Emotional victory for Sea Bears

It might be the only time this season that the action on the court was the second-most important thing happening in the building.

The Winnipeg Sea Bears earned a 92-89 triumph over the visiting Edmonton Stingers, but the hearts of the 10,649 inside Canada Life Centre were away from the court.

Before the pro hoops club tipped off its third season in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, the Sea Bears honoured their late captain, Chad Posthumus, who died last November due to complications that arose while recovering from brain surgery that repaired an aneurysm.

Posthumus, who was 33, received a video tribute and had his No. 33 retired.

“It’s an emotional thing, because Chad was a very good friend,” said head coach Mike Taylor.

“He was a friend to so many people. He had such a great personality, larger than life personality, and there’s just going to be those moments where you’re overcome with some emotion, and you think about the experiences and you miss them, and you wanted to be a part of it.”

Earlier in the day, Donald Street between Portage and Graham Avenues was renamed “Chad Posthumus Way,” an additional tribute courtesy of the city.

Posthumus’ parents, Diana and Charles, were presented with a replica of the street sign before the contest, while upwards of 300 seats were occupied by family and close friends.

Sea Bears players will also wear a commemorative “33 Forever” patch on their jerseys this season.

“Nobody loved the Sea Bears more. Nobody loved Winnipeg more. And nobody was more all in for championship weekend than Chad,” Taylor added.

“Our last phone call was about the season, the championship weekend — we were planning to go to Nunavut together. It was a shock, and it’s something that we have to continue to deal with. But I think we can honour him… for the city, for the Sea Bears. That’s the goal, that’s the model.”

On the court, two clutch buckets from guard Tevian Jones helped the Sea Bears escape a late scare. Winnipeg began Target Score Time with an 83-67 lead that evaporated to a one-point advantage as the Stingers went on a 22-7 run.

“That was a little too close for comfort, for sure,” said Jones, who led the charge for the hosts with 25 points while playing a team-high 34:40. “We made a few defensive mistakes down the stretch that let them get back into the game, but ultimately he was able to get the win at the end.”

Jones started slow, going 0-for-7 from the field before getting one to drop. He finished 7-for-14, with three triples, six rebounds and two assists the rest of the contest.

The hosts jumped out to a 21-13 lead through one quarter and built on it in the two ensuing frames, owning a 47-36 advantage at halftime and 71-53 lead after the third.

Power forward Jaylin Williams, who recorded the first eight points of the season for Winnipeg, supplied a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, while hometown product Emmanuel Akot provided 17 points.

Stingers guard Sean East Li scored a game-high 26 points, while Devonté Bandoo finished with 21 points. Forward Nick Hornsby recorded a double-double on the strength of 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Sea Bears had their way in the paint at times, finishing with 38 points around the basket while outpacing the Stingers 54-51 in rebounds.

“We knew they were coming in a little a little short-handed, undersized,” said Kyle Filewich, who made his pro debut for his hometown team. “We knew the glass and attacking the basket would be a good source of offence for us, and I’m glad it was able to work out that way. We did a good job attacking, getting offensive rebounds when they were there, and then sharing the ball out of that.”

Guard Alex Campbell exited the contest in the third quarter with an apparent lower-body injury and did not return.

“I’m really pleased with the way the team played today,” Taylor said. “We have such a short time to prepare and so many new faces. What I’m really pleased about is the way we controlled the tempo of the game. We put ourselves in a great position, and again, the Target Score Time is a new experience for guys.

“We had a plan to keep it simple and really attack and keep the pace…but I’m really pleased with the way our team, for the first game, responded together. And I think that’s a great sign.”

The Sea Bears will look to add a second win when they face the Calgary Surge back at home on Friday, May 23 (7:30 p.m.).

The Stingers, who opened their season with a loss to the Calgary Surge, fell to 0-2.

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca