The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) take on the Saskatchewan Rattlers tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET. The BlackJacks enter this game sitting with an even record of 6-6, good for third in the Eastern Conference Standings. The Rattlers are fifth in the Western Conference, with a league-worst record of just 3-11. Saskatchewan is currently sitting with a two-game losing streak, going 1-4 in their last five games. Ottawa, meanwhile, has had their momentum trend in the opposite direction in their recent matchups. They’re on a four-game winning streak, after starting the first eight games of the season at 2-6. This sudden surge in wins has come together largely in part thanks to the team’s new signee, guard Javonte Smart. Smart joined the BlackJacks on June 20 for an away game against the Scarborough Shooting Stars–he scored 23 in that game despite having not yet practiced with Ottawa at the time, and his scoring numbers have only risen since. In the following games, Smart put up 32, 31, and most recently scoring 37 to tie the BlackJacks single-game scoring record. “[Javonte] is a legitimate scorer,” said BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro, “He’s done this now consistently for four games…not many guys can do that when teams are preparing to try to stop you.” Those scoring numbers give Smart the highest points per game in the entire CEBL, with 30.8. He also leads the league in field goals made, with a whopping 11.8 per game–2.7 more than the second place player. “[DeAveiro] put me in a position to score and create for the team, and I think I’m doing a good job of it,” said Smart. And create for the team he has–one of the biggest impacts of Smart’s scoring ability is the pressure it’s taken off of Ottawa’s other stars, forwards Deng Adel and Isaih Moore. To start off the season, Adel was the BlackJacks’ top scorer–he averaged 21.5 points through the team’s first four games. Eventually, though, Deng struggled to score as the primary focus of the opposing team’s defense. In the following four games, his average dropped to just 12.8 per game on 36% from the field. Adel is clearly a talented scorer, but struggles as Ottawa’s first option. With Smart’s addition, Adel has been able to settle into a secondary scoring role, and has thrived. In the BlackJacks last game against the Winnipeg Sea Bears, Adel scored an efficient 14 points, six of which came in the final five minutes. With defenses focused on Smart, it opens up Adel to play freely. Another beneficiary of Smart’s gravity has been Isaih Moore. The forward is gifted open looks at the rim after Smart drags in multiple defenders with his drives. Moore has also been able to grab tons of offensive rebounds thanks to the space that Smart creates–in the last five games, he leads the CEBL in offensive rebounds per game with 6.4. “You put two [defenders] on the ball to try to stop Javonte, we can just throw the ball up and Isaih is athletic enough to catch it and finish it above the rim,” said DeAveiro. With Moore available above the rim as a lob threat and shooters open at the three point line, Smart’s offensive game can create a myriad of high-percentage shots for his teammates. Those open looks are crucial to the team’s success, no matter who they’re facing. The Rattlers as a team aren’t great statistically, but manage to hold their own on the glass-they average a solid 27.8 defensive rebounds per-game, good for fifth in the league. Moore’s ability to crash the offensive glass could counteract one of Saskatchewan’s greatest strengths, and flip it on its heels. And while Smart’s offensive abilities have helped kick the BlackJacks production into high gear, the more impressive part of their recent win streak comes from their defense. On this four-game winning streak, the BlackJacks haven’t let a single opponent score more than 80 points. Some of those opponents, for example, the Shooting Stars, average over 91 points per-game this season–that means Ottawa held them to over 10 points below their season average. On the year, the BlackJacks boast the second best points against per-game in the CEBL, with 85.5. In the last five games, that number drops even lower to 80.2–good for the best in the league. The key to this impenetrable defense for Ottawa is to focus on stopping each team’s primary offensive threat. In their last few games, they’ve shut down multiple top-ranked players in the CEBL. Most recently against the Sea Bears, two of the team’s top three scorers, Jalen Harris and Simi Shittu, each only scored 11 points. The final member of that top three, Tevian Jones, only scored 15. All three of those players finished with a field goal percentage of under 40%. Ottawa’s impressive individual defense has been led by guard Shakur Daniel. The Ajax, Ont. native leads the team in steals per game with 1.4, and enjoys the challenge of guarding the best player on the opposing team: “As a basketball player, I’m a competitor. My mentality is that I don’t like anybody scoring on me…it’s been fun. I’ve been enjoying it every single night.” Daniel’s matchup for tonight, if he plays, will likely be the Rattlers’ top scorer, Devonté Bandoo. The all-time leader in points for the Rattlers franchise, Bandoo rejoined the team in late June after a nine-game stint with the Edmonton Stingers. In his two games back in Saskatchewan this season, he’s led the team in points per game, with 20.0. Bandoo’s last game played was back on June 22nd, though, so it’s unknown whether or not he will be available tonight–if he does play, it’s likely that Daniel will match up with him in an attempt to slow down Saskatchewan’s top scorer. With or without Bandoo, this Rattlers team is not one that DeAveiro has glossed over in the scouting report: “They’ve been in every game that they’ve played, so we know we’re in for a tough matchup, especially on the road.” Saskatchewan’s season, despite their league-worst record, has seen them as a part of lots of close games this season–they’ve even pulled off a few upsets, recently taking the 6-6 Montreal Alliance to within one possession and upsetting the 9-4 Calgary Surge on two occasions. So while their record may say otherwise, you can’t deny the effort that the Rattlers bring into every game. The BlackJacks defense and Smart’s scoring won’t be able to take an off-day against Saskatchewan tonight, no matter how the momentum may seem in the favour of the Capital. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

