Edmonton Stingers to Seek Revenge Against Vancouver Bandits at Home

The Edmonton Stingers (5-7) (-138) are set to tip off the second half of a home-and-home Canada Day long weekend series against the Vancouver Bandits (5-6) (+100) this afternoon at 2:00 pm local/4:00 pm ET. 

The game will also be available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.

In their first meeting of the weekend set on Saturday in Vancouver, the Bandits used a team-high 21 points and five three pointers from Jahenns Manigat to knock off the Stingers 90-80. Coming into today’s game, the Ottawa product is averaging a little over 8 points and 4 assists per game. 

Elijah Miller responded with a near triple-double for Edmonton—racking up 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on the evening. Guard Isiah Osborne also chipped in with 14 points. 

There’s a reason [Miller]’s our starting point guard. He’s showing he’s a professional basketball player — he’s come in and proven it since day one,” Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker said after their matchup on July 1. 

Today’s game has big implication for the western conference playoff race. 

Although Vancouver has already secured a spot in Championship Weekend—by virtue of hosting the event in Langley, B.C.—the Stingers will look to stay within striking distance of the second place Calgary Surge who sit at 7-6 heading into today’s game. 

In order to stay in the playoff race, the Stingers will have to have an answer for Vancouver’s bigs. 

Although the rebound battle was a virtual tie in their Canada Day showdown—Edmonton racked up 38 boards to Vancouver’s 37—forwards Nick Wards and Giorgi Bezhanishvili combined for 32 points and the Bandits scored 10 more points in the paint than the Stingers. 

As a team, Vancouver is averaging the most rebounds in the CEBL (46) per game. The Bandits are also averaging the most defensive boards in the league (34) and fourth most offensive rebounds (12). 

Edmonton, meanwhile, comes into today’s game averaging the most field goals made per game at nearly 33 per contest. 

Outside of Miller, Brody Clarke and Nick Hornsby have been reliable scoring options for the Stingers all season. The duo is averaging 14.4 and 12.4 points per game respectively. 

But the Stingers are poised to rely on a number of scores tonight. With eight players who are averaging eight points per game or more, Edmonton boasts a deep roster with plenty of players who can find their own shot. 

Today’s game will mark the second of three meetings between Vancouver and Edmonton in the regular season, as the two teams are set to square off for a third and final time on July 21 in Vancouver. 

After today’s game, Vancouver will have a six day break before taking on the Ottawa BlackJacks on July 9. Edmonton will face off against their Alberta rivals, the Calgary Surge, on Wednesday at home.

Full broadcast schedule of CEBL Games of the Week on TSN can be found here. All games will also be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. 

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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.