Teddy Allen Looks to Continue Hot Start as Sea Bears Host Winless BlackJacks

June 1, 2024

By Steven Loung

Coming off a pair of 40-point outbursts to begin the season, Teddy Allen and the Winnipeg Sea Bears (1-1) are looking to keep their momentum rolling at home as they host the Ottawa BlackJacks (0-2) Saturday. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre.

Allen, last season’s CEBL MVP, is in fine form to begin the season, averaging 40.5 points per game with a 40-point performance to begin the season against the Saskatchewan Rattlers, followed up by 41 in Winnipeg’s last game versus the defending-champion Scarborough Shooting Stars.

Following up on a thrilling come-from-behind home victory that saw them win on an Alex Campbell three, the Sea Bears will meet the BlackJacks, who are off to a rough start to the season and could be in for another tough matchup in what will assuredly be a raucous Canada Life Centre.

The Sea Bears fans packed the arena with 9,116 last game, the second-largest attendance ever for a regular-season CEBL contest.

“Honestly, I’ve been in a lot of arenas in my career and that was one of the loudest I’ve ever heard,” said Winnipeg guard Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson after the Sea Bears’ win over the Shooting Stars. “It felt like your head was going to fall off.”

The Sea Bears will look to pick up their first-ever win against a squad that bested them 98-86 at TD Place in their lone matchup last season. Allen led the way for Winnipeg in that contest with a 26-point, 10-rebound effort.

Ottawa has had a difficult time finding offence over their first two games, averaging 83 points per game, the third-fewest in the league. They couldn’t keep up with the Edmonton Stingers in their home opener on Wednesday, falling 92-84.

Both Ottawa and Edmonton entered Target Score Time knotted at 81 apiece, but the BlackJacks only managed three points during the finishing period, dooming their chances.

A bright spot for Ottawa, however, is newcomer Isaih Moore, who made his CEBL debut Wednesday. The 6-10 Moore, who played 10 games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League last season, finished Wednesday’s game with 22 points and six rebounds on eight-of-12 shooting.

The addition of Moore looks to give the BlackJacks a much-needed offensive lift as Ottawa still remains without 2023 starters Deng Adel and Zena Edosomwan, who are currently completing their professional seasons overseas, and possibly starting guard Yasiin Joseph, who was forced to exit Wednesday’s contest with an elbow injury.

The Sea Bears will also be seeing additional reinforcements heading their way, but not in time for Saturday’s game. Local product Emmanuel Akot will be coming home to play for the Sea Bears this season after the conclusion of his season with Heroes Den Bosch of the BNXT League. The 6-8 wing suited up in two games with the BlackJacks last season. David Muenkat, a St. Francis Xavier graduate currently playing overseas in Frankfurt, will also join the team after wrapping up his current playoff run.

The action begins at 7:30 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre. For tickets, visit seabears.ca/tickets. Live coverage is available on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app, available for iOS and Android devices.

TICKETS

About the Winnipeg Sea Bears

The Winnipeg Sea Bears joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) as an expansion franchise in 2023. The city's only professional basketball team plays out of Canada Life Centre from May to August in a 20-game regular season schedule. Winnipeg businessman and lawyer David Asper is the organization's owner and chairman.

More information on the Sea Bears can be found at seabears.ca and @wpgseabears on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn & Facebook.

About the 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