Game Preview - June 22: BlackJacks Look to Start a Winning Streak Against Honey Badgers
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) face off against the Brampton Honey Badgers at the CAA Centre in Brampton this afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
The BlackJacks enter the game with a record of 3-6, fresh off of a 19-point win against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The Honey Badgers sit in a similar situation at 3-7, with their last game a close win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers.
This afternoon’s matchup is an important one in terms of Eastern Conference standings for the BlackJacks, as a Honey Badgers win will see them move into the No. 4 seed in the East which is currently occupied by Ottawa.
The team isn’t too worried about standings right now, though.
“Every game is important,” said BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro, “there are still 14 games to play, so we like to play our best.”
Forward Zane Waterman echoed DeAveiro’s opinion: “We’re focused more on our process of the season…we’re just starting to work together.”
Despite their inattention to the standings, Ottawa was able to maintain that 4th seed in the East with their win over Scarborough, a game which simultaneously snapped their four-game losing streak.
A big reason for that win against the Shooting Stars was the BlackJacks’ multiple new arrivals–returnee Keevan Veinot played his first game this summer and finished with four assists in the win.
The even-more impactful Javonte Smart played in his first CEBL game against Scarborough, and tied for the team lead in points (23) while pacing the club in assists (six), to go along with eight rebounds. Smart put up those numbers without even participating in a single team practice–his signing was announced on the morning of the game.
Once Smart spends more time around the team, gets to know his teammates, and understands the playbook, it’s safe to assume his stats will only increase.
He and the rest of those new additions made all the difference against Scarborough, alongside forward Isaih Moore who was playing in his second game back from injury, and Waterman, who was playing in just his second game with the team.
Unfortunately, Ottawa was without their all-time leading scorer in Deng Adel in that Shooting Stars game, as he sat out with an illness. His availability against the Honey Badgers this afternoon is still unknown.
Waterman therefore replaced Adel in the starting lineup, alongside Veinot, Smart, and Moore –those four players combined for 62 of the team’s 97 points in the game.
For Waterman specifically, this afternoon’s game is a special one, as he played for the Honey Badgers from 2022-2024.
Waterman isn’t considering this game anything special, though: “It’s just another game…I feel indifferent about them either way.”
Whether it’s a “revenge game” for him or not, Waterman, alongside his fellow new arrivals, has skyrocketed the BlackJacks into becoming one of the best statistical teams in the CEBL.
In the last seven days, Ottawa has ranked first in points allowed per-game (84.0), assists per-game (24.5), rebounds per-game (44.0), and plus-minus (9.0). They’ve also been the best three-point shooting team during that span, sitting first in three-pointers made per game (13.0) and three-point percentage (41.3%).
Those numbers are overwhelming proof that the new players have turned the formerly 2-6 BlackJacks into a contender.
The Honey Badgers have some new additions as well, though they didn’t play the last time that these two teams faced off in May.
Some of those names include University of Texas alumni Marcus Carr, guard Ali Sow, and forward Jaylen Gainey.
Those new additions have, in a similar manner to the BlackJacks, drastically improved their team’s performance, propelling them into a two-game winning streak.
In the last seven days, Brampton ranks number one in the CEBL in field goal percentage (54.6%) and fourth in points per game (91.5).
Although these numbers are impressive, the momentum that the BlackJacks have coming into this game may just be too much for the Honey Badgers to handle.
The new additions of Smart, Veinot, and Waterman, alongside the return of Moore, are a recipe for pure dominance from the BlackJacks. Since those four have joined (rejoined, in Moore’s case), the numbers speak for themselves–this team is one of the best in the league.
Although the availability of Adel is still unknown, it’s safe to say that the BlackJacks can afford to have their star sit out for another game if need be, while the rest of the team holds down the fort for him.
And if Adel isn’t able to return for the game this afternoon, then the team will only improve even more once he’s back.
Expect a high-scoring, three-point shooting, entertaining BlackJacks team at the CAA Centre in Brampton this afternoon. With all of their new additions in line, Ottawa is finally looking to make a statement in the CEBL.
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