The Brampton Honey Badgers host the Ottawa BlackJacks on Sunday in the first of three meetings between the clubs this season. 

The game begins at 4:00 p.m. ET at Brampton’s CAA Centre, with live coverage available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. It will also be televised nationally on Game+.

Brampton is coming off an impressive win against the Niagara River Lions in their home opener Friday where they erased a double-digit deficit in the second quarter to pull ahead and never look back.

Forward Zane Waterman and Guard LJ Thorpe were the heroes of that game, combining for 51 points. Waterman helped spark the comeback by slowing down the tempo and leading the Honey Badgers with 27 points and 10 rebounds on the night. Thorpe also caught fire and shot a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc on his way to 24 points, three rebounds, three assist, four steals and the Target Score Winner.

Waterman stated after the game that he texted head coach Sheldon Cassimy about how impressive Thorpe was and that he wanted him on the team. “I saw LJ in Lithuania, we were playing in the same league in Europe this season,” said Waterman. “I actually texted Coach Sheldon, I said, ‘We got to get this guy like he's really good,’ and Sheldon checked him out and agreed with me.”

Even though Brampton is riding high off their victory, the BlackJacks pose a different threat of their own.

A late training camp add, Ottawa brought back 6-foot-7 forward Deng Adel. Adel was a monster for Ottawa last season, averaging 17.2 points game, 5.8 rebounds per game, and 4.2 assists per game. His impressive season landed him a spot on the All-CEBL Second Team. Adel’s size and athleticism is critical for this game against the Honey Badgers, as they had a tough time guarding bigger players against Niagara. 

Ottawa also signed former Chicago Bulls guard Brandon Sampson. Sampson averaged 13.2 points across five seasons during his time in the NBA G League. He recently completed a two-game run in the Israeli Basketball Premier League where he averaged 11 points per game. His shiftiness, experience and ability to create his shot off the dribble definitely will provide a huge boost for Ottawa's offence. 

The key matchup to look out for

A key match-up for the fans to keep their eyes out for will be Honey Badgers Forward Zane Waterman taking on BlackJacks forward Deng Adel. 

Waterman was key for Brampton to cut into the lead and come back from the double-digit deficit in the first game for the Honey Badgers, and if he can keep this momentum going Ottawa will have a difficult time handling him. 

However, if Adel manages to slow down Waterman and get his game going, Ottawa can find themselves on the winning end. 

2023 season series

During the 2023 season, Ottawa had Brampton’s number. They defeated the Honey Badgers in all three of their matchups.

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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.