Teddy Buckets top of list as Sea Bears ponder 2024 roster

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This article was published 30/01/2024 (977 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The 2024 edition of the Winnipeg Sea Bears will begin to take shape in the coming weeks.

Starting this Thursday, Canadian Elite Basketball League clubs can begin signing players on their protected lists.

For the Sea Bears, their list features five names: shooting guard Teddy Allen, point guard Glen Yang, and forwards Chad Posthumus, Shayne Osayande, and Stephane Ingo.

The two sides can negotiate until March 2. If an agreement cannot be reached by then, the player is free to sign elsewhere.

Allen, the reigning league MVP, is the name everyone will be monitoring.

The 25-year-old from Phoenix averaged 27.6 points (second in the CEBL) and 7.9 rebounds (first amongst guards), a team-high 1.6 steals and 3.6 assists per game last summer in Winnipeg.

He’s currently with the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League.

“Teddy loves Winnipeg. He feels great about Winnipeg, and we’re going to do everything we can to bring him back,” said Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor.

“Right now, he’s playing really well for Leicester and we’re so happy he found a team and a place he can show what he’s doing. He was player of the month in December and is currently leading the league in all-star votes… We’re hopeful we can bring him back this summer.”

Posthumus, the 6-11 big man from Winnipeg, turned down offers to play in Iran, Mongolia and Mexico this winter to play three-on-three basketball for Canada at the AmeriCup in Puerto Rico. He won’t be going anywhere, and neither will the CEBL Rookie of the Year Simon Hildebrandt. The Univeristy of Manitoba Bisons forward was chosen first overall by the Sea Bears in last year’s CEBL U Sports Draft and went on to average 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in his first pro season. Hildebrandt’s rights belong to the Sea Bears but they will have to use their first round selection in this year’s U Sports draft to have him on the roster when the season kicks off in late May.

Hildebrandt is tearing it up in Year 2 at the U of M as he dropped 41 points against Victoria on Jan. 19. He’s averaging 17.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest.

“Simon will be our U Sports pick,” said Taylor.

“He’s a key piece to our plan and a great representative for our organization in the city and we’re really proud of him and the season he’s having at the University of Manitoba.”

After Allen, the biggest weapons for the Sea Bears were forward E.J. Anosike and guard Jelani Watson-Gayle.

Anosike was seventh in the league in scoring with 18.4 per game but missed the CEBL post-season to play for the Nigerian national team. Watson-Gayle, a product of London, England, was a force off the bench and named the league’s sixth man of the year for leading the league in three-point percentage (48.5 per cent) while averaging 12.8 points.

The duo currently plays on seperate teams in the BNXT League — first tier in both the Dutch and Belgian system. In 16 starts with Brussels Basketball, Watson-Gayle has 10.1 points and is shooting 34.8 per cent from long range.

“Jelani is one of the guys where if he’s going to play in the CEBL, it will be in Winnipeg. But he’s a guy whose stock is rising and used the CEBL as a steppingstone,” Taylor said.

“He got out of the British league into mainland Europe and in a better league that goes deep into the summer. I think right now the last conversations we’ve had are he loves Winnipeg, but he might have an opportunity with the British national team or he’s looking to rest (this summer).”

After starting his season in France, Anosike signed on with RSW Liege Basket and has averaged 15.6 points and 5.4 boards in five games.

Watson-Gayle and Anosike might still be playing overseas well into June depending how far they make it into the playoffs. Players who suit up in places such as Japan, Australia and the G-League finish earlier.

“Do we wait for them and try to see how it plays out? I think we have to protect our team and protect our roster and get the best available players we can. And then if those guys become available at a later date, maybe you reevaluate the situation,” said Taylor.

The Sea Bears open training camp on May 13 and begin the 20-game season on the road against the Saskatchewan Rattlers May 22. Winnipeg’s home-opener takes place two days later: May 24 against the Scarborough Shooting Stars.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

X: @TaylorAllen31