Basketball

Amateur

DAVE LARKINS / WESMEN ATHLETICS Winnipeg Wesmen guard Kato Jaro (left) drives the ball against University of South Dakota defenders last week in pre-season action.

Men’s Wesmen basketball bench boss scouts fresh crop’s depth in pre-season series

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026

Mike Raimbault didn’t take much time to bask in the triumph. His attention has already turned to a more elusive feat.

An admittedly tired Raimbault was back on the sideline last week, this time at his primary post as head coach of the Winnipeg Wesmen men’s basketball team, just days after guiding the Winnipeg Sea Bears to the franchise’s first Canadian Elite Basketball League championship.

A title in the professional ranks was well-earned, and while there will be a time to soak up his special summer, a new campaign awaits.

“It’s nice to get some time together before school starts. It’s a sort of a litmus test of where you’re at and what you need to do,” Raimbault said after the second of a two-game pre-season series against the University of South Dakota.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Weather

Aug. 31, 6 PM: 23°c Cloudy with wind Sep. 1, 12 AM: 18°c Cloudy with wind

Winnipeg MB

23°C, Windy

Full Forecast

Basketball

RILEY MARRA / SEA BEARS FILES Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Teddy Allen (8) lost out on the league’s Most Valuable Player award Thursday to Scarborough Shooting Stars guard Myles Powell.

Allen misses out on league MVP award

Taylor Allen 4 minute read Preview

Allen misses out on league MVP award

Taylor Allen 4 minute read Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Teddy Allen has come up short in his bid to win a second career CEBL Most Valuable Player award — and he’s not happy about it.

The league revealed its award winners Thursday, with Scarborough Shooting Stars guard Myles Powell taking home the MVP honours over Allen who was the finalist out of the Western Conference.

Powell, who was also named the Clutch Player of the Year with nine target score winners, averaged 22.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists while leading Scarborough to a historic 20-4 record.

“A dude who averaged 23 on 38 per cent. You will never see me again. Lost ya credibility,” Allen commented on Instagram.

Read
Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

Basketball

MIKE SUDOMA/FREE PRESS Winnipeg born Simon Hildebrandt poses with the CEBL Trophy after the Sea Bears win against the Brampton Honey Badgers at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.

Sea Bears finish on top

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Sea Bears finish on top

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026

Beauty. Bliss. Ecstasy.

That is how Aug. 15, 2026 will be remembered in Winnipeg.

What was once a pipe dream in the city’s hoops community became an epic reality on Saturday, when Simon Hildebrandt, who grew up playing on the courts of this very town, made good on a three-pointer from the wing to crown the Winnipeg Sea Bears Canadian Elite Basketball League champions.

A storybook ending to a 98-84 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers sent a CEBL attendance record of 12,519 fans into pandemonium at Canada Life Centre and capped a Finals run for the ages — one that was fraught with injury, impromptu player exits and unprecedented circumstances.

Read
Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026

Basketball

WINNIPEG SEA BEARS PHOTO The Sea Bears face the Brampton Honey Badgers in Winnipeg on Saturday with the CEBL championship on the line.

CEBL disputes cancellation being a black eye for league

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

CEBL disputes cancellation being a black eye for league

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

One day after the first game of its nationally televised inaugural championship series was cancelled owing to unsafe court conditions, the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s president and CEO refuted the idea that the circumstances are a black eye on the league.

Ty Mazereeuw stood by the league’s decision to allow Wednesday night’s Game 1 of the CEBL Finals between the Winnipeg Sea Bears and Brampton Honey Badgers to go forward at the CAA Centre in Southern Ontario, even though it was kiboshed before the contest was two minutes old due to condensation on the court.

The bizarre and abrupt ending to what was supposed to be a best-of-three series came nine days after a bench-clearing brawl broke out in the regular-season finale between Brampton and the Scarborough Shooting Stars, which led to five players being suspended and six players fined — another situation in which the league was criticized for its handling.

