Saskatoon, Sask. - The Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that Barry Rawlyk will return for his sixth season with the team and has been promoted to Vice-President of Basketball Operations, maintaining all general manager duties. The Rattlers look to return to Championship Weekend with Barry’s leadership and connections in the basketball world.
“We are very excited to have Barry return,” said Rattlers President, Lee Genier. “He will take on an additional scope on the Basketball Operations side of the Rattlers as we move forward to put a winning team on the court.”
Rawlyk celebrates his fifth year as GM, and sixth with the team after serving as the lead assistant coach and recruitment of the roster during the 2019 Championship season. In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Rawlyk was instrumental in locking down Tony Carr and Justin Wright-Foreman, both of whom were nominated as league MVPs. The Rattlers are the only CEBL franchise to have back-to-back MVP nominees that weren’t the same player.
Rawlyk served as the eighth head coach in University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s basketball history, holding multiple program records. Rawlyk took the helm in an interim position in the 2010-11 season. In May 2012, he was officially named head coach of the men’s basketball program. During the 2010-11 season, Rawlyk led the Huskies to a fourth-place finish at the CIS (now U SPORTS) Championship and a second-place finish in Canada West. The following season, the team finished in first in their conference and hosted the Canada West Final Four for the first time in the program’s history. Prior to joining the Huskies, Rawlyk spent over two decades coaching with Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon. During his time with the Crusaders, he led them to 11 City Championships as well as three Provincial Championships.
“It is a privilege for me to once again have the opportunity to be a part of the Rattlers organization in 2024, and I am excited to have additional responsibilities within the organization,” said Vice-President of Basketball Operations, Barry Rawlyk. “The CEBL is full of exceptional people committed to growing the game and building a strong and vibrant league. Our team President Lee Genier has energized the Front Office staff, they are excited about being tasked with delivering a championship level product, while conducting that energy and excitement to the people across the province. My first task in this process is assembling a coaching staff that can deliver an elite level of performance every day; in practice or on game day – both on and off the court.”
Canadian Elite Basketball League free agency opened on February 1, 2024 with player announcements to follow.
The full 2024 Rattlers schedule has been released, which features a full 20-game slate with one potential home playoff game and Championship Weekend (CW24) happening in Montréal, QC from August 9-11, 2024.
General public and returning season ticket members can claim their seats for the entire Rattlers 2024 season by using Account Manager. Season tickets range from $175 in the value section to $850 for courtside row 2 (All row 1 options are sold out). Single Game Tickets are available by utilizing the Flex Ticket Bundles. All tickets can also be purchased through the Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website, or via Ticketmaster. Single game tickets will be available later this spring. For more seating options, suites, and group rates; fans can contact an account executive.
About the Saskatchewan Rattlers
The Saskatchewan Rattlers are Saskatchewan’s professional basketball team, one of the six original teams in the CEBL – the Rattlers won the 2019 inaugural season championship. Playing out of SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – the Rattlers offer an entertainment-focused environment surrounded by some of the world’s top professional athletes. The Rattlers are a community-first organization and take pride in their ability to bring communities together while making sport more accessible to the province.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at
CEBL.ca
and @cebleague on
Instagram,
Twitter,
TikTok,
LinkedIn,
Facebook
&
YouTube.
For more information on the Saskatchewan Rattlers professional basketball team - visit therattlers.ca