The competition level in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Eastern Conference is the highest it’s been all year at the most crucial point. In order for the Brampton Honey Badgers to get their first taste of playoff basketball in three years, this team desperately needs to break out of their slump. After a tough loss to the Scarborough Shooting Stars at the CAA Centre on July 5, Brampton was set for a road trip against another pair of Eastern Conference rivals in the Montreal Alliance and Ottawa BlackJacks. Two key wins would give the Honey Badgers some much-needed cushion in the second-place spot in the East, the next best thing up for grabs with Scarborough running away with a 14-3 record. The weekend got off to a rough start as Brampton fell victim to the hard and gritty playstyle of the Alliance, which features newly acquired Prince Oduro who was able to get three blocks in the first quarter against his former Honey Badgers. A 12-point hole going into Target Score Time proved to be too deep, as a 14-5 run couldn’t bring Brampton in front, as they dropped the 92-86 contest and fell to an even 8-8 record. Despite the tough loss, point guard Tyrese Hunter continued his hot streak, pouring in another 27 points, eight assists (both new career-highs), and playing a game-high 34 minutes. Since taking over the team’s captain role after Oduro’s departure, Hunter has found his offensive rhythm, averaging 20 points and shooting 44% from the field in his last four games as opposed to his season averages of 12.5 and 38%, respectively. He has also blossomed his skills to be a true playmaker, dishing out seven or more assists in each of the last five games, continuously reaching his career-high total of eight. With the history between him and Head Coach Alex Cerda with the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League, there’s no doubt that Cerda has had the utmost trust in Hunter to hold down the fort with the ball during Sean East II ’s absence. Just two days after the duel in Montreal, the Honey Badgers headed over to the nation’s capital to match up with Ottawa for the final time, after defeating the BlackJacks in each of their first three meetings this season, including the hard-fought battle in Brampton on July 2. Showing a similar result, Brampton had Ottawa’s number again, and looked similar to the early days of the CEBL season, shooting the ball and crashing the boards exceptionally well. 15 team three-pointers and 14 offensive rebounds were the defying factor in the 105-98 victory, which also checked off the 100-point threshold for Brampton for the first time this season, the last CEBL team to do so. “[This win] means a lot,” Hunter explained after the win in Ottawa. “We’re in the third part of the season. We had some ups starting out, and we had some downs, but everybody’s stayed level-headed.” “Today was a big [win]. Getting into Target Time and sticking to the details, and sticking to our motives,” he continued, when asked what the turning point was in the victory. The Honey Badgers countered Ottawa guard Javonte Smart’s franchise-record 13 assists with explosive performances from Trentyn Flowers , Hunter, Brandon Muntu , and Cameron Tyson . Flowers dropped a game-high 31 points, including some high-flying and highlight-worthy dunks, along with six rebounds and four assists for his best game in a Honey Badger uniform. Hunter found his way to be effective once again with 22 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, and increased his run time to 36 minutes, putting him fifth in the entire CEBL in minutes played. Muntu and Tyson provided the shooting spark for Brampton from the outside, knocking down a combined nine threes, including Muntu’s dagger in front of the Ottawa bench to seal the deal on the road. The all-important win secured a regular-season sweep over the BlackJacks for the first time since 2021, after not having beaten them since 2024 heading into this season. There was still no time to sit around after the weekend trip, with a return home for a Camp Day showdown early Tuesday afternoon against the Niagara River Lions, the third game in six days for the Honey Badgers. Although the young crowd brought the energy from the stands, the team couldn’t reciprocate that on the court, falling 91-81 to Niagara and slipping back to .500 at 9-9, just one game ahead of the River Lions, Alliance, and BlackJacks in the standings. “I think we ran out of gas,” explained Cerda, as the wear-and-tear of the three-game stretch started to show in the second half, as the Honey Badgers only put up 40 points and gave up a total of 12 turnovers throughout the game. “In the second half, they got us in rotation, had to defend multiple efforts. Credit to them, ultimately they ended up making some shots. I think we just didn’t have our legs today.” “The biggest thing I would say is the details,” said Flowers, who put the Brampton offense on his shoulders with 26 points on 50% shooting, aligning with East II as the first two Honey Badgers to score 20 or more points in their first four games with the team since 2021. “I don’t feel like we were doing the little things, I wasn’t doing the little things. Just from rebounding to not boxing out, blowing assignments. I think for us, it’s just going back to the drawing board and cleaning up a few things.” “Going forward, I have 100% belief in my guys,” Flowers continued. “I know from the coaching staff, they’re going to clean this up and we’ll be all good.” Although it was a tough shooting night, Tyson was able to connect on four more triples, which tied the CEBL record for most three-pointers in a single season, including both regular season and playoffs. Since coming back from the NBA Summer League to a new role as a sixth man with the team, Cerda has been very proud of Tyson from the start, as he etches his name into CEBL history. “Cam’s a tough guy,” Cerda remarked. “I love those players that play at [the University of] Houston, he’s a competitor. It doesn’t matter if he starts, comes off the bench, plays 30 minutes, two minutes. We know what we’re going to get from Cam.” Along with his shooting performance, Tyson grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, four of which were offensive, and has cemented himself as a veteran spark off the bench that can keep the rest of the squad level-headed during tough stretches in games like these against Niagara, where Khalil Ahmad broke the defense apart again with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting. “He helps our team out immensely,” said Cerda. “Not just with the threes, but also as a leader on and off the floor, always talking to his teammates. He’s been great for us, so I really enjoy coaching Cam.” With no more room left to fall, the Honey Badgers have their backs against the wall as they are set for a rematch with the River Lions, who are now riding a three-game win streak to put themselves back in the playoff picture, tonight at the Meridian Centre. Another loss would see Brampton drop down to third place and even closer to the brink of elimination, as only four of the five Eastern Conference teams will earn their spot in the postseason. With this contest seeming to enter the must-win territory, Honey Badgers fans are not going to want to miss out on what goes down tonight in Niagara. Tonight’s tipoff is slated for 7:00 PM EST, and you can watch live for free on CBC Gem, CBC Sports YouTube, and CEBL+. ### About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca . About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is Canada’s professional basketball league, featuring 10 member clubs across six provinces. Powered by elite talent, a fast-paced game format, and deep community connections, the CEBL delivers high-level basketball and unforgettable summer experiences for fans nationwide. The league boasts the youngest fan base in Canadian professional sport, half under age 34, and one of the fastest-growing audiences in the country, now reaching nearly 4.1 million Canadians. This momentum reflects the CEBL’s ability to deliver dynamic, thrilling gameplay while connecting deeply with a new generation of fans and expanding basketball’s cultural footprint across Canada. The CEBL is where elite performance meets homegrown talent. In 2025, 17 players with NBA experience hit the court, while nearly 70% of the league’s roster was Canadian, the highest concentration of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. Running from May through August, the CEBL’s season is a showcase of top basketball talent and a summer hub for fast-paced, high-energy fan excitement. Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca