SURGE AND BANDITS MEET IN WESTERN CONFERENCE CLASH
The Calgary Surge and Vancouver Bandits will each look to build off recent victories when they tip off at 7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET Friday night at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary.
Live coverage of the game is available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+, and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. It will also be televised on Game+ in Canada and NLSE in the United States.
The contest marks the second of three matchups in 2024 with the Bandits cruising to a 100-74 win over the Surge last Saturday in Vancouver. It’s also another re-match of the 2023 CEBL semifinals, where the Surge emerged with a 77-75 win.
Calgary hasn’t been able to replicate last season’s success quite yet. The reigning Western Conference Champions started the 2024 CEBL campaign at 0-3, before defeating the Saskatchewan Rattlers 102-85, Wednesday night, for their first win of the season.
Just two players from last year’s team have suited up for the Surge so far this season – Sean Miller-Moore and Justin Jackson. Miller-Moore, a 2023 CEBL All-Canadian honouree, has once again led the Surge.
The Thornhill, Ontario native ranks fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 20.8 points. He poured in a game-high 27 points (12-18 FG) Wednesday night, captaining Calgary to its first win of the season.
The Surge will need another big performance from Miller-Moore if they hope to build off Wednesday’s win.
Vancouver, meanwhile, has started the year strong and sit atop the standings with a 4-1 record.
The Bandits are averaging 92.4 points per game (third in the CEBL) and have one of the most balanced offences thus far, with four players averaging at least 15.0 points.
This is largely thanks to offseason addition Taze Moore, a 6-foot-5 guard who spent the majority of the 2023-24 NBA season with Portland’s G League affiliate, Rip City Remix. Moore has been a main facilitator in Vancouver’s offence early on this season and is averaging 7.0 assists, which ranks second in the CEBL.
Vancouver has also seen major contributions from other new signees Zach Copeland (19.4 ppg) and Koby McEwen (17.8 ppg), as well as returning Bandit Nick Ward (19.4 ppg).
Key matchup
A deciding factor in this western conference clash may come on the glass.
The Bandits rank third in the CEBL in rebounds (43.0 per game), while the Surge haul in just 34.5 per contest (eighth in the league).
Vancouver is also the league-leader in total offensive rebounds, having collected 62 this season. Forwards Nick Ward and James Karnik both rank top-five in the CEBL in total offensive rebounds and together have combined for 30 of Vancouver’s 62 on the year.
Calgary will look to Canadians Matt Grace and Mathieu Kamba to mitigate the Bandits’ presence on the glass. Grace collected a team-high eight rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Saskatchewan, while Kamba leads the Surge in rebounding (6.5 per game), despite standing at just 6-foot-5.
Milestone watch
● Calgary’s Duvivier needs three three-pointers to reach 100 for his career, regular season only.
● Vancouver’s McEwen needs eight three-point field goals to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
- 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.