“I would just say (I’m not) sure I fully buy that the league has fallen flat. I think what we’ve seen is a couple of significant situations that have been amplified, whether it was through a celebrity, or in a case like (Wednesday) night when you have more people than we’ve ever had in Brampton, and it happens to be Game 1 of the Finals, and that situation happens — wish it could have been in the regular season — everything is just amplified. And because those two things have happened in a short period of time, I think it’s magnified for sure, and especially amongst our most passionate fans, and it invites conversation,” Mazereeuw told the Free Press Thursday.

Read
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

Basketball

CEBL Simon Hildebrandt delivered a career-high 24 points.

Cinderella story continues, Sea Bears bounce Bandits in Conference Final

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Cinderella story continues, Sea Bears bounce Bandits in Conference Final

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026

Just days ago, the Winnipeg Sea Bears were at rock bottom.

The losses had piled up, and the star talent had dwindled. The noise around the club grew, and the confidence from outside the building faded by the day.

Players and coaches alike conveyed the belief that persisted internally, but you wouldn’t fault some fans if those words fell on deaf ears.

Less than a week later, the undermanned and underestimated Sea Bears find themselves two wins away from the tippy top of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s mountain after a second-straight convincing playoff victory, this time a 107-96 decision over the Vancouver Bandits in the Western Conference Final at the Langley Events Centre in British Columbia on Saturday.

Read
Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026

Basketball

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Xavier Moon leaps into the air to attempt to block a shot by Saskatoon Mamba guard Devonte Bandoo during Thursday’s semifinal against Saskatoon.

Best of the West in Conference final clash

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Best of the West in Conference final clash

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

It had been a while for Isiah Osborne.

The man known affectionately by his Winnipeg Sea Bears teammates as the “Silent Assassin” had been quiet in more ways than one for a while.

After arriving in Winnipeg with some flair, eclipsing 20 points in three of his first four games and hitting two game-winners over that stretch, the Windsor, Ont., product had cooled off significantly in recent weeks.

Osborne reached double digits just once in the last eight games of the regular season while firing at a 32.8 per cent clip, and he was pushed down the pecking order once Xavier Moon jumped into the lineup.

Read
Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Basketball

CEBL PHOTO The Winnipeg Sea Bears signed Canadian big Ben Stevens on Tuesday for the club’s playoff run.

Canadian centre adds size to Sea Bears playoff push

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Preview

Canadian centre adds size to Sea Bears playoff push

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026

The Winnipeg Sea Bears have added some size ahead of the playoffs.

The club announced the signing of 6-10 Canadian centre Ben Stevens on Tuesday. Stevens was released by the Montreal Alliance on July 30 and scooped up by the Sea Bears ahead of the Aug. 3 transaction deadline.

The 27-year-old from Halifax appeared in 10 games for the Alliance this summer, where he played a limited role off the bench, averaging 1.9 points and two rebounds per game in 7.5 minutes per game. Stevens had a more elevated role with Montreal in 2025, where he appeared in 20 contests, started five, and averaged 5.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.2 minutes of action per game.

Stevens, at worst, adds some height and physicality off the bench that has been lacking for the Sea Bears this season. The club has struggled with rebounds for many stretches and appeared outmatched by teams with larger personnel.

Read
Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026

Basketball

CEBL/Vancouver Bandits The highly anticipated matchup between the Sea Bears and the Vancouver Bandits was delayed 90 minutes due to the club’s travel issues.

‘Definitely a tough one’: Travel delays drag down Sea Bears in 114-90 loss to Vancouver Bandits

Joshua Frey-Sam 5 minute read Preview

‘Definitely a tough one’: Travel delays drag down Sea Bears in 114-90 loss to Vancouver Bandits

Joshua Frey-Sam 5 minute read Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026

The Winnipeg Sea Bears will head into the playoffs on a disheartening note.

Winnipeg’s pro hoops squad had hoped to ride a wave of confidence into the Canadian Elite Basketball League post-season on the strength of locking up the top seed in the Western Conference.

Instead, the Sea Bears ended the regular season after being handed their worst defeat of the season, a 114-90 rout at the hands of the Vancouver Bandits at the Langley Events Centre in British Columbia on Sunday.

“Definitely a tough one, but we got a home game coming next week. Just get ready for that,” said Simon Hildebrandt, who was the only member of the Sea Bears available for a post-game interview.

