Sea Bears win debut as professional basketball returns to Winnipeg
Winnipeg's new professional basketball team is off to a winning start as fans flocked downtown Saturday to welcome the sport's return to our city.
The Winnipeg Sea Bears beat the Vancouver Bandits 90 – 85 in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 7,000 fans at Canada Life Centre.
It was the first time in more than 20 years that a professional basketball team has played out of Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Cyclone played six seasons in the city from 1995 – 2001. Before that came the Winnipeg Thunder, from 1992 – 1994.
Tip-off for the Sea Bears debut was at 7 p.m. but fans began gathering downtown in the late afternoon. A pre-party took place at True North Square, with hundreds getting together for music, food trucks, games, and to share their excitement about the return of basketball.
"It's nice to have pro basketball back in the city," said one fan.
"I've been around since the Winnipeg Thunder and the Cyclone were here, so we're excited to have basketball back after losing both of those teams," said another attendee.
The Sea Bears are an expansion team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) The team's roster features three Winnipeggers, including three-year CEBL veteran centre Chad Posthumus. The River East Collegiate product won a CEBL championship with the Edmonton Stingers in 2019 and put up six double-doubles with the Ottawa BlackJacks last season.
The Sea Bears' first game led to their first win of the season. London, UK native Jelani Watson-Gayle scored a three-pointer in Target Score Time, sealing the victory. Watson-Gayle scored 22 points in the game.
The team is now off to Ontario for its first road trip of the season. The Sea Bears are in Brampton June 1 to take on the Honey Badgers. On Friday, June 2, they'll face the Scarborough Shooting Stars
The Sea Bears next home games is on June 12, when the team hosts the Edmonton Stingers.
Tickets and game information can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.