The Winnipeg Sea Bears and Brampton Honey Badgers emerged victorious in their respective conference finals on Saturday, setting up a showdown in the Canadian Elite Basketball League championship series. In the Western Conference Final, the Sea Bears, led by three-time CEBL MVP Xavier Moon, defeated the Vancouver Bandits 107-96. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers secured the Eastern title by defeating the Niagara River Lions 91-81.
This championship series marks the first time that the league will determine the champion through a series format instead of a single-game format. The series will kick off with Game 1 scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. Brampton, as the lower seed, will host the first game before the series shifts to Winnipeg for Game 2 and potentially Game 3.
Moon’s stellar performance, scoring 24 points, along with key contributions from Simon Hildebrandt and Isiah Osborne, propelled the Sea Bears to their first-ever final. Moon stepped up in the absence of Teddy Allen, who suffered a serious injury following an incident at a Winnipeg nightclub.
Both Moon and Hildebrandt showcased their three-point shooting skills, each sinking four three-pointers to lead Winnipeg to victory. Moon, a 31-year-old veteran, returned to the CEBL this season after a five-year hiatus. On the other side, Brampton’s Tyrese Hunter delivered a game-winning three-pointer as the Honey Badgers prevailed over the River Lions.
The stage is set for an exciting championship series between the Sea Bears and the Honey Badgers, with both teams aiming to claim the CEBL title.