The Winnipeg Sea Bears have clinched their first-ever Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) championship by defeating the Brampton Honey Badgers 98-84 in the league’s single-game title showdown on Saturday. The victory came with a target score of 97, as local star Simon Hildebrandt sealed the win with a championship-winning three-point shot in front of a record-breaking crowd of 12,519 at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
Xavier Moon, a three-time CEBL MVP, led the Sea Bears with 29 points, making a significant impact by scoring three out of four three-point attempts while contributing seven rebounds and six assists. Moon, who returned to the CEBL this season after a five-year hiatus, secured his third Finals MVP honor, guiding Winnipeg to victory despite the absence of the injured star forward Teddy Allen.
Moon expressed his joy at the win, stating, “It’s crazy to be back in this environment again. I mean, obviously, familiar territory for me for winning, but to do it in a city that’s never won a playoff game, I think it means a lot more. This one is a lot more special than the first one. So, like I’ve been saying, man, I’m happy for my teammates, and I’m happy for the city of Winnipeg.”
Jelani Watson-Gayle, a guard for the Sea Bears, made a significant contribution by hitting five three-pointers, while Hildebrandt added four threes to his tally of 24 points. On the opposing side, Honey Badgers’ standout Sean East II led his team with 27 points, with Trentyn Flowers adding 20 points. Despite trailing 46-42 at halftime and 73-60 going into the final quarter, Brampton failed to secure the win.
Mike Raimbault, the new head coach of the Sea Bears, lauded the team’s achievement, saying, “I’m just super happy for everybody that is out there celebrating today and that it came to fruition because the organization did definitely deserve a championship.”
The CEBL championship was initially planned as a three-game series concluding on Sunday. However, the first game at Brampton’s CAA Centre on Wednesday was suspended and later canceled due to court condensation issues. As a result, the league reverted to a single-game format, determining the champion for the 2026 season.
The Sea Bears, finishing second in the Western Conference, triumphed over the Saskatoon Mamba and Vancouver Bandits in the West playoffs to secure their spot in the final. Meanwhile, the Honey Badgers, who finished second in the Eastern Conference, defeated the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions in the East playoffs to reach the championship game.
Despite their efforts, the Honey Badgers fell short of claiming their second CEBL title, with East II acknowledging, “We fought hard. We dealt with adversity. Not the outcome we wanted. We turned the Brampton program around so we can be happy about that for sure.”
