Overhauled Rattlers race past rival Sea Bears 94-86 in home opener

The Saskatchewan Rattlers, inaugural champions of the CEBL, were one-upped last season by their regional rival Winnipeg Sea Bears, an expansion team.

It seems the Rattlers took that personally.

Saskatchewan raced to a 94-86 opening night win over Winnipeg on Wednesday at Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre, led by 23 points from CEBL veteran Jalen Harris. Maurice Calloo, also in his third year in the league but first with Saskatchewan, added 22 points.

The Rattlers entered target score time with a significant advantage, but their shooting simultaneously went cold as Sea Bears guard Teddy Allen, the reigning league MVP, caught fire.

Saskatchewan missed shots on multiple possessions with a chance to end the game, and guard Jalen Harris even missing a would-be game-winning free throw. Forward Grant Basile later missed a pair from the charity stripe well.

But although Allen led the Sea Bears to within six points, a late turnover allowed the Rattlers to get out in transition, with Harris laying the ball in to ice the eight-point victory. 

“I know we made some mistakes, but everyone played together and played hard and that’s what coach is preaching now,” Calloo said in a post-game interview with sideline reporter Heather Morrison.

Since their 2019 title, the Rattlers haven’t so much as won a single playoff game in the 10-team league — in fact, they’ve only appeared in one. 

The dry spell led to an off-season overhaul throughout the franchise, from bringing back Lee Genier as president after he first served from 2018-2020, a new head coach in Larry Abney and a new star player in Harris, the ex-Toronto Raptors draft pick.

Saskatchewan even came into opening night with new jerseys.

All that change was perhaps sparked by watching the Sea Bears, who placed second in the West at 12-8, rostered the league MVP and reached the play-in round, enter the league by storm.

Just one game into the season, though, the Rattlers’ moves seem to be paying off.

Abney, an assistant with the G League’s Ontario Clippers, crossed the border into Canada along with a player of his in Elijah Harkless. The bench boss predicted in an interview with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that Harkless, the 24-year-old from San Bernardino, Calif., would adjust to the new league quickly.

“He’s very aggressive on both sides of the ball. Very determined. You’ll see. He’s going to make a really, really good impression in the league from a fan’s standpoint — they’re going to love him and his effort — and he’s also going to turn the scoreboard over.”

That proved prescient, as Harkless posted a first-half double-double in his CEBL debut en route to totals of 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals. He was later named Player of the Game.

“It was great,” Harkless said. “Atmosphere was great, the competition was great. We went out there and we executed.”

Harkless added that the transition was “easy” with Abney on the bench.

“It was night and day … Helping him catch everybody up on the defensive scheme. I’d say he did a good job and if there’s something we gotta clean up I’m excited to attack it at practice tomorrow.”

Combined with contributions from Calloo and Harris, who was imported from the reigning champion Scarborough Shooting Stars after two seasons, the Rattlers already carry a significantly different feel from a season ago.

Still, it wasn’t all bad news for the Sea Bears, who saw Allen pick up right where he left off last season. 

Allen scored 40 points for the third time in his CEBL career. The Phoenix native landed just two points shy of his single-game record as he kept Winnipeg afloat, especially during Target Score Time. Brandon Sampson is the only other CEBL player to eclipse the 40-point plateau.

Yet Allen wasn’t completely pleased with his performance.

“Not too good. I gotta get my wind, get my legs under me and obviously do more to get the win,” he said.

Winnipeg coach Mike Taylor praised Allen’s effort, but said the team is a work in progress as it looks to return to last season’s winning ways.

“I feel like we weren’t as efficient as we needed to be on offence. I feel like we didn’t play as physical as we need to in our frontcourt, and I think we also need to do a better job of the type of shots we’re creating,” Taylor said. 

Calloo, who spent the previous two seasons with the Calgary Surge franchise, broke the ice in the opening frame with a three-pointer.

The shot sparked a track meet between the two clubs, with the Rattlers coming out ahead 23-21 after the first 10 minutes were complete.

That’s when Saskatchewan took over, using a 16-0 run to create separation, though the lead was whittled back down to five thanks to a sloppy close to the second quarter.

Winnipeg briefly cut its deficit to one possession early in the third quarter, but Saskatchewan answered back, stretching its lead back to 12 entering the fourth.

The Rattlers continued to lead comfortably before things got dicey in the final moments.

But that’s when their big off-season addition in Harris showed up to seal the victory, punctuating a successful home opener for the new-look Saskatchewan squad.

What’s next?

The Sea Bears return to Winnipeg for their home opener Friday against the reigning champion Scarborough Shooting Stars, while the Rattlers await the Montreal Alliance for a Saturday showdown in Saskatoon.

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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen 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 onCEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.