On a day of celebration in the Nation’s Capital, Javonte Smart gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about, tying the Ottawa BlackJacks franchise record with 37 points in a dominant 104-80 win over the visiting Winnipeg Sea Bears — the team’s fourth straight victory. The crowd had plenty to get behind early as the BlackJacks got off to a 9-0 lead early thanks to the stifling defense they’ve become known for over their winning streak, having now held their last four opponents to 80 points or fewer. It was more of the same from Ottawa in the first quarter, holding Winnipeg to just 6-of-17 shooting from the floor and taking a 29-16 lead into the break. While the BlackJacks got all their points the old-fashioned way in the first quarter – failing to make a three-pointer – they found their shooting stroke in the second, hitting 4-of-6 from deep. For their part, the Sea Bears managed to push the pace and get the home squad to get away from their preferred playing style but were unable to take advantage hitting just nine of their 24 shots. “I thought our guys did a tremendous job,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said following the win. I thought they followed the plan and executed the plan really well. We had the little hiccup in the second quarter where we didn’t lock in defensively. But after that, we just locked in and did a good job making life really tough for their top three guys.” Those three players for Winnipeg – Tevian Jones, Jalen Harris and Simin Shittu – were held to 15, 11 and 11 points, respectively, though Shittu did finish with a franchise record 19 rebounds, just one behind the league record. Emmanuel Akot had 17 points and five rebounds, while Jaylin Williams had 15 and seven rebounds. “The first thing is giving credit to Ottawa” Seas Bears head coach Mike Taylor said. “Javonte was outstanding, they had a great team game. I felt like our defensive effort was inconsistent. I think that we did not pressure the ball and contain the ball like we needed to, and that gave them some easy baskets in transition that got them feeling good. It comes down to the things…on the road you have to work hard, defend, rebound – all the fundamental parts of the game. Today we were a little bit soft with that and Ottawa took advantage. Credit to them, they played a great team game. But especially from our starting five, we expect a little bit more defensive effort.” Winnipeg would make a passionate push early in the third quarter, scoring 14 consecutive points to cut a 58-41 lead down to just three. But Smart would take over once again and the BlackJacks pulled away for the rest of the game. “He’s a scorer. He’s a legitimate scorer,” DeAveiro said. “He’s done this consistently for four games. How many guys can do that consistently for four games when teams are prepping trying to stop you. We’re lucky to have him. He’s also unselfish and will pass the ball to find his teammates to get a good shot. You put two people on the ball to stop Javonte and you just throw it up and Isaih is athletic enough to go up and finish it. Javonte puts a lot of pressure on teams’ defenses, so you have to come up with strategies to defend Javonte. Any time they put two bodies on him, it’s either a lob up to Isaih or a kick out for a three.” Smart aside, there were a number of impressive performances from the home side. Isaih Moore had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Deng Adel had 14 points, and Tyrell Tate and Zane Waterman both chipped in with 11. The game was the 100th in the history of the BlackJacks, combing both regular season and postseason games. For a player like Adel, it’s been a great experience seeing the team grown, both on the court and off it, during his extended time with the club. “It’s been dope seeing the fanbase grow each year, people coming out and enjoying themselves,” Adel said. “It’s a great area, and it’s just fun to be a part of. Guys want to come here and play here which has been important, and it’s been good.” On top of being their fourth win in a row, it was also the BlackJacks second win over the Sea Bears this season. For the Sea Bears, it was their third straight loss, and second in as many games giving up 100 points. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600626 Up Next The Ottawa BlackJacks will travel to the prairies on July 5 to take on the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the first of their two meetings this season. The Winnipeg Sea Bears continue their three-game road trip as they take on the Niagara River Lions for the first time this season on July 4. Next CEBL action The Brampton Honey Badgers will host the Calgary Surge on July 3, 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 Winnipeg Sea Bears this afternoon, at 3 p.m. at TD Place. The BlackJacks currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, with a record of 5-6. The Sea Bears are in a similar position, with a 5-7 record and the fourth place spot in the Western Conference standings. Both Ottawa and Winnipeg find themselves just below .500 around halfway into the season, coming off of a rough start to the season and impressive runs in the last few weeks to throw themselves back into playoff contention. The Sea Bears went just 1-5 in their first five games, then stormed to a four-game winning streak to even up their record before losing their last two matchups to bring them to 5-7 on the year. The BlackJacks started out with an equally frustrating record of 2-6, but are riding a three-game winning streak which has nearly brought their record back to .500 on the season. After the BlackJacks most recent win, a 90-77 outing against the Montreal Alliance, Head Coach David DeAveiro spoke about the difference in energy that comes with stringing together wins: “Morale is good, but the expectation has been set…my job is to make sure we stay at that bar, and not let us play below of how we’re capable of playing.” That high bar has been set not only by strong performances from the BlackJacks team, but strong individual performances from new arrival Javonte Smart. In just three games, Smart has already achieved two of the top four scoring regular season games in BlackJacks history–he scored 32 on June 22 against the Brampton Honey Badgers, and 31 on Saturday against the Alliance. That offensive dominance has been a much-needed addition to a BlackJacks team that was looking for an offensive spark all season. “You’ve gotta have a ‘guy’ in this league, who, especially in Target Time, can get you a bucket–and that’s what he can do,” said DeAveiro on Smart’s late-game scoring. Smart is a natural bucket-getter who isn’t afraid of the moment, and that’s shown in his production during the CEBL’s Elam Endings. Against the Honey Badgers, he scored all nine of Ottawa’s target time points. Against the Alliance, he had four of their nine. Ottawa struggled in late-game scenarios earlier in the season, most notably blowing an 11-point lead in Target Time to the Niagara River Lions during their first game of the year. Adding a player who thrives in those types of situations solves that glaring issue immediately. “[Javonte] has been a big help for our team,” said BlackJacks guard Shakur Daniel, “with his scoring, he’s been helping us a lot–especially in Elam…it’s fun to watch him play.” Smart hasn’t been the only bright spot on Ottawa during this win streak, though–Daniel has started two of the team’s last three games, and has brought some seriously impressive individual defense with him. Daniel often takes on the task of guarding the opponent’s best players, and does a fantastic job of “cutting the head off of the snake” by minimizing their production. In his first start, Daniel slowed down the Scarborough Shooting Stars guard Cat Barber, who has the second-most points in CEBL history, holding him to just nine points on 27% from the field. The Honey Badgers’ top scorer, Quinndary Weatherspoon, averages 17.8 points per game on the season, but against Ottawa he was held to just three points on only five shots taken–he also fouled out in the third quarter. The Alliance’s top scorer in Tavian Dunn-Martin averages 17.2 points per game, but only scored nine points while shooting 18% from the field against the BlackJacks. “I’m happy with it–I love playing defense,” said Daniel when asked about his role as the team’s defensive leader, “I just love seeing my team get going. They motivate me to keep going on defense, and I’m motivating them to keep going as well.” Not only does Daniel enjoy playing team defense, but he takes pride in slowing down the opposing team’s best player: “As a basketball player, I’m a competitor. My mentality is that I don’t like anybody scoring on me…it’s been fun. I’ve been enjoying it every single night.” With Daniel at the helm of the team’s defense, Ottawa has turned into one of the best defensive teams in the CEBL. In their last three games, they’ve held each of their opponents to under 80 points–nine points below the league scoring average of 88.9. The BlackJacks now sit third in the CEBL in points allowed per game, with an average of just 86.0. That number falls to just 82.8 and the top-ranked defense when adjusted for the last five games. “You play defense, you win three games [in a row],” said DeAveiro, “they’re seeing that those things relate to each other.” The team defense will have to be especially elite against this Sea Bears team, who are a snake with three heads: forward Simi Shittu and guards Jalen Harris and Tevian Jones. All three of them average over 17 points per game. In Winnipeg’s last matchup against the Shooting Stars, those three scorers combined for 67 of the team’s 93 total points–slowing them down is absolutely the key to the game for the BlackJacks. The best way to take advantage of that offensively for Ottawa is to utilize their strong bench–while Winnipeg’s bench usually struggles to score 10 points per game, the BlackJacks are one of the deepest teams in the CEBL. With names like Zane Waterman, Tyrrel Tate, and Keevan Veinot suiting up off of the bench for the BlackJacks, those non-starter minutes will be crucial for Ottawa to build up a lead while Winnipeg’s big three are sitting off. “We don’t take a dropoff,” said DeAveiro, “our bench plays the same way [as the starters], they do the same things, and we’re fortunate enough to have really good players coming off of the bench.” The last time that Ottawa and Winnipeg matched up this season, neither Harris nor Shittu had suited up for the Sea Bears. Coach DeAveiro is aware that they’re a different team now, and has adjusted his defense: “We still have our base in terms of what we want to do defensively…we tinker here, we add some different things here. … When you add those two guys, you’re adding two guys that have been in NBA camps.” And so despite the individual impact that Daniel brings as a defender, he can only guard one of Winnipeg’s big three–that means team defense will be of the utmost importance in this matchup. With the likelihood being that Daniel will start the game guarding Harris, that leaves Shittu and Jones to provide a majority of the scoring for the Sea Bears. BlackJacks forward Deng Adel has the height and wingspan to help cover Jones, and center Isaih Moore has impressed with his interior defense–so those matchups will be important ones to focus on coming into this afternoon’s game. If the BlackJacks’ team defense can slow those three players down, it will no doubt make for Ottawa’s fourth straight win. 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For the third time in as many games, Javonte Smart showed exactly what he’s capable of doing on the basketball court. The former member of the Miami Heat made his home debut for the Ottawa BlackJacks (5-6) and gave the crowd something to cheer for, scoring 31 points to lead the team to a 90-77 victory over the Montreal Alliance (5-5). “I just let my work speak,” said Smart, who has combined for 86 points over his first three games with the club. “I’ve been working and I get the opportunity to show my game, and that’s what I’ve been doing: just showing what I can do. They brought me in with welcome arms. Nobody had an attitude, and we all joined together and we’re getting wins. I think winning solves everything, there’s no complaining. I think if we continue to win, everything will go smooth.” “I think everyone can see the impact he has,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said of his new star player. “Sometimes towards the end he gets a little tired because he’s playing a lot of minutes, and I think he’s still learning and trusting his teammates. But as he learns to trust his teammates a little more, I think he’ll grow and you’ll see an even better Javonte.” It was the away team that started off strong, dominating the paint to take an early 8-0 lead. Some clutch three-pointers from the BlackJacks would help close the gap, but the Alliance would hold on to a 28-22 advantage after the first quarter thanks to a 17-8 lead in rebounds and scoring 20 points in the paint. Ottawa would make some key adjustments during the break and begin to surmount a comeback early in the second. A pivotal 9-0 run capped by a Smart basket would give them a 41-40 lead, their first of the game, fueled by shooting 6-for-12 from beyond the arc in the first half. They kept their foot on the gas and took a 49-45 advantage into halftime and never looked back. “One of the things that team has is length,” DeAveiro said of the opposition. “They’re physical. They send four guys to the glass. We don’t play many teams that send that many guys to the glass. I think we got better as the game went along. I thought our rebounding got better. It’s just adjusting to that length and physicality. We held them to 49 points in three quarters. That’s amazing. That’s great defense. With all the missed boxouts and offensive rebounds, I felt as the game went on that we got better.” Tavian Dunn-Martin, one of the CEBL’s most dynamic players, was held to just nine points on 3-for-15 shooting from the field, though he chipped in with six rebounds and 12 assists. O.D Anosike led the Alliance with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Quincy Guerrier had 15 and Brandon Porter had 14 in his CEBL debut. “We need to give credit to Shakur (Daniel),” DeAveiro said of his teams ability to shut down the Alliance offence. “He’s out there guarding their best player, fighting through screens. He kind of sets the tone for us defensively, and you need a guy like that on your team. The last three games he’s guarded their best offensive players. It all starts with Shakur and everybody else can feed off of that. I think we’re just going to get better defensively, and soon the standard is going to be 75, because I’m greedy like that.” On top of his stellar defensive play, Daniel finished with six points and four steals. Isaih Moore had 21 points to go with eight rebounds and Zane Waterman chipped in with 12 off the bench. It was just the fourth time the BlackJacks had cracked the 90-point plateau this season. “We got to defend. I’ll keep it simple,” Guerrier said of himself and his teammates. “We have to get back to keeping teams under 90 points. I think all our losses were 89 points plus, so we have to find a way to be better defensively. It’s everybody. Everybody has to do their job. Guarding the ball is the most important thing. You don’t want them to penetrate with the ball and just kick it out. Obviously, you have to win your matchup one on one, but it’s a team effort and we have to do a better job.” It was another disappointing outcome for an Alliance team that started the season 5-0, but now finds themselves straddled with a 5-5 record. The BlackJacks, who sit immediately below the Alliance in the CEBL standings, have found themselves on the opposite trajectory, winning three straight and improving to 5-6. The teams play twice more this season. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600620 Up Next The Ottawa BlackJacks will celebrate Canada Day by welcoming the Winnipeg Sea Bears to TD Place for their second and final meeting of the season. The Montreal Alliance continue their three-game road trip with a Canada Day game against the Edmonton Stingers. Next CEBL action The Niagara River Lions head to Brampton for the second of four meetings between the quads this season, streaming live on CEBL+, TSN+ and NLSE. 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) are back home at TD Place to take on the Montreal Alliance this afternoon, at 3 p.m. This game acts as a homecoming for the BlackJacks, who are coming off of back-to-back road wins against the league’s two teams from the Greater Toronto Area–one against the Scarborough Shooting Stars, and one against the Brampton Honey Badgers. Those two wins bumped their record up to 4-6 on the season, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Alliance, on the other hand, have been on a bit of a skid in their recent games. Before their win against the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Sunday, Montreal had lost four straight–an unusual series of events considering they started off the season with four straight wins. They now sit in third in the East. These highs and lows make it difficult to predict the threat level that the Alliance pose to the BlackJacks this afternoon. The two teams don’t have much history against each other this season either. Back in May, the BlackJacks and the Alliance faced off in the CEBL’s Summer Classic: Canada’s first ever professional 5v5 game held outdoors. Unfortunately, the game had to be cancelled at halftime due to event staging issues caused by inclement weather–it was later announced that the game would be ruled as a no contest. As heartbreaking of a result as that was for the fans, the BlackJacks caught a lucky break by having the game cancelled –they were down 52-29 before the game was stopped. Montreal outmatched Ottawa during that game–but the one this afternoon is under far different circumstances. Both of the team’s rosters have made significant changes since they last met: the BlackJacks’ starting centre, Isaih Moore, was injured during that game, and rotation players like guards Javonte Smart and Keevan Veinot along with forward Zane Waterman had yet to appear with the team. The Alliance had yet to sign guard Tavian Dunn-Martin or forward O.D. Anosike, and have since released forward Dontay Bassett. Dunn-Martin is the most important name of that list for Montreal, as the 5’8” guard has led the team in points per game (18.3) and assists per game (6.6) this season, among players who have appeared in two or more bouts with the club. Anosike is another solid piece for the Alliance, scoring 13 points in his lone game so far this season, to go along with 10 rebounds and 4 assists. But the BlackJacks’ roster changes may have been even more impactful–Moore is fourth in the CEBL in rebounds per game this year (9.8), leading Ottawa while Smart is leading both Ottawa and the CEBL in points per game with 27.5. Smart especially has made a massive impact on the BlackJacks in their last few games–with him on the court, Ottawa looks like a completely different team. They’ve struggled in clutch situations this season, blowing multiple fourth-quarter and target time leads because they lacked a go-to scorer that can reliably create their own shot down the stretch. Smart has been just that for them. In the team’s last game against the Brampton Honey Badgers, he scored all nine of Ottawa’s points in target time, culminating with a contested isolation three to win the game. A player archetype like that is especially crucial for a team like the BlackJacks, who have been looking to improve in late game situations. Another spot that Smart has helped the team improve in is turnover rate. Although he himself has averaged a team-high 4.5 per game since he’s joined the roster, Ottawa has gone from averaging the third most turnovers per-game in the league (15.4) to being tied for the lowest in their last two games, with just 12.0. That level of statistical impact is incredibly telling of just how much Smart can help the team. BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro has been vocal about stopping turnovers in recent practices, and is incredibly happy with where the team has come, especially with Smart. “I think we’re in a good place right now,” he said, “Adding Javonte has definitely helped our team.” Smart, a player with two seasons of NBA experience, is grateful to be a part of the CEBL, “I think it’s a good league for the summer…I’m happy to be here.” Those words coming from somebody with four years of NBA Summer League experience means a whole lot. Smart’s signing to the team was announced whilst the team was on their road trip in Toronto, so most of his experience with the team so far has been solely during pregame warmups. He hasn’t yet built a foundational chemistry with his teammates, or his knowledge of the team’s playbook. He immediately got right to work though, creating friendships with the rest of the roster: “Everywhere I go, I attract people. I’m a good person…I came here with open arms, and [the team] welcomed me in.” With more time to practice comes a better understanding of the team’s systems, too. After practicing with the team for a few days, Smart is excited to make his home debut this afternoon. “I’m gonna put on a show for the fans,” he said when asked about his expectations for the matchup, “my foot won’t come off of the pedal.” Smart’s addition and integration to the team is just one of many new additions that weren’t there the last time these teams matched up–Moore, Veinot, and Waterman are also on that list. And to add to things, forward Deng Adel is returning to the team against Montreal after a two-game absence due to an illness. His accolades as the franchise’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, and assists speak for themselves. His presence will stack on yet another layer of talent to a BlackJacks roster that is already swimming in it. So look out for a much different outcome than the first half of the Summer Classic in this afternoon’s game. While both teams have made changes to their rosters since then, the BlackJacks’ changes may just be too much for the Alliance to handle. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

It’s safe to say the Javonte Smart experience in the CEBL has been a positive one so far. The import guard’s season-high 32 points lifted the Ottawa BlackJacks (4-6) to an 89-76 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers (3-8) at CAA Centre on Sunday afternoon. In just his second game playing for the nation’s capital, Smart not only led the game in scoring, he single-handedly carried Ottawa to victory by putting up all nine points required in Target Score Time. “It’s winning time, coach put the ball in my hands and told me to go get it,” Smart said post-game, moments after hitting his fourth and final triple to give the BlackJacks a second straight win for just the first time this season. Along with shooting 50 per cent from beyond the arc, he also chipped in a 10-of-11 effort from the free throw line to go with four rebounds and six assists. Behind Smart, Isaiah Moore put up a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Zane Waterman made his return to Brampton, doing so as an opponent for the first time in his CEBL career. The long-time Honey Badger finished with 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting from distance to go with four rebounds. On the other side, David Muenkat led the charge as he finished with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting (3-of-4 on three-pointers) to go with four rebounds, two steals and a block. Behind him was Marcus Carr, who chipped in 15 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench. “We just have to be better,” Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said after their two-game win streak was snapped. “I think we have all the right tools … we had spurts of it, but not consistently.” Meanwhile, Koby McEwen, who recently passed Waterman for the most points all-time in Honey Badgers franchise history, set another milestone on Sunday. His 14 points pushed him past the 1000-point mark, making McEwen just the seventh player in CEBL history to do so. The BlackJacks' offence may not have been the most productive this season — it entered the game bottom five in points (88.7) and made field goals (31.4) per game — it’s been fairly efficient, ranked fourth-best in that regard. A trend that continued through the opening frame on Sunday, as Ottawa shot 52 per cent from the field. The BlackJacks punctuated that effort with a 12-0 run to end the first quarter, finishing with a Shakur Daniel left-corner triple at the buzzer to give them a 26-21 lead. The Ajax, Ont. native’s late-clock heroics didn’t end there, however, as Daniel hit yet another buzzer-beater to once again cap off an Ottawa run, this time 7-0. His fading left-elbow jumper sent the BlackJacks into the break with a 49-42 advantage. Had it not been for that stretch to end the second quarter, things may have looked quite different for Ottawa as its offence cooled off to the tune of 39 per cent shooting in the first half. Meanwhile, Brampton had one of its best three-point shooting halves of the season, outpacing its per-game average (7.8) with eight first-half makes from distance on a 57 per cent clip. They’d finish with 11 triples on 42 per cent shooting. “I thought it was two teams grinding it out,” BlackJacks head coach David DeAveiro said after the win. “That’s something we talk about, being mentally tougher as we go along in the season.” Carr led that charge, not only holding down ball-handling duties while McEwen and Weatherspoon sat due to foul trouble, but also nailing three consecutive triples that had the game tied with less than a minute to go in the second before the BlackJacks' run. Meanwhile, aside from Daniel’s clutch shooting, it was Smart who was a catalyst for that Ottawa charge to end the half, as he finished with 17 points at the break, including eight in the second quarter and five straight as part of that difference-making run. Coming out of halftime, the Honey Badgers continued chipping into that deficit, to their credit. After their 8-2 run was outdone by a 12-2 BlackJacks charge midway through the third, they responded with another 7-2 run to cut what was once a 12-point deficit down to six, 67-61 after 30 minutes. Brampton’s surge could’ve been greater had it not been for their usual ball-security woes creeping back up. The Honey Badgers — leading the league with 17.6 turnovers per game — played a disciplined first half with just six giveaways, but had five turnovers in the third. They’d finish with nine in the second half for 15 total, as the BlackJacks built a 22-14 edge on those freebies. “We’re a team with pride, we compete,” Cassimy said when asked about his team’s push after halftime. “It’s just a matter of cleaning up the errors.” To make matters even more difficult, Brampton was without the services of Quinndary Weatherspoon for much of the second half after the guard fouled out midway through the third after picking up an offensive foul and technical foul in quick succession. Ottawa carried that six-point lead into Target Score Time (80-74) before Smart got to work. His scoring barrage began with some free throws, followed up by a pair of mid-range pull-ups and lastly a triple from the right corner as the BlackJacks took a 2-0 regular-season series lead over the Honey Badgers. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600614 Up Next The BlackJacks head back to the nation’s capital to host the Montreal Alliance on June 28 for the first of a two-game homestand. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers get a full week off before returning when they’ll host the defending champion Niagara River Lions for the second of four regular-season matchups. Next CEBL Action A jam-packed five-game slate continues on Sunday with the 2-8 Saskatchewan Rattlers aiming to end their four-game skid against the home Alliance at 3 p.m. ET. That game will be followed by a pair of Western Conference matchups — the Vancouver Bandits visiting the Calgary Surge in a battle between the West’s top seeds at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the Edmonton Stingers looking to end the Winnipeg Sea Bears' four-game win streak at 6 p.m. ET. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . 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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. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks

The game was over before Target Time. The addition of Ottawa’s Javonte Smart, Zane Waterman, and Keevan Veinot has put the league on notice. Ottawa is a force to be reckoned with even with Deng Adel out due to illness. Ottawa had two less turnovers than their 16.3 turnovers they averaged coming into this game. At halftime, they only had five. The BlackJacks seized control at several pivotal moments throughout the game. When Ottawa’s head coach Dave DeAveiro’s former university player David Walker made a nice crossover move and a beautiful scoop shot, it seemed like Scarborough was going to make a run. But Isaih Moore answered, and team captain Tyrrel Tate’s two triples built a 13- and 16-point buffer. “I thought his leadership was good today,” DeAveiro reflected on his team captain’s play today. “When it got kinda crazy a little bit, he settled us down with a big shot or going to the rim and getting a foul. So without his leadership, we’re not successful today.” More came in the second half. When Tate drew the foul in the third quarter, his two free throws gave Ottawa a 16-point lead. The biggest play came at the end of the third when Rudi Williams attacked the hoop, and kicked the ball out to Tate in the corner. Tate threw a pump-fake and stepbacked, but unable to find his shot, he whipped a cross-court pass to Justin Jackson whose shot was blocked. Moore got the ball, swung it to Tate who relocated to the top of the arc. His big three-point splash built the lead to 22 points. Waterman was also pivotal in building up the third quarter lead as he dropped buckets right after halftime. He made Scarborough pay for leaving him wide open by cashing in a triple. Then, he got into the Terquavion Smith-to-Cat-Barber passing lane and the ball touched Barber’s hand before going out of bounds. Ottawa regained possession, he attacked a closeout from the perimeter and made a lay-up to put Ottawa up 16. Going into the fourth, it was important for Ottawa to not get comfortable. They wanted to cement their lead after a 24-13 third quarter performance. “We’ve lost some close games and finishing out a game in the CEBL is one of the hardest things to do, especially with the Target Score ending,” said DeAveiro. “So it’s important for us to – we call it – ‘Stay Solid and Focus.’” Smith carried the bulk of Scarborough’s scoring in the third quarter. He had a game-high 32 points on 11-for-27 shooting. DeAveiro’s strategy to “keep making every shot difficult for him” seemed to work in the second half as the Shooting Stars relied heavily on iso basketball. “We didn’t have an assist in the second half, which is not really how we want to play,” lamented Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio. “We need to let the ball see multiple hands in a possession.” In the next game against the East’s best, Niagara River Lions, De Giorgio knows ball movement will be key. “We gotta move the ball. The ball’s gotta see different people, the ball’s gotta see two sides of the court,” he said. It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Scarborough, however. Towards the end of the first half, Scarborough seemed to gain momentum when Cat Barber threw a pass into Hason Ward for a bucket. Then, Joirdon Nicholas had a massive chase-down block, leading to a reverse lay-up by Barber. But Ottawa came out of halftime stronger, and Scarborough seemed to wither away, much as they did to Montreal in the previous game. Smith also had a highlight play in the first quarter that made play-by-play commentator Rod Black yell, “Nooo, he did not! Deep three from the popcorn stand!” After Smart’s deep three ball gave Ottawa a lead, Smith nailed a deep one of his own and drew the foul. Ottawa refused to cede its double-digit lead tonight and came out victorious. Three starters scored double-digits – Isaih Moore, Javonte Smart, and Zane Waterman. Tyrrel Tate led the bench with 15 points (total bench points: 34 points). Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600609 Up Next The Ottawa BlackJacks (3-6) head to CAA Centre to play the Brampton Honey Badgers (3-7) on Sunday, June 22. The Scarborough Shooting Stars (5-5) stay home and host the Niagara River Lions (7-3) at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on the same day. Next CEBL Action Tomorrow will be a break and the second quintuple-header of the season will be on Sunday. Aside from the two games mentioned above, the other three games will be Saskatchewan (2-8) versus Montreal (4-4) at Verdun Auditorium, Vancouver (8-2) versus Calgary (7-3) at WinSport Event Centre, and Winnipeg (5-5) versus Edmonton (5-6) at Edmonton EXPO Centre. There will be two more five-game days left in the season on August 8 and 10. 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) are back on the road tonight to take on the Scarborough Shooting Stars at 7:30 p.m. The BlackJacks enter this game with a record of 2-6, just half of a game ahead of the 2-7 Brampton Honey Badgers for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. The Shooting Stars, sit third in the East with a record of 5-4. Scarborough is coming off of a 28-point win against the No. 2 team in the East, the Montreal Alliance while Ottawa is carrying a four-game losing streak, culminating with their last game: a one point loss to the No. 1 team in the East, the Niagara River Lions. That loss was an especially tough pill to swallow for the BlackJacks, as they’ve found themselves on the wrong side of the coin against the River Lions a few too many times recently. In last year’s playoffs, the River Lions took the BlackJacks down in the Eastern Conference semifinals by just three points. In Ottawa’s first game this season, Niagara pulled off a 17-point comeback in target time to snag a two-point win. Combine those two losses with the most recent one, and the River Lions have really been the thorn in the BlackJacks’ side recently. “We’re devastated,” said BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro when asked about the loss, “that was a game that we had right in our grasp, and we let it get away.” Ottawa had a six-point leading during the fourth quarter of that game, but once again allowed Niagara to fight back. DeAveiro has been vocal all season about the team’s need to improve in late-game situations, but emphasized it even more than usual coming off of this specific loss: “We have to find a way to get over this ‘hump’, where we’re in a situation to be really successful and we let it slip away. We’ll keep addressing that through tape, and we’ll get better.” A huge key to keeping those fourth-quarter leads for Ottawa is to prevent turnovers. They sit third in the CEBL in turnovers per game, with 16.3. Those turnovers not only take away a chance for the BlackJacks to score, but give easy opportunities to their opponents to score on the other end–something that can change the momentum of games. “We’re basically beating ourselves,” said DeAveiro, “that’s what we’ve been saying, is, ‘Make teams beat us. Let’s not beat ourselves.” The Shooting Stars will be a great test for whether or not the BlackJacks have improved their ball control, as they’re one of the premiere teams in the league when it comes to live-ball defense. They sit third in the CEBL in steals per-game (9.1) and first in the league in blocks per-game (5.7). If Ottawa can prevent Scarborough from scoring off of turnovers, especially against such a strong defensive team, it will be proof enough that they’re a team to be afraid of in this league. The BlackJacks are only getting scarier, too. Against Niagara, new signee Zane Waterman played his first game with the team. Now against Scarborough, they’ll introduce two more players who have yet to touch the court this year–returning guard Keevan Veinot and first-time CEBL player Javonte Smart. Waterman showed out in his first game: he finished with 16 points in just 18 minutes off of the bench against the River Lions, to go along with eight rebounds. His grit and effort has been praised repeatedly by his teammates, who have only played with him for a week’s time. “I think he’s still capable of more once our guys get to know him a little better,” said DeAveiro. Waterman and Veinot played together on the 2022 Hamilton Honey Badgers, winning the CEBL championship–they have a strong friendship, and are excited to have reunited on the BlackJacks. “That’s the beauty of basketball,” said Veinot when asked about reuniting with Waterman, “you make lifelong friendships. I’m looking forward to playing with him again.” Veinot’s chemistry with Waterman will no doubt be impactful for the BlackJacks, but his individual play is nothing to scoff at either. Veinot started in 13 of his 17 contests with the team last season, averaging 12.2 points per-game to go along with 5.0 assists–good for third on the team. With the release of guard Matt Coleman III, Veinot can slot right in as the team’s starting point guard and use his playmaking ability to help the BlackJacks win some games. The way Veinot described his play is exactly how a team would want a point guard to describe themselves: “I’ll shoot the ball, I’ll share it, looking to get guys the ball in their spots and trying to make a more effective offense.” Javonte Smart is also a point guard, but acts more as a scorer. The former Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers guard loves to shoot the ball. He averaged 20.3 points per-game for the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League in the 2022-23 season, shooting the three at a 40% rate. In December of 2023, he scored 40 points on 10 made threes in one game. The microwave that is Smart will add yet another boost to Ottawa’s offense–one that will hopefully improve their ability to stay solid late in games, and prevent turnovers. While the BlackJacks have added new players, the Shooting Stars have swapped out one of their stars for another. Guard Donovan Williams is currently away from the team, participating in potential NBA team workouts. In his place, they’ve signed guard Terquavion Smith, who March Madness fans may recognize from his time on North Carolina State Wolfpack teams from 2021 through 2023. Smith scored 26 points in his first game with the Shooting Stars on June 18 and he’ll act as quite an effective replacement for Williams, who before his departure was leading the CEBL in points per-game with 25.5. It will be a battle tonight to see which team’s offense operates the best: the Shooting Stars with Smith freshly at the helm or the BlackJacks with Waterman, Veinot, and Smart all playing in one of their first two games. If the BlackJacks can limit turnovers against the Shooting Stars’ strong defense, they’ll likely take the win thanks to their new offensive firepower. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks