The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) take on the Scarborough Shooting Stars tonight at The Arena at TD Place at 7:30 p.m. The Shooting Stars and BlackJacks are currently placed second and third in the Eastern Conference standings, with records of 9-10 and 8-10 respectively. Both teams are 2-3 in their last five games. Tonight’s game is a big one for playoff seeding, as the winner of the matchup will gain hold of the number two seed in the East. In the CEBL playoffs, the number two team receives a bye into the second round, while the number three seed must win a play-in game against the number four seed in order to reach the second round. For that reason, owning the second seed is incredibly important for both of these teams–especially for Ottawa, who will have played four games in nine days after tonight and need to play five more games in just ten days to finish up their season. With such a jam-packed schedule, the BlackJacks would benefit even more from a bye game and extra time to rest. “A bye game means you don’t play until just before the final four, so any time you can get rest after this stretch of games, it’s really important,” said BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro. That second seed wouldn’t just be helpful to Ottawa in terms of rest, either–it would also be a reward for all of their hard work throughout the season. “If we’re playing well enough to get that second seed,” noted DeAveiro, “I think we’re going to go into the playoffs with a good mindset and headspace where we’ve earned this bye and this rest.” That boost in morale is much-needed for the team right now, after ending their last game in a one-point loss to the Saskatchewan Rattlers, who hold the second-worst record in the entire league. The BlackJacks fought back and forth against the Rattlers right up until the end of target time, but a foul call on Ottawa during the final possession gave Saskatchewan two game-winning free throws. The key to that game for the Rattlers was rebounding. Saskatchewan won that battle 52-40 in total rebounds and a whopping nineteen to nine in offensive rebounding. Crashing the glass has been a struggle for Ottawa all season, ranking ninth in the ten team CEBL with just 38.4 per-game. Saskatchewan is just ahead of them with third lowest mark at 39.0, but still outclassed Ottawa handily. Jaden Bediako, who has averaged 6.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per-game for the Rattlers this season tied the CEBL regular season record for most rebounds in a game, with 20. He also scored 23 points in the matchup. That game especially revealed the BlackJacks’ one glaring weakness and DeAveiro believes it’s something only pride can fix: “[Rebounding] is a toughness category. This is not skill–this is toughness. This is, you want the ball. These are one-on-one battles we’re not winning.” Ottawa is a stellar defensive team by the numbers, holding their opponents to just 85.6 points per-game so far this year. None of that defense matters, though, if they can’t secure a rebound and end the defensive possession. “Until we address [rebounding], we’re going to have situations where we’re playing really good defense and then we give up an offensive rebound, so now we’re playing defense again.” Another consequence of poor rebounding is the lack of transition play it leads to. This hurt the BlackJacks especially, as fast break play is their go-to method on offense. They outscored Saskatchewan on the fast break, twenty-six to six. With most of their roster being capable three-point shooters and passers, it creates for a lightning-quick offense that punishes defenses with easy layups, dunks, and open threes. Players like guards Keevan Veinot and Javonte Smart, and forwards Deng Adel and Isaih Moore have created some of the team’s most memorable moments from transition play this season. That fast-paced fun can only happen when Ottawa secures a defensive rebound, though. “There’s no balance on the defensive glass,” said DeAveiro when asked about how to manage transition play and defensive rebounds together, “everybody has to rebound for us to get a chance to run…if you want to lead the break, go rebound.” So the key against the Shooting Stars tonight will be for Ottawa to focus on getting defensive rebounds, securing their stops, and using those rebounds to push in transition for easy baskets. Scarborough is number three in the CEBL in offensive rebounds per game (12.2), so their presence on the glass will be a difficult test to see if the BlackJacks really can improve in that aspect. To make things even harder, since the last time they took on Ottawa, Scarborough has signed some new players who may very well further improve their rebounding numbers. One of those new signees, Michael Foster Jr., played for the NBA G League’s Ignite team in 2021-22 alongside notable NBA names like Scoot Henderson and Dyson Daniels. In his first game with Scarborough, he scored 12 points and racked up eight rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes. Foster Jr.’s impact on the inside will provide a new test for the BlackJacks, who haven’t yet faced off against the first-time CEBL player. Ottawa’s big men, Isaih Moore and Christian Rohlehr, will have to get physical on the interior to slow down the 6'9", 250 pound Foster Jr. Another new player for the Shooting Stars in this game is Anthony Walker, who played nine games with the Montreal Alliance earlier this season before signing with Scarborough in early July. Walker is a solid scorer, averaging 11.2 points per-game with his new team thus far. But Foster Jr. and Walker aren’t the only recent roster changes to the Shooting Stars. They’ve made a ton of moves in the recent weeks, going as far as to holding six import players on the roster. Alongside the Americans Foster Jr. and Walker, Scarborough still has guards Cat Barber and Terquavion Smith signed and recent NBA Summer League returnee Donovan Williams. Smith and Williams especially are talented scorers, ranking at numbers two and three in the league in points per-game respectively (24.7 and 24.3). Ottawa’s defense will need to lock down the pair of players tonight in order to find success. With league rules stating that each team can only dress four import players per game, though, it means that the Shooting Stars still need to interchange who on their roster takes the court game-by-game. Each night, their roster looks different. “It’s been hard to prepare, because you don’t know who’s playing,” said DeAveiro, “we just really need to focus on ourselves.” Much like Scarborough does, Ottawa has their own question mark headed into tonight’s game. Forward Zane Waterman has missed the team’s last three games after receiving an injury to the head. The timeline for his recovery isn’t known, but his impact on the court at TD Place tonight would be massive. “We miss him terribly–he’s our ‘tough guy’,” said DeAveiro when asked about Waterman, “he’s our enforcer, he’s our physical beast underneath the glass…we’re looking forward to getting him back. It’ll be a nice little kickstart for us.” Waterman has been the leader of Ottawa’s bench this season, which has been one of the best in the CEBL. When he doesn’t start, he’s averaging 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per-game. Those scoring and rebounding numbers will do wonders for the BlackJacks. While it’s still unknown whether Waterman will be available to play tonight, the goal for the BlackJacks stays the same–crash the defensive glass, secure possessions, push the pace, and score the ball. It may be a tough task with all of the Shooting Stars’ new talent, but if they want a bye into the second round of the CEBL playoffs, it will be a game the BlackJacks need to win. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

While the season may not have gone the way the Saskatchewan Rattlers would have hoped, there’s no denying there were happy with how Jaden Bediako looked on Saturday afternoon. The Brampton native had a CEBL career high 23 points and tied the league rebound record with 20 to help lift the Rattlers over the Ottawa BlackJacks, 97-96. The team got strong performances across the board, with Devonte Bandoo posting a game high 24 points and Tevian Jones adding 21 points and six rebounds, including nailing the game-winning free throws. Nate Pierre-Louis finished with nine points and 11 assists to finish just shy of a double-double. “We’ve talked about it from the start of the season: this whole season isn’t the end of the road for anybody here,” said Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz, whose team entered the game mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. “We’re building to become better basketball players, to become better professionals, to set ourselves up for the next opportunity and to set a standard and a culture for our program. A big reason why I was brought on is to give some of that culture setting. I’ve preached that all year and the guys have bought in. We got a good group of professionals.” Despite his obvious dominance on the court, both player and coach were unaware that Bediako was approaching – and eventually met – the CEBL rebounding record until after the game. “I didn’t even know that, but now I’m mad. I should have got 21,” Bediako joked after learning of his record. “That’s my game. It’s been my game since I was at Seton Hall in the Big East,” he continued. “I led the Big East in (offensive rebounds), and then my first year (in the CEBL), for the last six games, I averaged four a game. It’s been a part of my game’s repertoire even overseas. It’s a mental thing.” “We’ve been working with Jaden all year,” Magdanz added. “There’s been times where we haven’t utilized him properly, and I think there’s times where we’ve asked Jaden to sort of grow into a bigger role. Over the course of the season we’ve challenged him. In the last month, he’s really stepped up to that challenge and changed his style of play and his force on the court.” Things got off to a back-and-forth start early in the first quarter, with the BlackJacks looking to punch their ticket to the postseason and the Rattlers determined to make sure that didn’t come at their expense. A 15-9 Saskatchewan lead was erased by a 14-2 Ottawa run, before the away team rattled off seven straight to take a 24-23 lead into the break. The points kept coming in the second quarter with both teams piling up 