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Home court not so sweet for Sea Bears
Home court not so sweet for Sea Bears

Winnipeg Free Press

time3 days ago

  • Business
  • Winnipeg Free Press

Home court not so sweet for Sea Bears

Home court hasn't been an advantage for the Winnipeg Sea Bears lately. The past two seasons saw Winnipeg's professional hoops squad go 15-5 inside Canada Life Centre, but this summer, they find themselves on a three-game slide on their own floor. Their latest defeat, which dropped them to 1-4, came on Saturday night in an 88-73 loss against the visiting Ottawa BlackJacks (2-2). The Sea Bears have now lost four straight games, all by double digits, since prevailing 92-89 over the Edmonton Stingers in the season opener. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Alex Campbell (centre) said Tuesday the team is still optimistic about their season despite dropping their last four contests. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Alex Campbell (centre) said Tuesday the team is still optimistic about their season despite dropping their last four contests. 'I think we've got a younger group and it's taken a lot to realize how special this fanbase is and I don't think we've come out and played with the sense of urgency that I feel like we could, and I don't know why that is,' said veteran Canadian guard Alex Campbell after Tuesday's practice. 'We're still optimistic… It's about gelling and building this thing back up. We have one ultimate goal at the end of the summer, obviously, and we want to build up towards that.' Campbell and head coach Mike Taylor insist the team isn't on cruise control since they're hosting the CEBL's Championship Weekend (Aug. 22-24). They are guaranteed to play in the league's Western Conference championship game no matter how they finish the regular season. The last three hosts — Montreal Alliance (6-14 in 2024), Vancouver Bandits (8-12 in 2023), and Ottawa (8-12 in 2022) — all went into the final four weekend with losing records and none of them made it to championship Sunday. 'I think we've seen the last few years that (hosting) has not been easy for teams to handle. We're trying to avoid, we'll say, the trap of a challenging season and a difficult time to win games,' said Taylor. 'We've gotten off to a slow start, so I think the most important thing for us is to take ownership and understand where we are and understand where we want to be and work to get there.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Sea Bears head coach Mike Taylor said hosting the CEBL Championship Weekend can lead to complacency during the regular season. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Sea Bears head coach Mike Taylor said hosting the CEBL Championship Weekend can lead to complacency during the regular season. 'I do have to say, there can be some complacency and that urgency you normally have when you're playing, it's something that we have to address… (But) we're working hard and going in the right direction.' Inefficient shooting has plagued the Sea Bears. They're dead last in both field goal (36.7) and three-point percentage (25.7). 'I feel like we're getting the right looks, it's just more self confidence because teams are kind of labelling us as non-shooters, so I think that's getting into a lot of players' heads,' said American power forward Jaylin Williams, who had 16 points and five rebounds against Ottawa. 'It's just about boosting confidence and believing in those shots is the main way to improving things. A lot of guys can shoot, I mean, I see it with these guys in practice every day, they all can shoot, it's just about putting it together in games.' The good news is help is on the way as star Canadian centre Simi Shittu is expected to join the team on the road this weekend when they take on the Brampton Honey Badgers (0-5) Friday and then the Scarborough Shooting Stars (3-0) Saturday. The six-foot-10 Shittu, who is arriving late as he was finishing up the Greek Basketball League season with his club Promitheas Patras, is an accomplished name in the summer circuit as he was named to the All-CEBL First Team and All-Canadian Team in 2023 when he was a member of the Calgary Surge. Supplied / CEBL Winnipeg Sea Bears' Simi Shittu is expected to join the team on the road Friday against the Brampton Honey Badgers. Shittu spent the 2023 season with the Calgary Surge. Supplied / CEBL Winnipeg Sea Bears' Simi Shittu is expected to join the team on the road Friday against the Brampton Honey Badgers. Shittu spent the 2023 season with the Calgary Surge. Shittu isn't expected to play this week since he'll need some time to get comfortable with his Winnipeg teammates. 'In the past, we had the star mentality where we built things around Teddy (Allen), we built things around Justin (Wright-Foreman). We made an effort to have more of a team approach this summer, and the early results are not as productive as we have been, but we have Simi coming in,' said Taylor. 'Simi is important because we've never had an athletic rim protector that he can provide. He's also a player that can settle guys down. When other teams go on a run, we can throw the ball into the post to him and play through him. He can play multiple spots on the floor, and is a big, physical body that will help with the physical presence of our team.' The Sea Bears will return to downtown Winnipeg on June 11 to square off against Montreal. Former Sea Bears guard Mason Bourcier officially signed with the Edmonton Stingers on Tuesday. Bourcier requested his release from Winnipeg last week as the 25-year-old from Kelowna, B.C., was frustrated with his role on the team. He played over 20 minutes per game with the Sea Bears in 2024, but saw his playing time slashed in half through the first three games this summer. 'We wish him all the best, we wish his family all the best, but (his tenure here) had run its course,' Taylor told the Free Press. 'At this point, our team is really together, and the roles are set. Hopefully we can replace him with a more productive player, a better player.' Taylor AllenReporter Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor. Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Winnipeg Sea Bears release guard Mason Bourcier
Winnipeg Sea Bears release guard Mason Bourcier

