Soirée record pour Montréal à Scarborough

The Lytics et Boogey The Beat offriront une performance pendant les finales de conférence dans le cadre du WC25

The Lytics and Boogey The Beat set to perform at CEBL Conference Final doubleheader as part of CW25

The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-1 American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters. ### About the Vancouver Bandits: The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

Simi Shittu n’aurait pas pu rêver d’un meilleur départ avec les Sea Bears de Winnipeg. Le joueur canadien a été le héros de la soirée mercredi au Canada Life Centre, aidant les Sea Bears à résister à une remontée tardive de l’Alliance de Montréal pour finalement l’emporter 92-89 dans le 500e match de l’histoire de la LECB. « Je n’ai pas trop de mots, pour être honnête », a dit Shittu après avoir inscrit cinq points lors de la période du pointage cible, dont le tir gagnant - un joli crochet près du panier. « La foule était derrière nous tout le match. Ce n’était pas parfait, mais on a déjà une belle chimie. » Cette victoire marque la première séquence de deux gains consécutifs cette saison pour les Sea Bears, qui infligent du même coup une première défaite à l’équipe de tête dans l’Est tout en mettant fin à une série de trois revers à domicile. Shittu a mené la charge avec 20 points (neuf en 16 aux tirs), mais Winnipeg a pu compter sur plusieurs autres contributions : Tevian Jones et Jaylin Williams ont ajouté 17 et 15 points respectivement. Terry Roberts a enregistré un doublé avec 10 points et 12 passes décisives, tandis que Jalen Harris a égalé un sommet personnel avec neuf passes décisives, même s’il a été limité à seulement quatre points. Du côté de l’Alliance, le capitaine Quincy Guerrier a été le meilleur marqueur du match avec 25 points, dont 13 au quatrième quart, réussissant huit de ses douze tirs. Tavian Dunn-Martin et Dontay Bassett ont aussi atteint la dizaine avec 14 et 17 points respectivement. « On a essayé de se battre jusqu’à la fin », a réagi Dunn-Martin après la rencontre. « On a mal commencé, mais on a montré notre cœur. » Shittu s’est imposé dès ses premières minutes sous ses nouvelles couleurs, marquant les premiers points du match des Sea Bears avec un tir de trois points, suivi d’un dunk en transition après avoir scellé son défenseur dans la clé — faisant exploser les 6 505 partisans présents. Même s’il a rapidement dû retourner sur le banc avec deux fautes rapides, son énergie a donné le ton. Winnipeg a imposé un rythme rapide dès le départ — sur tirs réussis, ratés ou pertes de ballon adverses — ce qui leur a permis de prendre les devants 25-21 après 10 minutes de jeu. « C’est un joueur qui fait une différence », a souligné l’entraîneur-chef et DG des Sea Bears, Mike Taylor. « Il a commencé le match en force, mais les fautes l’ont ralenti. Heureusement, le banc a vraiment bien répondu. Je suis fier de l’effort collectif. » Les Sea Bears ont gardé le pied sur l’accélérateur au deuxième quart, mais c’est surtout leur défense qui a brillé, forçant cinq pertes de ballon à une équipe de Montréal pourtant réputée pour son jeu discipliné — elle n’avait en moyenne que 11 pertes par match avant cette rencontre. « On a commencé lentement, en jouant de façon négligente », a reconnu Dunn-Martin. « Ils ont été plus agressifs que nous dès le début… On s’est fait frapper en pleine face. » Cette activité défensive a permis à Winnipeg d’inscrire 11 points à la suite des sept pertes de ballon de Montréal en première demie. Offensivement, les Sea Bears ont terminé le quart avec une séquence de 10-2, conclue par deux tirs de trois points consécutifs — dont celui de Williams au buzzer, son deuxième de trois dans le match, pour porter l’avance à 52-37 à la demie. « On est dans une bonne position », a mentionné Williams après son impressionnant six-en-six aux tirs. « On a encore de la place pour progresser. » Au retour de la pause, l’Alliance a répliqué avec de la robustesse sous le panier. Leurs trois premiers paniers de la deuxième demie sont venus sur des retours offensifs, ce qui leur a permis de dominer 17-4 au chapitre des points de deuxième chance après trois quarts — un écart qui est passé à 19-9 à la fin du match grâce à 13 rebonds offensifs. Cette poussée a aidé Montréal à réduire l’écart à un chiffre au troisième quart, mais les Sea Bears ont retrouvé leur rythme derrière l’arc. Des tirs de trois points consécutifs de Harris et Williams ont redonné une avance de 19 points à Winnipeg, qui a terminé le quart menant 78-61. En défensive, Winnipeg a aussi marqué les esprits en fin de troisième : Williams a bloqué un crochet de Kevin Osawe, un jeu qui a résumé la soirée difficile de Montréal au tir. L’Alliance affichait un taux de réussite de moins de 40 % après trois quarts et a terminé à 43 % (32 en 74), mettant fin à sa séquence de deux matchs à plus de 100 points. Mais Montréal n’avait pas dit son dernier mot. L’Alliance a amorcé le dernier quart avec une séquence de 9-0, réduisant l’écart à huit points grâce à un tir de trois points de Dunn-Martin avec 7:27 à faire. Roberts a ensuite servi une passe lobée parfaite à Shittu en transition pour redonner un peu d’air aux locaux, mais Montréal est revenu avec une autre séquence de 9-2, dont cinq points de suite signés Bassett, ramenant le pointage à 83-79 au début de la période du pointage cible. Guerrier et Dunn-Martin ont ensuite enchaîné deux tirs de trois points qui ont permis à l’Alliance de prendre l’avance pour la première fois depuis la quatrième minute de jeu. Les Sea Bears ont une fois de plus répondu. Emmanuel Akot a marqué deux fois alors que le chrono était arrêté, terminant sa soirée avec 13 points et neuf rebonds, puis Shittu a fermé les livres avec un crochet près du panier, sur une passe de Harris, qui disputait son premier match au Canada Life Centre depuis son arrivée à Winnipeg. « C’est Jalen qui a appelé ce jeu pour Simi », a expliqué Taylor. « Quand tu vois deux nouveaux joueurs travailler ensemble comme ça, c’est très encourageant. » « Très fier. Ce n’était pas facile, et ça ne devrait pas l’être. On veut continuer à progresser, mais c’est une super victoire. » Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600602 À venir pour les deux équipes L’Alliance de Montréal conclura son voyage de trois matchs sur la route ce samedi en rendant visite aux Bandits de Vancouver pour un affrontement au sommet entre deux équipes en tête de leur conférence. De leur côté, les Sea Bears de Winnipeg seront de retour devant leurs partisans dimanche alors qu’ils accueilleront les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les River Lions (5-2) accueillent les Stingers d’Edmonton (3-5) à Niagara ce vendredi dès 19 h (HE) / 16 h (HP) pour le premier match d’un programme double dans la LECB. Un peu plus tard, à 21 h 30 (HE) / 19 h 30 (locale), les Rattlers de la Saskatchewan (2-5) recevront les Shooting Stars de Scarborough (3-3). Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB ainsi que les résultats à jour, visitez le cebl.ca/games. - LECB -

Simi Shittu couldn’t have made a better first impression if he tried. Facing the prospect of blowing a 19-point lead, the Canadian forward played hero in his Winnipeg Sea Bears debut to seal a 92-89 victory over the Montreal Alliance in the CEBL’s milestone 500th game on Wednesday. “I’m kind of speechless,” Shittu said after scoring five points in Target Score Time, including a game-winning hookshot. “The crowd was there with us the whole time, obviously it wasn’t a perfect game … but we’ve got a lot of chemistry already.” The win marked the Sea Bears' first time this season winning back-to-back games, doing so emphatically by handing the East-leading Alliance their first loss of the year while snapping a three-game home losing streak. Winnipeg got plenty of contributions outside of Shittu’s team-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting, starting with Tevian Jones and Jaylin Williams, who chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively. Terry Roberts added a double-double effort of 10 points and 12 assists, while Jalen Harris added a career-high tying nine assists despite finishing with just four points. On the other side, Montreal was led by captain Quincy Guerrier, who scored a game-high 25 points, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter, on 8-of-12 shooting. Meanwhile, Tavian Dunn-Martin and Dontay Bassett rounded out the Alliance’s double-digit scoring efforts with 14 and 17 points each. “We tried to fight all the way to the end,” Dunn-Martin said after the loss. “We didn’t start off too hot, but we showed our fight and we showed our heart.” Although Shittu’s late-game heroics stole the show, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact in his first minutes as a Sea Bear. The former CEBL All-Canadian selection nailed his first two shots of the game, starting with a three for Winnipeg’s first points and then a dunk in transition after sealing off his defender in the paint — bringing the 6,505 fans in attendance at the Canada Life Centre to their feet. And while Shittu was forced to the bench shortly after due to two quick fouls in the first, that leak out from him proved to be a precursor for the Sea Bears’ efforts in the opening frame. They pushed the pace on makes, misses and turnovers alike, rattling off an 8-2 run en route to a 25-21 lead after 10 minutes. “Complete difference-maker,” Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor said of Shittu post-game. “He started so strong, he had such a great start, and then the fouls limited him in the first half. But the rest of the team, the bench players, really stepped up … I was really pleased with the team effort.” Winnipeg kept up that high temp throughout the second quarter, but its defence ultimately did the heavy lifting, forcing five turnovers in the frame from a typically disciplined Montreal team that entered Wednesday averaging a CEBL-low 11.0 giveaways. “We started off slow, playing careless basketball,” Dunn-Martin said of his team’s uncharacteristic ball-handling miscues on Wednesday. “They played way more aggressive than us in the beginning … We got punched in the mouth.” The Sea Bears' defensive activity not only led to 11 points off the seven total turnovers forced through the first half, but also helped them limit the Alliance to just 16 points in the second. And Winnipeg’s offence rewarded the effort on the other end as it finished the quarter on a 10-2 run, capped off with back-to-back threes — Jaylin Williams nailed his second of three triples in the game at the halftime buzzer to extend the Sea Bears' lead to 52-37. “We’re in a great position,” Williams said on the team’s outlook moving forward after his 6-for-6 shooting performance on Wednesday. “We still have room to grow.” To the Alliance’s credit, they came out of the break and responded, doing so largely thanks to their success on the glass. Montreal’s first three field goals of the second half all came on putbacks to extend its lead on second-chance points to 17-4 after 30 minutes — that margin was extended to 19-9 by the end of the game thanks to a total of 13 offensive rebounds. And while that effort helped the Alliance chip their deficit back down to single digits throughout the frame, it didn’t hold. The Sea Bears' hot shooting — punctuated by back-to-back triples from Harris and Williams — ultimately rebuilt their double-figure advantage, going up by as many as 19 points before taking a 78-61 lead into the fourth. Not to be outshone, however, Winnipeg’s defence made the statement play of the third quarter as Williams swatted a turning hookshot attempt from Kevin Osawe to close the frame. That miss brought Montreal’s field goal percentage below 40 per cent through three, before the Alliance eventually finished the game shooting 43 per cent from the field (32-of-74) while their two-game streak of scoring 100-plus points was snapped. The Alliance did make things interesting to close the game, starting the final frame on a 9-0 run, making it an eight-point deficit on a Dunn-Martin triple at the 7:27 mark of the fourth. And although the Sea Bears did stymie some of that momentum, rebuilding their advantage to double digits off a slick transition lob feed from Roberts to Shittu, the Alliance persisted. Montreal sparked a 9-2 run, punctuated by five straight points from Bassett to bring the deficit heading into Target Score Time down to 83-79. The Alliance then got big makes from their leading scorers, back-to-back triples from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin to take their first lead since the 4:57 mark of the opening frame. But like Winnipeg had done all game, it responded. Emmanuel Akot dropped two timely layups with the clock stopped — part of 13 points and nine rebounds from the Winnipeg native — before Shittu sealed the deal. The forward corralled a slick bounce feed from Harris, who made his first appearance at Canada Life Centre since joining the Sea Bears, and Shittu made sure not to waste the high-percentage look to cap off his storybook debut in Winnipeg. “Jalen actually called that last play for Simi,” Taylor explained post-game when describing the final possession. “So, as a coach, when you see these two new guys work for each other on the floor, that’s a really good sign. “Really proud. It didn’t come easy, and it shouldn't. We want to keep developing and keep working, but it was a great win.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600602 Up next The Alliance return to the court on Saturday, wrapping up a three-game road trip by visiting the Vancouver Bandits for a battle between No. 1 seeds. Meanwhile, the Sea Bears retake home court on Sunday as they host the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Next CEBL action The 5-2 River Lions welcome the 3-5 Edmonton Stingers to Niagara at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT for the first game of a Friday night CEBL doubleheader. Shortly after, the 2-5 Rattlers host the 3-3 Scarborough Shooting Stars 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 -

Pluie de trois points à Edmonton mardi. Les Stingers d’Edmonton ont mis fin à une séquence de deux défaites consécutives grâce à leurs lancers de trois points pour l'emporter 93-74 contre les BlackJacks d’Ottawa mardi au Edmonton EXPO Centre. Grâce à cette victoire, Edmonton passe à une fiche de 3-5, tandis qu’Ottawa tombe à 2-5. Scottie Lindsey a été le leader pour les Stingers avec une performance éclatante de 23 points, dont 18 en première mi-temps. Il a également ajouté neuf rebonds et cinq vols de ballon. Au total, les Stingers ont inscrit 50 % de leurs tirs à trois points, après avoir débuté la rencontre avec une moyenne de 34 % (quatrième rang de la ligue). Jordan Baker, entraîneur-chef des Stingers, a déclaré : « Si tu veux gagner des matchs de basketball, tu dois être dans une bonne position, mais je pense que la clé aujourd'hui a été la qualité de nos tirs. On a eu quelques problèmes avec l'isolement dans nos derniers matchs, donc ça fait du bien de voir notre jeu collectif, de pénétrer dans la clé et de partager le ballon pour se trouver des tirs ouverts. » Les Stingers sont entrés dans la période du pointage cible avec une avance de 83-69 après une séquence de 13-3. Leur tir extérieur a continué à être au rendez-vous une fois le chronomètre arrêté. Mason Bourcier a marqué ses premiers points en tant que Stinger avec un tir de trois points, Lindsey en a ajouté un autre pour réduire l’écart à trois points, et enfin, Sean East II et Keon Ambrose-Hylton ont mis la touche finale avec des layups pour sceller la victoire. Baker a ajouté : « Les gars ont exécuté, ont joué avec intensité, et on a eu des contributions de toute l’équipe. On est contents de la victoire, mais on n’est pas satisfaits. » East II a terminé avec 20 points et six passes décisives, tandis qu'Ambrose-Hylton a ajouté 13 points et huit rebonds. Elijah Miller, en sortie de banc, a marqué 12 points. Miller, originaire de Rexdale en Ontario, a déclaré que c’était une « belle victoire ». « Ça va prendre du temps pendant la saison, mais à mesure que les matchs avancent, on commence vraiment à trouver notre rythme. » Lindsey, natif de l’Illinois âgé de 29 ans, est arrivé à Edmonton après une saison à Winnipeg, où il avait tiré à 42,1 % du terrain, pour une moyenne de 13,5 points par match. Mais en début de saison avec les Stingers, bien qu’il soit toujours à 13 points par match, son pourcentage de tirs avait chuté à 30,4 %. Lindsey a mis fin à cette mauvaise passe de manière éclatante mardi. « Lorsqu’il laisse le jeu venir à lui, il devient vraiment très bon offensivement. On essaie de le placer dans de bonnes positions, mais il a fait un super travail en se déplaçant sans ballon et on l’a trouvé souvent. Et quand il est en feu, il est vraiment en feu », a déclaré Baker. Du côté d’Ottawa, la défaite marque une troisième consécutive, et l’équipe reste au quatrième rang de la Conférence de l’Est. Justin Jackson a mené les BlackJacks avec un doublé de 12 points et 11 rebonds. Meshack Lufile (11 points) et Christian Rohlehr (10 points) ont été les autres marqueurs à atteindre la barre des dix points. L’entraîneur-chef Dave DeAveiro a déclaré que son équipe avait gardé les choses proches pendant trois quarts, mais qu’ils avaient eu du mal à conclure, une tendance qui se confirme durant cette série de défaites. Il a ajouté que les BlackJacks ont