Read
Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026

Basketball

NEIL NOONAN PHOTO Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Xavier Moon drives to the basket against the Ottawa BlackJacks at Canada Life Centre on Friday.

‘Huge for us going forward’

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Preview

‘Huge for us going forward’

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

The Winnipeg Sea Bears needed to see one go through the hoop — even if it had no effect on their place in the standings.

With the Canadian Elite Basketball League playoffs around the corner and the club sliding as of late, there was a sense that a victory could go a long way toward rebuilding some confidence in a team that believes they should be playing for a championship in a couple of weeks.

A nail-biting 100-92 triumph over the Ottawa BlackJacks before 6,642 fans in their regular-season home finale at Canada Life Centre on Friday appears to have done that for the Sea Bears, as they look toward their biggest — and final — contest of the regular season.

“Huge,” said Xavier Moon, who paced the Sea Bears with 29 points, adding nine assists and six rebounds. “Last home game. Obviously, we got to go on the road and handle our business in Vancouver, but we dropped the last two here, so we knew a win tonight would be huge for us going forward. And it’s the last home game before the playoffs, so I mean, we wanted to end it on a high note, and I feel like we did that tonight, regardless of how it looked like we played.”

Read
Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

Basketball

Neil Noonan / CEBL Winnipeg Sea Bears head coach Mike Raimbault during a timeout against the Edmonton Stingers at Canada Life Centre.

Sea Bears strut into first-place showdown at the peak of their powers

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Sea Bears strut into first-place showdown at the peak of their powers

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2026

The Winnipeg Sea Bears and Vancouver Bandits will face off for a third time this season with the top spot in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference at stake.

While it may not be the last time the clubs battle with the No. 1 seed on the line, Thursday’s contest at Canada Life Centre (7 p.m.) will play a big factor in deciding which team has home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

The Sea Bears (13-7) are riding high after dismantling the Montreal Alliance 109-80 at home on Sunday, thanks in large part to a historic performance from Teddy Allen, who set a single-game CEBL record with 54 points and broke his own single-season points record, set in 2023.

The Bandits (12-8) remain a dangerous group under interim head coach Rans Brempong despite dropping a tough matchup in Calgary on Tuesday.

Read
Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2026

Basketball

CEBL photo Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Teddy Allen led all players with 28 points against the Calgary Surge, Sunday.

Sea Bears stumble to first home loss against struggling Surge

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Preview

Sea Bears stumble to first home loss against struggling Surge

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Sunday, Jul. 12, 2026

This time, the Winnipeg Sea Bears couldn’t find that late-game magic.

Winnipeg’s pro hoops squad has found a way to the finish line so many times this season it almost became expected that they would overcome their shooting woes and gut out another imperfect victory, but on Sunday afternoon at Canada Life Centre, a different fate prevailed.

Despite a struggling club entering their den, the Sea Bears fell flat in the second half of an 85-80 loss to the Calgary Surge.

Winnipeg’s hopes of clinching a fourth-consecutive berth in the Canadian Elite Basketball League playoffs were put on hold for at least one more game, and their perfect streak at home ended at seven as it dropped to 11-6.

Read
Sunday, Jul. 12, 2026

Basketball

NEIL NOONAN / CEBL The Winnipeg Sea Bears pulled off a seventh straight win on home court Thursday night despite losing big Jeremiah Tilmon Jr. to an ejection. The club will be looking for its eighth straight home victory Sunday night against Calgary.

Sea Bears look to stay best in West

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Sea Bears look to stay best in West

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

Mike Raimbault isn’t one to pay mind to the standings, but the Winnipeg Sea Bears’ head coach is in tune enough to know that his team may have a chance to separate itself from the rest of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference this weekend.

The Sea Bears (11-5) won’t call Sunday’s contest a free space on the bingo card. That would be nothing short of disrespecting an opposing team with professional athletes who are more than capable of putting it together for 40 minutes.

However, on paper, this lopsided tilt projects as a layup for Winnipeg. The Sea Bears remain undefeated through seven games at Canada Life Centre and will be more than happy to welcome the struggling Calgary Surge (3-13) to the den (2:30 p.m. tip-off).

After Thursday’s 97-93 victory over the Edmonton Stingers, the Sea Bears own their largest lead of the season in the Western Conference — a 1.5-game advantage with one game in hand over the Vancouver Bandits.

Read
Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

Basketball

CEBL photo Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Mason Kraus logged 29:50 of playing time against the Edmonton Stingers on Thursday.

Kraus steps up in first start as Sea Bears beat Stingers

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Preview

Kraus steps up in first start as Sea Bears beat Stingers

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026

Mason Kraus has played his role — and played it well — all summer.

A true three-and-D who has hit a few timely buckets and played a part in the Winnipeg Sea Bears becoming one of the stingiest defensive units in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

On Thursday, though, with Trey McGowens sidelined by injury, the hometown product was elevated to a starting role for the first time in his career that demanded much more than the 16.8 minutes he’s averaged off the bench, and like the first-year pro has done each time he’s been challenged this season, Kraus answered the bell in a nail-biting 97-93 victory for the Sea Bears over the Edmonton Stingers at Canada Life Centre.

“I knew I was a little nervous going into it, but once I hit my first shot, all the nerves went away,” said Kraus, whose nine points and three assists went beyond the box score. “At the end of the day, it’s just basketball, and we practise so many days of the week, so many times we just went through repping me in the point guard position, me coming off the bench as a two guard as well. So just coming in, that practice makes perfect.”

Read
Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026

Basketball

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Teddy Allen is viewed as the front-runner for a second MVP award, a feat that has only been accomplished by fellow teammate Xavier Moon.

Sea Bears set to go for season sweep against Stingers

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Sea Bears set to go for season sweep against Stingers

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2026

The Winnipeg Sea Bears have found a lot of ways to win this summer, and yet, something about Sunday still felt different.

A nail-biting 100-98 victory over the Edmonton Stingers wasn’t the club’s most impressive 40-minute effort of the season, but perhaps it was the most resilient after trailing the entire first half then outlasting the Stingers in Target Score Time to steal one on the road.

Head coach Mike Raimbault has harped on the importance of his team staying in the moment, especially when times get tough. When the Sea Bears have lacked in that area — which has always come away from home — they’ve paid the price in the form of some crushing losses.

But Sunday was different. There was no panic, even when the Stingers’ lead stretched into double digits, and Winnipeg was rewarded for it.

Read
Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2026

Basketball

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Sea Bears gaurd Teddy Allen (right) has been playing an MVP-level season.

Sea Bears confident as club welcomes Mamba into town

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Preview

Sea Bears confident as club welcomes Mamba into town

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

Xavier Moon has been in town for nearly two weeks and still hasn’t made his debut for the Winnipeg Sea Bears.

The three-time CEBL Player of the Year’s rights still belong to his overseas club — Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia’s VTB United League — and they have until Sunday to decide whether they’re going to re-sign him for the fall.

Zenit’s season ended on June 12, but for whatever reason they’ve dragged the process out to the last minute, meaning Moon hasn’t been cleared by FIBA to play on game days for the Sea Bears just yet.

If he doesn’t get the green light in time for Sunday’s road tilt against the Edmonton Stingers, the expectation is he’ll finally suit up on July 9 when the Sea Bears host the Stingers.

Read
Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

Basketball

CEBL PHOTO FILES The last time the Winnipeg Sea Bears faced off against the Edmonton Stingers was on the road in the 2026 season opener, where Winnipeg’s own Mason Kraus (left) won the game on Target Score Time free throws.

Sea Bears expect dog fight

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Sea Bears expect dog fight

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

There was a short time when Emmanuel Akot couldn’t be convinced that everything was going to be alright.

During those painstaking moments while he writhed on the ground in Ottawa on June 4, the Winnipeg Sea Bears forward thought the hill he would need to climb to return to the court would be much steeper than any other he had faced before.

“I actually thought it was a lot worse than it was, so I was definitely scared, especially having some prior injuries with this ankle,” Akot told the Free Press on Friday.

“But, thankfully, it wasn’t anything too serious.”

Read
Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

LOAD MORE BASKETBALL ARTICLES