The Winnipeg Sea Bears have done it! The team has captured the 2026 CEBL Championship, defeating the Brampton Honey Badgers 98-84 in a winner-takes-all championship game at Canada Life Centre.
The victory marks the first championship in Winnipeg Sea Bears franchise history.
Xavier Moon was crowned the CEBL Finals MVP with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, helping the Sea Bears complete an incredible playoff run and bring the CEBL championship to Winnipeg.
Winnipeg-native Simon Hildebrandt was the second-leading scoring with 24 points and 6 rebounds.
A Championship Three Years in the Making
The Sea Bears joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League as an expansion franchise in 2023, becoming Winnipeg’s first professional basketball team in the modern era.
The team quickly established itself as one of the CEBL’s biggest draws, with Winnipeg fans packing Canada Life Centre throughout the franchise’s first seasons.
Now, just three years after playing their inaugural season, the Sea Bears have reached the top of the league.
A Championship Game Unlike Any Other
The 2026 CEBL Championship was originally supposed to be played as a best-of-three series, marking the first time the league planned to determine its champion through a multi-game championship series.
However, Game 1 between Winnipeg and Brampton was cancelled after the playing surface became unsafe because of condensation. With player safety a priority, the league ultimately scrapped the remaining series format and turned the championship into a single-game, winner-takes-all matchup.
That meant everything came down to one night in Winnipeg. And the Sea Bears delivered!
With the championship on the line, Winnipeg entered the 4th quarter with a 13 point lead to secure the biggest victory in franchise history.
Final Score: Winnipeg Sea Bears 98 – Brampton Honey Badgers 84
Finals MVP: Xavier Moon – 29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists
