The Winnipeg Sea Bears clinched their first Canadian Elite Basketball League title by defeating the Brampton Honey Badgers 98-84 in the league’s single-game championship on Saturday. The victory came with a record crowd of 12,519 at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, witnessing hometown hero Simon Hildebrandt sinking the championship-winning three-pointer with the target score set at 97.
Xavier Moon, a three-time CEBL MVP, led the Sea Bears with 29 points, shooting three out of four from beyond the arc, and contributed seven rebounds and six assists. Moon, who returned to the CEBL this season after a five-year hiatus, secured his third Finals MVP accolade, aiding Winnipeg in overcoming the absence of the injured star forward, Teddy Allen.
Moon expressed his joy, 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.” Moon highlighted the significance of this championship, emphasizing his happiness for his teammates and the city of Winnipeg.
Jelani Watson-Gayle, the Sea Bears guard, impressed with a game-high five three-pointers off the bench, while Hildebrandt added four threes and secured 24 points. On the opposing side, Sean East II of the Honey Badgers led his team with 27 points, supported by Trentyn Flowers with 20 points. The Brampton team trailed 46-42 at halftime and 73-60 going into the final quarter.
Mike Raimbault, the Sea Bears’ new head coach, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “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 format had to revert to a single-game setup due to court conditions in the first game. The Sea Bears emerged victorious after overcoming the Saskatoon Mamba and Vancouver Bandits in the West playoffs, while the Honey Badgers beat the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions in the East playoffs to reach the final.
The Honey Badgers aimed to secure their second CEBL championship after winning in 2022 when the franchise was in Hamilton. Despite facing adversity, East II remarked, “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.”