01 Aug, 2020 •

The Saskatchewan Rattlers (1-2) and Edmonton Stingers (3-1) enter this afternoon’s contest on different trajectories. The Rattlers have lost their last two games, most recently falling to the Guelph Nighthawks by a score of 87-71 Friday night. Conversely, the Stingers have won three straight and share the top spot in the CEBL Summer Series standings with Guelph. The Stingers edged the Niagara River Lions in a nail biter Friday afternoon by a score of 87-86. Saskatchewan and Edmonton had one of the hottest rivalries during the CEBL’s inaugural season in 2019. Today’s game between the Rattlers and Stingers is the second game of a nationally televised doubleheader on CBC, starting at 3:50 p.m. ET (1:50 p.m. MT). It can also be viewed on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Gem App and on Twitch.tv (CEBLeague). Mentality The Rattlers struggled to stay focused throughout the game against Guelph, falling behind early and proving unable to find their groove as the game progressed. Saskatchewan looked out of sync on both sides of the floor – scrambling to keep their opponent in front of them on defence and failing to move the ball effectivity on offence. This style of play has been atypical of what fans have seen from the Rattlers in their previous two Summer Series games. If the Rattlers hope to keep pace with the Stingers, they will have to figure out how to return to their quintessential style of free-flowing play. The Stingers continue to impress in the Summer Series living up to early predictions that had them listed as one of the top teams. After falling in their first game to the Fraser Valley Bandits, the Stingers have returned to the form they found in 2019 and have been scoring in bundles. Led by 2019 MVP Xavier Moon, the Stingers seem to have the same chemistry and mojo that they had in 2019 when they finished second in the regular season standings. Today’s game is a rematch of the 2019 Championship semifinals, which saw the Rattlers claim the victory and move on to become the inaugural CEBL Champions. The Stingers will be hungry to avenge their semifinal elimination, whereas the new-look Rattlers will be looking to get back on track. Chemistry 101 If there is one word to describe the Stingers, it’s chemistry. The Stingers enter Saturday’s tilt with one of the strongest rosters on paper. Xavier Moon looks to be even better than he was during his 2019 MVP season, seemingly capable of taking over a game at a moment’s notice with his blistering speed, ball distribution and shooting accuracy. Alongside Moon are sparkplugs Jordan Baker and Mathieu Kamba. Moon is averaging an impressive 18.8 points per game, with Baker and Kamba contributing 15 and 11.3, respectively. The Stingers chemistry has allowed them to eek out some close finishes, such as the win that they picked up over Niagara on Friday. In a short season format such as the Summer Series the strength and chemistry in the locker room might just be the advantage that teams will need in order to overcome adversity. The Rattlers bench has seemingly gotten shorter as the Summer Series has progressed with injuries and fatigue setting in. With both teams coming into this contest having played yesterday, the advantage will go to the team that can establish its game first this afternoon. Control the Boards Both teams have been excelling in the art of picking up rebounds. Three-time consecutive Player of the Game, Jordan Baker has been a force to be reckoned with, averaging 11.3 rebounds a game. A walking double-double machine, Baker continues to afford the Stingers multiple opportunities for second-chance baskets. He will be challenged by Denzell Taylor and Kemy Osse who have averaged 4.7 and 6.8 rebounds, respectively. Second-chance baskets hurt the Rattlers against Guelph, and they will need to take control of the boards if they hope to stand a chance against the surging Stingers. Next Up Following this afternoon’s game, Saskatchewan meets Hamilton (1-2 entering play today) in a rematch of the 2019 CEBL Championship on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. MT). The Honey Badgers will be coming off today’s bout with the Bandits of Fraser Valley. Edmonton’s next outing comes Monday against Guelph in a matchup of 3-1 clubs looking down on the rest of the field in the CEBL Summer Series.