28 in the period. A 12-4 run by the BlackJacks would put them up by as much as seven, but the Rattlers would storm back to retake the lead at halftime. Jones led the way for the Rattlers with 17 points in the half, while Moore had 15 for the BlackJacks and finished one rebound shy of the early double-double. Things would remain close until an 8-2 run by Saskatchewan would give them a 71-62 advantage, which would by answered by an Ottawa run to make the game 74-70 going into the final period. The teams would trade blows all the way through the final quarter to eventually set up a next basket wins scenario. With the game on the line, Jones drove the ball in from the three-point line and was fouled on his way to the net, setting up the game winning shot. The BlackJacks entered the game at the bottom of the league in terms of rebounding. That was something that the Rattlers joined a long list of teams to take advantage of against Ottawa, and BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro admitted needed to be addressed. “Our toughness is being challenged day in and day out. This is a toughness category,” he said of his team’s rebounding metrics. “This is not skill, this is toughness. You want the ball. These are one-on-one battles that we are not winning. This is who we are. Until we address this, we’re going to have situations where we’re playing really good defense and then we give up an offensive rebound, then we’re playing defense again – then another offensive rebound… I’m proud of my team. We fight and we fight and we fight. But there has to be more. We have to pay attention to detail. Detail wins games. We’re not great at detail.” Javonte Smart and Isaih Moore tied for the team lead with 22 points, with the latter adding 13 rebounds. Deng Adel had 16 points, six rebounds and eight assists, becoming the fifth CEBL player to surpass the 300-assist mark, as well as tying the team record for all-time steals. Keevan Veinot and Tyrell Tate both chipped in with 11 points. The loss prevented the BlackJacks from clinching a playoff berth, which they will do with their next win or Brampton’s next loss. The win snapped a three-game skid for the Rattlers, with their previous victory on July 5 also coming at the BlackJacks’ expense. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600653 Up Next The Ottawa BlackJacks will play host to the Scarborough Shooting Stars on July 29 in a game that will be critical in determining both teams’ playoff positioning. The Saskatchewan Rattlers continue their four-game road trip in Winnipeg when they face the Sea Bears on Aug. 1. Next CEBL Action The East leading Niagara River Lions head to Brampton to face the Honey Badgers on July 27, streaming live on CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) take on the Saskatchewan Rattlers in an afternoon matchup today at TD Place at 2 p.m. Ottawa enters this game with a record of 8-9, sitting at second place in the Eastern Conference standing. With a win today, they will clinch their spot in this year’s playoffs. Saskatchewan holds the worst record in the league at just 4-14, good for last in the Western Conference. Despite this large difference in team records, though, it was the Rattlers who emerged victorious the last time that these two teams faced off. Back in early July, Ottawa and Saskatchewan played at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon with the Rattlers pulled off a miraculous victory. Grant Anticevich knocked down a game-winning three to cap off an 11-point comeback for Saskatchewan, setting the final score at 93-90. That loss stung for Ottawa, but not just because Saskatchewan was (and still is) the worst team in the league–at the time of the game, the BlackJacks were riding a four-game winning streak. They had recently signed former NBA guard Javonte Smart, and the rest of their roster had come together from various overseas seasons to create a dangerous team. When Anticevich’s shot went in, the BlackJacks didn’t just lose their winning streak, they lost it to the worst team in the CEBL. The blown 11-point lead only added to the loss. Ottawa has had struggles closing out games all season and that example was perhaps the most glaring. The team has taken some other rough losses in target time this year, including a 12-point blown lead to the Niagara River Lions in their home opener. Most recently, the BlackJacks took a loss to the Montreal Alliance. In that game, they started target time down just three, but were only able to muster up four points before losing the game. “We haven’t been able to be composed yet down the stretch of a game,” said BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro after the loss to Montreal. The biggest issue for Ottawa in those clutch moments is focusing too much on isolation. Throughout games, they’re big on ball movement around the perimeter, creating open looks from drives to the rim–that playstyle leads to 21.4 assists per-game, good for third best in the CEBL. Down the stretch, though, DeAveiro’s players seem to get in their heads about winning the game, knowing that they only need to score nine points to get it done. That results in the players thinking, “score first”, which means they