The Winnipeg Sea Bears and Brampton Honey Badgers emerged victorious in their respective conference finals on Saturday, securing spots in the Canadian Elite Basketball League championship series. The Sea Bears, led by three-time CEBL MVP Xavier Moon, defeated the Vancouver Bandits 107-96 in the Western Conference Final. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers overcame the Niagara River Lions 91-81 to claim the Eastern title.
This year, the league championship will be determined through a best-of-three series, a departure from the previous single-game format. The first game is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, with Brampton hosting Game 1 before the series shifts to Winnipeg for Games 2 and 3 if necessary.
Moon played a pivotal role in leading the Sea Bears to their first-ever final, scoring 24 points in the absence of injured star Teddy Allen. Simon Hildebrandt, a Winnipeg native, also contributed 24 points, with Isiah Osborne sealing the victory with a game-winning three-point shot.
In a show of remarkable shooting prowess, Moon and Hildebrandt each made four three-pointers, propelling Winnipeg to their second playoff win. Moon, 31, returned to the CEBL this season after a five-year hiatus.
On the other side, Brampton’s Tyrese Hunter and Sean East II shined in their victory over the River Lions. Hunter’s fifth three-pointer of the game proved decisive, while East II and Trentyn Flowers combined for 42 points. Khalil Ahmad led the River Lions with 30 points.
As the championship series approaches, Brampton has the opportunity to join the ranks of Niagara and the Edmonton Stingers as the only teams to clinch two CEBL titles.