Winnipeg Sea Bears are CEBL Champions
The Winnipeg Sea Bears have won their first CEBL championship, defeating the Brampton Honey Badgers 98 – 84 in Saturday’s winner-take-all championship game at Canada Life Centre.
It was a historic night for Winnipeg, which entered the Finals having never previously reached the CEBL championship game.
A dramatic championship setup
The Finals took an unexpected turn after Wednesday’s scheduled opener in Brampton was cancelled because condensation made the court unsafe. The CEBL subsequently abandoned the planned best-of-three format and made today’s Winnipeg game the single championship game.
That meant there was no tomorrow—win today and you’re champions.
Winnipeg’s breakthrough
The Sea Bears carried the momentum of an outstanding playoff run into the final. They had already eliminated Saskatoon and Vancouver, beating the Bandits 107–96 in the Western Conference Final despite playing shorthanded.
Winnipeg’s depth had been a defining characteristic of its postseason. Against Vancouver, Simon Hildebrandt and Xavier Moon scored 24 points apiece, while Trey McGowens added 18 and D.J. Burns had 14.
The Honey Badgers were attempting to add a second championship to the franchise’s 2022 title. They reached the Final by defeating the Niagara River Lions 98–96 in the Eastern Conference Final.
Brampton had also beaten Winnipeg twice during the regular season, including an 88–86 victory in Winnipeg on July 25, making the championship matchup especially intriguing.
What it means
For Winnipeg, this is more than another trophy. The Sea Bears have officially gone from an expansion-era franchise to CEBL champions.
After years of playoff disappointment, a difficult regular season and significant injury adversity, Winnipeg put together its best basketball when the stakes were highest.
Winnipeg Sea Bears — 2026 CEBL Champions.
The championship was particularly memorable because the league’s planned first-ever best-of-three Finals became a one-game, winner-take-all contest after the Brampton opener was cancelled.
