The Winnipeg Sea Bears have clinched their first Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) championship by defeating the Brampton Honey Badgers with a score of 98-84 in the league’s single-game championship match held on Saturday. Simon Hildebrandt, a local hero, secured the winning three-pointer with the target score set at 97 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 12,519 at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
Xavier Moon, a three-time CEBL MVP, led the Sea Bears with 29 points, shooting three out of four from beyond the arc, and contributing seven rebounds and six assists. Moon, who returned to the CEBL this season after a five-year hiatus, earned his third Finals MVP accolade by helping Winnipeg overcome the absence of the injured star forward Teddy Allen.
Moon expressed his joy by stating, “It’s crazy to be back in this environment again. I mean, obviously, familiar territory for me for winning, but to do it in a city that’s never won a playoff game, I think it means a lot more. This one is a lot more special than the first one. So, like I’ve been saying, man, I’m happy for my teammates, and I’m happy for the city of Winnipeg.”
Jelani Watson-Gayle, a guard for the Sea Bears, made an impact off the bench by hitting five three-pointers, while Hildebrandt contributed with four threes and a total of 24 points. On the opposing side, Sean East II led the Honey Badgers with 27 points, supported by Trentyn Flowers with 20 points. Brampton was trailing 46-42 at halftime and 73-60 as they entered the final quarter.
The Sea Bears’ new head coach, Mike Raimbault, expressed his satisfaction, saying, “I’m just super happy for everybody that is out there celebrating today and that it came to fruition because the organization did definitely deserve a championship.”
Originally planned as a three-game series ending on Sunday, the CEBL championship faced disruptions due to court conditions during the first game in Brampton, leading to a cancellation. Consequently, the league reverted to a single-game format, as used in previous years, to determine the champion.
The Sea Bears, finishing as runners-up in the Western Conference, progressed through the West playoffs by defeating the Saskatoon Mamba and Vancouver Bandits to secure their spot in the final. On the other hand, the Honey Badgers, ranking second in the Eastern Conference, advanced through the East playoffs by overcoming the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions to reach the championship game.
In reflection on their performance, East II from the Honey Badgers stated, “We fought hard. We dealt with adversity. Not the outcome we wanted. We turned the Brampton program around so we can be happy about that for sure.”