The Winnipeg Sea Bears threw away a 24 point lead on Friday night, but eventually found a way grind out a victory, 92-89. The overall performance from Winnipeg was very solid, getting in done on the defensive end for most of the night, as the offence started off slow. While the Sea Bears really only held that very large lead for a short period of time, it was barely enough of a cushion at the end of the game to hold off the Stingers. The final scoreline really does not tell the full story in this one, as it certainly felt and looked like Winnipeg was in control of the game from the jump. To get more into the intricacies of the game, here are my top three storylines coming out of the first game of the 2025 campaign:

Import Impact

The four import players for the Sea Bears all made their presences felt in their individual team debuts. Tevian Jones finished with 25 points and four three pointers made, a 20 point double-double for Jaylin Williams, Solomon Young came off the bench for eight points and nine rebounds, and Terry Roberts had seven points and eight assists. Both Jones and Williams had their moments of takeover, showing that they certainly could be the players for Winnipeg to lean on as their offensive pillars. While Roberts did foul out, he certainly did his job sharing the ball, and playing good defence. The shot selection from Jones, Williams, and Roberts at times was puzzling, but that will clean up as the season goes on, along with the efficiency. Sea Bears fans should be very excited with the overall effort and production from these four.

Defensive Progression

Safe from the last five minutes in the fourth quarter and Target Time, the Winnipeg defence looked much improved from years past. As I mentioned above, the final score does not reflect the true outcome of the game. For most of this one, the shot selection from Edmonton was largely dictated by what the Sea Bears were willing to give them and for the most part held them in check from beyond the arc. Winnipeg’s transition defence was still shaky at times, but that will come with time and more bonding from the team over more time played together. The performance on Friday were certainly signs of new life for their defensive woes from years past might be behind them.

Staying True To Identity

Coach Mike Taylor made it very clear at the end of last season that he was going to build a squad that was geared to play a team game, where they relied on many over an individual. This was certainly the case against the Stingers, where they got 17 bench points, shared the ball, and it truly never felt like one player dominated most possessions. We saw Jones, Williams, and even Emmanuel Akot take turns leading the offensive charge. They played soundly in team defence, communicating well and making sure their rotations were on point. The message that coach Taylor had been preaching was on full display and the hope is that continues for the remainder of the 23 games to go.

The Sea Bears will be back in action on Friday May 23rd, as they take on the Calgary Surge at Canada Life Centre. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM CDT.