The Brampton Honey Badgers get back on the road to Alberta to play the Edmonton Stingers in their first leg of a back-to-back. They currently sit at 0-3 on the season after losing their home opener to the Scarborough Shooting Stars. 

As the early stages of the regular season continue for the Brampton Honey Badgers, they still find themselves in need of a win early in the season. Going up against the Edmonton Stingers, a team they are 2-3 in away matches all-time and beating them on the road in 2022, they have a great opportunity to get their first win of the season. 

Last year the Edmonton Stingers and Brampton Honey Badgers were on different ends of the spectrum in terms of record. The Stingers were top-three in the CEBL, finishing 13-7 before losing in the quarter finals to Calgary in the Battle of Alberta. Brampton however, finished the season 6-14 and missed out on Championship Weekend for the second straight year since winning their first Championship since 2022. When the two teams met for the only time in 2024, Edmonton beat Brampton 99-79.

There were however, a couple areas in which the Brampton Honey Badgers got the better of the Stingers, such as in free throws made per game with 16.1 which ranked third in the league last year, while the Stingers ranked last at only 12.2. The Honey Badgers were also much better in blocking shots last year when compared to the Stingers. Brampton was ranked second in blocked shots per game with 4.7, tied with the Vancouver Bandits, while the Stingers were last in the league averaging only 2.4. 

But the past is the past. This year both teams have struggled early on in the season. Brampton is still searching for a win in the season after losing their first two road games to Montreal and Ottawa and their home opener to Scarborough. Brampton is starting to get healthy however, Quinndary Weatherspoon made his season debut in the game versus Ottawa putting up 29 points, one rebound, seven assists and three steals. Brampton-native David Muenkat also made his highly-anticipated debut in Brampton’s game against Scarborough putting up six points and 11 rebounds. However the team is still waiting for Ali Sow and Jaylan Gainey to join the roster. 

However, for Head Coach Sheldon Cassimy, the players playing is not the only thing that needs to change if Brampton is to turn the season around. 

“I don’t think our effort has been up to par. We’ve been getting hit first. You know we responded in the second quarter and through the rest of the game, but we have to do that in the first quarter so we don’t dig ourselves such a big hole.” Cassimy said, detailing his initial impressions after Brampton’s loss to Scarborough at home. 

“We just have to toughen up a little bit. That’s what we did in the second quarter and that’s what we have to continue to do,” Cassimy continued. 

The Stingers have not been great to start the season also. They lost their last game to the Vancouver Bandits in an absolute blowout 107-79, with Edmonton’s all-time leading scorer Nick Hornsby calling for improvements. 

“I feel like a lot of the stuff was on us. Like I said they’re a good team, they run their plays well, they’re physical and do the things we need to do to win,” Hornsby said following the defeat. 

Things will be different when the two teams meet this year. Brampton has made several free agency signings including former George Mason University big man Amari Kelly, who has posted double-doubles in three games this season as one of the Honey Badger’s starting forwards. The Honey Badgers also signed guard William Douglas to add to their already deep backcourt. 

The two signings that garner the most attention are that of former NBA Champion and Chinese Basketball Association star guard, Quinndary Weatherspoon and former Brampton Honey Badger and 2024 Canadian Player of the Year  and CEBL Champion Koby McEwen. Weatherspoon is currently averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in two games with the Honey Badgers. McEwen is averaging 16.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in three games with the Honey Badgers. Together, they will pose problems to an Edmonton team that has struggled at stopping opposing guards. 

Edmonton’s own free agency signings will prove to be an interesting matchup as well. Newly signed Sean East II has been a revelation at guard averaging 22.8 points per game (leading the CEBL in total points with 91), 5.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, all while shooting 50.7% from the field and 94% from the free throw line. Another free agency signing that has impressed has been Cameron McGriff, with the former Portland Trail Blazer recording 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The Stingers forward and CEBL rookie Keon Ambrose-Hylton has also been a bright spot, posting 11.5 points, 9.5 rebounds,and 1.5 blocks per game, providing a steady presence in the paint to complement East and McGriff. He will be going against Brampton’s all-time leading rebounder Prince Oduro in a battle of the bigs.

Overall, it looks to be a fun game as the Honey Badgers hit the road to dive into the Hornet's nest in search of their first win of the campaign on May 28 vs the Edmonton Stingers. They then travel to Calgary to play the Surge on May 29. You can watch the Honey Badgers take on the Stingers on CEBL+, TSN+ and NLSE.

###

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) 

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 73% of its rosters being Canadian and more than 10 players with NBA game experience in 2025. 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. More than 20 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 Tonybet, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

Media Contact:
Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist

Brampton Honey Badgers

eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca