The Hamilton Honey Badgers are coming off a solid training camp, where the main goal has been to form their identity as a team. 

            They open their season this afternoon with a date with the defending CEBL champion Edmonton Stingers in a matchup televised nationally on CBC and available around the world on CEBL+, the league’s new OTT streaming service.

            Honey Badgers head coach Ryan Schmidt says the main focus heading into today’s game will be implementing what the team worked on during training camp. He believes overall their camp has been a success. 

            “We’re just continuing to build that team chemistry,” he said. “We are trying to get our fundamentals, principles, and concepts down pat. Basically, we’re just laying that foundation to build on in the weeks ahead.”

            A very young Honey Badgers team will have its hands full with the 2019 and 2020 league MVP Xavier Moon, and a Stingers squad that is largely the same from the past two seasons. However, the Honey Badgers appear up to the test. 

            “It’s evident who they are. We know they’re a team full of talent,” said Schmidt. “We have to go in and do what we’re supposed to do and do it really well. This is really our first test to see where we stand.”

            This is a new-look Honey Badgers roster for 2021 with returnees Jean-Victor Mukama and Kalif Young now being teamed with the talented guard tandem of Lindell Wigginton and Trevon Duval from the Minnesota Timberwolves G League affiliate.

            Young missed much of training camp after straining an ankle and is a game-time decision today, while Mukama, Wigginton and Duval meshed well at both ends of the floor. If the group clicks on all cylinders come game time, the Stingers will have their hands full.

            It hasn’t been all positive for the Honey Badgers in training camp. Injuries have played their part, which has left Schmidt’s squad undermanned. 

            Two expected starters, Charles Cooke III (foot injury) and Malcolm Rhett (Achilles), have gone down with injuries that will sideline them for most or all of the 2021 CEBL season.

            The Honey Badgers will have to rely on their depth, and Schmidt is looking at Thomas Kennedy and Kenny Ejim to fill that need.

            “I think overall the thing that stands out with both of them is their effort, both those guys play the game extremely hard, and they compete at a high level,” said Schmidt. “Thomas is someone that surprised me. You have a 20-year-old coming into camp playing with a lot of pros. He’s done a really good job in stepping up. He picks up concepts really well, you can play him at the four or five, and his skillset and IQ, along with his toughness, is what really stood out.”

            Kennedy is the youngest player on the young Hamilton team. Schmidt says Thomas is the loudest communicator on the floor and understands the game at a very high level. With the loss of Rhett, Kennedy can expect to get the opportunity to show that he belongs among the veterans on the court. 

            For Kennedy training camp has been about growing as a player and learning from the experienced guys around him. 

            “Regardless of the talent, the character the staff brought in for training camp has made it really easy to mesh with them, especially me being a young guy,” said the University of Windsor Lancer CEBL developmental player. 

            Kennedy said his teammates aren’t afraid to listen to him even though he’s so young, and that’s something he has really appreciated. For him it comes down to being able to adapt to a bigger role that he may have to take on. 

            Schmidt praised forward Ejim as well for his athleticism, physicality, and versatility in being able to defend any position on the floor.

            “I think Kenny Ejim is another guy who has had a really good training camp,” he said. “He has picked up on things really quickly. Kenny is a guy who can guard multiple positions. Having him is huge, especially after losing Malcolm to injury. He started off a little slow because there were some new things for him to pick up on. To Kenny’s credit he comes in with a great attitude, wants to learn and wants to get better.”

            That’s exactly what Ejim has been doing—learning and getting better. He’s been pleased with his training camp performance and wants to ensure trust and confidence from Schmidt. He may not be a high-volume scorer, but but Ejim said what he does bring to the wing position is patience. 

            “During training camp I’ve paid the most attention to growing as a player,” said the Brampton native who played collegiately at Humber College. “I’ve focused on how well I can execute what Coach has put together, and how quickly I can pick up on things.

            “I’m going to be very decisive, aggressive, and pick my spots wisely. I can stretch the floor and attack close outs pretty well. Defensively I can switch one through four.”

            Saturday’s matchup in Edmonton pits experience versus youth in the season-opener for both clubs. Hamilton remains out on the road with a stop in Saskatoon to take on the Rattlers on Monday, before heading to the nation’s capital to meet the Ottawa BlackJacks on Canada Day afternoon.