Sea Bears Seek Fourth Consecutive Win in Monday Matchup with Stingers

Teddy Allen and the Winnipeg Sea Bears return to their raucous home crowd after a four-game road trip for a matchup with the Edmonton Stingers on Monday at 7 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre.

The game will be available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.

After defeating the Vancouver Bandits in front of a record-setting sellout crowd during the franchise’s first home game, the Sea Bears had a successful road trip. Winnipeg emerged with three wins and now sit second in the Western Conference at 4-1.

The Sea Bears enter Monday’s contest on a three-game winning streak after defeating Saskatchewan 96-93, Vancouver 106-103, and Scarborough 98-93. Winnipeg has been able to succeed in tight games, with each contest decided by five points or less.

The Stingers have also played nothing but close games to begin 2023, but have found less success. Edmonton enters the matchup with a 1-3 record and each game decided by six points or less. The Stingers lost 91-85 to the Ottawa BlackJacks on Saturday after picking up their first win of the season against Niagara. The Calgary Surge swept the Stingers in a home-and-home on opening weekend that included the largest target score comeback in CEBL history.

Edmonton’s offence has struggled early in the 2023 season. They rank eighth in points per game, ninth in three-point percentage and last in field goal percentage while attempting the most shots per game. In 2022, the Stingers were one of the most effective passing teams but have dropped to seventh in assists per game in 2023.

A lack of assists hasn’t stopped Winnipeg from producing a high-scoring offence. The Sea Bears are last in the CEBL in assists per game through a quarter of the season but first in points per game. Winnipeg ranks in the middle of the pack in most offensive categories but what sets them apart is their ability to rebound, get to the free-throw line and take care of the basketball.

They’re second in rebounds per game, fifth in offensive rebounds and second in field goal attempts. The Sea Bears also shoot 22.6 free throws per game at a 76 per cent rate.

Winnipeg also boasts the lone duo in the league to average over 20 points each. Teddy Allen sits second in the league in scoring with 24.8 points per game on 39 per cent shooting from the field, 24 per cent from three and 82 per cent from the line. The Sea Bears’ star tied a league record for points in a game with 42 against his former team in Scarborough last week. The American also averages top-five numbers in rebounds at 11.4 and steals at 2.2.

Meanwhile, EJ Anosike has provided Winnipeg with an incredible start as well. He’s averaging 21 points per game on 44 per cent shooting from the field and 86.5 per cent from the line to go along with 7 rebounds per game.

The Sea Bears have also secured scoring from sharpshooter Jelani Watson-Gayle. The British guard has come off the bench to score 13.6 points per game on an absurd 51 per cent from the field and 59 per cent from three.

While Watson-Gayle puts together an intriguing case for the CEBL’s Sixth Man of the Year, he still has to contend with the 2021 winner—Edmonton’s Adika Peter-McNeilly. The former CEBL champ with the Stingers is averaging 12.8 points off the bench early in the campaign on 39 per cent shooting from the floor and 11 per cent from three.

Nick Hornsby and Brody Clarke have also been consistent contributors for Edmonton early in the season, while Aher Uguak and Isaiah Osborne have played well in fewer appearances. Hornsby enters the game averaging 13 points after tallying 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists against the BlackJacks on Saturday. Clarke adds 12.8 points per game while shooting 36 per cent from the floor.

The Stingers’ balanced attack will look to keep up with Winnipeg’s high-powered duo in Monday’s matchup.

Following the game, Edmonton will play the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. while Winnipeg hosts the Brampton Honey Badgers on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT.

For tickets, visit seabears.ca/tickets. All games are also available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.

About the CEBL

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. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow @CEBLeague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

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