HONEY BADGERS GO 2-0 ON HOME OPENER WEEKEND
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) started the 2026 season on the right foot with back-to-back wins at the CAA Centre this past weekend on Friday, May 15, and Sunday, May 17.
They kicked off the summer against their Eastern Conference rival Ottawa BlackJacks, but the home fans had to get used to the clean slate of players brought in for the season, with the exception of longtime Honey Badger
Prince Oduro.
“We get a lot of work done before practice and after practice. We got a lot of gym rats, we want to be the hardest working team in the league,” said head coach
Alex Cerda, emphasizing key qualities of toughness and passion throughout training camp.
Cerda picked up his first win as a professional head coach in the 91-86 victory against the BlackJacks, and felt very grateful and optimistic about the team he has assembled.
“[I’m] just excited for our group,” remarked Cerda. “Those guys are a connected group, they play hard, they’re competitive. I feel like they were willing to run through a brick wall for me.”
Cerda’s first pro win as head coach was not the only feat to be accomplished on Friday.
Cameron Tyson broke the franchise record for three-pointers in a single game with eight in his CEBL debut. Ranking seventh in the all-time NCAA ranks in triples, there was no doubt that Tyson would be the one to set the new mark.
“It feels good, ultimately after a win it feels even better,” Tyson said. “I had guys [like] Sean [East II], Prince [Oduro], coming up to me during the game telling me ‘keep shooting, we’ll keep finding you.’ Having my teammates have confidence in me makes me a little more confident. So I got to give all the praise to them.”
The Honey Badgers united around Tyson and also tied the franchise record for combined three-pointers in a single game with 18. But although the performance set a strong tone, Cerda emphasized that the long-range totals are not solely who Brampton are as a team.
“We don’t necessarily emphasize bombing threes,” Cerda explained. “I feel like when we put pressure on the rim, break the paint, have that mentality, it creates rhythmic catch-and-shoot threes. And then there’s some times it’s just the players being really good players.”
After a short rest, the Honey Badgers took to home court again on Sunday, matching up against the Calgary Surge. But they did not slow down, as they cruised to an assertive 91-72 win to close the weekend.
Sean East II, last year’s CEBL Most Valuable Player runner-up, had a second consecutive 12-assist game, a new career-high, to go along with 22 points and three steals. Early in his first season in Brampton, it seems the CEBL might be seeing a more complete version of East II this summer.
“He’s an NBA point guard. He sees things and he’s able to make the right play. He’s firing on all cylinders for us and he’s definitely leading our group to victory,” said Cerda, who is coaching East II for the first time since they were together on the Los Angeles Lakers NBA Summer League squad in 2024.
Sunday’s game was more physical, as
Tyrese Hunter was at the forefront throughout the day and took a hard fall on his face after getting tied up in the air. But relating back to the tough identity, Hunter got back up in a short moment and carried on as if nothing had happened.
“We can handle it,” said Hunter, who finished the game with 22 points on 9-for-18 shooting. “Everybody just kept going. I fell on my head and I just got up and kept going, that shows the competitive spirit that this team has.”
After three days off, the Honey Badgers get their first taste of the road on Thursday in a rematch with the BlackJacks in Ottawa, before returning to home court for a battle against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Monday, May 25. Tip off is set for 7:30 PM EST, you can get your tickets
here to catch the action.
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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)
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 Coordinator
Brampton Honey Badgers
