RATTLERS LOOK FOR REVENGE, MAINTAIN PERFECTION AT HOME AGAINST SURGE

Two of the league’s top guards are set to clash tonight as the Calgary Surge (3-5) kick off a six-game road trip in Saskatchewan against the Rattlers (5-3) at 7:30 p.m. CST / MT at the SaskTel Centre.

The game will be available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+, and the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.

The Surge, fresh off a 12-point victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Sunday, beat the Rattlers 102-85 in their first meeting of the season back on June 5. Sean Miller-Moore, who scored a game-high 27 points, dished out eight assists and outdid his counterpart, Jalen Harris, on the evening. Harris, the CEBL’s second leading scorer with 27.3 points per game, had 23 points and five threes, but shot only 33 per cent from inside the arc in that contest.

Miller-Moore, who is averaging over 17 points and six rebounds per game in his second season with Calgary, got help from three other starters that recorded double figures in points.

Malcolm Duvivier also chipped in with 18 points off the bench, going seven of nine from the field and knocking down four three pointers. The former Vancouver Bandit is averaging a little more than 12 points in roughly 21 minutes off action in largely a reserve role this season.

Although Miller-Moore’s Surge got the better of Saskatchewan a few weeks ago, the Rattlers have won two of their last three games — highlighted by a 104-93 victory over Brampton last Wednesday that saw Harris set the CEBL’s new all-time record for most points in a single game (45).

“Tonight was one of those nights,” Harris said after the game that saw him score 45 points on 27 shots.

The victory over the Honey Badgers also kept Saskatchewan a perfect 4-0 at home this season.

And even though it may seem like Harris does it all for the Rattlers, Saskatchewan has an impressive supporting cast that is among the league leaders in many statistical categories.

Grant Basile, specifically, has stood out in his first CEBL campaign. The Virginia Tech product, who has represented the Italian national team and made his professional debut in Italy last season, is nearly averaging a double-double with 16 points and 8.7 rebounds per game through six appearances this season. The 6-foot-9 big man is also averaging 50 per cent from deep, knocking down 13 of his 26 triples as a Rattler, and blocking nearly two shots per game.

However, he was held to only seven points and no three pointers in Saskatchewan’s last meeting with Calgary.

Three of the league’s top five players in minutes played — Harris, Miller-Moore and Corey Davis Jr. — are also going to be involved in tonight’s game.

This will be the second of three meetings between Saskatchewan and Calgary this season. Their next matchup will take place in a little under one month, July 14, back at the SaskTel Centre.

After tonight’s game, the Surge will stop off in Edmonton for the second leg of their season-long road trip on Sunday. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, will travel to Winnipeg for a date with the Sea Bears on Saturday.

Matchup to watch

Anytime you have a CEBL All-Canadian in Sean Miller-Moore take on a guard like Jalen Harris, fresh off the league’s scoring record, it is a matchup to keep an eye on.

But outside of that battle, it should be worth monitoring the battle in the paint, as Calgary outscored Saskatchewan 44-34 in the paint and shot nearly 20 percentage points better than the Rattlers on two-point field goals in the 17-point victory.

- CEBL -

About the CEBL

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.