Honey Badgers hold off Rattlers' late comeback to extend win streak to 5 games

The Hamilton Honey Badgers defeated the Saskatchewan Rattlers 81-74 holding off a valiant comeback effort, as it extended its win streak to five games on Tuesday night in Saskatoon.

Entering the game sitting comfortably atop the CEBL standings, Hamilton (12-3) has found its way to victory in many ways this season. 

But with Saskatchewan (7-8), now on a four-game losing streak, having all of its top scorers in the lineup, showed why it was among the tougher teams in the league not long ago.

That made for quite the task for the Honey Badgers.

Down 12-6 early in the opening frame, Saskatchewan rattled off a 7-0 run that was capped off by a Scottie Lindsey three-pointer. Hamilton answered later outscoring the Rattlers 7-3 to end the quarter and go up 23-19.

The second quarter was tightly contested until the Honey Badgers turned it up a notch midway through.

Tied 29-29 coming out of a Saskatchewan timeout, Hamilton went on an 11-3 run to take the largest lead of the game to take a 40-32 edge.

A Lindsey three with 45 seconds remaining in the frame, left the Honey Badgers up five going into the break.

In the third, Hamilton held off the Rattlers from getting any closer than five points and taking a 11-point lead with under two minutes left. A 7-3 run to end the frame cut the Honey Badgers' lead to seven heading to the fourth.

After falling to another double-digit deficit at 59-49, the Rattlers took their turn in shifting the momentum.

A 13-3 run in just over two minutes put Saskatchewan up one for its first lead since the 2:21 mark of the first quarter.

Up 71-69 to start the Elam Ending, McEwen extended Hamilton's lead to four with a three-pointer. Tony Carr answered right back with a three of his own on the following possession but that was close as it would get for the Rattlers, as Isaiah Reese and Caleb Agada combined for a 6-0 run to end the game.

McEwen led the way for Hamilton with 21 points. Michael Okafor added 12, and Agada scored 11 in the win.

Saskatchewan was led by Carr's 26 and Lindsey's 16.

The Honey Badgers will look to extend their win streak when they next play the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, the Rattlers play the Ottawa BlackJacks on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

All games can be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, CBC Sports App, and CBC Gem.

WATCH | CEBL on CBC: Saskatchewan Rattlers vs. Hamilton Honey Badgers:

CEBL Hamilton Honey Badgers vs Saskatchewan Rattlers

2 years ago

Duration 1:59:36

Catch all the CEBL action on CBCSports.ca.

Stingers put end to skid, best red-hot BlackJacks

Demarco Dickerson scored a game-high 29 points, including five of his team's last nine, as the Edmonton Stingers beat the Ottawa BlackJacks 96-88 on Tuesday in Edmonton.

Edmonton (8-7) snapped a two-game skid, pulling away in the fourth against the very Ottawa (5-9) team that it had defeated to win the CEBL title in 2021.

The BlackJacks entered the game having won four of its last five and back-to-back 100-point outings in a pair of blowout victories.

However, that all came to a halt against the Stingers.

The opening half was very much a back and forth between both sides, with Ottawa coming out of the first quarter with just a five-point lead. In the second, a late 7-2 run by Edmonton set the foundation, going into halftime up 47-45.

Edmonton then opened things up in the third.

The Stingers went up by as much as eight, and outscored the BlackJacks 15-8 by the 5:24 mark. Ottawa immediately answered back with a 7-0 run of its own, led by Walt Lemon Jr. and Kadre Gray, to even the score.

Neither side was able to take a lead of more than three points after that, as the BlackJacks went into the fourth up 75-73.

In the final frame, it was a battle for both squads as they exchanged leads, with neither team able to go up by more than four.

With an 87-86 lead in its grasp though, Edmonton took over in the Elam Ending. 

A Dickerson jumper, followed by a Jordan Baker layup allowed the Stingers to creep their way to a 91-86 lead, needing 94 to win.

On the ensuing possession, Dickerson shut down any glimmer of hope for the BlackJacks with a contested three from the left wing to put his side up eight. Following a Gray layup to bring the deficit to five, Mathieu Kamba sealed the win with a layup.

Dickerson added seven rebounds and five assists in the win. Kamba contributed 20 with Marlon Johnson adding 11 points and 10 rebounds for Edmonton.

Gray and Lemon Jr. led the way for Ottawa with 22 and 18 points, respectively.

Edmonton will next play the league-leading Hamilton Honey Badgers on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.

All games can be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, CBC Sports App, and CBC Gem.

WATCH | CEBL on CBC: Edmonton Stingers vs. Ottawa BlackJacks:

CEBL Ottawa BlackJacks vs Edmonton Stingers

2 years ago

Duration 2:04:36

Catch all the CEBL action on CBCSports.ca.