The Winnipeg Sea Bears’ inaugural season in the Canadian Elite Basketball League ended in disappointment with an 87-81 play-in loss to the Edmonton Stingers this past Friday night before a record crowd of 10,580 at Canada Life Centre.
But three members of the expansion team, which went 12-8 during the regular season and led the Western Conference for most of the 2023 campaign, have been recognized as finalists for CEBL year-end awards.
Highlighting those selections is Teddy Allen, who is nominated for the league’s Most Valuable Player, along with Justin Wright-Foreman of the Saskatchewan Rattlers.
Allen, who is listed as a guard/forward by the Sea Bears, played in all 21 games for Winnipeg and averaged a league-high 36.1 minutes per game. The six-foot-six, 210-pound native of Phoenix finished second only to Wright-Foreman by averaging 27.6 points per game.
Winnipeg guard Jelani Watson-Gayle is a finalist for the CEBL’s Sixth Man of the Year Award along with Edward Ekiyor of the Niagara River Lions.
University of Manitoba Bisons forward Simon Hildebrandt of the Sea Bears is up for U Sports Player of the Year, while the other finalist is David Walker of the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
The winners will be announced on Wednesday at 10 p.m. CT in Pitt Meadows, B.C., along with the selection of the CEBL Coach of the Year and the First, Second and All Canadian all-star teams.
The Canadian Elite Basketball Championship Weekend begins Friday at the Langley Events Centre with Niagara playing Scarborough in the East Final at 7 p.m. CT, followed by the Calgary Surge and host Vancouver Bandits squaring off for Western Conference bragging rights at 9:30 p.m. CT.
The Winners will meet in the CEBL championship game on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. CT.