CEBL moves to single-game championship after Game 1 cancelled

A Winnipeg Sea Bears player has been released from hospital after the basketball team says it is believed the star scorer was assaulted by security at a nightclub in the city's downtown. Official game ball of the CEBL sits courtside ahead of game action in Guelph, Ont., Thursday, May 26, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

BRAMPTON — The Canadian Elite Basketball League is pivoting on its plans for a three-game championship series after the first game was called off due to unsafe playing conditions.

The Winnipeg Sea Bears and Brampton Honey Badgers opened Game 1 at Brampton’s CAA Centre on Wednesday, but play was suspended early in the first period due to condensation on the court.

The league issued a statement saying it consulted with both teams, game staff officials and venue staff, and decided to cancel the game because the playing surface was unsafe for competition.

Another statement followed, with the league saying the CEBL championship will now be decided in a single game to be held in Winnipeg on Saturday.

The league says the three-game series could not be completed within the scheduled window, so after consulting with both clubs, it opted to return to the single-game format used to decide a champion from 2019 through 2025.

Saturday’s matchup was initially slated to be Game 2 in the series, while Game 3 would be held in Winnipeg on Sunday if necessary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2026.