The Winnipeg Sea Bears and Brampton Honey Badgers emerged victorious in their conference finals on Saturday, securing a spot in the Canadian Elite Basketball League championship series. Xavier Moon led the Sea Bears to a 107-96 win over the Vancouver Bandits in the Western Conference Final, while the Honey Badgers defeated the Niagara River Lions 91-81 in the Eastern title match.
This year marks the first time the CEBL champion will be determined through a series format rather than a single-game setup. The championship series will kick off with Game 1 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, with Brampton hosting the opener before the series shifts to Winnipeg for Game 2 and potentially Game 3.
Moon shined for the Sea Bears, scoring 24 points to propel his team to their inaugural final appearance. Simon Hildebrandt also contributed 24 points, and Isiah Osborne sealed the victory with a crucial three-pointer to reach 106 points at the Langley Events Centre.
In another thrilling performance, Moon and Hildebrandt each made four three-pointers to secure Winnipeg’s second playoff win. Moon, aged 31, made a remarkable comeback to the CEBL after a five-year hiatus. On the opposing side, Shamar Givance led Vancouver with 21 points, while Tevin Brown and MVP Mitch Creek added 19 points each in the defeat, with Brown nailing five three-pointers.
For Brampton, Tyrese Hunter’s game-winning three-pointer, his fifth of the match, helped the Honey Badgers defeat the River Lions. Sean East II led the scoring with 22 points, supported by Trentyn Flowers with 20 points and Hunter with 17. Khalil Ahmad of the River Lions topped the scoring with 30 points.
Brampton now has the opportunity to join Niagara and the Edmonton Stingers as the only teams to clinch two CEBL championships. The championship series promises an exciting showdown between the Sea Bears and the Honey Badgers, setting the stage for an intense battle for the coveted title.