Justin Lewis had 19 points to help lead the Calgary Surge (3-5) to an 88-76 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers (2-7) on Sunday. 

Lewis hit some clutch shots down the stretch for the Surge, adding seven rebounds and two assists in the win.

“Today I came out with a lot of energy … I wanted to be more careful with turnovers,” Lewis said about his performance tonight. “Wanted to be more cleaner and sharper with different possessions.” 

Malcolm Duvivier also was key for the Surge, scoring 18 points on 50 per cent shooting, and knocking down four threes. 

Despite the loss, forward Shamiel Stevenson had a great game for Brampton. Stevenson scored 18 points on 63 per cent shooting, grabbed five rebounds and had dished out two assists.

Both teams came out of the gates swinging, and led by Duvivier’s four threes, the Surge took a 26-22 lead at the end off the first.

“I just think we came out with good energy, the ball was moving,” Duvivier said about his first-quarter performance. “Whenever we have good energy and the ball is zipping around, the shots are just going to come. My teammates put me in a good position, and I work every day to hit those shots. So, I was taking them, and they were going in.”

The Surge carried their momentum straight into the second quarter and continued to shoot the lights out from all over the floor. They were able to lock down the Badgers on the perimeter, holding them to only 23 per cent from three and building a 44-35 lead at the half.

Surge head coach Tyrell Vernon knew what he had to do to get the team ready defensively for the Honey Badgers.

“It was just attention to detail, knowing what players wanted to do what,” Vernon said. “Also, I think our defence, when we’re not doing well defensively, it’s because our defence is way too spread out. We’re leaving guys on an island, and we didn’t do that.”

The Surge tried their best to pile it on, but the Honey Badgers would not quit. Despite being down by as many as 14, Brampton would fight back to end off the third trailing just 61-58. But that was as close as they would come as Calgary weathered the storm and hit some timely shots to secure the 88-76 victory.

Duvivier shared how much this win was needed for the team, especially with a six-game road trip on the horizon.

“It was very important, I just think we needed a little morale boost, you know, after last game,” Duvivier said. “I think we came out with a lot of fire and that’s what we need to continue to do, to start the game well, and carry that energy on throughout the whole game.” 

What’s next for both teams?

The Surge will head on the road for a season-long six-game road trip beginning this Thursday against the Saskatchewan Rattlers. As for the Brampton Honey Badgers, they hope to snap their losing streak when they take on the Montreal Alliance on Wednesday.

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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 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.