HONEY BADGERS NEWS


By Kyle Warrener November 18, 2024
With the offseason providing new opportunities for Brampton Honey Badgers’ players to continue their craft around the world, the same can be said for members of the coaching staff. While some pursue opportunities in the NBA, NBA G League, and internationally, this past summer’s staff are making an impact at the collegiate and university levels. Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy, now a lead assistant coach with McMaster University, returns to the university ranks for his fourth season with the Marauders men’s basketball program. On Friday night, Cassimy’s Marauders team hosted the Nipissing Lakers resulting in an 83-76 victory in favour of the home side. The Lakers are coached by a familiar face in Honey Badgers assistant coach Thomas Cory. “It’s always extra fun to compete against a friend,” said Cory ahead of the Friday night matchup. “We’re both very competitive and want it to be a good game.” Unfortunately for Cory’s squad, Cassimy and the Marauders came out on top in their only matchup this season thanks in large part to a 21-point performance courtesy of Cashius McNeilly. The Lakers were led by Alvin Incyogere, who contributed 24 points and 13 rebounds in a losing effort. This campaign marks Cory’s 12th consecutive season as a head coach at the U SPORTS level. Now in his sixth season as head coach of the Lakers, Cory previously held the reins of the Algoma University men's basketball program from 2013 until 2019. “I learned so much from my experience in Brampton learning from Sheldon and working with our amazing group of players and staff,” Cory continued reflecting on this past summer. “I developed as a coach and have brought back a lot of ideas here to Nipissing.” The Honey Badgers are also well-represented on the women’s side of collegiate basketball this season. Assistant coach Ceejay Nofuente now leads the Humber College program, with the Hawks campaign off to an impressive 5-1 start. Ajay Shama, also an assistant coach with the Honey Badgers, continues in that role this season with York University’s women's basketball program. Elsewhere, Ankit Wadera joined the Lake Superior State University men’s basketball staff as an assistant coach, while Mike Fraser continues his work with the Crestwood Prep basketball program in Toronto. Brampton Honey Badgers season tickets are now available in advance of the CEBL's seventh season which tips off in May 2025. Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact tickets@honeybadgers.com for more information. ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Twenty one 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . Media Contact: Kyle Warrener - Manager, Communications and Service Brampton Honey Badgers kwarrener@honeybadgers.ca
By CEBL November 14, 2024
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that Drew Green , an award-winning CEO, entrepreneur, and expert in launching and managing innovative high-growth companies, has been appointed as the first-ever Chair of the CEBL Board of Governors. Green has also become a co-owner of the league. A visionary leader and accomplished entrepreneur, Green’s role as Chair will include instituting new formal governance at a Board level, working alongside the team to attract strategic investors, partners and international relationships for the league, and advise the commissioner and team owners on league business matters. “Being able to attract an experienced and highly accomplished leader like Drew Green is an incredible win for the CEBL and for Canadian basketball,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner & Co-Founder of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. “Drew’s business success speaks for itself and his passion for the game mimics all involved in making the CEBL a homegrown and global success. His investment into the league demonstrates his strong belief of our bright future and recognizes the foundation that has been built during our formative years. Personally, I look forward to getting right to work with Drew on the next stage of the CEBL and the growth of our game.” Green currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of INDOCHINO, one of Canada’s fastest-growing apparel brands, globally. Between 2014-24, INDOCHINO has secured over $100M in strategic capital commitments from major firms like Madrona Venture Partners, Highland Consumer, Dayang Group, Mitsui & Co. and Postmedia Network, expanding the company to 145 retail locations across Canada and the United States and has served customers in over 50 countries. In addition, he has procured partnerships with hundreds of celebrities and professional athletes for INDOCHINO, along with MLB, NHL, NBA and NFL teams. Drew’s family office DREWGREEN INC. has empowered dozens of entrepreneurs and 100’s of companies across Canada and the US, in industries ranging from Fintech, Edtech, eCommerce, through to Real Estate. A full business profile and list of Green’s accolades can be found HERE and HERE . “Anyone that has been paying attention knows the CEBL is a rapidly growing and vibrant brand with boundless potential that has made great strides in a very short period of time,” said Green. “It is truly a league built by Canadians, for Canadians, and this resonates with my family – the epitome of a basketball family in Canada. We are basketball players, the sport is near and dear to our hearts, and we are fans of the CEBL. The league has been a catapult for the growth of the sport in our country, and I can’t wait to help lift basketball in Canada to new heights.” Drew and his wife Andrea Dayco are basketball parents through and through. Their sons Liam (18) and Aidan (16) Dayco-Green are two of the top U19 prospects in Canada, and both represented by Tandem Sports and Entertainment Agency and NBA agent Elias Sbiet. Liam plays NCAA D1 at Florida Atlantic University for NCAA National Championship winner John Jakus, and Aidan is at Montverde Academy playing for legendary coach Kevin Boyle. Canada Basketball invited Aidan to its U17 camp at 15 in 2024, with Liam being invited to its U23 camp in 2025. For many years, the family has awarded annual scholarships to student athletes (basketball) at York University and University of British Columbia. The CEBL, Canada’s largest professional sports league with 10 teams in six provinces, will embark on its seventh season next summer after again posting record growth numbers across the business in 2024. More than 4.2 million fans now follow the CEBL in Canada and internationally, culminating in over 9.6 million social media views this year. Since 2022, the CEBL has seen an unprecedented 89% increase in league-wide attendance and a 97% increase in overall broadcast viewership. All games are available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor and TSN+ , and in 2024, more than 50 CEBL games were broadcast live nationally on TSN , Canada’s Sports Leader, and Game+ , with an additional eight games in French on RDS . The league has also developed numerous significant partnerships in just six short years, including meaningful relationships with Canada Basketball, U SPORTS and iconic brands like Spalding and New Era. ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Twenty one 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . Media Contact: Aaron Gogishvili – Sr. Director, Communications & Community Relations Canadian Elite Basketball League (905) 730-4691 | agogishvili@cebl.ca
By Kyle Warrener November 14, 2024
Following the conclusion of the Honey Badgers season earlier this summer, many players signed contracts with new clubs across the globe. This led to new opportunities, meeting new teammates, and in most cases playing in an entirely new country. Since the season ended, nine players from Brampton’s roster have done this, many off to impressive starts with their new clubs. For Petros Melissaratos and Cole Syllas, their connection to Brampton has continued in Mykonos, Greece with A.O. Mykonos who are off to a 6-1 start this season. “This is a totally new experience for me,” said Syllas about playing in his first season outside of North America. “It’s crazy how the tables turned from me showing off Canada to him, to now him helping guide me through this journey in Greece. Having a familiar face and friend here with me is helpful in adjusting to the life of a professional athlete and all of the ups and downs that can happen throughout the season.” Syllas began his professional career as a U SPORTS developmental player with the Ottawa BlackJacks in 2023 before being selected in the 2nd round of the 2024 CEBL Draft by the Honey Badgers in April. The Queens University product averaged 4.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in eight contests with the team, setting a career-high with 13 points against his former team, the Ottawa BlackJacks, on May 26. In just his first professional season overseas, Syllas has played in all of Mykonou’s seven games, highlighted by an eight-point, five-rebound performance October 16 in a win against AEO Proteas Voulas. While playing in a completely new country at the age of 24 can be a challenge of its own, Syllas has a familiar face in the locker room in Melissaratos. A native of Athens, Mellissaratos was a veteran presence for the Honey Badgers this summer in his first season playing outside of Greece in his 13-year professional career. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17 games with Brampton, scoring a season-best 18 points in the regular season finale against Ottawa on July 29. Since returning to Greece, Melissaratos has averaged 10.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in seven games, scoring in double-figures in all but two contests. With their club currently in first place in the Greek Elite League standings, Syllas and Melissaratos look to build on their connection with their next matchup set for November 16 against Hanth B.C. Brampton Honey Badgers season tickets are now available in advance of the CEBL's seventh season which tips off in May 2025. Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact tickets@honeybadgers.com for more information. ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Twenty one 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
By Kyle Warrener October 17, 2024
Honey Badgers front office staff were out and about in the streets of Brampton on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate Small Business Month in collaboration with the Downtown Brampton BIA. The team visited over 50 businesses with gifts of appreciation, ranging from local coffee shops to retail stores and restaurants. Thousands of locally owned small businesses call the city home, including over 300 within the downtown community. “Supporting local businesses is a huge priority for our organization,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “Our organization is committed to continuing our efforts in the community as we look to make strides in utilizing the Honey Badgers as a vehicle for community growth.” The Honey Badgers first stop Wednesday morning was Trish Juice Brampton, a local go-to destination for a refreshing twist on wellness. In their eighth year of business in Brampton’s downtown core, they are most well-known for their vibrant array of fresh fruit and vegetable smoothies and juices. “This city is very close to our heart and we are so happy to be a small business in this amazing community,” said Tammy of Trish Juice Brampton. “The most rewarding part of what we do is seeing the smiles on our customer's faces and knowing that we are serving them healthy and nutritious goods every day.” The team visited Pizzanini for a quick lunch, a family-owned and operated restaurant across from Brampton City Hall that opened in the spring of 2019. Known for their passion, family values, and community involvement, Pizzanini quickly became one of the top-rated pizzerias in the area. “Building meaningful relationships with people from all walks of life across this city is the best part of being a small business,” said Mark Sich, owner of Pizzanini. “The community support we’ve received since the day we opened has been overwhelming. The downtown Brampton community is truly one big family, and it means a lot to us to be a part of it.” Additional businesses that were featured in this initiative include but are not limited to Downtown Brampton Wellness Centre, Indian Curry Express & Bar, Brampton Boxing, La Favorita, and Hopen Doors. Brampton Honey Badgers season tickets are now available in advance of the CEBL's seventh season which tips off in May 2025. Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact tickets@honeybadgers.com for more information. ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Twenty one 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
By Kyle Warrener October 8, 2024
Sunday afternoon marked the first of four meetings between former teammates Zane Waterman and LJ Thorpe, now opponents in Lithuania representing BC Neptunas Klaipeda and Utenos Juventus, respectively. Nuptunas remains undefeated in their Lietuvos Krepšinio Lyga campaign with a perfect 3-0 record behind Waterman’s 13-point performance, continuing a streak of three consecutive double-digit scoring efforts. Waterman recorded 15 points and six rebounds in his previous outing against Jovana on September 29, following up on a 17-point performance in the season opener September 21 versus Rytas. “It’s always fun to go up against familiar faces, especially teammates,” said Wateman. “LJ (Thorpe) is an amazing player and I’d much rather have him on my side.” Thorpe contributed 11 points and five assists in the losing effort for Juventus, falling to 1-2 on the Lietuvos Krepšinio Lyga season. Juventus opened the season splitting a pair of Basketball Champions League Qualifying games, defeating Spartak and losing to Sassari. Through five games with his new club, Thorpe is averaging 14.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists. This marks the second consecutive season where Waterman and Thorpe have gone head-to-head overseas. Prior to joining forces in Brampton, both players spent last season in Lithuania when Thorpe was a member of BC Siauliai and Waterman played for BC Nevezis-Optibet with Thorpe’s squad taking the season series 2-1. Thorpe and Wateman led the offensive attack for the Honey Badgers this summer averaging 12.1 and 15.9 points, respectively. The Brampton duo’s next matchup takes place November 30 when Juventus visits Neptunas. Brampton Honey Badgers season tickets are now available in advance of the CEBL's seventh season which tips off in May 2025. Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact tickets@honeybadgers.com for more information.  ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Nineteen 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
