This article is also available in French.
Scarborough Shooting Stars vs Winnipeg Sea Bears Preview
The Winnipeg Sea Bears welcome the Scarborough Shooting Stars to the Canada Life Centre on May 24. Scarborough enters this season looking to defend the Canadian Elite Basketball League championship. It will be the Shooting Stars’ first game since their victory over the Calgary Surge in last season’s CEBL final.
The Sea Bears come into 2024 looking to build on an underwhelming end to last season. They bowed out in the play-in round, following an 87-81 loss to the Edmonton Stingers. Winnipeg will look to gain early momentum by defeating the defending champions.
Scarborough Shooting Stars vs Winnipeg Sea Bears Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Scarborough defied the odds to lift the CEBL Championship Trophy last season. The Shooting Stars finished third in the Eastern Conference to squeeze into the play-ins. They had just the fifth-best win percentage of the eight teams in the playoff picture and faced a daunting run to the final.
They completed a 98-74 rout of the Brampton Honey Badgers in the Eastern play-ins. The first period ended with the Honey Badgers ahead 19-18, though it would be their lone winning quarter. The Shooting Stars would go on score freely while defending their rim well. Cat Barber put on a spectacular show that day with a game-leading 32 points.
The point guard would frequently be Scarborough’s talisman throughout that playoff run. He led their scoring charts for all but one game throughout. On their way to the final, they completed narrow, hard-fought victories over seeds one and two respectively, the Ottawa Blackjacks and the Niagara River Lions.
They entered the final as underdogs in the sports betting markets, facing the top-seeded team in the West, the Calgary Surge. However, Chris Exilus’ team dominated the game to take the trophy to Scarborough. Barber showed his class once again, recording a game-leading 23 points. Isiaha Mike chipped in with an equally impressive nine rebounds and seven assists. They became the first-ever CEBL side to enter the playoffs through the play-in games and win the final.
Winnipeg had a poor end to a strong regular season. Fans may have some reason to feel aggrieved toward league officials. Despite finishing second in the Western Conference with the tied-second-best win percentage in the league, they had to enter via the play-in games. The league’s updated format saw it split into two conferences, with the hosts of the championship weekend qualifying automatically. As hosts, the Vancouver Bandits finished fourth, which meant that the teams who finished second and third would take what would have been the Bandits’ spot in the play-in games. The Sea Bears lost to Edmonton in that fixture to end their playoff run early.
Despite bowing out, there was still plenty to be happy about in Winnipeg. The Sea Bears roster took home several solo honours. Guard, Teddy Allen, claimed the league’s Most Valuable Player award. He averaged 27.6 points per game with a shooting split of 48/36/80. He also averaged a team-high eight rebounds, great numbers for a guard.
Simon Hildebrandt enjoyed a great rookie season in the CEBL. The Sea Bears drafted the hometown forward first overall and made good on the promise he showed in college. He claimed the U Sports Player of the Year award. Jelani Watson-Gayle picked up the Sixth Man of The Year award, while coach Mike Taylor claimed the all-important Coach of The Year title. Although the season ended earlier than Sea Bears fans hoped, they can look back with pride. They finished rock bottom the season prior and worked tremendously to turn their fortunes around.
However, their season opener in 2024 did not go to plan. They travelled to Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre to face the Saskatchewan Rattlers on May 22, losing 94-86. An end-to-end first half saw Winnipeg down by just five points and within touching distance. However, a poor third period left them a mountain to climb, scoring just 14 points to Saskatchewan’s 21. There were still bright spots for Winnipeg, namely the performance of league MVP Teddy Allen. He rallied to bring Winnipeg within six in the fourth quarter. The Phoenix-born guard ended the game on an impressive double-double with 40 points and 11 rebounds. New signing Darius Days made his first appearance for the Sea Bears, capping off a strong debut with 16 points and eight rebounds. The loss was disappointing but there were enough compelling, individual performances to encourage Winnipeg fans.
These teams last met on June 2, 2023, at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in a shootout. Winnipeg edged past the Shooting Stars 98-93. Teddy Allen completed a staggering double-double, with 42 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Harris and Cat Barber scored 25 and 24 respectively for Scarborough. Thomas Kennedy got a double-double in just 24 minutes with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Scarborough Shooting Stars vs Winnipeg Sea Bears Predictions
Correct score prediction: Scarborough 90-95 Winnipeg
This game will be an early look at two of the favourites for the CEBL championship. Basketball betting odds have Scarborough at 5/1 to claim the trophy again in 2025. Winnipeg is close behind in the betting at 13/2. This fixture was a bucket fest last season, and we predict the same again. Winnipeg will have the home advantage and should have enough to outscore the CEBL champions.
Teddy Allen will remain with Winnipeg in 2024 and after his 42-point game in this fixture last year, he will be the danger man. His ability to shoot from range proved a consistent problem for the Shooting Stars. Allen is likely to put up a bulk of Winnipeg’s points here.
However, Winnipeg has lost two important players in the off-season. EJ Anosike and last year’s Sixth Man award winner, Watson-Gayle, will not play in the CEBL this season. Both players have opted out following the end of their one-year contracts. Watson-Gayle will be the biggest loss to the Sea Bears. His scoring from the bench contributed heavily to their excellent regular season.
Scarborough will be without Isiaha Mike this season. The power forward was integral to their playoff run and final win, claiming the Final MVP award. They have excluded Mike from their roster this season ahead of an expected move to Europe.
Both teams have made smart moves to fill the gaps in their roster. Winnipeg signed Darius Days, coming off a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets. He played in the G League last season, having a storming rookie season. They named him on the All-G League end-of-year team in 2023 with the Rio Grande Vipers. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged a near-double-double with 24.4 points and 9.8 rebounds. He can be Allen’s running mate in this game, making up those lost points from the bench.
Elsewhere, Scarborough has confirmed the signing of Kadre Gray following his release from the Ottawa Blackjacks. The point guard was one of the best-performing players in Ottawa in 2023. He averaged 16.3 points and 6.2 assists with an impressive split of 48/42/81. He and Barber will prove an excellent pair for Scarborough this season.
How will the defending CEBL champs look after adding another star to their roster? ⭐️
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Scarborough Shooting Stars vs Winnipeg Sea Bears Betting Tips
Teddy Allen was the best basketball player in the nation in 2023. His scoring was formidable and that 42-point game in Toronto set a high bar. He is likely to lead the game for points. As one of just two players in CEBL history to average over 25 points in a campaign, we expect over 27.5 points here. That was right around his per-game average in 2023, meaning the line should fall around there early in the season.
Winnipeg was the first team to 20 points in the game last year and we expect the same again. Allen and Days can put points up early. The first period ended 19-19 in 2023, with the Sea Bears scoring first in the second period. The Sea Bears should come out of the gates faster this time and lead at halftime.
Our basketball prediction this week means it’s unlikely Winnipeg will humiliate Scarborough. These are two strong teams with ability on both ends of the court. It would be worth checking the live betting markets during the game. It is hard to separate the sides, and live odds will indicate who holds the momentum.
Kadre Gray’s introduction to Scarborough’s roster has added an extra layer of class to their offence. His deep shooting was outstanding in the G-League. With Barber likely to contribute more around the rim, Gray to score over 2.5 three-pointers is a smart pick.
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Winnipeg Sea Bears Team News
Draft pick Tyler Segl is with the practice squad because of an injury and will not be available to play. New signing David Muenkat did not make the roster. He will stay with the Fraport Skyliners of the German Pro A league during their playoff run. The forward will join the roster upon completion of the German season. They announced Daren Watts to the roster following the practice season and will be available for selection.
Scarborough Shooting Stars Team News
Kadre Gray has been added to the roster following his signing from the G League. He will make his first start as a Scarborough player. They dropped Isiaha Mike from the 2024 roster and he will not appear. Mike plays in the LNB Elite in France for JL Bourg during their playoff run. There is no news on whether he will return to Scarborough following the end of the French season.
