his teammates picked up the slack. “It’s becoming not always about Khalil. We have guys who can make plays, we have guys who can score. We haven’t had guys healthy to do that for a while so for Khalil it’s kind of reassuring that he doesn’t have to score the ball as much,” Raso said. For a short-handed Montreal squad, a strong start fizzled quickly as the offence went dry. The Alliance made just six of 27 three-point attempts (22 per cent) and 19 of 31 free-throw tries (61 per cent) overall. Still, head coach Jermaine Small said he was proud of his team’s resolve. “You miss all those free throws, I’m a little bit frustrated about that, but I’m proud of the effort overall,” Small said. Leading scorer Tavian Dunn-Martin missed the game with an injury, while forwards O.D. Anosike and Michael Diggins Jr. were also absent. In their place, Canadian Quincy Guerrier — in his last game with the team before heading to NBA Summer League with the Toronto Raptors — led the way with a whopping 19-point, 15-rebound double-double. Day 1 Alliance member Alain Louis scored 15 points to go with five rebounds and five assists in the losing cause. Guerrier said the missing players could have made a difference, but the team needed to adjust accordingly. “I think defensively we were way better than the last four or five games. They’re a championship team, they’re a really good team. Our free-throw [misses] at the end, that was crucial,” he said. NBA champion and Montreal native Luguentz Dort was in the house to take in the game between his hometown Alliance and the defending CEBL champions. Montreal raced out of the gates with its game-opening 7-0 run and led 19-13 by the end of the first quarter. But Niagara took control in the second frame as a 7-0 run of its own powered it to a 41-34 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the River Lions stretched their lead to 11 and threatened to run away with things, but the Alliance cut their deficit back to six points entering the final frame. After a tightly fought fourth quarter, it was the River Lions who, familiarly, emerged victorious in Montreal. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600639 Up Next Montreal visits the Calgary Surge on Wednesday, while Niagara returns home for a championship rematch against the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday. Next CEBL Action Players hit the court next on Wednesday, when the Brampton Honey Badgers host the Ottawa BlackJacks in addition to the Alliance-Surge contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL –

Jordan Bowden’s CEBL career-high 40 points led the Saskatchewan Rattlers’ furious fourth-quarter rally as they picked up a 93-90 win over the Ottawa BlackJacks on Saturday night. The Rattlers improved to 4-11 on the season despite entering the fourth quarter down by 14 points and trailing 82-71 at the start of Target Score Time — outscoring the BlackJacks 35-18 in the decisive final frame. Meanwhile, the loss dropped Ottawa to 6-7 and snapped a four-game win streak that was tied for best in the league entering Saturday. “We’re some dogs,” Bowden said after the comeback victory. “We came together, got stops when we needed them, and got the shots we wanted at the end … we fight and we can play with anybody in the CEBL.” Bowden’s big night was largely thanks to a stellar showing from beyond the arc, going 9-of-14 to set a new Rattlers franchise record for made three-pointers in a single game. He wasn’t the only one to reach a new milestone, however, as teammate Nate Pierre-Louis set a new single-game assists record for Saskatchewan with 14 to go with his 12 points. The import ranked third in the league entering the night, averaging 7.4 assists per game. Behind them was Grant Anticevich, who chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds, and Devonté Bandoo, who scored 13 points off the bench. “Our defensive intensity in the fourth and our will to continue to compete allowed us to come back,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said post-game. “I thought we took good shots in the first half, but they just didn’t fall, so huge credit to our guys, they just continued to battle … and give themselves an opportunity.” On the other side, Javonte Smart led the way with his 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting and five made triples, in what was the BlackJacks' first loss with him in the lineup. Ottawa’s only other starter to reach double-figures for scoring was Deng Adel, who added 13 points and 11 assists. Meanwhile, Zane Waterman chipped in 20 points off the pine on 5-of-10 shooting from distance. “I was disappointed in the way we finished the game,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAviero said after his team’s first loss in nearly three weeks. “But give credit to them. Bowden had a huge game, he made some tough shots, and they were much better than us in the Target Score ending.” Entering the matchup, the Rattlers' story this season was one of resilience, but with ultimately little success to show for it — nine of their 11 losses coming by single digits. And much of Saturday’s contest appeared to be a repeat of that tale as Saskatchewan and Ottawa remained neck-and-neck early — neither team leading by more than eight points in the first 20 minutes of play — and just one more made field goal by the BlackJacks in the first half being the difference as they led 41-39 at the break. “I don’t know if there’s any secret sauce that allowed us to (win a close game), other than we’ve continued to battle every single game,” Magdanz explained. “Sometimes the ball isn’t going to bounce in our favour, but when we compete this hard … we give ourselves an opportunity.” All the while, that slim deficit for the Rattlers was largely thanks to Bowden (a continuous trend on the night), who put up a game-high 15 first-half points, including a transition layup at the 2:04 mark that capped an 11-0 run. That basket also briefly allowed Saskatchewan to retake the lead before a Waterman triple in the final minute of the half put Ottawa back up. The BlackJacks completely seized the momentum coming out of halftime, however, as they opened the third on a 12-0 run and took the game’s first double-digit lead. That burst was thanks to some lights-out shooting as all four of Ottawa’s makes in that stretch came from beyond the arc, matching its first-half total for made triples (4-of-13) in less than three minutes into the third. Ottawa ultimately made seven threes in the third quarter en route to a 72-58 lead after 30 minutes. A more characteristic showing from a BlackJacks squad that entered the night ranked third in three-point percentage (35.7), finishing the game 13-for-30 (43 per cent). But unlike all season, the Rattlers' story on Saturday didn’t end with a comeback ultimately fizzling out once more. Saskatchewan outscored Ottawa 22-8 in Target Score Time, using stops on defence to fuel transition offence (27-16 for fastbreak points) — including a game-ending 8-0 run — led primarily by the duo of Bowden and Anticevich, who scored 14 and 12 points each once the clock stopped. The pair also capped off the double-digit rally with back-to-back threes, first Bowden and then Anticevich from the left wing to seal the stunning victory. “I think it was just the want,” Bowden explained when asked what clicked for Saskatchewan in the win. “Just the details were losing us games … but today we wanted to win and we went and got it.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600637 Up next The BlackJacks wrap up a quick two-game road trip on Wednesday as they visit the Brampton Honey Badgers for an Eastern Conference clash. Meanwhile, the Rattlers continue a four-game homestand on Friday as they host the Winnipeg Sea Bears for the second of three Banjo Bowl rivalry matchups this regular season. Next CEBL action A triple-header slate on Sunday resumes league-wide action, starting with the defending champion Niagara River Lions visiting the Montreal Alliance at 4 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Stingers will then host the Calgary Surge for the latest Battle of Alberta at 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. local, followed by the Honey Badgers visiting the West-leading Vancouver Bandits at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. local. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

In the battle between struggling Niagara and Winnipeg, one team was assured of a get-right win. The River Lions made sure it was them. Niagara dispatched of the Sea Bears 93-82 on Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., snapping its two-game skid and padding its lead atop the Eastern Conference. Winnipeg, meanwhile, suffered its fourth consecutive loss. Niagara now sits at 8-5, while Winnipeg falls to 5-9. “I mean, it was the bounceback that we needed,” River Lions head coach Victor Raso said. “I thought we played hard the entirety of the game. We played better basketball than we have been in the past, so that was a big step in the right direction.” The River Lions controlled most of the game, leading by double digits much of the way, until the Sea Bears injected a scare with a fourth-quarter run that cut their deficit to five. It was as close as they would get. Niagara led 83-74 when the clock stopped for Target Score Time, which began explosively. After Jalen Harris hit a two-pointer to start the proceedings, the teams traded three-pointers on four straight possessions with Khalil Ahmad and Ron Curry hitting for Niagara, while Harris hit both for Winnipeg. Shortly after, Ahmad reinforced yet again why he has become known as the Target Score King, splashing home a step-back three-pointer to seal the River Lions victory. “it's all about continuity and putting together that game after game after game after game, so if we can stay continuous, then we'll be alright,” Ahmad said. For Niagara, the long-awaited win came on the back of its defence. The River Lions entered Friday’s action allowing the most points against per game in the league and having given up a combined 193 points in its two losses. But on Friday, they held the Sea Bears to just 34 points in the middle two quarters and forced 19 total turnovers. “We defended really well, especially for the first three quarters up in the game, really up until the points of the game where Jalen Harris started making shots, I thought we were defending quite well,” Raso said. Ahmad led the way for Niagara with 26 points to go with four assists and three rebounds. He made nine of 17 field-goal attempts, and two of his three triples came during Target Score Time. Elijah Lufile came off the bench for a near-double-double of 10 points and nine rebounds, while do-it-all guard Kimbal Mackenzie contributed 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Ahmed Hill, the CEBL’s all-time leading scorer, had 12 points to move within five of becoming the first player in league history to reach the 1,500-point plateau (including playoffs). Ron Curry returned for the River Lions after a five-game absence, scoring eight points and dishing three assists. But Ahmad also credited his team’s defence for the win. “Defensive toughness, defensive intensity, just being together on defence because offence isn't really our problem. We just got to stay consistent defensively,” he said. On the flip side, Winnipeg’s defence — which entered just one-tenth of a point better than Niagara per game and will exit with the dubious title of league’s worst defence — continued to struggle. Niagara’s offence made 45 per cent of its three-point attempts and five different players scored in double digits. Head coach Mike Taylor pinpointed focus as the reason for his team’s losing streak. “We really had a spirited comeback, put ourselves in a good position, but there were too many possessions in the early part of the game where we kind of got in our own way. And it's been a theme at times. We've been inconsistent,” he said. “And today that put us behind the eight ball to 19 turnovers. We've been a team that's taken care of the basketball really well all year. Unfortunately, today, we were a little bit disorganized.” Sea Bears leading scorer Simi Shittu was ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter after picking up his fifth personal foul. In his place, Winnipeg native Emmanuel Akot paced his squad with 22 points to go with six rebounds and two assists. Harris ended with 21 points after his Target Time splurge. Akot said Winnipeg let Niagara build too big of an early lead, but he was happy with his team’s spirit to fight back. “But at the end of the day, winning is what matters, and we just got to go back to the office and figure things out,” Akot said. Canadian Olympian Dillon Brooks, who was recently traded from the NBA’s Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns, attended the game. The River Lions led 28-24 after a fast-paced first quarter and extended their lead to 51-38 by halftime. They took a 73-58 advantage into the final frame. But in the end, it was Ahmad — as per usual — coming up clutch when it mattered most, and Niagara was able to leave its home arena with a win. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600635 Up Next Niagara heads to Montreal to face the Alliance on Sunday, while Winnipeg wraps its three-game road trip in Saskatchewan against the Rattlers next Friday. Next CEBL Action The surging Ottawa BlackJacks visit the Rattlers in Saturday’s lone contest. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The forward returns to the Bandits for his third season

No Dunn-Martin? No problem. Quincy Guerrier and the Montreal Alliance (6-6) stepped up in crunch time without their leading scorer in the lineup Thursday night to erase a 13-point deficit and stun Saskatchewan (3-11) in a Target Time thriller. It appeared that Saskatchewan was in the driver’s seat for their second victory on home court this season until a Malcolm Duvivier triple made it a one-point game late in the third quarter. It was a deja-vu of the first quarter, where the Rattlers were neck-and-neck with the visiting Alliance. Isaac Simon’s first-half scoring outburst catapulted Saskatchewan to a 13-point lead going into the second half, but they quickly let their lead slip through their hands. Montreal made five three-pointers in the third quarter, the last coming from Duvivier. By the start of the fourth, it was anyone’s game — and Montreal’s captain, Quincy Guerrier, knocked down three more from deep in the final frame. This game was a coin flIp as Saskatchewan only had a three-point lead going into Target Time, and the game was tied at 80 apiece with the Target Score set at 81. “I’d rather win ugly than lose pretty. It’s very tough to get wins,” reflected Montreal head coach Jermaine Small after the game. “I think it was a very character game for us. We didn’t have our best player in the game today. Moving forward, we can build on this momentum because it was a character win. I’m very proud of our guys.” Montreal was missing their star in Tavian Dunn-Martin and they will soon miss Guerrier as he heads to Summer League with the Toronto Raptors. Guerrier’s last triple gave Montreal a two-point buffer, and their 5-0 lead in Target Time gave them a two-point lead. “I think they did a great job moving the basketball. I think it came down to their offensive rebounding,” admitted Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz. “They did a good job getting the offensive rebound, kicking out. It’s always difficult to recover off an offensive rebound.” Over the last seven days, Montreal came into this game leading the league in offensive rebounds with 16.5 per game (through two games) despite a 0-2 record. Tonight, they had 20 offensive boards and were +14 compared to Saskatchewan. It’s a disappointing loss for Saskatchewan, who now have the league-worst 3-11 record. Before tonight, they lost 97-85 against the league-best Vancouver Bandits after giving up a lead. Saskatchewan repeated its own history day. However, it was a special night for Developmental Player Isaac Simon and Nate Pierre-Louis. Simon, the University of Alberta Golden Bears player, scored his career-high 19 points on eight-for-13 shooting. At halftime, he talked about being aggressive and he did exactly that throughout the entire game. He made mince meat out of Ben Stevens on an iso play mid-way through the third quarter, stepping back on a mid-range jumper to make it a 17-point game. He even drew an offensive foul from former Developmental Player Alain Louis down low in the fourth quarter. Pierre-Louis notched over 100 assists this season after game-highs in 25 points and 13 assists. He came into this game being the second assist-leader in the league with 6.9 per game. “It’s a blessing. Just really grateful,” Pierre-Louis said. “I have great teammates.” Montreal’s Small and his team were equally grateful to walk away with a late-game comeback win tonight. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600633 Up next for both teams The Saskatchewan Rattlers (3-11) host the Ottawa BlackJacks (6-6) at SaskTel Centre on Saturday, July 5th. The Montreal Alliance (6-6) head back home to host the Niagara River Lions (7-5) at Verdun Auditorium on Sunday, July 6th. Next CEBL action The Winnipeg Sea Bears (5-8) head to Meridian Centre to face the Niagara River Lions (7-5) on Friday, July 4th. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -