WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that two of the club’s players have been named finalists for 2024 CEBL end-of-season awards. Star guard Justin Wright-Foreman was named a candidate for the league’s Most Valuable Player award, while top CEBL Draft selection Simon Hildebrandt is in the running for Developmental Player of the Year. The winners will be announced at 6 p.m. CT Wednesday, Aug. 7 in a ceremony at Le Centre Sheraton in Montreal that will kick off Championship Weekend 2024.
Wright-Foreman earns his second consecutive MVP finalist nod after leading the CEBL in scoring in back-to-back seasons. The Brooklyn, N.Y. product is the only player to rank among the league’s top five in both points (26.3 per game) and assists (6.2 per game), good for first and third on the regular season, respectively. On June 27 against Niagara, he broke the league’s single-game assist record with 16 dimes against only two turnovers, guiding the Sea Bears’ offence to a convincing victory over the River Lions.
“Justin has played an MVP-caliber season with us this summer and demonstrated excellent leadership and maturity with our team,” said Mike Talyor, the Sea Bears’ head coach and general manager. “To be in the MVP conversation with two different teams is a credit to how impactful he’s been.”
In 2023, Wright-Foreman was ultimately the runner-up to then-Winnipeg Sea Bear Teddy Allen, despite setting the highest single-season scoring average in league history with 29.2 points per contest. This year, his co-finalist is Tazé Moore, a 2024 Portland Trail Blazer who’s averaged 17.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game for the West-leading Vancouver Bandits.
“A lot of people will focus on his prolific scoring, but I love his league record in assists and dynamic playmaking,” added Taylor. “Joining a new team mid-season is never easy, but Justin has been everything we hoped he would be.”
Winnipeg forward Simon Hildebrandt is a co-finalist for an award he claimed last year: the Developmental Player of the Year. Re-named from “U SPORTS Player of the Year” to capture the CEBL Draft’s new inclusion of CCAA student athletes, the award recognizes the most outstanding player who was drafted to the league from the Canadian collegiate ranks. The Mennonite Brethren Collegiate graduate earned the award last season after appearing in all 21 games for his home-town team and averaging 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest.
“We are very proud of Simon to be recognized as a top collegiate player in the CEBL,” Taylor said. “After winning the U SPORTS Player of the Year award last summer, I believe he’s been even better for us this season. He’s put in the work to succeed, and it’s fantastic to see him get recognition.”
Hildebrandt was one of only two developmental players to appear in all 20 regular-season games for his team this season (along with Niagara’s Jordan Tchuente), also posting averages of 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. On July 20 against Saskatchewan, he poured in a professional career-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds, propelling Winnipeg to a crucial home victory.
“Simon is a great young player, but an even better young man,” Taylor continued. “I can speak for all of Sea Bears Nation in saying that we’re proud of Simon.”
Toronto Metropolitan guard David Walker is Hildebrandt’s co-finalist for the second straight year. Following a within-conference switch from Scarborough to Brampton this season, the Toronto local has averaged 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks through 16 appearances.
Award nominees and winners are determined by votes cast by the league’s head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters and internal media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team.
All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the official Supplier of Awards and Rings of the CEBL, and a special gift on behalf of the league’s partner at Foot Locker.
The full list of award finalists is:
-Most Valuable Player: Tazé Moore (Vancouver Bandits), Justin Wright-Foreman (Winnipeg Sea Bears)
-Canadian Player of the Year: Jahvon Blair (Niagara River Lions), Koby McEwen (Vancouver Bandits)
-Sixth Man of the Year: Aayrn Rai (Niagara River Lions), Stefan Smith (Calgary Surge)
-Developmental Player of the Year:Simon Hildebrandt (Winnipeg Sea Bears), David Walker (Brampton Honey Badgers)
-Defensive Player of the Year: Omari Moore (Niagara River Lions), Lloyd Pandi (Ottawa BlackJacks)
Also to be announced on Wednesday are the 2024 CEBL Coach of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year (most Target Score Winners), Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award winner and All-CEBL First, Second and All-Canadian teams.
The Sea Bears begin their postseason on the road against the Calgary Surge on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. CT. The winner of Friday’s matchup will advance to visit Edmonton in the Western Conference Semifinal on Sunday.
The team has partnered with Fionn MacCool’s Grant Park to host an official watch party with prizes, games and more beginning at tip-off on Friday. Live coverage will be available on TSN , TSN+ and CEBL+ powered by BetVictor .
Source: https://www.seabears.ca/sea-bears-wright-foreman-hildebrandt-named-finalists-for-2024-cebl-awards