besoin de « force mentale » pour en sortir. « Je trouve que quand ça ne va pas bien pour nous, c’est là qu’on est au plus bas. » Le capitaine d’Ottawa, Tyrrel Tate, a inscrit neuf points et cinq rebonds. Il a mentionné que l’équipe apprend encore à connaître les habitudes des autres joueurs, tout en attendant l’arrivée de certains joueurs qui n’ont pas encore fait leurs débuts. « On essaie juste de créer de la chimie avec les gars qu’on a maintenant. Je pense qu’on a progressé dans plusieurs domaines, mais on a encore beaucoup de travail à faire. On va apprendre de ce match, regarder la vidéo, et se préparer à prendre soin des affaires à la maison », a-t-il ajouté. Miryne Thomas des BlackJacks semble s’être blessé à l’épaule pendant le troisième quart et n’est pas revenu. Les Stingers menaient 25-23 après le premier quart grâce à leurs cinq tirs de trois points réussis en huit tentatives. L’avance d'Edmonton est montée à 50-44 à la mi-temps, avec les trois points qui continuaient de tomber. Dans le troisième quart, les Stingers ont enfin pris une petite avance, mais une course tardive des BlackJacks a réduit l’écart à seulement quatre points avant le dernier quart. Cependant, les Stingers ont réagi, ont construit une avance à deux chiffres et ont tranquillement géré la période du pointage cible. Maintenant, les fans de sports d’Edmonton se tourneront vers la finale de la Coupe Stanley, avec l’espoir que les Oilers fassent comme les Stingers et obtiennent une victoire de retour après une défaite. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Prochain match de la LECB Les deux équipes affrontent les River Lions de Niagara lors de leur prochain match — les Stingers se rendent à Niagara vendredi, tandis que les BlackJacks reçoivent les champions en titre dimanche. 500e match de l’histoire de la ligue Le 500e match de l’histoire de la ligue, toutes compétitions confondues (incluant les séries éliminatoires), aura lieu mercredi, lorsque les Sea Bears de Winnipeg recevront l’Alliance de Montréal. Pour le calendrier complet de la LECB 2025 et les résultats à jour, visitez cebl.ca/games . - LECB -

It rained triples in Edmonton on Tuesday. The Stingers used a flurry of three-pointers to snap a two-game skid and beat the Ottawa BlackJacks 93-74 on Tuesday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Edmonton improved to 3-5 with the win, while Ottawa fell to 2-5. Scottie Lindsey led the way for the Stingers with a breakout 23-point performance, including 18 by halftime. He added nine rebounds and five steals. In all, the Stingers shot 50 per cent from beyond the arc after entering the game fourth leaguewide at 34 per cent. “You put yourself in a great position to win basketball games, but I think it was the quality of our shots. We’d struggled a little bit with too much isolation in the last couple, so it was great to see us get to the paint, share the basketball and get open looks for each other,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Edmonton entered Target Score Time up 83-69 after a 13-3 run, and its strong shooting continued with the clock stopped. Mason Bourcier scored his first points as a Stinger with a three-pointer to get things going, Lindsey knocked one down to put Edmonton within three, and the Stingers salted away the win after layups from Sean East II and Keon Ambrose-Hylton. “Guys executed, guys played hard, we had lots of contributions top to bottom. So we’re certainly happy but we’re not satisfied,” Baker said. East II finished the game with 20 points and six assists, while Ambrose-Hylton added 13 points and eight rebounds and Elijah Miller contributed 12 points off the bench. Miller, of Rexdale, Ont., said it was a “great win.” “It’s gonna take time during the season, but as the games go on we’re definitely starting to click,” he said. Lindsey, the 29-year-old Illinois native, came to Edmonton after a year with Winnipeg last season in which he shot 42.1 per cent from the field en route to 13.5 points per game. But while he was still at 13 per game as a Stinger to start this season, his field-goal percentage had slumped to 30.4. Lindsey busted out of that slump in a big way on Tuesday. “When he lets the game come to him, he’s pretty damn good offensively. We try to put him in some spots, but he did a good job moving away from the ball and we found him early and often. And when he gets going, he really gets going,” Baker said. For Ottawa, meanwhile, the loss marked its third straight as it remains fourth in the Eastern Conference. Justin Jackson came off the bench to lead the BlackJacks with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Meshack Lufile (11 points) and Christian Rohlehr (10 points) were the only other scorers in double digits. Head coach Dave DeAveiro said his team kept things close through three quarters but struggled to close — an emerging trend during the losing streak. He added that the BlackJacks need “mental toughness” to snap out of it. “I find when things are not going our way, that’s when we’re not at our best,” DeAveiro said. Ottawa captain Tyrrel Tate notched nine points and five rebounds. He said the team is still learning each other’s tendencies while awaiting some players who have yet to debut. “We’re just trying to build some chemistry within the guys we have now. I think we’ve grown in a lot of areas but we still have a lot of growing room to go so just learn from this, watch the film, get ready to take care of business when we get back home,” Tate said. The BlackJacks’ Miryne Thomas appeared injure his shoulder during the third quarter and did not return. The Stingers led 25-23 after the first quarter on the strength of five-for-eight shooting from three-point range. Edmonton’s lead ballooned to 50-44 by halftime as the threes kept falling. In the third quarter, the Stingers finally gained some separation, but a late run by the BlackJacks cut Edmonton’s lead to just four points entering the final frame. Yet the Stingers responded, built a double-digit lead and cruised through Target Score Time. Now, Edmonton sports fans will turn their focus to the Stanley Cup Final, where the hope is that the Oilers make like the Stingers and earn a bounce-back victory of their own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Up Next Both teams face the Niagara River Lions in their next game — the Stingers visit Niagara on Friday, while the BlackJacks host the reigning champions on Sunday. Next CEBL Action The 500th game in league history, including playoffs, takes place Wednesday when the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -

The Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday the signing of American forward Chris Smith. This will be Smith’s second year in the CEBL. Smith recently completed an international season playing for the Ironi Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Winner-League, averaging 29 minutes, 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 24 games in his fourth pro-season. Before joining the CEBL, Smith played several seasons in the NBA G-League. Smith began his pro career in 2021-22 with the Motor City Cruise, appearing in 19 games and averaging 9.4 points and 23.2 minutes played. He joined the Salt Lake City Stars for the 2022–23 season but appeared in only one game due to injury. In 2023–24, Smith began the season with the Grand Rapids Gold, before transferring to the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 3.3 points and 10.9 minutes in 23 games. Following his 2024 season in Iowa, Smith made his first CEBL appearance with the Montreal Alliance. Smith scored a season-high 24 points on three separate occasions – on July 14th, June 19th and 16th, while playing against Ottawa, Brampton and Saskatchewan. Post-season, Smith was named All-CEBL Second Team and CEBL rebounding champion (2024). “We are very excited to be able to bring Chris to Edmonton for the remainder of the season.” said Head Coach and General Manager Jordan Baker. “His versatility, size, and athleticism will provide an immediate boost on both ends of the floor. I know he will enjoy playing in front of our passionate fans at The Hive!” The 6’9” forward also has several collegiate seasons under his belt, playing at UCLA. During his time as a Bruin, he scored a collegiate-best of 30 points on Jan 30, 2020 while playing against Colorado. He was also named First-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Most Improved Player that same year (2020). Smith and the Stingers will return to the Edmonton EXPO Centre on June 10th to host the Ottawa Blackjackets. Tickets are available for as low as $20 per seat and can be purchased online or by contacting the Stingers head office via email ( [email protected] ) or phone (1-87STINGERS).

(Preview: Week 6) Time flies when you’re having fun, eh? It feels like not so long ago that the Canadian Elite Basketball League burst onto the scene in 2019 as a trailblazer in the country. For the first time, there was a Canada Basketball- and FIBA-affiliated place for Canadians to play professional basketball — right at home. On Wednesday, the CEBL will witness its 500th game (including playoffs) when the ball is tipped as the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. It’s a fitting matchup between two teams who did not exist in Year 1 but have come to represent the league’s rapid growth and will have hosted consecutive Championship Weekends, with Niagara emerging victorious in Montreal last year and Winnipeg set to welcome the CEBL world to the Canada Life Centre this year. And there will even be a throughline to Game No. 1: Alex Campbell, who scored 19 points for the Saskatchewan Rattlers in that league-opening 99-97 loss to the River Lions, is set to suit up for the Sea Bears. Campbell is the only player in league history to reach the 100-game barrier. Now, he’ll be part of No. 500, too. Undefeated Alliance look to keep rolling On the topic of Montreal, the CEBL’s lone Quebec-based team is also its lone franchise without a loss on its ledger this season. Yes, the Alliance have only played four games — the Vancouver Bandits opened their season 5-0 and now sit 7-1 — but even still, their dominance is hard to ignore. In those games, Montreal has outscored its opponents by 85 points, with each win coming by at least 20. The Alliance are allowing the fewest points against per game in the league at 77, with Vancouver second at 81.5. And only the Bandits (100.4) score more points per game than the Alliance’s 98.3 per contest. As luck would have it, those two powerhouses will collide on Saturday in B.C. Montreal may not be undefeated by then — it has the game in Winnipeg two nights prior — but either way, the game promises to be a doozy. Is it too early to say championship preview? Harris to face former team Jalen Harris has changed sides in the Battle of the Prairies. The former Toronto Raptors guard recently signed with the Sea Bears after spending last season with the Rattlers. Just four games into his Winnipeg career, he’ll meet his former team at home on Sunday. Harris, who also played two seasons with the Scarborough Shooting Stars, is off to a strong start with the Sea Bears, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 assists and four rebounds per contest. Winnipeg scuffled to a 1-5 start to its season but is coming off a dramatic win over the Shooting Stars — in which Harris foiled his other former team with the Target Score game-winner — and can freely build toward Championship Weekend at home. Weekly schedule (nine games) Game #36 -- Tuesday, June 10 - OTT at EDM – 7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET – Edmonton EXPO Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #37 – Wednesday, June 11 – MTL at WPG – 7 p.m. CDT / 8 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #38 – Friday, June 13 – EDM at NRL – 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT – Meridian Centre (CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #39 – Friday, June 13 – SSS at SSK – 7:30 p.m. CST / 9:30 p.m. ET – SaskTel Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #40 – Saturday, June 14 – EDM at BHB – 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT – CAA Centre (Game+, CEBL+, TSN+) Game #41 – Saturday, June 14 – MTL at VAN – 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET – Langley Events Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #42 – Sunday, June 15 – NRL at OTT – 2 p.m. ET – The Arena at TD Place (TSN, CEBL+, TSN+, NLSE) Game #43 – Sunday, June 15 – SSK at WPG – 2 p.m. CDT / 1 p.m. CST / 3 p.m. ET – Canada Life Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) Game #44 – Sunday, June 15 – SSS at CGY – 2 p.m. MT / 4 p.m. ET – WinSport Event Centre (CEBL+, TSN+) For the full 2025 CEBL schedule, please visit cebl.ca/games .