The Edmonton Stingers (3-0) welcome in the Saskatchewan Rattlers (0-4) for a showdown at the Expo Centre on July 8 at 9:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. local time.

Prior to tip off on Thursday night, the Stingers will raise their 2020 championship banner, earned after going 5-1 and defeating the Fraser Valley Bandits in the CEBL Finals last year.

Edmonton has six returning players from that title-winning roster, including two-time CEBL MVP Xavier Moon, reigning CEBL Canadian of the Year Jordan Baker, and franchise staples Adika Peter-McNeilly, Mathieu Kamba, Kareem South, and Zac Overwater. Head coach and general manager Jermaine Small also re-signed with the team this offseason, and Thursday’s ceremony will certainly be a night to remember for all parties involved.

The Stingers are off to a hot start and remain undefeated this season, but regardless of how they place the team will be part of the 2021 Championship weekend from August 18 – 22 as the host franchise. Tickets are on sale now at ticketmaster.ca.

Trading places

Arguably one of the largest offseason acquisitions was former Edmonton Stinger Travis Daniels taking his talents to Saskatchewan to play for the Rattlers. Daniels spent his first two CEBL seasons with the Stingers where he was twice named a CEBL First Team All-Star, averaging 15.1 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game. The six-foot-eight forward was an integral part of Edmonton’s championship run last year and Thursday night marks the first time Daniels will face off against his old team.

Daniels’ former partner in crime is Stingers forward Jordan Baker. The pair were dominant in the front court for two seasons in Edmonton because of their length, rebounding presence, and versatility on defense. A key matchup tonight will be between Daniels and Baker, and fans can expect these two former teammates to battle it out.

Marlon Johnson has been a welcome addition to the Stingers this season, and together with Brady Skeens, he has been tasked with filling the void left by Daniels. Johnson currently ranks second on the team in scoring (behind Xavier Moon) averaging 14.3 points per game. The six-foot-ten forward is actually a former Rattler and played for Saskatchewan in 2019, averaging 9.5 points and 7 rebounds per game. Johnson was renowned for his high-flying dunks, and his role in helping Saskatchewan take home the inaugural CEBL title in 2019.

Tug of war

Tonight’s matchup features teams who early on have played two different styles of basketball. Edmonton, led by the speedy Xavier Moon, likes to get out in transition and push the pace of the game. Through three contests this season, the Stingers rank among the league leaders in points per game (92.3) and are averaging more than 20 points per game more than the Rattlers (70.5).

Alternatively, Saskatchewan likes to play in the half-court, and has found success by forcing teams like the Hamilton Honey Badgers and Niagara River Lions to play at their pace. The team has shown some solid stretches of basketball early on but is still in search of its first win on the season because of an inability to capitalize on chances in the Elam Ending.

A tale of two offences 

The Rattlers are currently battling some injuries after the team’s leading scorer through their first two games, JaKeenan Gant, went down against the Fraser Valley Bandits.

Saskatchewan is still building chemistry but two bright spots in this process have been Devonte Bandoo and Mambi Diawara, who have taken on a heavy offensive load. Bandoo has registered two-straight twenty-point games and he and Diawara combined for 42 of the Rattlers’ 71 points in their most recent contest.

For Edmonton, the team’s offence is centered around Xavier Moon. Through two seasons, Moon has won the CEBL’s MVP award both times, meaning opponents’ defensive strategies often focus on minimizing his scoring ability. The six-foot-two guard continuously uses his athleticism to get into the paint and draw in opposing defenders, opening up opportunities for his teammates. The Stingers rank first in the league, averaging 24.7 assists per game.

Edmonton has taken pride in scoring by committee, and in the team’s most recent victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks, five players registered double-digit performances. Moon’s long-time Stingers teammate Adika Peter-McNeilly had a standout game with 21 points.