By Kyle Warreners September 25, 2024
Former Honey Badgers guard Javonte Cooke has reportedly signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the fourth player in franchise history to sign with an NBA club after playing with the Honey Badgers. The Columbia, South Carolina native suited up in 10 games for the black and gold this season, averaging 14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, while reaching double-figures in scoring in all but one contest. Cooke tied Christian Vital’s single-game franchise record with six steals on May 26 against the Ottawa BlackJacks. Vital also earned an NBA contract after playing with the Honey Badgers, previously signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Toronto Raptors in October 2022.. Cooke spent last season with the Iowa Wolves in the NBA G League, an affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 48 games. The 25-year-old becomes the 19th player to sign an NBA contract following their time in the CEBL. Earlier this month, Vancouver’s Tazé Moore signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in addition to Scarborough’s Jackson Rowe and Saskatchewan’s Elijah Harkless who reportedly signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. In addition to Cooke, Nino Johnson (Utah Jazz), Christian Vital (Toronto Raptors), and Lindell Wigginton (Milwaukee Bucks) round out the list of Honey Badgers players who have signed with NBA clubs. The Honey Badgers have also had six members of their coaching staff join NBA organizations, including Brittni Donaldson (Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks), 2022 CEBL Coach of the Year Ryan Schmidt (Atlanta Hawks), Antoine Broxsie (Cleveland Cavaliers), Josh Estes (Cleveland Cavaliers), Ashton Smith (Atlanta Hawks), and most recently, Stephane Ingo (Sacramento Kings). Ingo served as the Honey Badgers video coordinator this past season, before returning to the court with the Winnipeg Sea Bears and appearing in six games while averaging 5.8 points and 5.3 rebounds. It was announced last week that he would be joining the Kings organization as a video coordinator ahead of the upcoming NBA campaign. Brampton Honey Badgers season tickets are now available in advance of the CEBL's seventh season which tips off in May 2025. Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact tickets@honeybadgers.com for more information. ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Nineteen 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
By Kyle Warrener September 5, 2024
As the calendar turns to the fall months, it marks the beginning of another CEBL offseason with players continuing their professional careers around the globe. Since 2019, 72 of 96 players to suit up in the black and gold have played professionally following their summer season with the Honey Badgers, in addition to five players rejoining their U SPORTS programs. With preparation well underway for the upcoming season that begins later this month, 10 players from this summer’s Honey Badgers squad have joined their clubs before their respective season openers in eight different countries including Germany, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Brazil, Italy, Argentina, and Canada. “It’s rewarding to see our players around the world continue growing as professionals,” said Brampton Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy. “At the end of the day, our ultimate goal as a team is to see our players improve and succeed and I’m personally excited to watch them over the next couple of months.” A new season means new beginnings, especially for a trio of Honey Badgers guards set to take part in their first professional season overseas. Callum Baker, Cole Syllas, and Yaw Obeng-Mensah signed their first international contracts last month with their respective clubs. However, for Syllas, his connection with Brampton will continue in Greece this fall with AO Mykonou as he teams up with a familiar face in Petros Melissaratos, a Greek-Canadian forward with over 275 games of experience in the pro ranks across 12 seasons. The duo will begin their Greek-Elite League campaign on October 5 against Near East. Veterans LJ Thorpe and Zane Waterman both return to Lithuania for a second season as opponents after teaming up for the first time this past summer in Brampton. Thorpe’s Utenos Juventus squad is set to take on Zane Waterman and BC Neptunas Klaipeda for the first time on October 6, with four additional meetings scheduled for later in the season. 
By Kyle Warrener August 1, 2024
The Brampton Honey Badgers and the Canadian Elite Basketball League announced Thursday that David Walker has been named a finalist for the 2024 CEBL Developmental Player of the Year Award, formerly U SPORTS Player of the Year, alongside Winnipeg Sea Bears forward Simon Hildebrandt. This announcement comes as the CEBL published the names of finalists for the seven awards that will be given out on August 7 as part of CEBL Championship Weekend in Montreal. Walker has appeared in 16 games with the black and gold this summer, averaging 7.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game, leading all U SPORTS and CCAA players in scoring. The 6-foot-4 guard scored double-figures in seven contests, including a professional career-best 20 points to secure a victory June 30 against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on home court. “I’m proud and honored to be a finalist for this award,” said Walker. “I’d like to thank my teammates and coaches for believing and trusting in me to make an impact this summer.” Walker was selected with the 2nd pick (22nd overall) in the 3rd round of the 2024 CEBL Draft back in April. He joined the Honey Badgers following a second season with Toronto Metropolitan University, averaging 16.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 24.9 minutes in 13 games and scoring double-figures in all but three contests. “David (Walker) has continued to impress us since the first day of training camp. This recognition is very well deserved,” said head coach of the Brampton Honey Badgers, Sheldon Cassimy. “We knew from the start that he would be an impact player for us this summer.” This summer marked Walker’s second year playing in the CEBL, suiting up in nine games for the 2023 CEBL Champions, Scarborough Shooting Stars. Award nominees and winners are determined by votes cast by the league’s head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team. For more information about the CEBL Awards including all of the award finalists, click HERE . Tickets for the 2024 CEBL Awards and all events at CW24 can be purchased HERE . ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Fourteen 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
July 30, 2024
Keevan Veinot flirted with a triple double, tallying 25 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as the Ottawa BlackJacks (9-11) closed out their 2024 CEBL regular season with a 116-104 win over the Brampton Honey Badgers (6-14) Monday at The Arena at TD Place. The win was Ottawa’s third in its last four games as it now heads to Scarborough for a post-season matchup with the Shooting Stars on Friday. “I think the main purpose of today was finish the game with high hopes, be optimistic, get some momentum, and now we’re heading into a do or die in Scarborough,” said Veinot after the game. “So, coming off [today’s win], the team will be in full stride.” Ottawa’s been a battle-tested team all season long, dealing with injuries and players in and out of the lineup because of other commitments, but managed to stick through the lows of the early part of the season to emerge as a playoff threat. “We’ve definitely had some highs and lows – not only in the season, but in games – and we’ve managed to stay resilient,” said BlackJacks head coach James Derouin. “I think we were down 10 today at one point in the third and we managed to stay with it and get the win. “So, these are the things that you want to go through as a team, so that, when you are in a do-or-die situation, you can tell them that they’ve been there before and it’s true and hopefully they respond when that happens in the playoffs.” Mirroring how their 2024 regular season went, the BlackJacks looked shaky in the early goings Monday, but turned it on in the second half to cruise to victory. Brampton beat up Ottawa on the offensive glass in the first half of the game, securing 16 offensive rebounds for 21 second-chance points. The Honey Badgers’ strong play continued into the third quarter, where they led by as many as 10, but thanks to a six-point outburst from Veinot in the frame, and a 7-2 run to close the period, Ottawa was able to cut Brampton’s lead down to one, 88-87, heading into the fourth, where Ottawa took control and never looked back. Losing six straight to finish their season, it was a disappointing end for the Honey Badgers, who were leading the BlackJacks for that final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference for much of the season. “I think everything is always a learning experience,” said Honey Badgers head coach Sheldon Cassimy. “That’s something that we came into the season talking about. Taking every opportunity to grow and to have a growth mindset, and so that’s exactly what we’re doing. “We’re taking a growth mindset from roster construction, for myself to just to continue to get better and understand what I want to do offensively and defensively and the guys learning from each experience, too. Every season is different and different things happen through the season. We have a lot of under our control and a lot of things out of our control and it’s just learning how to deal with it.” In a bright spot to close their season, Honey Badgers guard LJ Thorpe matched the CEBL single-game record for assists with 16. The mark also saw him eclipse 100 assists for his CEBL career, in the regular season and playoffs. “My teammates hitting shots,” said Thorpe with a laugh when asked about how he got to such a high assist total. “They let me put them in a position to hit them with the ball. I have nothing but kind words for those guys. I love those guys and they let me have a great season.” Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Justin Wright-Foreman originally set the record of 16 earlier this season on June 27 against the Niagara River Lions. The 16 assists Thorpe dished out is a new Honey Badgers team record. Up Next The BlackJacks will face the Shooting Stars in Scarborough Friday in post-season action. The winner of that game will see the River Lions with a shot at a Championship Weekend berth on the line where the host Montreal Alliance and the top Western Conference seed Vancouver Bandits are already waiting. Brampton will next play when it opens its 2025 CEBL campaign. ### 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 www.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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. 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. Fourteen 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 BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891 . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
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