stray away from their regular offense for isolation basketball. In this afternoon’s matchup against Saskatchewan, it will be important for Ottawa to maintain their team-first style of basketball in order for them to get a win. One of their most team-first players may not be available for the matchup, though. After receiving a blow to the head in the BlackJacks’ game against the Edmonton Stingers on July 17, forward Zane Waterman has been sitting out with symptoms of a concussion. The forward travelled with the team to Montreal for their last game, but his status for this afternoon is still unknown. Waterman’s absence has left a big hole in the BlackJacks’ rotation. The 29-year-old is shooting a blistering 50% from three on 6.0 attempts per night–that’s the highest rate from anybody in the league taking more than five per-game. His all-around game has made a massive impact on the team’s success. “You cannot replace that guy,” said DeAveiro, “he’s the anchor of our defense, and you can see what he does offensively. One of the elite three-point shooters [in the CEBL].” Acting as the team’s sixth man due to league rules preventing teams from playing four non-Canadians at once, Waterman leads Ottawa’s bench, statistically one of the best in the league. Without him in the lineup, that advantage gets nullified. Against Montreal, Ottawa’s bench was outscored, 37-12. That gap easily made the difference in a game that ended 87-79 for the Alliance, and Waterman’s presence would have helped that. If Waterman doesn’t see the floor this afternoon, then it’s likely that we’ll see more minutes from forward Justin Jackson. In the two full games that Waterman has been unavailable, Jackson has taken full advantage of the extra playing time he’s received. On July 21 against the Brampton Honey Badgers, he finished with 11 points and a team-high plus/minus of +26. Against the Alliance, he racked up 12 points and a CEBL career high of 15 rebounds. “Justin has proven that he’s a quality player in this league,” said DeAveiro. Jackson’s extra impact at forward has been key in Waterman’s absence and will be extra important on defense this afternoon against one of the Rattlers’ top scorers. Forward Jorden Bowden scored his professional career high of 40 points against the BlackJacks during the two teams last meeting, with eight of those coming in the team’s target time comeback. Bowden has yet to play a game for the Rattlers since that matchup on July 5–if he does suit up, though, he’ll no doubt be a player that the BlackJacks watch closely this afternoon. Jackson has been a fantastic defender all season, and will play a key role in slowing down Bowden. As for some other players to watch on the Rattlers, guard Tevian Jones has joined the team since the BlackJacks last faced them. Jones is a familiar face, having played 14 games with the Winnipeg Sea Bears to start the season. The last time Ottawa saw Jones, he was held to 15 points on just 31% shooting from the field. If they can constrict him to that level of inefficiency again, the BlackJacks won’t have to worry. Another thing to note about this game is the rest time between games for each team. While Saskatchewan hasn’t played a game since July 18, Ottawa has played two games since then. These last few matchups have been a part of a busy end to the BlackJacks schedule–they suit up for seven more games to end their season before Aug.10. All of these games mean that their players are in need of a lot of rest. “Rest is key right now,” said DeAveiro, “we’ll use film to teach, and we’ll go on the floor and walk through some things. When you’re in this tough stretch, film becomes really important, and rest becomes important.” By taking extra rest, the BlackJacks can prepare themselves for each game without causing too much fatigue, but with just enough on-court action to feel warmed up and ready to go. Because the Rattlers haven’t played a game in so long, on the other hand, expect them to come out of the gates with a little bit of rust this afternoon. Once the wheels get turning, though, things are shaping up to be an exciting matinee matchup at TD Place today. While the Rattlers will be looking to turn their season around with a win, the BlackJacks will be looking to exact revenge on a Saskatchewan team that stole a game from them the last time they met. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

Montreal Alliance guard Tavis “Pistol” Smith ended the game the same way he started it. Montreal only had a three-point lead going into Target Time, but it was the return of “Pistol” Smith and his stepback three-point marksmanship that put the game away, 87-79, for Montreal against the Ottawa BlackJacks on Wednesday. “I literally asked him if he wanted to come back yesterday morning,” Montreal head coach Jermaine Small admitted. “I think he gives TDM (Tavian Dunn-Martin) a break in handling the ball…And I mean I think he was clutch and he played really good defence.” Smith, who played for the Alliance earlier this season, finished with a game-high 26 points on four-for-seven three-point shooting and made an immediate impact in his return to the Montreal lineup. Coming off the bench, he put his biggest stamp on the game in the