'Time for the lights to come on': Sea Bears excited, a bit nervous as sophomore season gets underway

Their inaugural season was a resounding success, even if it came up short of a championship, and the Winnipeg Sea Bears are biting at the bit to get going on their sophomore campaign.

The city'sCanadian Elite Basketball League team wrapped up training camp on Tuesday before boarding a flight to Saskatoon for the season opener on Wednesday against the Saskatchewan Rattlers.

"I'm super excited, you know, get a chance to play a conference rival in the first game," said guardTeddy Allen.

Teddy Buckets,as Winnipeg fans affectionately know him,is the reigning CEBL MVP. Last season hetied the CEBL record for points in a game after netting 42 in a 98-93 win against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on June 2.

He finished theyear as the second-highest scorer in the league, averaging 27.6 points per game and eight rebounds per game.

"We put in the work, we came out here and made the most of our time [in training camp]," the 25-year-old native of Arizonasaid.

"It's time for the lights to come on, it's time for us to do what we do."

Fellow guard Alex Campbell echoed much of what Allen said, but as a new face on the team he was impressed with the quality of guys who'll be wearing the teal and white jerseys.

"Super optimistic about the group. [We've] got a good team," saidthe31-year-old, whois a seven-year pro andsigned with the Sea Bears as a free agent in the off-season.

Campbell said he's most impressed with how quickly everyone has bonded training camp only began onMay 13. The players have spenta lot of time together inside and outside of the gym, he said.

"There hasn't been a day I haven't seen these guys."

Campbell most recently played with theVancouver Bandits but calls Saskatoon home in the off-season. Playing the season opener in his home city will be special, he said.

He's also a youth basketball coach there so expects to see a bunch of familiar faces in the stands, but doesn't expect any smack talk from them, even if it is withlight-hearted intent.

"They're too afraid to chirp [their] coach," he said. "It should be fun."

The first ever Sea Bears game was played May 27, 2023, against the Bandits at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. Not only did the home team win,9085, the crowd of7,303 fans shatteredthe CEBLattendance record by nearly 3,000.

The team continued to drawrecord-breaking crowds, and seta league full-season attendance record of 65,609.

The team finished second in the Western Conference with a 12-8 record but lost to Edmonton in the playoffs. That game drew10,580 spectators.

The Sea Bears appear to be picking up right where they left off. They'reback in Winnipeg for their home opener on Friday against the Scarborough Shooting Stars, in front ofyet anothersold-out crowd.

Head coach Mike Taylor expects the crowd to be fully entertained. He described the team as having lots of experience and the will tomake each other better.

"I'm very excited to see this team grow and develop. For the Sea Bears fans, we've got a lot to look forward to," he said.

"We've got a good vibe, good energy."

Rookie forward Darius Days said he's looking forward to Wednesday's tip-off and then the big home opener on Friday, but he's still mixed about how exactly he feels.

"It's exciting [but I'm] a little nervous. My first time in the league," the 24-year-old Floridiansaid. "We're prepared, though."

The Sea Bearsplay a 20-game schedulethat sends them back on the road for four games after the home opener, before they return for a five-game home stand.