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.

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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