third quarter. This was mostly a two-possession game, so any momentum-shifting plays to break parity was desperately needed. Smith answered the call by stripping Ottawa’s Keevan Veinot and hitting a triple. Ottawa’s Deng Adel answered back with a mid-range jumper, but Smith hit another three to give Montreal a two-point lead. Then, he ended the third frame by switching hands mid-air in a MJ-esque way, and capitalized on Ottawa’s turnover by throwing down a dunk to give Montreal a six-point lead going into the final frame. That would set the tone for Montreal’s captain Quincy Guerrier, fresh off Summer League with the Toronto Raptors, to rise to the occasion. He not only became an one-man offensive rebounding machine, he also put Veinot on his hip and scored inside for a bucket to build a five-point lead before Target Time. Guerrier finished with a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double performance. But Montreal could not rest as Javonte Smart answered with a clutch two of his own for Ottawa. Another eurostep lay-up by Smart in Target Time would make it a one-point game, but six consecutive free throws made by TDM, Smith and Osawe built a seven-point lead and they were within three points of the Target Score. Montreal did not have to rely as much on TDM, who finished with 10 points and seven assists. Coach Small credited Osawe – who had a 15-point, 10-point double-double – for setting tone early on the glass and pushing Smart inside. Smart and Isiah Moore combined for 39 points for the BlackJacks and were pivotal in keeping the game close throughout. “Our coach has been adamant about me driving to the basket and trying to draw fouls, so I’ve just been trying to follow that game plan and get to the free throw line and get going early,” said Moore at halftime. Ottawa head coach David DeAveiro credited Small’s tactics in the third quarter. “I think they did a really good job defensively when Coach went to a small line-up,” he said. “I thought that changed the game a little bit and we didn’t really have an answer for that. My hat goes off.” Ottawa lost the rebounding battle 48-37 and DeAveiro admitted to feeling the absence of Zane Waterman. The East remains in a tight playoff race. While Montreal looks to continue improving its record, Ottawa will be fighting neck-and-neck with Scarborough for the second seed. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600666 Up Next Montreal (7-10) will head to Meridian Centre in St. Catharines on Friday night for a tilt with the East-leading Niagara River Lions (12-5). The BlackJacks (8-9) host the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-14) at TD Place in the lone CEBL game on Saturday, July 26. Next CEBL Action There will be a quadruple header on Friday, July 25. In addition to Ottawa-Niagara, the Brampton Honey Badgers (4-15) host Scarborough (8-9) at CAA Centre; Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-10) host the Edmonton Stingers (11-7) at Canada Life Centre; and Calgary Surge (12-5) host Vancouver Bandits (15-4) at WinSport Event Centre. For the full 20 25 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) take on the Montreal Alliance at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Verdun Auditorium in Montreal. The BlackJacks enter this game sitting with a .500 record, having gone 8-8 in the first two thirds of their season. They currently sit in second in the Eastern Conference, while the 6-10 Alliance sit in fourth. With a win tonight, the BlackJacks can officially clinch a spot in this year’s playoffs. By boosting their record to 9-8, they’ll have tied the best possible record that the Brampton Honey Badgers, who sit in last place in the East, could finish the season with (9-15). Because Ottawa has won the season series with the Honey Badgers, they own the tiebreaker between the two teams–that means that the BlackJacks would rank higher in the standings in the case of a tie. But just because Ottawa would clinch the playoffs with a win, it doesn’t mean that they can cruise into the postseason on autopilot from here on out. The CEBL boasts a unique playoff format where being a higher seed in a conference results in less work to make it to the championship game. Because this year’s hosts for championship weekend, the Winnipeg Sea Bears, are in the Western Conference, two Eastern Conference teams will be able to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals through playoff wins. The number two seed will receive a bye to the Conference Semifinals, and the number one seed will receive a bye to the Conference Finals. There will also be a first round matchup between the third and fourth seeds to see who advances to the Conference Semifinals, in which the third seed holds home court advantage. It’s a complicated format, but it makes each team’s regular season record incredibly important–the higher seed you are, the less you have to work to win the CEBL Championship. As of right now, the BlackJacks sit in the second seed, meaning they would receive a bye into the Conference Semifinals–they jumped into that spot after taking down the Brampton Honey Badgers on Monday night. The team they bumped down to third are the Scarborough Shooting Stars, who