Friday Sports: CEBL, CFL, MLB, WCBL & More

CEBL

• The Saskatchewan Rattlers were dealt another blow to their fading playoff hopes on Thursday. A 91-87 loss to the Edmonton Stingers at home at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon means the Rattlers now sit at 6-11 and remain 1.5 games back of the Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-10) for the final post-season spot in the Western Conference. 
• The Scarborough Shooting Stars became the third team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a 2024 playoff berth after beating the Ottawa BlackJacks 92-79 on Thursday night. Scarborough joins the Niagara River Lions and host Montréal Alliance as locks in the East postseason picture, while also earning the right to host the conference’s Play-In game as a result of the victory.
• The Vancouver Bandits (12-5) feel right at home in the Langley Events Centre, knocking off the Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-9) 103-92 to earn their ninth victory in their own building this season. Less than a week after swiping the first game of this home-and-home series, Bandits big man Mitch Creek once again erupted for a game-high 31 points and 11 rebounds.

CFL

• The winless Edmonton Elks will have a new look on the sidelines for their rematch against the Redblacks tonight in Ottawa. Edmonton fired head coach and general manager Chris Jones after falling 37-34 to Ottawa last week. Jarious Jackson takes over coaching duties in an interim role and will make his debut as a CFL head coach. The Redblacks are 3-and-2 this season.
• The Saskatchewan Roughriders hope to bounce back from their first defeat this season when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Riders fell 35-20 to the B-C Lions to drop to 4-and-1. Meanwhile, the Bombers eked out a 41-37 victory over the Calgary Stampeders for their second straight win.

MLB

Major League Baseball is back after the all-star break. The Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers tonight at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays are nine-and-a-half games outside a wild-card spot and sit last in the A-L East after going 5-and-4 on a nine-game Western road trip. The Tigers have won eight of 10.

WCBL

Okotoks 4 Moose Jaw 3
Regina 6 Medicine Hat 4
Swift Current 9 Weyburn 4
Brooks 7 Edmonton 3
Saskatoon 3 Sylvan Lake 2
Lethbridge 6 Fort McMurray 5

GOLF

The second round of the British Open is underway at Scotland’s Royal Troon. Mackenzie Hughes was the low Canadian in a tie for fourth at 2 under 69 after the first round. England’s Dan Brown led the opening round with a 6-under 65 in his first major tournament. Tiger Woods struggled with an 8-over 79.

AUTORACING

IndyCar drivers are hitting the track Friday in Toronto for the first practice at the 2024 Ontario Dealers Honda Indy. Spain’s Alex Palou leads the N-T-T IndyCar Series with 379 points, 35 ahead of Australia’s Will Power heading into the weekend. The race is set for Sunday on the street circuit at Exhibition Place.

(CEBL, CP)