The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) are proud to announce a groundbreaking strategic partnership with The Magic of Basketball™ (MoB) , a visionary sports and leadership organization co-founded by WNBA veteran and Canadian Olympian Kayla Alexander and sports business leader Kelly Gianopoulos . This long-term partnership is anchored in a shared mission: to empower girls and women to realize their full potential through the power of sport, leadership, and community. The collaboration officially tips off on July 27, 2025 , when The Magic of Basketball™ will launch co-branded mini clinics for girls aged 12-17 during the Brampton Honey Badgers’ home game and outdoor festival at the CAA Centre. In partnership with Canada Basketball , clinic participants will also receive a ticket to the Brampton Honey Badgers game, and a ticket to GLOBL JAM , Canada’s premier international basketball showcase, running August 13-17 in Toronto. The girls’ clinics will continue throughout the year as part of this ongoing partnership, empowering more young athletes through consistent access to high-quality basketball programming. "This partnership with The Magic of Basketball represents everything we stand for as an organization," said Josie Pingitore , President of the Brampton Honey Badgers. "We believe in sport’s ability to transform lives, build confidence, and open doors—and there’s no better partner than MoB to bring that vision to life for young women in Brampton and beyond. Together with Canada Basketball, we’re proud to build something lasting, impactful, and inclusive." Co-founded by Kayla Alexander—an eight-season WNBA player, two-time Olympian, and 2024 LF Endesa Champion and Finals MVP with Valencia Basketball—and Kelly Gianopoulos, a respected sports business executive and founder of Standing Room Entertainment Group, The Magic of Basketball™ is a cultural force focused on changing the game for girls and women through elite sport experiences, storytelling, and strategic programming. “Basketball has provided incredible opportunities and taught me lasting life skills,” said Kayla Alexander . “We’re so thrilled to partner with the Brampton Honey Badgers because they share our passion for creating meaningful pathways for girls and young women to grow both on and off the court. Together, we’re building a culture that celebrates female athletes as leaders, creators, and changemakers. This partnership amplifies our mission to ensure every young woman knows her voice matters and her dreams are possible.” “We’re at a turning point in sport and culture—a moment where long-standing norms, barriers, and perceptions are being actively challenged and redefined, especially around who gets to participate, lead, and benefit from the game,” said Kelly Gianopoulos . “We’re excited to partner long-term with the Brampton Honey Badgers, an organization that shares our values and recognizes the role of sport in shaping culture and opportunity. We’re not just developing athletes—we’re investing in the next generation of Canadian innovators, leaders, and disruptors.” The Magic of Basketball’s partnership with the Brampton Honey Badgers builds on a strong foundation of national and global partners, including Victory Creative Group (Founding Partner), Wasserman’s The Collective, Toronto Star, and ICON. These organizations are committed to investing in girls’ sports and recognize the powerful impact The Magic of Basketball will have in shaping the next generation of Canadian female leaders. Through immersive experiences, leadership development, and sport-forward storytelling, the partnership aims to reverse the alarming statistic that nearly 50% of Canadian girls drop out of sport by age 16 , as reported in the 2024 Rally Report by Canadian Women & Sport. From the court to the community, this collaboration will deliver high-impact programming and lasting opportunities for the next generation of female athletes, leaders, and changemakers. ### 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 . About The Magic of Basketball™ The Magic of Basketball™ is a sports and leadership organization co-founded by WNBA veteran and Canadian Olympian Kayla Alexander and sports business leader Kelly Gianopoulos. Inspired by Alexander’s bestselling children’s book, the brand offers immersive basketball experiences, leadership development, and culturally relevant programming that empowers girls and women to harness their potential as leaders of the future – from the courts to the boardrooms. For more information, visit magicofbasketball.com Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca

Terquavion Smith defied the numbers in the Scarborough Shooting Stars 86-71 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers on Sunday afternoon. Scarborough is the league’s worst free throw shooting team, yet Smith’s four consecutive free throws capitalized on a pair of Brampton’s technical fouls right before Target Time. Those freebies gave Scarborough an eight-point lead, then Smith’s triple gave Scarborough a nine-point lead. Before the game, Scarborough head coach Mike De Giorgio talked about avoiding “self-inflicted wounds” like poor free throw shooting, which have cost them games in the past. After scoring just 11 points in the first quarter, the Shooting Stars turned up the tempo in the second quarter and maintained it throughout the remainder of the game. “I think our first quarter was poor,” said De Giorgio. “I think the last three quarters were more indicative of who we are as a team.” Scarborough took full advantage of their seven-point buffer in Target Time and put the game away, including another triple from Smith, who had a game-high 33 points on five-for-11 three-point shooting. Brampton, led by David Muenkat’s career-high 31 points, played a scrappy game. They came out of halftime on a 8-0 run, but Scarborough’s Cat Barber stopped the bleeding as his triple gave them a 42-40 lead, forcing a timeout. He then hit another one right away – a transition dribble, pull-up three-pointer, using a drag screen from Kalif Young. Barber had a highlight play in third where he split the screen, turned Amari Kelly and Quinndary Weatherspoon inside and out with handles that mirrored fellow Virginia basketball legend, Allen Iverson. Barber, who had 15 points, showed a lot of scrappiness too in the second quarter after missing both free throws, airballing the second one. After being on the receiving end of a LeBron James-like block by Muenkat, he still put on the jets to give his team a quick deuce for a five-point lead going into halftime. His fellow backcourt mate started to heat up in the second half, matching the temperature outside. After Muenkat tried to crown Smith with a two-handed dunk, the latter hit a deep three. Then, later in the frame, he answered Bryson Williams’ triple with his own to give Scarborough a seven-point lead. Muenkat made his former team pay with an incredible three-point shooting performance. He shot six-for-nine from downtown and embodied Brampton’s tenacity. In the fourth, he refused to let his team be put away, hitting a triple to inch within six points. Guard Marcus Carr dribbled out in transition, waited, then dished it out to Muenkat. He threw a pump fake, made a nice spin move on Young, and reversed the ball for his 30th point. But it was Weatherspoon’s foul on the defensive end and reaction to it that killed Brampton’s momentum. When asked about Muenkat’s progression as a shooter, his secret is simple. “A lot of reps. I think I just spend a lot of time in the gym getting shots up,” he said about how he has grown so confident from long-range. Young recently surpassed his 600th rebound and Brampton’s Prince Oduro surpassed his 500th point this afternoon. More and more Canadians are returning to the CEBL year after year and setting records. “I mean it feels good,” Oduro smiled. “I don’t really think about stuff like that, but obviously it’s still a good accomplishment.” Scarborough busted its three-game losing streak, and today’s Battle of the 401 was a preview of Caribbean Night coming up at the CAA Centre on Friday, July 25. Box score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600638 Up next for both teams The Brampton Honey Badgers (4-13) head to Meridian Centre to play the beast of the East Niagara River Lions (10-5) on Wednesday, July 16. The Scarborough Shooting Stars’ (8-8) next game is against Niagara too, on Sunday, July 20. Next CEBL action CEBL’s lone Tuesday, July 15 game will feature the Calgary Surge (10-5) playing against the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-12) at SaskTel Centre. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . ### 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