Global News

time29-05-2025

  • Sport
  • Global News

Winnipeg Sea Bears release guard Mason Bourcier

In a bit of a surprising move, the Winnipeg Sea Bears released guard Mason Bourcier just a day after suffering a third straight defeat. The Sea Bears cut ties with Bourcier effective immediately after the fourth-year professional was scratched from their lineup in Wednesday's loss to the Vancouver Bandits. In making the announcement, Sea Bears general manager and head coach Mike Taylor said they mutually agreed to the split. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The Sea Bears and Mason mutually agreed that parting ways was the best decision for both sides,' said Taylor in a media release. 'We are thankful for Mason's contributions to our team and organization, and we all wish him and his family the best for the future.' Bourcier was coming off the bench in his second season with the club and averaged just three points and one rebound per game, while seeing the floor for only 11 minutes per night. Story continues below advertisement The 25-year-old averaged about 21 minutes of playing time per game in his first season with the Sea Bears. The Sea Bears will look to snap out of their losing spell when they host the Ottawa BlackJacks on Saturday night at the Canada Life Centre.

Emotional victory for Sea Bears
Emotional victory for Sea Bears

Winnipeg Free Press

time17-05-2025

  • Sport
  • Winnipeg Free Press

Emotional victory for Sea Bears

It might be the only time this season that the action on the court was the second-most important thing happening in the building. The Winnipeg Sea Bears earned a 92-89 triumph over the visiting Edmonton Stingers, but the hearts of the 10,649 inside Canada Life Centre were away from the court. Before the pro hoops club tipped off its third season in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, the Sea Bears honoured their late captain, Chad Posthumus, who died last November due to complications that arose while recovering from brain surgery that repaired an aneurysm. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Chad Posthumus's parents Charles (middle) and Diana Posthumus (left) and their daughter Christina (right), holding her daughter Zaria, applaud Friday during the pre-game ceremony honouring Chad. Posthumus, who was 33, received a video tribute and had his No. 33 retired. 'It's an emotional thing, because Chad was a very good friend,' said head coach Mike Taylor. 'He was a friend to so many people. He had such a great personality, larger than life personality, and there's just going to be those moments where you're overcome with some emotion, and you think about the experiences and you miss them, and you wanted to be a part of it.' Earlier in the day, Donald Street between Portage and Graham Avenues was renamed 'Chad Posthumus Way,' an additional tribute courtesy of the city. Posthumus' parents, Diana and Charles, were presented with a replica of the street sign before the contest, while upwards of 300 seats were occupied by family and close friends. Sea Bears players will also wear a commemorative '33 Forever' patch on their jerseys this season. 'Nobody loved the Sea Bears more. Nobody loved Winnipeg more. And nobody was more all in for championship weekend than Chad,' Taylor added. 'Our last phone call was about the season, the championship weekend — we were planning to go to Nunavut together. It was a shock, and it's something that we have to continue to deal with. But I think we can honour him… for the city, for the Sea Bears. That's the goal, that's the model.' On the court, two clutch buckets from guard Tevian Jones helped the Sea Bears escape a late scare. Winnipeg began Target Score Time with an 83-67 lead that evaporated to a one-point advantage as the Stingers went on a 22-7 run. 'That was a little too close for comfort, for sure,' said Jones, who led the charge for the hosts with 25 points while playing a team-high 34:40. 'We made a few defensive mistakes down the stretch that let them get back into the game, but ultimately he was able to get the win at the end.' Jones started slow, going 0-for-7 from the field before getting one to drop. He finished 7-for-14, with three triples, six rebounds and two assists the rest of the contest. The hosts jumped out to a 21-13 lead through one quarter and built on it in the two ensuing frames, owning a 47-36 advantage at halftime and 71-53 lead after the third. Power forward Jaylin Williams, who recorded the first eight points of the season for Winnipeg, supplied a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, while hometown product Emmanuel Akot provided 17 points. Stingers guard Sean East Li scored a game-high 26 points, while Devonté Bandoo finished with 21 points. Forward Nick Hornsby recorded a double-double on the strength of 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Sea Bears had their way in the paint at times, finishing with 38 points around the basket while outpacing the Stingers 54-51 in rebounds. 'We knew they were coming in a little a little short-handed, undersized,' said Kyle Filewich, who made his pro debut for his hometown team. 'We knew the glass and attacking the basket would be a good source of offence for us, and I'm glad it was able to work out that way. We did a good job attacking, getting offensive rebounds when they were there, and then sharing the ball out of that.' Guard Alex Campbell exited the contest in the third quarter with an apparent lower-body injury and did not return. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Guard Tevian Jones (left) was clutch for the Sea Bears in their home-opener Friday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I'm really pleased with the way the team played today,' Taylor said. 'We have such a short time to prepare and so many new faces. What I'm really pleased about is the way we controlled the tempo of the game. We put ourselves in a great position, and again, the Target Score Time is a new experience for guys. 'We had a plan to keep it simple and really attack and keep the pace…but I'm really pleased with the way our team, for the first game, responded together. And I think that's a great sign.' The Sea Bears will look to add a second win when they face the Calgary Surge back at home on Friday, May 23 (7:30 p.m.). The Stingers, who opened their season with a loss to the Calgary Surge, fell to 0-2. Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

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