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

Has appeared in 18 NBA games for Milwaukee, Miami and Philadelphia

Limited early in the game thanks to foul trouble, Khalil Ahmad did what he seemingly always does and turned it on when it mattered most. The 2022 CEBL MVP scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Target Time to lead his team to a 90-89 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. Ahmed Hill and Nathan Cayo added 13 points each, with the former adding nine rebounds and the latter grabbing five boards and dishing out five assists. “I thought that he was bound to get going,” Niagara head coach Victor Raso said of his star player. “But we just couldn’t get him any minutes because he was getting into foul trouble and then he picked up his third and fourth with six and a half minutes to go in the third quarter. So, we put him in with eight minutes left and were trying to take him out on defensive possessions, but he just stuck with it. Khalil is a very good player in this league, and it’s a frustration experience for him and to play against him because he is so physical. I was proud that he kept his composure down the stretch and ultimately made the free throw for the win.” “Sometimes I do want to use him as a decoy. I have those thoughts of, “Okay, let’s go somewhere else’. But then I’m like, ‘You’re an idiot. Khalil scores all the time’. He didn’t score all the points in target time, but he did have the ball in his hands and he was making good decisions. Can I use him somewhere else or do I just get him the ball? He tends to get things done.” The River Lions came out hot and finished the first quarter with a 30-14 lead, thanks largely to their 14 rebounds and holding the BlackJacks to 5-of-16 from the field. Ottawa answered strongly in the second quarter, going on a 24-16 run to cut the lead to as little as six before Niagara went into halftime up 51-44. “We just changed a few things on defense,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said post game. “Sometimes as coaches you complicate things when you don’t need to. Just kept in simple in the second half and guys really stepped up and played a lot harder. We made the change, and I thought our guys did a tremendous job.” Despite the disappointing outcome, of number of players on the BlackJacks had standout performances. Isaih Moore had 23 points – including 15 in the second quarter – and added 16 rebounds, finishing one shy of the team regular season record in his first game since suffering an injury on May 21. Rudi Williams had 14 points off the bench and Tyrell Tate went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc to finish with 12. In his first start of the season, Justin Jackson finished just shy of a double-double, with seven points and nine rebounds. Zane Waterman made his BlackJacks debut Sunday afternoon after spending the previous three seasons with the Honey Badgers franchise, winning a title in 2022. He impressed the coaching staff with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench. “Zane adds a toughness, you saw of that today on the rebounding, and some shooting that we needed,” DeAveiro said of his new additions. “The hard part is figuring out the rule where you can only play three imports at a time and juggling that and making that work. You saw; three games on the road without (Moore). Maybe if he plays in those games it’s a different outcome. He’s just an impact guy like that. Having him back – and the addition of Waterman – will only make us better.” “It was nice to play with these guys,” Waterman said of his new squad. “I’ve played against them for three years and I really like their game, so it was nice to play with them for once. Came up short, but we played a really good game. It could have gone either way. It’s a credit to these guys. They helped me fit in well. Some nights it’s going to be your night. Tonight it was for me personally, but I wish we could have got the win.” The BlackJacks continued to crawl back into the game, going on a 16-4 run at the end of the third to close the gap to one. A Waterman basket at the 8:10 mark of the fourth quarter saw the team take their first lead of the game, a lead they would extend to as much as eight before being up 81-76 going into Target Time. But unfortunately for the home team, things played out much like they did when the squads faced each other in Ottawa’s season opener. “Something we’ve been preaching out here is that we have to get better at Target Time,” Moore said. “We got to finish games. He have to finish basketball games. We have to get better at finishing games.” “It’s a rivalry,” he added. “Last three games against Niagara have all been decided by three points. The lob from Khalil Ahmed last year, lost by two at the start of the year, and now lost by one. It doesn’t get closer than one point in this game. There’s no ties. Now we have to win. Three points, two points, one point; we have to win. It’s always going to be a good game against Niagara, it’s always going to be hard fought game to the end like that. But we have to get a win. One point. That hurts. I’m going to think about that all day.” The win improved Niagara to 2-0 in Ottawa this season. The BlackJacks fell to 1-2 at home on the year. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600588 Up Next The Ottawa BlackJacks hit the road once again to face the Scarborough Shooting Stars on June 20. On the same day, the River Lions will return to Niagara to host the Montreal Alliance. Next CEBL Action On June 18, the Montreal Alliance will host the Scarborough Shooting Stars, streaming on Game+, 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 reigning CEBL champion, Niagara River Lions in a Father’s Day matchup this afternoon, at 2 p.m. Ottawa enters this game coming off of six away matches in row, the last three of which were on a road trip out west to face the Vancouver Bandits, Calgary Surge, and Edmonton Stingers–the BlackJacks finished that stretch of games with an unfortunate record of 0-3. Those losses bring their official record to 2-5 on the season, just a game ahead of the Brampton Honey Badgers for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. The River Lions sit second in the East with a record of 5-3. Looking deeper into why those three straight losses happened for Ottawa, it’s clear that all of the time on the road affected the team. Living out of a suitcase and in an unfamiliar city is tiring enough, and adding three games in just five days on top of that was bound to exhaust the players. “We got ourselves into a situation going into every fourth quarter where we were right there to compete,” said BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro, “I think fatigue was part of it.” Ottawa found themselves within at least five points during the fourth quarter of all three of those road games–but the tiring nature of being away from home got to the players, and Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton all went on scoring runs to end the games. So being back at TD Place was a relief for DeAveiro, nearly a month after their last home game. Coming home to Ottawa isn’t the only breath of fresh air for the BlackJacks in this game, though–newly arrived forward Zane Waterman will play his first game with the team this afternoon and forward Isaih Moore has finally returned from injury after missing the entire stretch of away games on concussion protocol. After going through the infamous recovery process that comes with a concussion, Moore is thrilled to be back on the court: “I was in the dark for weeks–I’m very happy to be back on the court. I can’t even explain that,” he said when asked about his recovery. The rest of the team will be equally excited about his return. During his two games played this season, Moore averaged 17.0 points per game, good for the second best mark on the team. He also made his presence known on the glass, where he averaged 3.0 offensive rebounds per game (first on the team) and 6.0 total rebounds per game (second on the team). It’s easy to see just how much impact Moore brings to the table. “We missed [Isaih],” said DeAveiro, “we missed that energy and that athleticism on the road trip.” Coming back onto the court after sitting on the sidelines for so long also gives Moore the ability to bring a new perspective to the team, by watching from afar, he made a few takeaways about how the team can improve for the rest of the season. “Sticking together during times of adversity,” he said when asked about where the team could improve, “I think that’s what builds the true character of the team.” Pushing through times of adversity was definitely a struggle for the BlackJacks during the road trip. All of those poor fourth quarter performances could be attributed to fatigue, but staying solid in tense situations was an apparent issue in those moments as well that the team needs to work on. With Moore’s return and his new perspective, the BlackJacks’ resilience can hopefully improve. The team gave a perfect example of struggling under pressure during their first matchup against the River Lions this season, where they gave up a 17-point lead during target time to lose the game, 87-85. That loss only added to the brewing rivalry between these two teams. After a loss in the CEBL quarterfinals to the River Lions in the 2024 playoffs, the BlackJacks have had their hearts broken by Niagara a few too many times. “Everybody is definitely ready for the game [today],” said Moore, “it’s definitely always a game when we play Niagara. Everybody’s locked in.” Both squads enter this anticipated matchup with a new-look roster compared to their last meeting. The River Lions have added a number of players who join the team after having finished their professional seasons overseas, including forward Nathan Cayo, guard Jahvon Blair, and most importantly 2022 CEBL MVP Khalil Ahmed. Ahmed leads the league in points per game this season with 26.3, as well as free throws made per game with 7.8. His scoring ability will be a huge addition to the River Lions’ already strong roster. But the BlackJacks made some changes, too–the aforementioned Waterman brings not just immense talent to the team but also some much needed championship experience. Waterman took home the CEBL championship in 2022, playing alongside the then-named Hamilton Honey Badgers alongside fellow current 2025 BlackJacks signee, Keevan Veinot. That experience will be massive in helping out a struggling Ottawa team that’s still looking to reach its first CEBL Finals as a franchise. It will come in extra handy against Niagara, a team full of veterans coming off of a championship just last season. “Anything I can do to help us win games,” said Waterman when asked how he could help the team. That statement is a perfect description of Waterman’s all-around playing style–he averaged 15.9 points per game last season for the Honey Badgers, leading the team. He also sat second on the team in rebounds per game with 6.0, and three point percentage at .370 Waterman joined the BlackJacks at practice just two days ago, but feels comfortable with his transition into the team’s system. “With basketball, everything’s the same when you’ve played for so many years,” said the three-year CEBL veteran, “it’s like riding a bike. I’ll get in rhythm soon, and these [teammates] will make it easy for me.” With Waterman’s confidence in a strong start from himself, his championship experience and all-around game will no doubt prove impactful against the experienced River Lions. Add in Moore’s return, and the team’s first home game in nearly a month, and the BlackJacks must be feeling optimistic coming into this afternoon’s Father’s Day game–especially against a rival team like the River Lions. 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It rained triples in Edmonton on Tuesday. The Stingers used a flurry of three-pointers to snap a two-game skid and beat the Ottawa BlackJacks 93-74 on Tuesday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Edmonton improved to 3-5 with the win, while Ottawa fell to 2-5. Scottie Lindsey led the way for the Stingers with a breakout 23-point performance, including 18 by halftime. He added nine rebounds and five steals. In all, the Stingers shot 50 per cent from beyond the arc after entering the game fourth leaguewide at 34 per cent. “You put yourself in a great position to win basketball games, but I think it was the quality of our shots. We’d struggled a little bit with too much isolation in the last couple, so it was great to see us get to the paint, share the basketball and get open looks for each other,” Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said. Edmonton entered Target Score Time up 83-69 after a 13-3 run, and its strong shooting continued with the clock stopped. Mason Bourcier scored his first points as a Stinger with a three-pointer to get things going, Lindsey knocked one down to put Edmonton within three, and the Stingers salted away the win after layups from Sean East II and Keon Ambrose-Hylton. “Guys executed, guys played hard, we had lots of contributions top to bottom. So we’re certainly happy but we’re not satisfied,” Baker said. East II finished the game with 20 points and six assists, while Ambrose-Hylton added 13 points and eight rebounds and Elijah Miller contributed 12 points off the bench. Miller, of Rexdale, Ont., said it was a “great win.” “It’s gonna take time during the season, but as the games go on we’re definitely starting to click,” he said. Lindsey, the 29-year-old Illinois native, came to Edmonton after a year with Winnipeg last season in which he shot 42.1 per cent from the field en route to 13.5 points per game. But while he was still at 13 per game as a Stinger to start this season, his field-goal percentage had slumped to 30.4. Lindsey busted out of that slump in a big way on Tuesday. “When he lets the game come to him, he’s pretty damn good offensively. We try to put him in some spots, but he did a good job moving away from the ball and we found him early and often. And when he gets going, he really gets going,” Baker said. For Ottawa, meanwhile, the loss marked its third straight as it remains fourth in the Eastern Conference. Justin Jackson came off the bench to lead the BlackJacks with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Meshack Lufile (11 points) and Christian Rohlehr (10 points) were the only other scorers in double digits. Head coach Dave DeAveiro said his team kept things close through three quarters but struggled to close — an emerging trend during the losing streak. He added that the BlackJacks need “mental toughness” to snap out of it. “I find when things are not going our way, that’s when we’re not at our best,” DeAveiro said. Ottawa captain Tyrrel Tate notched nine points and five rebounds. He said the team is still learning each other’s tendencies while awaiting some players who have yet to debut. “We’re just trying to build some chemistry within the guys we have now. I think we’ve grown in a lot of areas but we still have a lot of growing room to go so just learn from this, watch the film, get ready to take care of business when we get back home,” Tate said. The BlackJacks’ Miyrne Thomas appeared to injure his shoulder during the third quarter and did not return. The Stingers led 25-23 after the first quarter on the strength of five-for-eight shooting from three-point range. Edmonton’s lead ballooned to 50-44 by halftime as the threes kept falling. In the third quarter, the Stingers finally gained some separation, but a late run by the BlackJacks cut Edmonton’s lead to just four points entering the final frame. Yet the Stingers responded, built a double-digit lead and cruised through Target Score Time. Now, Edmonton sports fans will turn their focus to the Stanley Cup Final, where the hope is that the Oilers make like the Stingers and earn a bounce-back victory of their own. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600598 Up Next Both teams face the Niagara River Lions in their next game — the Stingers visit Niagara on Friday, while the BlackJacks host the reigning champions on Sunday. Next CEBL Action The 500th game in league history, including playoffs, takes place Wednesday when the Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Montreal Alliance. 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 Edmonton Stingers tonight at 9 p.m. ET in their seventh game this season. Ottawa enters this matchup with a less-than-ideal record of 2-4. Their last two games have both been losses to the Vancouver Bandits and Calgary Surge respectively. Although back-to-back losses are a difficult thing to swallow, the BlackJacks should be proud of their play in both games. Both the Bandits and the Surge are top teams in the league, holding current records of 7-1 and 6-2 respectively. The BlackJacks were within reach of beating both teams–the game was tied in the fourth quarter against Calgary, and they even held the lead during the fourth against Vancouver. Making these games exciting is something the BlackJacks should be proud of, especially considering how long they’ve been away from home. This game against Edmonton will be the sixth straight road game for the BlackJacks (including their matchup against Montreal which was postponed at halftime due to technical issues). The last time the team even practiced at home was June 4–nearly a week prior to tonight’s game. Playing in an away environment for one game is hard enough–the visiting crowd can get in a team’s head, any time zone changes (which there are from Ottawa to Western Canada), an unfamiliar living accommodation like a hotel, and many more factors can heavily influence a team’s performance on the road. Combine all of those factors into six straight games, and there’s a massive impact on players. BlackJacks Head Coach David DeAveiro emphasized the difficulty of a long road trip for the team. “We’re really going to have to be aware of these guys and their bodies, how tired they are, and making sure that they’re getting all of the rest that they need. It’s a tough stretch.” The time away from home wasn’t the only thing affecting the BlackJacks, though–they were also missing some important players. The team’s starting center Isaih Moore has been day-to-day with an injury since their second game of the season. Furthermore, the team is without multiple CEBL veterans who are busy finishing up their spring seasons overseas. Recognizable league names such as Keevan Veinot, Tevin Brown, Zane Waterman, and Nikola Djogo are all signed to the roster but are yet to join the BlackJacks. So with a long road trip on their plates and a plethora of important players missing, Ottawa should be impressed with their competitiveness against two strong teams in Vancouver and Calgary. That competitiveness should translate well against the Stingers, who have a much less intimidating record of just 2-5. Coming off of a 22-point loss to the Montreal Alliance, the Stingers have yet to beat a team with a record better than their own this season. Although the Stingers are still absolutely capable of putting up a fight (they lost to the Surge by just two earlier this year), taking on a team with a worse record than their own will be a breath of fresh air for a BlackJacks team dealing with a long trip on the road and some important players missing. The Stingers are also a great match for the BlackJacks in terms of playing style, which will be an additional help for Ottawa to gain back some winning momentum. Edmonton is the worst defensive team in the CEBL, giving up 95.1 points per-game to their opponents. As Ottawa scores the fourth-most points per-game in the league with 88.7, signs are pointing in the direction of a high-scoring night for the BlackJacks. A lot of that scoring for Ottawa comes from the bench. Against Calgary, three different players had nine points off of the pine including guard Rudi Williams and forwards Justin Jackson and Christian Rohlehr. Those players led the BlackJacks’ bench unit and made a massive impact. The starters weren’t able to hold off the Surge’s scoring–each one finished the game with a +/- of -13 or lower. The bench players, meanwhile, had a lowest +/- of just -3 and a highest of +7. Those on-off numbers are incredibly telling of just how deep and talented the BlackJacks’ team already is. And they’ll need to continue to impress, as the Stingers’ top bench scorer Aaron Rhooms is a difficult challenge to face. Rhooms has averaged 9.0 points per-game in just 12.5 minutes per-game this season, shooting a blistering hot 55.6% from the field. His scoring leads the Stingers’ bench, so slowing him down will be a necessity for the BlackJacks’ bench if they want to maintain their impact. Rhooms is a player for Coach DeAveiro at Toronto Metropolitan University, so DeAveiro knows what his BlackJacks team is going up against: “Aaron is a prolific scorer. He’s shown in the minutes that he’s played this year that he’s able to score at this level.” Despite the connection, though, DeAveiro isn’t focused on his student-athlete as the main threat on this Stingers team. “I’m happy and I’m proud of Aaron,” he remarked, “but we’re not playing Aaron. We’re playing the Edmonton Stingers, so he’s just another piece of the puzzle that we’ll have to prepare for.” And DeAveiro may be correct. Although Rhooms is a talented scorer, Edmonton has an even more talented player in their starting lineup that could give Ottawa some trouble. Guard Sean East II leads the Stingers in points per-game with 24.6, a number which also ranks third in the entire CEBL. His ability to score efficiently directly impacts Edmonton’s chances at winning. In the last two games that they played against Vancouver, Edmonton lost one by 30 and one by just nine. East II scored just 16 when they lost by 30, but exploded for 27 when they lost by nine. A statistic like that is more than enough proof for the BlackJacks that stopping East II is the BlackJacks’ most important factor in winning the game tonight. A likely one-on-one matchup for the BlackJacks to throw at East II would be one of forwards Miryne Thomas or Deng Adel. The two have taken turns guarding the opposing team’s best players, especially when they’re tall guards–which is a mold that the 6-3 East II fits into. Adel is more focused on a team effort to stop East II’s scoring, though. “I think [the priority] is just team defense,” said Adel, “making sure everybody is in gaps, making sure you’re not allowing guys to be left on an island by themselves…I think we’re going to hold our own in that aspect.” With Adel or Thomas guarding East II, and the overall team defense of the BlackJacks focusing on stopping East II’s scoring, The Stinger’s offense should be slowed to a halt. Combine that with Ottawa’s high scoring against Edmonton’s poor defense, and it creates a recipe for success for the BlackJacks tonight. Interact with us on social media: Instagram: ottawablackjacks X: Ott_BlackJacks Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks TikTok: ottawablackjacks