The Winnipeg Sea Bears secured their first Canadian Elite Basketball League championship by defeating the Brampton Honey Badgers 98-84 in the single-game final on Saturday. Simon Hildebrandt, a local favorite, made the game-winning three-pointer in front of a record crowd of 12,519 at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, with the target score set at 97.
Xavier Moon, a three-time CEBL MVP, led the Sea Bears with 29 points, shooting three for four from beyond the arc while contributing seven rebounds and six assists. Moon, who returned to the CEBL this season after a five-year hiatus, earned his third Finals MVP accolade after assisting Winnipeg in overcoming the absence of injured star forward Teddy Allen.
Moon expressed his joy at the victory, 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.” He emphasized the significance of this win, especially for his teammates and the city of Winnipeg.
Jelani Watson-Gayle, a guard for the Sea Bears, scored a game-high five three-pointers coming off the bench. Hildebrandt also made a significant contribution with four three-pointers and a total of 24 points.
On the opposing side, Sean East II led the Honey Badgers with 27 points, supported by Trentyn Flowers who added 20 points. Despite trailing 46-42 at halftime and 73-60 going into the final quarter, Brampton fought hard throughout the game.
The Sea Bears’ new head coach, Mike Raimbault, commended the team’s efforts, saying, “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.”
The championship series, originally planned as a three-game showdown, was altered due to court conditions, resulting in a single-game final. The Sea Bears emerged victorious after defeating the Saskatoon Mamba and Vancouver Bandits in the playoffs, while the Honey Badgers fell short despite overcoming the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions in their playoff journey.
Reflecting on their season and the final outcome, East II of the Honey Badgers acknowledged the team’s resilience and progress, despite not achieving the desired result.