The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth became the greatest indoor show on earth for a couple of hours Thursday night.

In their fourth game at the Saddledome, and second game at the Stampede, the Calgary Surge trampled the visiting Vancouver Bandits in a 15-point, 95-80 win.

A dominant 9-2 run to close target time was finalized with a game-winning Sean “Rugzy” Miller-Moore layup, which solidified the now 3-13 Surge’s first winning streak of the season.

Surge forward and Calgarian Caelum Swanton-Rodger, who is in his first year with the team, said that playing professional basketball for his hometown team has been an honour. Playing at the Saddledome, though, is extra special.

“Growing up, going to Flames games, going to Hitmen games, and seeing this building rock, and now getting to experience it myself is phenomenal,” he said.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better day.”

In their second straight win against the Bandits, the Surge put up 26 assists and 40 rebounds as a team, compared to 23 and 33 in their first win last month. 

Surge head coach David Deaveiro said that slowly but surely, the players are becoming a true team.

“We’re establishing identity, and it’s important for our guys to identify it and the people, these fans, they can see it,” he said.

“This team gets down and dirty, Caelum getting out there being physical and battling, that wasn’t happening three weeks ago. We weren’t hitting people back, they were hitting us, but we weren’t hitting them back, so we’re establishing a culture defensively.”

Marquee matchups are a great opportunity: Coach

Last year’s Surge to Stampede game featured a halftime performance from the Stampede show band and a mid-game jersey swap. Midway through Thursday night’s marquee matchup, the Surge’s game-day DJ, DJ Majesti, hosted an on-court dance party for fans in attendance.

After halftime, the team took the court in special Calgary 88’s jerseys, but did not wear them for the second half. Instead, a handful of the jerseys were autographed and given to fans.

Total attendance for the game hit 5,148, around 1,500 fewer people than last year’s Stampede game and less than half of their CEBL-record-setting attendance from the inaugural Surge to the Dome game in 2024.

Deaveiro said that anytime you can play in a world-class arena with thousands of fans, it is a great opportunity.

“It’s an experience that you should embrace if you’re an athlete, if you’re a professional and you  want this. I thought the crowd was great tonight,” he said.

“They were very supportive. I really loved the light show.”

Surge players and staff are hitting Stampede

With a day off Friday, both Swanton-Rodger and Deaveiro said they’d be hitting the Midway for food, rides and games.

As did second-year Surge centre Javonte Brown, who put up 15 points in the win.

“This is my second Stampede, so I’ve been able to go to a couple tents, been able to go on the Midway. Probably gonna go out there tomorrow,” he said.

“Might get a cowboy hat.”

Surge guard Armani Chaney said that the Calgary Stampede reminds him of a festival in his hometown.

“This is my first Stampede. It’s good, good vibes though. Definitely reminds me of Chicago, we have the Taste of Chicago and so everybody comes out and gets food and stuff like that,” he said.

“I haven’t gone out (to Stampede) and I don’t really go out. My lady’s here, so she wants to go out, so I’ll go out with her, obviously.”

This Sunday, Chaney and the Surge will be in Winnipeg to take on the Sea Bears.