HONEY BADGERS WEEKLY RECAP: THE EMBODIMENT OF A HONEY BADGER

The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) are still standing strong, coming off of two big wins against the Edmonton Stingers and Niagara River Lions, as they continue to hold the CEBL’s best record at seven wins and one loss (7-1).

With a hefty homestand to start the season, the Honey Badgers prepared for their sixth home game of the summer, as head coach Alex Cerda made his first change to the starting lineup. Veteran big man Prince Oduro and guard Tyrese Hunter were moved to the bench, as Canadians Keon Ambrose-Hylton and Josh Omojafo were promoted to the starting five. With the rookie Omojafo getting his first opportunity as a professional starter, Cerda had no worries about how Omojafo would rise to the occasion.

“I trust him as a starter,” exclaimed Cerda. “Every game he’s getting better and better, he can do a lot of different things. Regardless of starting or coming off the bench, his minutes are going to increase as the season goes on.”

Cerda applauded Omojafo’s defensive presence from the start, describing his defensive performance against Vancouver Bandits star Jaelen House as “the best I’ve seen in two years”, and his impact was well known again, forcing two steals and grabbing six rebounds in 28 minutes of action.

Although the bright spots were shining, it was by no means easy for Brampton to pull away, as the entire second half was even on the scoresheet. Edmonton were able to create a lot of pressure, and closed off any gaps for the Honey Badgers to score. 

“Overall, I think there were some mental lapses, some opportunities defensively where we just missed our assignment which we usually don’t do,” Cerda remarked. “I think a lot of our turnovers were because we were trying to make home run plays when we just needed to hit singles.”

It was a dogfight of an ending in this game, eventually leading to an 86-86 tie with the target score set at 87. And with a good stop on the defensive end, it was Sean East II who came back the other way and drew a foul to sink the game-winning free throw to send the Brampton fans home happy.

“It’s not always going to be cute and glamorous,” said East II, who was able to secure the win against his former team. “They fought back real hard and got it tied up, we’re just trying to pull them out one game at a time.”

Referring to the toughness of this game and the CEBL season as a whole, East II revealed a teaching metaphor that has helped fuel the strong start to the Honey Badgers season.

“Coach always talks about the Honey Badger in the wild,” explained East II. “It’s the craziest animal, he’s gritty, he’s nasty. So that’s the culture we’re trying to bring and embody the Honey Badger.”

“On our dogtags, it says fearless and we don’t flinch,” said Cerda. “I think that’s what a Honey Badger embodies, a fearless animal that’s not scared of anyone, that’s what I want our team to embody.”

The Honey Badgers then journeyed to the road for a battle in Niagara on Friday, going against the defending back-to-back champion River Lions and pulled out a 97-86 win, but not without a scare.

Despite a 21-point lead going into Target Score Time and Cameron Tyson breaking the franchise-record with nine three-pointers, Niagara fought their way back and brought the game back within single digits. But thanks to one last rally, the Honey Badgers sealed the deal and were able to crawl out of the fight victorious.

Along with Tyson’s record-breaking performance, he had some help from Omojafo and East II. Omojafo broke out for his best game in the CEBL with 19 points and five rebounds, while East II tallied a usual statline of 24 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals.

And even eight games into the season, East II still believes he and his team hasn’t reached the full characteristics of the Honey Badger.

“There’s always more to grow, we’re never done.”

The Honey Badgers will head back to the road for a rematch with the Montreal Alliance on Wednesday in Montreal, and will then return home to prepare for round two against the River Lions on Monday, June 15. You can tune into the away contest on CBC Gem, YouTube, and CEBL+, with tipoff slated for 7:30 PM. And to catch the action back at the CAA Centre, you can view ticket packages here, with prices starting at just $20 per ticket.

###

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