now sit just 0.5 games behind the BlackJacks with a record of 8-9. With the gap still so close, these final eight games will be crucial for Ottawa to maintain their spot in the standings. Ahead of the BlackJacks in first place in the East are the 12-5 Niagara River Lions, who hold a 3.5 game lead on Ottawa. Although a difficult achievement, it’s also possible for the BlackJacks to finish strong and take the number one seed, receiving a bye directly into the Eastern Conference Finals in Winnipeg for CW25. But as of right now, the focus for Ottawa is less about pushing into first place, and more about holding their spot in second place. With the Shooting Stars right on their tails, they’ll want to ensure they avoid having to win an extra game come playoff time. So leaving Montreal with a win tonight is especially important–but that’s a feat easier said than done. Despite the Alliance’s unadmirable record, they’re a loaded team full of talented players. Their roster is also built to hone in on the BlackJacks’ weaknesses. As a team, Montreal make their presence known around the rim. They lead the league in offensive rebounds per game (12.7). Contrarily, rebounding is one of Ottawa’s weak points–they rank third-worst in the CEBL, with just 38.9 total rebounds per night. That difference in rebounding makes an impact when these two teams play each other. The last time they faced off, on June 27, Montreal won the rebounding battle by a wide margin–53 to 41. More rebounds for the Alliance means more extra chances to score on the offensive end and they took advantage of those extra possessions, finishing with 14 second-chance points. Ottawa was still able to escape that matchup with a 13-point win, but Montreal’s interior superiority was able to bring them out to a seven-point lead over the BlackJacks early in the first half. While basketball is a game of runs, the BlackJacks don’t want to have to rely on such comebacks to win every game that they play. BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro has been incredibly vocal about his want for the team to improve their consistency. “I’ve challenged my guys…We can’t go through this ‘half a game, half a game’ thing.” That inconsistency reared its head against the Honey Badgers as well as Ottawa gave up a whopping 31 points to Brampton in the first quarter despite the fact they score the least points per-game in the CEBL. Although they were able to overcome their rough patches in those examples, Ottawa won’t be able to get away with an inconsistent defense in every game they play. The thing to be consistent with in tonight’s matchup will most definitely be rebounding. Another important player for the Alliance is Brandon Porter. The forward scored 14 points in his debut game of the season against Ottawa in June, and will likely look to stay aggressive tonight. And, of course, it’s hard to mention the Alliance without their lead guard in Tavian Dunn-Martin. The 5'8" West Virginia native sits sixth in the CEBL in assists per-game with 6.6, and 15th in points per game with18.6. In his last game against Ottawa, Dunn-Martin struggled from the field–he scored just nine points on 19% shooting from the field. This poor performance was mostly due to Ottawa’s Shakur Daniel and his incredible individual defense. Daniel has done a fantastic job of slowing down some of the top guards in the league this season–whether or not he does so once more to Dunn-Martin tonight will be one of the biggest keys to the game. But the biggest key of all for Ottawa in this one is to play consistent for all four quarters. If they can manage to do that, they’ll be able to rack up another win and officially clinch a playoff spot as they creep closer to the end of their sixth season in the CEBL. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Ottawa BlackJacks locked in on the defensive effort that has become their calling card and rode it to a 91–77 victory over the visiting Brampton Honey Badgers. Javonte Smart led the way with 28 points and six assists, while Isaih Moore had 22 points and a regular-season franchise-record 18 rebounds for the BlackJacks. “The first quarter, we really couldn’t find a flow defensively,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said after the game. “I think Shakur (Daniel) picking up two quick fouls… he gets our defense going. We usually put Shakur on their toughest offensive player, and not having him out there hurt us a little bit. We put him in for the second quarter, and I thought he did a really good job. We always have a chance to win the game when our defense is good.” DeAveiro added: “The guy I really want to acknowledge tonight is Christian (Rohlehr). He's been sitting and waiting for his turn, and he did a really good job for us tonight. Six points and eight rebounds is a really good game for a guy that’s been sitting.” The win brought the BlackJacks back to an even .500 record and moved them closer to clinching a playoff berth, which they can secure with either a win in their next game on Wednesday or a Brampton loss. Things got off to a fast start for both teams in a chirpy first quarter that saw 16 free throws awarded on 11 committed fouls. Ottawa led by as much as eight, but Brampton responded to cut the lead to 31–30 by quarter’s end. The game shifted in the second quarter, when the BlackJacks held the Honey Badgers to just 6-of-21 shooting from the field and only 13 points. “Even just looking at the box score, I feel like we could have shot the ball a bit better, been better on the offensive glass,” Brampton head coach Sheldon Cassimy said. “They have multiple guys that get on the glass. I feel like we were getting the initial stop and then just giving up those second-chance points. Isaih Moore did a great job on the offensive glass and finished off the game with 22 and 18. Not much you can coach about that, other than having heart and closing out possessions. “At times guys get deflated with the back and forth of what’s going on in the game that I don’t want to get in trouble for, but that’s how the game went for me.” Koby McEwan and Quinndary Weatherspoon tied for the team lead with 17 points for the Honey Badgers, while David Muenkat added 14 points and eight rebounds, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range. Brampton kept it close in the second quarter, but a 12–4 Ottawa run late in the frame gave the BlackJacks some breathing room. By the start of the second half, Ottawa came out with renewed energy and ensured the outcome was never in doubt. The loss extended Brampton’s losing streak to seven games. Their last win came on June 29 against the Niagara River Lions. “As soon as we got to the locker room, coach emphasized this was going to be a defensive half in order for us to pull away with the lead, and I think we really locked in on that in the second half,” Moore said. As for his record-setting rebound performance, Moore downplayed the individual accomplishment, instead focusing on the team’s larger goals. Still, he shared the mindset that drives his consistency. “Three things I tell myself religiously: I control my energy, my attitude, and my effort,” Moore said. “Those three things are my controllables. I can’t control missed shots and calls or stuff like that, so I really key in on those three things. I think my energy and my effort really help me get rebounds.” “The win is the most important,” he continued. “Right now, we’re trying to push for the playoffs. With seeding, we’re playing every game like it’s a playoff game for the last two or three weeks of the season.” “We’re in a tough stretch now. I think we have six games in 13 days,” DeAveiro said. “What’s really important here is rest. Our guys need to take care of their bodies and rest. This is the toughest stretch of the season coming up. We have to make sure our guys are fresh. We got something to play for. We’re trying to finish first or second so you get that bye and that home-court advantage. I think we’re all on the same page there, so that’s definitely on our minds.” Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600663 Up Next The Ottawa BlackJacks head down the road to face the Montreal Alliance on their homecourt July 23. The Brampton Honey Badgers return home for the first time since July 11 to host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on July 25. Next CEBL Action The Ottawa BlackJacks and Montreal Alliance meet in their second of four matchups this season on July 23, live on RDS, CEBL+ and TSN+. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) take on the Brampton Honey Badgers this evening, at 7:30 p.m. at The Arena at TD Place. The season series between these two teams has been one-sided so far, with the BlackJacks leading 3-0 and looking to sweep the series tonight. Ottawa dominated in those three games, winning by a margin of 13 or more in each. The Honey Badgers enter this game with what is tied for their worst losing streak of the season at six games. The team also started the season 0-6, and currently sit at last place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 4-14. The BlackJacks have also skidded as of late, going 1-2 in their last three matchups after previously riding a five-game winning streak. They currently sit with a record of 7-8, good for third in the Eastern Conference. Both of Ottawa’s recent losses have been one-possession games which they had a chance to win. Their most recent loss came to the red-hot Edmonton Stingers, who have won seven of their last eight games to skyrocket to a record of 11-7. Close losses like that often demoralize players more than a losing in a blowout, as the win feels just out of reach. Those recent games have therefore caused the BlackJacks to lose some mojo and Head Coach David DeAveiro wants to make sure that rough patches like this don’t get them down. “We did a lot of positive things in three games, but everyone seems to focus on, ‘close loss, close loss’...obviously we have to get better at the end of those close losses, but I’m not going to neglect all of the good things we did in the game up to that point.” By focusing on what they do well, Ottawa can build confidence in their identity. Tonight’s matchup against Brampton will be a great test for that, as they’re currently tied with the Saskatchewan Rattlers for the worst record in the CEBL. They also have the worst offense in the league, scoring just 80.6 points per-game. So although no matchup is a guaranteed win, the odds are in favour of the BlackJacks tonight. Playing, what is on paper, a much easier matchup than the blistering hot Stingers will allow Ottawa to focus on what they need to do in order to get back on track with some consistent winning. The BlackJacks have succeeded the most on defense this season, ranking number one in the league in points allowed per game with just 85.3. Their individual defense has allowed them to hold back some of the league’s top players, including Jalen Harris of the Winnipeg Sea Bears, Tavian Dunn-Martin of the Montreal Alliance and Quinndary Weatherspoon of the Honey Badgers to far less than their season averages. The consistency of Ottawa’s defense has been off in their recent games, though, allowing for some strong individual performances from their opponents. In Ottawa’s loss to the Rattlers earlier this month, Saskatchewan’s Jordan Bowden was able to explode for a professional career high of 40 points. Against Edmonton, the BlackJacks were able to hold 2025 CEBL MVP candidate Sean East II to just two points in the first half. In the second half, though, East II erupted for 21, accounting for nearly half of the Stingers’ 52 points in that time frame. So while the BlackJacks hold their hats on defense, their consistency on that end of the floor still needs improvement. “To me, it’s simple,” said DeAveiro, “I can show [the players] video of one half where we dominate because we’re defending, and I can show them another half where we don’t defend and we’re not dominant. So, at some point, the guys have to take that on themselves.” While successful defense is made up of a complex combination of basketball tactics, at its core, it comes down to effort. When players decide to give it their all and commit to the defensive end, it usually yields some sort of result. And Ottawa has shown that they’re capable of bringing that effort at certain points in a game. In the first half against Edmonton, they were able to hold the Stingers to just 35 points–it was in the second half where the BlackJacks took their foot off of the pedal defensively and allowed the Stingers to get back in the game. “I’ve challenged my guys,” said DeAveiro when asked about the team’s defense, “We can’t go through this ‘half a game, half a game’ thing.” But as Ottawa looks to change that and bring defensive intensity in all four quarters tonight, they’ll have to simultaneously battle against the injury bug. Forward Zane Waterman, who DeAveiro has described as the “anchor” of the team’s defense, went down early in the third quarter against Edmonton after receiving a blow to the head. According to DeAveiro, the ever-resilient Waterman is unlikely to suit up tonight due to the injury: “If you ask him, he’d probably want to play, but he’s still got eight stitches in his head.” Losing Waterman will be a tough blow to the BlackJacks offense as well–he’s one of the most efficient shooters in the league, averaging 3.0 three pointers per-game on a blistering hot 50% shooting from downtown. “[Waterman] is the anchor of our defense, and you can see what he does offensively–one of the elite three-point shooters [in the CEBL], so replacing him is not easy,” said DeAveiro. Luckily for the BlackJacks, forward Deng Adel will be likely to return to action tonight after sitting out vs. the Stingers due to illness. Although a healthy roster with Waterman in it is always better, Adel provides his own value as a leader. His presence on the court will be crucial for Ottawa’s offense and defense tonight. Adel boasts elite playmaking abilities, averaging a team-high 6.5 assists per-game. Having another ball handler will do wonders for Javonte Smart, the CEBL’s top scorer at 28.7 points per-game. Against the Stingers, without Adel as a secondary offensive weapon, Smart was forced to pass the ball on possessions that he would usually look to score, throwing Ottawa’s offense off balance. While Smart did rack up a CEBL career high of 10 assists on the night, he also scored a CEBL career low of just 19 points. Adel’s presence keeps opponents honest, and will allow Smart to get back to his regular offensive production. Defensively, it’s likely that Adel will start off guarding the Honey Badgers' David Muenkat, whose recent high-scoring games have made him Brampton’s second-leading scorer at 13.9 points per-game. Adel’s 6'7" height and 6'9.5" wingspan has been incredibly effective at slowing down mobile forwards across the CEBL this season, and that will likely continue to be true against Muenkat tonight. The Honey Badgers’ top scorer, Quinndary Weatherspoon, will likely be guarded again by the BlackJacks primary defensive stopper in Shakur Daniel. Weatherspoon, who averages 17.7 points per-game, was held to just 14 the last time he played the BlackJacks. Prior to that, he was held to just three. But defense isn’t an individual game–the entire BlackJacks roster will need to engage for all four quarters of tonight’s matchup to guarantee success. If the team can fix their defensive inconsistencies, and bring 100% effort for a full game, then the season series against Brampton is simply waiting to be swept. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks