Edmonton Stingers 2022 Season Preview

Edmonton, AB- Last season, the Edmonton Stingers became the first team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) to win back-to-back championships. This year, they’ll look to further cement their status in Canadian basketball and chase the coveted three-peat.

The Stingers dominated their way through the 2021 regular season with a near-perfect record of 13-1. Xavier Moon, Marlon Johnson Jr. and Jordan Baker were a nearly unstoppable trio averaging 53.3 points of the Stingers’ total 92.1 points per game With other support from key role players like Adika Peter-McNeilly, Mathieu Kamba and Brady Skeens, the Stingers set themselves up as the best team in the CEBL. 

To end the 2021 season, the Stingers hosted three award winners, including the three-time CEBL Player of the Year winner, Xavier Moon. Jermaine Small brought home coach of the year and Adika Peter-McNeilly won Sixth Man of the Year. Edmonton dominated the 2021 season and plan to continue their finals appearance streak this season, but face two new challenges that could challenge the Stingers dynasty.

First, the CEBL added three additional organizations to their league –  the Newfoundland Growlers, the Montreal Alliance, and the Scarborough Shooting Stars – bringing the total number of teams to ten up from seven. With more teams comes more competition across the league, and the Stingers will have new opponents to face in search of making their third consecutive CEBL Finals appearance. Second,the absence of Xavier Moon will push the 2021 supporting cast into new roles. In the last three seasons, Moon has been the only player in CEBL history to win the MVP award and took home the last two Final MVPs alongside his two championships. Edmonton has been nothing but successful with Moon as their franchise player. Without his production this season, the Stingers will face their biggest test as an organization

Xavier Moon’s Path to the NBA
After winning his second championship with the Edmonton Stingers in 2021, Moon signed with the Los Angeles Clippers G League affiliate Agua Caliente Clippers. Moon averaged an impressive 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 45% field goal shooting. His production caught the attention of the Los Angeles Clippers, who offered him three 10-day contracts fulfilling his dream of playing in the NBA. Shortly after his three 10-day contracts, Moon was offered a two-way, non-guaranteed contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. Moon played a total of 10 games with the Clippers and averaged 5.8 points, 2.4 assists, and close to a steal per-game. To cap off his first NBA season off, Moon posted 17 and 7 assists in the Clippers regular season finale against the OKC Thunder. 

Biggest Question
Can the Edmonton Stingers win another championship without Xavier Moon? Since the CEBL’s birth in 2019, the Stingers have managed to win two out of the three championships. A pivotal part of their success was Moon’s dominance on the court and excellent coaching by Small. With Moon no longer on the Stingers, Edmonton will have to find other scoring options to fill Moon’s absence on the court. Fortunately for the Stingers, they have multiple players that can fill that void. 

Season Prediction
The Stingers will still be a dominant team in the CEBL without Moon. While Moon’s absence provides more fluidity to the rest of the league, Edmonton still managed to re-sign most of their core players from seasons prior. Jordan Baker, Adika Peter-McNeilly, Marlon Johnson, Mathieu Kamba, Brody Clarke, and Jahmal Jones are the returning faces from the Stingers’ 2021 and 2020 championship rosters. Moon’s absence means that there will be more opportunities for other players to shine. 

New Additions
While Edmonton brought back a lot of familiar faces, they also signed a haul of new players that add experience and depth to each position. Freddie McSwain Jr, a 27-year-old forward from Hinesville, Georgia, has played six seasons internationally. In 2021, McSwain Jr had a career year with the Racing Lux, an organization affiliated with the Luxembourg Total League and averaged 19.7 PTS, 12.2 REB, 2 AST, 1.3 STL and 46% FG shooting. Despite McSwain Jr being listed as a 6’6 forward, his stats suggest he is a seven-footer at heart. 

Like McSwain Jr, Rowell Graham-Bell, a 27-year-old forward from London, England, has also played basketball at the professional level for six seasons. While McSwain Jr is more of a traditional forward as per his statistics, Graham-Bell is the definition of the modern-day forward that can do it all. During the 2020-21 G Pro B season, Graham-Bell averaged 19 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 59% FG shooting and 33% 3FG shooting on two attempts per game. The addition of Graham-Bell will add a layer of shooting for the Stingers to rely on and another elite defensive option at the forward position. 

Devon Bookert, a 29-year-old guard from Anchorage, Alaska, joins the Stingers as an experienced sharp-shooter and an experienced international veteran. Bookert played three seasons internationally and one season in the NBA G League as a member of the Austin Spurs, the affiliate team to the San Antonio Spurs. In 15 games of action with the CS Rapid Bucuresti, a team affiliated with Romanian Divizia A, Bookert averaged 16.5 PTS, 4 REB, 4.5 AST, 2 STL, 43% FG shooting and 38% 3FG shooting on six attempts per game during the 2021-22 season. Bookert will fit in nicely with the Stingers’ rotation as he is another reliable three-point shooter that Edmonton has in their arsenal and brings depth to the guard position. 

Returning to his hometown, 23-year-old guard Aher Uguak, will be suiting up for the Stingers this season. Uguak graduated from Harry Ainley high school in 2016 and spent the next five years playing Division I basketball with the Loyola, Illinois Ramblers. Uguak averaged 8.9 PTS, 4.3 REB, 2 AST, and 50% FG shooting as a senior. Despite playing full starter minutes for the Ramblers, Uguak only attempted six shots a game due to his focus on the defense. During his time at Loyola, Uguak made the MVC All-Conference Third-Team in 2021, the MVC Defensive Team in 2021 and 2022, and the MVC Most-Improved Team in 2021. Uguak’s impact on the court may not show on the stat sheet as he impacts the game in a variety of different ways.

David Pekarek, a 26-year-old forward from Olomouc, Czech Republic, is one of 13 international players that signed to the CEBL this season. Pekarek played four years internationally and four years of NCAA Division I basketball with the Fordham Rams. His best season internationally came during his time with the Olomoucko Prostejov, a team affiliated with the Czech NBL. Pekarek averaged 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 43% FG shooting on eleven attempts per game. 

Prince Kamunga, a 23-year-old guard from Toronto, Ontario, joins the Stingers as a lengthy offensive guard. In his 2021-22 season with the York Lions, Kamunga averaged 18.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 40% FG shooting. Kamunga will look to have his first professional opportunity with the Stingers this season. A unique aspect of Kamunga’s production is his elite rebounding and defence. At just 6’6, Kamunga almost averaged a double-double with the York Lions as he was one rebound shy away from achieving that feat. 

Lastly, the Stingers drafted two 2022 U-Sports players. Forwards Somtochukwu Dimanochie and Patrick Vandervelden add size to the forward position. Vanderveldon, a 6’10 forward from MRU, recently averaged 8.0 PTS, 6 REB, 50% FG shooting and finished the season as the leading shot-blocker. Dimanochie, a 6’8 forward from York University, averaged 13.9 PTS, 8.8 REB, 2 BLK and 58% FG shooting. The Stingers drafted well despite having late picks. The additions of Dimanochie and Vanderveldon will add depth to an already stacked front court. 

Moon’s absence this season will be missed as he led the Stingers in scoring and assists every season he played. However, these new additions hold tremendous promise as each player brings a unique skill set that broadens the overall roster. The Stingers have balance at every position and have players that can shoot, defend, and rebound. Despite the absence of the former CEBL player of the year, the Stingers have managed to build another elite line-up to pursue a potential three-peat.

About The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)

A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its 2021 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow the league (@cebleague) on  Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Media Contact

Alex Jap, Manager of Marketing and Communications

The Edmonton Stingers

780-266-2774

alexjap@thestingers.ca

www.thestingers.ca