The Vancouver Bandits (6-1) welcome the Saskatchewan Rattlers (5-2) to Langley Events Centre on Saturday night for the second of three regular season matchups this season. Live coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. CST / 10:30 p.m. ET and fans can catch all the action on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. Vancouver may lead the Western Conference with a near-perfect record, but they’ll still have plenty to gain this weekend, as their lone blemish to this point was a 98-86 loss against Saskatchewan two weeks ago. There was a caveat regarding the outcome however, as Vancouver was without it’s do-it-all guard Tazé Moore. The team’s leading scorer was a late scratch due to illness and his absence was greatly felt. Without Moore’s 20.2 points per game (fourth-most in the CEBL) and steadying presence, the Bandits’ offence appeared to be in disarray. They turned the ball over 18 times, shot 34 per cent from the field and 27 per cent from downtown, looking nothing like the team that typically scores 92 points per game (tied for second most in the league). And if that doesn’t make the 25-year-old’s impact clear enough, how about the fact that Vancouver is still undefeated with him in the lineup? In their latest victory, a 112-91 win over the Winnipeg Sea Bears, Moore put up a monster triple-double of 35 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. He’s one of just two CEBL players this season to record a triple double. Moore’s play spearheaded a season-best offensive performance for the Bandits, as they dominated the Sea Bears in practically all point-producing statistical categories. They shot better from the field (+10%), grabbed more rebounds (+7) and dished more assists (+11). The glaring absence of Moore doesn’t fully discredit Saskatchewan’s victory over Vancouver, however. It might’ve been a single-digit win in the end, but the Rattlers never trailed in the contest as they outproduced the West’s No. 1 squad from the field (+8), the paint (+10) and three-point line (+3). Saskatchewan was led by a star guard of its own, with Jalen Harris putting up 27 to go with six rebounds and nine assists. He was backed up by a three-headed monster of Elijah Harkless, Maurice Calloo and Grant Basile who each chipped in 19 points. Since that victory – and a 3-0 start – the Rattlers went on a two-game losing streak before sweeping a home-and-home set against the Brampton Honey Badgers. Their latest victory, like the Bandits, was a season-best offensive performance. CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL LEAGUE CEBL.CA · 1040 SOUTH SERVICE ROAD, UNIT 105, STONEY CREEK, ONTARIO. L8E 6G3, 289-649-1121 It was a 104-93 win for Saskatchewan as they shot 52 per cent from the field, made 14 threes on a 43 per cent clip and dominated the glass for 41 rebounds (+14). And again, similar to Vancouver, it was thanks to their leading scorer having a special game. Harris put up a historic 45 points against the Honey Badgers on Wednesday, setting a new CEBL single-game scoring record. The import scored 21 of those points in the third quarter alone as he finished the game shooting 62 per cent from the field and 66 per cent from beyond the arc. The record-setting performance leapfrogged him to the top of the CEBL’s scoring leaderboard, now averaging 27.7 points per game. Key matchup Harris vs. Moore will be the battle to keep an eye on. It’s going to be a heavyweight bout between the league’s No. 1 and No. 4 scorers, both of whom are coming off CEBL career-best performances. The pair also lead the league in minutes played per game, so fans can expect to see plenty of action between the matchup on Saturday night. We might have missed out on two of the league’s best duking it out in the first contest but round two has the potential to more than make up for that. A win for the Bandits extends their lead over the conference and casts doubt on the Rattlers original victory, while a Saskatchewan win brings them into a tie for first in the West and validates their previous performance. -
The CEBL has a new single-game scoring record. Jalen Harris’ historic 45-point performance led the Saskatchewan Rattlers (5-2) to a 104-93 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers (2-6) on Wednesday night. And if setting a league record wasn’t impressive enough, how about doing it with a game-winning three? Harris hit his sixth triple of the game in Target Score Time to make history and keep the Rattlers a perfect 4-0 at the SaskTel Centre this season. “Tonight was one of those nights,” Harris said postgame on what he was feeling as he set the record. “It’s a blessing, I’m going to enjoy tonight but try and do even better next game. “The fans make it so special … it was for them.” The scoring explosion broke the previous mark of 42 points set by Teddy Allen (Sea Bears) and Brandon Sampson (Growlers), which means Harris now stands alone in the record book. It simultaneously broke Justin Wright-Foreman’s franchise record of 39 points for the Rattlers, also set against the Honey Badgers. Harris was supported by Maurice Calloo who finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, and Elijah Harkless’ double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Bryson Williams chipped in with nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds in his CEBL debut. On the other side, Zane Waterman returned to form with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists despite Brampton losing its sixth game in a row. And for what it’s worth, the forward also made a bit of history on the night as he made his 44th appearance as a Honey Badger, passing Cody John for the franchise’s all-time record for games played. “It’s nice to have a home somewhere,” Waterman said postgame reflecting on the milestone. “In this business it can be a new place or country every year … this team, the management, I’ll stay in touch with for the rest of my life, it’s great.” L.J. Thorpe and Shamiel Stevenson added 18 points apiece, Javonte cook finished with 17 points and Callum Baker contributed a season-high 11 points off the bench. Heading into halftime Harris had put up an impressive, yet modest, 16 points as his team led 49-44. Saskatchewan had weathered arguably Brampton’s best three-point shooting half of the season, considering the fact they hit six triples on 38 per cent shooting, compared to the Honey Badgers usual 7.6 makes on a 29.8 per cent clip. “We made strides in getting better today,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said after the game on his team’s improved showing despite the loss. “We made adjustments … it’s a matter of putting it all together and executing the gameplan.” And that was when the former Toronto Raptor began his run towards history. Harris dropped 21 points in the third quarter as he missed just two shots. The outburst undoubtedly propelled him to the record given the fact he managed eight points in every other frame. “He took over tonight,” Rattlers head coach Larry Abney said after the game on Harris’ monster performance. “When he has the hot hand like that, we feed him.” The Rattlers made sure not to squander their lead guard’s effort as they quickly extended their seven- point advantage at the end of the third into the game’s first double-digit lead. A Calloo layup less than a minute into the fourth quarter put Saskatchewan up 10 and they never looked back. They went into Target Score Time up 95-85 before Harris hit two threes, including the game-winner that put an end to the contest. And not to be lost in the heroics of Harris was the fact that the Rattlers also won this contest thanks to their domination on the glass. Saskatchewan finished the game plus-14 on total rebounds as they grabbed 10 on the offensive end (+7) for 17 second chance points (+10). Up Next The Rattlers return to action on Saturday, starting a stretch of three games against fellow West teams by visiting the conference leading Vancouver Bandits. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers stay on the road as they head into Alberta on Sunday to take on the Calgary Surge. Saskatchewan Rattlers tickets are available - HERE All CEBL games can be streamed live on TSN+, CEBL+ Powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL’s official app, CEBL Mobile, available on iOS and Android devices. 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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
The Brampton Honey Badgers visit the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Wednesday for the second and final regular season matchup of the season between the cross-conference opponents. Live coverage from the SaskTel Centre begins at 7:30 p.m. CST/ 9:30 p.m. ET and fans can catch all the action on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor , TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. After facing off less than a week ago, Brampton and Saskatchewan go head-to-head yet again, this time in the Prairies. On Friday, the Rattlers went into the Honey Badgers’ den and came out with a 76-69 win that not only snapped a two-game skid but also kept them in a tie for second place in the West. And it’s safe to say there’s no love lost heading into the rematch after the previous affair saw a second quarter altercation that led to three ejections and three additional technical fouls. Saskatchewan came away victorious in the chippy contest largely thanks to its defence making up for an uncharacteristically quiet scoring game. After trailing 40-35 at halftime, the Rattlers held the Honey Badgers to just 29 points through the third and fourth quarters. Brampton ended up scoring their second-fewest points all year as they shot 37 per cent from the field and 19 per cent from beyond the arc. The Rattlers season-best defensive performance helped overcome their lowest point total of the year, shooting just 40 and 25 per cent from the field and distance. Despite shots not falling at a usual rate, Saskatchewan managed to put together a solid second half largely thanks to the improved play of Jalen Harris. After a quiet first two quarters, the import guard scored 16 of his game-high 26 points after the break. It was his fifth 20-point outing of the year, and with it, Harris moved up to second in the CEBL for scoring (24.8 points per game). While the Rattlers have been awaiting the rematch, the Honey Badgers have been in action as they’re coming off an 81-73 loss to the Scarborough Shooting Stars. After starting the season 2-0, the defeat on Sunday marked Brampton’s fifth consecutive loss. The biggest obstacle through their losing stretch has been a lacklustre offence. Despite being the fourth-best defence (85.1 points against per game), the Honey Badgers’ offence ranks last (77.4 points per game), as they’re the only team averaging less than 80 points per game. Even after holding the defending champs to a season-low in scoring, Brampton’s shot making couldn’t deliver. The Honey Badgers hit just five triples (-8) on a 23 per cent clip. They currently sit at the bottom of the CEBL for field goal (41.4) and three-point percentage (29.4). Key matchup If Brampton is going to get back in the win column on Wednesday, they’ll need a return to form for Zane Waterman. The forward began the season on a torrid pace, averaging 22.5 points through their first four games. Yet through the Honey Badgers’ previous three games, Waterman’s offensive production has plummeted to seven points per game, and he’s coming off back-to-back contests failing to reach double-digit scoring. It’s doesn’t feel like a coincidence that Brampton’s offensive woes have fallen in line with the import’s own struggles. If Waterman can win his matchup and have a bounce back performance, it could go a long way in helping the Honey Badgers’ end their run of losses. On the other side, Maurice Calloo is likely going to be the player that stands in Waterman’s way. The Windsor, Ont. native been one of Saskatchewan’s most consistent performers and is major reason why they’re undefeated at home so far. In the Rattlers’ win over the Honey Badgers Calloo put up a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds as he more than made up for the absence of Elijah Harkless who was tossed. He’s now second on the team for points and rebounds, and averages 17.3 points per game at the SaskTel Centre, nearly four points higher than his production on the road. Calloo handed Brampton their fourth of five straight losses with his game-winner last time out and will surely be looking for a repeat on Wednesday. 2023 season series Saskatchewan won the lone matchup between the cross-conference opponent’s last season but there’s not much to take from it given their top two scorers are not with this version of the squad. Justin Wright-Foreman -- who just signed with the Winnipeg Sea Bears -- led the way with a huge 39-point game, while Michael Nuga (now an Edmonton Stinger) chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds. Meanwhile, Waterman had his best game of the 2023 season against the Rattlers despite a two-point loss. The import put up a monster double-double with a season-high 22 points and 17 rebounds. Waterman’s performance on the glass tied the fourth-most rebounds in a single CEBL game all-time.
The Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday that recording superstar Rebecca Strong will be performing at halftime during their First Nations Night on June 20 th when the team hosts the Calgary Surge at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Strong, a member of Black Lake Denesuline First Nation was born in Stony Rapids, and grew up in Prince Albert. In early 2024, Strong made noise in her home province and around the nation for her incredible voice. Appearing on a national Canadian talent show, she soon become a household name after receiving the highest praise possible from judge, Lilly Singh . To conclude the fourth season of the talent show, Rebecca Strong was named the winner and claiming the top prize of one million dollars. Strong will be live on June 20 th at the Rattlers First Nations Night celebrating Indigenous culture and communities, proudly presented by Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation. Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster starting at $20 for single game tickets, with additional group pricing discounts available through bulk purchases. Premium seat option are available including VIP tables, Luxury Suites, and the Rattlers Courtside Lounge. All tickets options can also be purchased through the Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website , or via Ticketmaster . For more seating options, and partnership opportunities; fans can contact Graham Forrester (Senior Account Executive) or Ivan Brown (Director of Partnerships) . “We are incredibly excited to have an international recording star from Saskatchewan perform at our First Nations Night,” said Rattlers President, Lee Genier “We welcome all communities around Saskatchewan to celebrate with us ahead of National Indigenous Peoples Day.”
It was clear from the first possessions of the game that both the Brampton Honey Badgers and Saskatchewan Rattlers were desperate for a win. In the end, though, it was the Rattlers who came out victorious. Jalen Harris surpassed 500 career regular-season CEBL points with 26 on the night as the Rattlers topped the Honey Badgers 76-69 on Friday at the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ont. Maurice Calloo scored the game-winner for Saskatchewan, driving from the corner before beating Brampton big man Yaw Obeng-Mensah with a euro step and laying it home. Saskatchewan snapped a brief two-game skid to improve to 4-2 with the win, while Brampton fell to 2-4 while suffering its fourth consecutive loss. “Very important,” Calloo told sideline reporter Dhanung Bulsara of the win. “We fell two short and everybody just locked in and said we have to get one to go home and that’s what we did.” The contest was defensively focused and chippy throughout. Tempers flared midway through the second quarter when Honey Badgers big man Zane Waterman and Rattlers guard Elijah Harkless got tangled up underneath the Rattlers’ rim, leading members of both teams, including players and coaches, to exchange words. Following a lengthy review, both Waterman and Harkless were ejected in addition to Honey Badgers guard LJ Thorpe. The Rattlers’ Harris was also assessed an unsportsmanlike foul, while three additional technicals were called on Brampton. After all the dust settled, the Honey Badgers seemed energized as swing man Shamiel Stevenson picked up much of the slack, leading the team with 11 points and four rebounds at half and punctuating his performance by posterizing Rattlers forward Grant Basile late in the second quarter. “We’re a team, right? It’s not just one or two guys. It’s a whole team and when I say a whole team I’m including our practice players. We’re all together and I believe in each and every one of them, I tell them almost every day, so that’s all it’s about,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said. Saskatchewan struggled shooting the ball in the first half, shooting just 18 per cent from beyond the arc and nine of 17 from the free-throw line. But the Rattlers, led by Harris, found their offensive rhythm in the second half. “I came out, I missed a lot of easy ones that normally I know I would make. A lot of guys, the whole team, we shot a pretty bad percentage on the night. But it’s the law of averages, it’s the game. It’s a game of runs, ups and downs, so it just comes with it,” Harris said. Up 67-65 entering Target Score Time, Saskatchewan pulled away quickly as Brampton seemed content to settle for contested layups. In the end, it was the CEBL veteran Calloo, who was boisterous throughout the game, including some words for the Honey Badgers bench after hitting a three, that ended the proceedings. Calloo finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while guard Cody John came off the bench to play nearly 30 minutes, contributing seven points, five assists and three rebounds. “This was a must-win for us,” Rattlers head coach Larry Abney said. “Losing Elijah was our fire. Jalen’s our composure, Elijah’s our fire. We did have a plan and we were able to execute that plan, next man up. Cody [John] came in and played very valuable minutes handling the ball. Jalen took over some ballhandling responsibilities and we were able to stay in the stuff that we practised to prepare for them.” Given the feistiness, it was perhaps fitting that Houston Rockets and Team Canada guard Dillon Brooks took in the game from courtside seats. Brooks is likely to compete at this summer’s Olympics, where one of his main roles will be to pester opposing teams’ top players. For now, the Saskatchewan-Brampton fracas only adds intrigue as the teams are set to meet again on Wednesday in Saskatoon. What’s next? The Honey Badgers stay home for an Eastern Conference showdown against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday, while the Rattlers return to Saskatchewan as they await a rematch with Brampton on Wednesday. Saskatchewan Rattlers tickets are available - HERE All CEBL games can be streamed live on TSN+, CEBL+ Powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL’s official app, CEBL Mobile, available on iOS and Android devices. 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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
The Brampton Honey Badgers and Saskatchewan Rattlers have taken nearly parallel paths during the 2024 season. The Rattlers started the season strongly with three straight wins at home, but they’ve since dropped the first two of a three-game road trip. The Honey Badgers, meanwhile, opened their campaign with two consecutive victories, but they’re currently riding a three-game losing streak. One of those winless droughts will end Friday when the teams square off at Brampton’s CAA Centre at 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT. Live streaming coverage is available on CEBL+ and TSN+. Saskatchewan’s latest loss came at the hands of previously winless Calgary on Wednesday as the Surge started the game on a 12-0 run and never looked back. Rattlers head coach Larry Abney said afterwards that his team was outworked. “Each player has to look themselves in the mirror. We didn’t execute that first half. They took us out of our stuff. They just played harder than us,” he said. With the game out of reach entering Target Score Time, Abney chose to leave two of his top players, guards Jalen Harris and Elijah Harkless, on the bench. Perhaps the extra rest will lead to a faster start against Brampton, which is coming off a hard-fought 92-90 home loss against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. After surprising many across the league with their 2-0 start, the Honey Badgers have fallen back to the pack, though the Eastern Conference has proven far weaker than the West over the season’s first quarter. Even at 2-3 with a minus-39 point different, Brampton sat second in the conference entering play on Thursday. Friday’s battle marks the first of a home-and-home set with the teams set to meet again next Wednesday in Saskatchewan. Brampton also hosts Scarborough on Sunday in between. Key matchup  The game features two of the CEBL’s top five scorers in Harris and Brampton big man Zane Waterman. Harris, who averages 24.6 points per game, is a probing guard who can also hurt defences from deep, as evidenced by his 41.7 three-point percentage. Waterman, meanwhile, does most of his work down low, earning the second most trips to the line per game at 8.2 while averaging exactly 20 points per contest. Harris’ and Waterman’s styles are surprisingly similar, though. Harris isn’t far behind Waterman in free-throw shooting, making the third most shots from the charity stripe per game in the league. And Waterman can stretch it out as he attempts five three-pointers per game and makes them at a 40 per cent clip. How the defences go about slowing the pair of dynamic scorers may go a long way in determining which team ends its losing skid. Milestone watch · Saskatchewan’s Harris is four points away from 500 for his career, regular season only · Saskatchewan’s Cody John is 11 points away from 500 in his career, including playoffs 2023 season series Justin Wright-Foreman scored a franchise-high 39 points as the Rattlers edged the Honey Badgers 86-84 in the teams’ lone matchup last season.
The Calgary Surge are on the board. Sean Miller-Moore led the way with 27 points including the game-winner as the Surge topped the Saskatchewan Rattlers 102-85 at Winsport Event Centre on Wednesday in Calgary for their first win of the season. The Surge’s last victory came in last season’s semifinals. Since then, Calgary lost the championship game to the Scarborough Shooting Stars and its first three games of the current campaign. And so the victory over Saskatchewan was a long time coming. “The word around town was teams around the CEBL were laughing at us, so we just had to prove that we’re still contenders and we’re still able to lock in,” Surge forward Mathieu Kamba told sideline reporter Cami Kepke after the game. Miller-Moore, of Brampton, Ont., was among the few players who have been with the team since those 2023 playoffs. He dished eight assists and pulled down four rebounds in addition to his game-high point total. “It’s a part of the game. You’re gonna lose some, you’re gonna win some. It’s just how you bounce back. I know I needed to be better, it goes down the line. Everyone needed to be better and it starts with me and I’m just grateful to be in that position,” Miller-Moore said. Calgary came firing out of the gates, starting the game on a 12-0 run featuring one basket from each starter that forced Rattlers head coach Larry Abney to call an early timeout. Saskatchewan didn’t score for four minutes until Maurice Calloo, the former Surge forward, converted on a floater. But the momentum stayed on Calgary’s side as veteran Malcolm Duvivier, the Toronto native, found his rhythm and nailed his second of four three-pointers as the Surge led 30-13 after the first quarter. “He set the tone. He kinda just said, ‘Hey listen, this is how we’re gonna play today. We’re not gonna back down to anything.’ And we needed that,” Surge head coach Tyrell Vernon said. Calgary increased its lead to 53-33 at half on the strength of 47 per cent shooting from distance, compared to just 18 per cent for Saskatchewan. The Surge also out-rebounded the Rattlers 29-19 in the first 20 minutes. The Surge’s energy was evident from the tipoff, as the offence continually looked to push the ball in transition off both misses and makes. Duvivier said Vernon challenged the team pregame to defend its homecourt after losing its first two home games of the season. Saskatchewan cut its deficit to as little as 14 points in the third quarter, but never got closer. The Rattlers fell to 3-2 with the loss, while the Surge improved to 1-3. The win marked the first of Vernon’s CEBL career. “It feels good. The way the guys competed today, they really got after it. … The energy was there, the effort was there, but now it’s a quick turnaround. We got Vancouver coming up on Friday,” Vernon said. Calgary’s victory means every team in the CEBL is now in the win column. The Ottawa BlackJacks also broke their winless drought on Wednesday. Kamba, the Calgary native in his fifth CEBL season, surpassed the 500-point mark for his career with his eight-point effort. “It’s pretty dope. I had family members out there, best friends, and they got to see that moment and that’s always inspiring for me,” Kamba said. Guard Jalen Harris led Saskatchewan with 23 points, but both he and fellow starter Elijah Harkless sat for all of Target Score Time. “The [Surge] came out like a team desperate to win and we didn’t match their energy and that was the result,” Abney said of his team’s loss. Calloo was ejected from the game in the third quarter after receiving his second technical foul. He exited with 11 points and two rebounds. What’s next? Both teams are back in action on Friday as the Rattlers head to Brampton to face the Honey Badgers while the Surge host the Vancouver Bandits looking to avenge a 26-point loss from earlier in the season. Saskatchewan Rattlers tickets are available - HERE All CEBL games can be streamed live on TSN+, CEBL+ Powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL’s official app, CEBL Mobile, available on iOS and Android devices. 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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
When Saskatchewan visits Calgary on Wednesday, both teams will be looking to get back into the win column. It’s been a long wait for the Surge, who haven’t felt the joy of victory since last year’s semifinals. Since then, Calgary has lost the championship game to Scarborough as well as its first three games of the current campaign. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, won its first three games in 2024, but dropped a battle of previously undefeated teams against Edmonton on Sunday. The Rattlers and Surge tip off at Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre at 7 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. ET, with live streaming coverage available on TSN+ and CEBL+. Calgary is still searching for last season’s winning formula. In just three games, its point differential is already minus-51, and it is the only team in the Western Conference with a record below .500. But the game against the Rattlers marks the start of a five-game homestand — one that, while still early in the season, could prove critical to the team’s playoff chance. The Surge’s home opener drew a CEBL record 12,327 fans. The loss of Simi Shittu, the CEBL’s leading rebounder last season, seems to have plagued the Surge, whose defence has allowed about 100 points per game. Sean Miller-Moore, one of the returnees from last season, has once again led the way with 18.7 points per game. The Rattlers, meanwhile, have been led by Jalen Harris, who was part of the Shooting Stars team that beat the Surge in the 2024 final. Harris, the former second-round pick of the Toronto Raptors, is averaging 25 points and 5.5 assists per game. He was held to just 19 points amid foul trouble in the loss to the Stingers. The ex-NBAer has been central to the blueprint of a Rattlers team that underwent an off-season overhaul following its playoff miss last season that also included a new coach in Larry Abney, who is also on the bench of the G League’s Ontario Clippers. Under Abney, the Rattlers have averaged the fourth-most points per game while connecting on 36.4 per cent of their three-point attempts. Key matchup The Western showdown could be decided in the frontcourt. The Rattlers lead the league with 45.8 rebounds and 12.3 offensive boards per game, while the Surge have snagged just 33 rebounds per contest. Key to Saskatchewan’s success on the glass guard Elijah Harkless, who takes down 7.3 balls per game himself and previously played for Abney with the Clippers. It’ll be up to Calgary guard Mathieu Kamba, then, to box out against Harkless. At 6.3 rebounds per game, the Calgary native, who won a pair of titles with the Edmonton Stingers, leads the Surge. A matchup to look out for · Calgary’s Kamba is two points away from 500 for his career, regular season only · Saskatchewan’s Harris is 27 points away from 500 for his career, regular season only 2023 season series Calgary won all three games against Saskatchewan including the last two games of the season as the Rattlers missed out on the playoffs.
Only one undefeated team remains. Brody Clarke’s 18 points helped the Edmonton Stingers (4-0) hand the Saskatchewan Rattlers (3-1) their first loss of the season in a 93-77 win. Clarke was all over the scoresheet tonight, hitting two shots from beyond the arc, grabbing four rebounds, and blocking a shot. The Stingers’ bench was also key in the win, outscoring the Rattlers’ bench 38-11. Leading the way was Ben Krikke who had 14 points, six rebounds, and one block in 13 minutes of play. “I’m grateful for all the minutes, I can get,” Krikke said. “We got a very deep team. So, whatever role I can have and contribute to a win, I’m very happy with.” Despite the loss tonight, Rattler guard Elijah Harkless had a fantastic game. Harkless scored 25 points on 40 per cent shooting, snagged eight rebounds, and dished the ball out for five assists. The first quarter started slow with both teams trying to find their footing. It was the Stingers’ stifling defence that held the Rattlers to 11 first-quarter points and forced turnovers leading to some easy scores and a 22-11 Edmonton lead after one. Stinger’s head coach Jordan Baker reflected after the game on how they prepared for the Rattlers defensively coming into this match-up. “I think we know when they’re successful who does most of the damage for them,” Baker said. “So, you know, we wanted to make sure we had at least somewhat of a plan in place…I thought we did a good job, playing hard in the first quarter, and sticking to what we wanted to do, and I think the biggest thing we did was defensive rebounded well.” Despite coming into the second quarter down double digits, the Rattlers found their offence and fought back. Elijah Harkless caught fire, scoring 10 points, and knocking down two shots from beyond the arc to help cut down Edmonton's lead to three to end the first half. “I was just giving us some hope, you know. The Stingers came out aggressive, playing super fast. I’m glad I could help the team in the second quarter,” Harkless said when asked about his hot hand in the second quarter. “I didn’t finish the job, but we learned a lot today.” The battle continued into the third. Edmonton had an answer for every Saskatchewan bucket. The Stingers were finally able to pull away near the end of the quarter, hitting back-to-back threes to extend their lead 68-58 to end the third quarter. With only four games played so far in the season, the Stingers look like a well-oiled machine. Jordan Baker spoke on how they managed to form team chemistry too quickly. “I think it comes from us having four returning players that all play significant roles for us,” Baker said. “We want to play a certain way; we want to play unselfishly. We want to focus on defence and if you want to get along, you got to make sure that you focus on the right things and our leadership group has done a great job.” The Stingers took over in the fourth, building on their lead and never looking back. Edmonton remains undefeated with the 93-77 win over Saskatchewan. “We were never going to go undefeated, we’ll go back and watch the film,” Saskatchewan Rattlers head coach Larry Abney said when asked about the loss. “We’ll see where we tighten up and prepare for the next opponent.” What’s next for both teams? The Stingers look to remain undefeated when they face-off against the Vancouver Bandits this Tuesday. As for the Rattlers, they look to get back in the win column when they take on the Calgary Surge this Wednesday. Saskatchewan Rattlers tickets are available - HERE All CEBL games can be streamed live on TSN+, CEBL+ Powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL’s official app, CEBL Mobile, available on iOS and Android devices. 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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
The Edmonton Stingers host the Saskatchewan Rattlers in their home opener Sunday as both teams aim to keep their undefeated seasons alive. The game begins at 4:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. ET at Edmonton EXPO Centre, with live coverage available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+, Courtside 1891 (outside of North America) and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. The game will also be televised on Game+ in Canada and NLSE in the United States. The Stingers are coming off an 81-77 victory against the Montreal Alliance. Guard Davion Warren exploded for 30 points on 73 per cent shooting. Warren knocked down four triples and snagged three rebounds as well. Edmonton’s defence was one of the main factors in securing the victory against the Alliance, recording 11 steals and forcing Montreal to turn the ball over 20 times. As for Saskatchewan, they posted a dominant 98-86 win against Vancouver their last time out. Jalen Harris led the way for the Rattlers with 27 points on 50 per cent shooting, nine assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Saskatchewan also had great performances from Elijah Harkless, Maurice Calloo, and Grant Basile in the win over the Bandits, scoring 19 points a piece. The Rattlers locked up on defence, causing the Bandits to shoot 34 per cent from the field and 27 per cent from beyond the arc. A matchup to look out for Fans will have their hands full Sunday with a clash between two dynamic guards in Davion Warren and Jalen Harris. Harris has been on a tear this season, averaging 27 points per game, six assists and three rebounds. He was key in the comeback win against Montreal, and his ability to stretch the floor and catch fire quickly is on another level. Davion Warren has been fantastic for the Stingers, averaging 19.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. Warren can do it on both sides of the floor, knocking down shots on one side and locking up on the other. 2023 season series The teams faced off three times in 2023 with the Stingers winning two of the three matchups against the Rattlers.