‘We will be a fun team to watch’: Calgary Surge excited to tip off home schedule

Calgary Surge fans get loud before they even get comfortable.

This is a unique tradition that contributes to a lively, electrifying atmosphere at WinSport Event Centre, where Calgary’s professional basketball team plays the majority of its home games.

“WinSport is the best arena to play in,” said forward Deon Ejim, now back for his second stint with the Surge. “I think all the new players are going to feel a lot of energy when we get into WinSport, because they don’t understand how energetic it gets in there. They maybe don’t know the tradition yet that in Calgary, when we tip off, nobody sits down until Calgary gets a bucket.

“When the team feels that, they’re going to understand what it means to play basketball in this city.”

The Surge will host their home-opener on Thursday, May 28, with the Scarborough Shooting Stars as the opposition. Tickets are still available — and if you don’t have plans that evening, this should be a slam-dunk.

It’s a night that Caelum Swanton-Rodger has been dreaming about for a long time.

Since before he signed with his hometown professional team. Since before, even, the Surge joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2023.

Swanton-Rodger honed his skills in the local Genesis Basketball program and attended the Edge School. A strong rebounder and impactful defender, he recently completed his college hoops career with the Old Dominion University Monarchs in Norfolk, Va.

“It was such a big thing for me coming up — being able to build the basketball community in Calgary,” said Swanton-Rodger. “Now, getting the opportunity to come back here and help grow this program, it’s an unreal experience.

“You know, we played the school game a few weeks ago and they had, I think, 10 junior-highs out and the students were so excited,” he continued, referring to an exhibition at WinSport Event Centre in early May. “And it was great, getting to see them get so excited and getting to see them enjoy basketball, especially in an area where basketball hasn’t always been the top priority. This is a very hockey-dominated region of the country, so getting to see excitement around the sport that I grew up with, it’s been phenomenal.”

Ejim, who hails from the Toronto area, can vouch for the impact that can have.

“I feel like in Calgary, now that there’s a professional team and there’s professional players around, young people have somebody to look up to,” he explained. 

“For me in Ontario, we had that. And I think being able to have someone to look up to, it just creates a better new generation coming up. These kids will be inspired by what they see and I would hope that because they have a team right in their city, they’re able to use that to their advantage and use that to get enough confidence and workouts in to get to that level, as well.

“Being able to see somebody that’s doing it, it’s amazing, and I hope it’s amazing for Calgarians. I hope kids will see us and be like, ‘One day, I want to do that, and then maybe go even higher and play in the NBA.’ That’s the goal.”

It’s not far-fetched to think that one of the young fans standing for tip-off at the home-opener could someday sink the basket that signals to the crowd that it’s time to get comfortable.

The Surge roster for 2026 features a combination of returning fan favourites — including dynamic guard Evan Gilyard II, who averaged 18.9 points per game last season — and talented additions who are ready to make noise in the CEBL.

Despite a rocky start on the road, they are confident they have the right mix.

“We will be a fun team to watch,” Swanton-Rodger promised.

“We’re very versatile. I think we have everything you need on the basketball court,” added Ejim. “We have a lot of three-point shooters. We have a lot of high-flyers. But we also have great people — people you know are going to interact with the fans, sign autographs at any time that they can and just play hard for this city.”

For Swanton-Rodger’s city.

Asked if he had a message for the home crowd, which will surely include plenty of his family members, friends and former classmates and teammates, the Calgarian smiled wide.

“Bring good energy, bring good smiles and be ready to have a good time,” he replied. “We’ll take care of the rest.”