The Montreal Alliance had a commanding 21-point lead heading into Target Score Time. They defeated the Brampton Honey Badgers 88-66 in Verdun Auditorium on Sunday night. 

With the exception of guard Alain Louis, who has been with the Alliance since their inception, they are a new team under a new ownership.

Two-time CEBL champion and new head coach Jermaine Small also got his debut victory. It was a statement game for the franchise as they have historically been dominated by Brampton 7-1.

Coach Small was impressed by his team’s leader Quincy Guerrier, who had a game-high 21 points on 9-for-16 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. 

“I think the talent is undeniable,” Small said to a group of reporters. “Every shot he makes is like a momentum play for us because, obviously, it’s a hometown kid … I feel lucky to coach him and I felt like he made his mark.”

Guerrier let his game speak as Toronto Raptor and Montreal native Chris Boucher watched from the sidelines.

The Alliance set the tone early as they dominated the offensive glass and was plus-14 in points in the paint by halftime.

“Montreal had 11 offensive rebounds. That’s way too much,” Brampton Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy said as he shook his head at halftime. “So we just have to make sure we’re closing out possessions.”

The Honey Badgers got off to a strong second quarter start, but their heavy reliance on 2024 Canadian Player of the Year Koby McEwen meant that defending the Alliance’s opponents got easier. McEwen finished the game with 15 points.

In the second half, the Alliance kept their foot on the gas. They instantly sank a 3-ball, and a Brampton’s shot clock violation after grabbing two offensive boards seemed deflating. The momentum shifted in Montreal’s favour as the third frame ended with Alliance forward Michael Diggins’ two-handed slam and forward Abdul Mohamed’s lay-up off a steal by their import guard Tavis Smith. 

McEwen continued to be neutralized in the second half and his frustration exploded into a technical foul right before Target Time. 

There were, however, improvements within the game for the Honey Badgers. They only allowed five offensive rebounds in the second half compared to 11 in the first.

“A lot of it is just being ready for physicality,” Cassimy said about what his team had to change in the second half. “At the beginning, Montreal was way more physical and we just had to make sure we matched that.”

The Honey Badgers were missing forward Prince Oduro, who averaged 9.3 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game (2.8 offensive boards per game), as well as import player Quinndary Weatherspoon from the line-up. 

The Honey Badgers inched within two possessions, within five points in the second quarter. Brampton guard Mike Demagus’s three-pointer off a McEwen assist brought the game within single digits, and then a deep wing 3 by McEwen put his team within five points. But the Alliance’s combination of attacking inside the paint and defensive ball pressure kept a wide lead.

Small remains excited about the Alliance’s ceiling. “I think we could maybe be the best defensive team in the league. And that’s my goal personally and they know that,” said the new coach about his new squad. 

Box score

https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600568

Up next for both teams

Both teams will face the Ottawa Blackjacks in their next game, with Ottawa hosting Brampton this Wednesday, May 21st before Montreal welcomes Ottawa in the outdoor game on Friday, May 23rd at IGA Stadium.

Next CEBL action

The Brampton Honey Badgers will host the Ottawa Blackjacks on Wednesday, May 21st. Like Brampton, Ottawa is 0-1 and both teams will be looking for their first win. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games.

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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