The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Canada’s largest professional basketball league and member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced today that David DeAveiro has been hired as the fourth head coach in team history.
With the hiring of DeAveiro (pronounced deh-VEERO), former head coach and interim general manager, James Derouin has been promoted to serve exclusively as the club’s full-time general manager.
“Ottawa holds a special place in my life and is where I’ve made my home, raised my kids and fostered my love of basketball,” said DeAveiro. “The Capital Region has a rich history of basketball excellence and I am proud to lead the lone professional team in the Nation’s Capital. I am excited about the future of the Ottawa BlackJacks franchise and am honoured to lead this team going forward as we strive towards our ultimate goal of winning a CEBL championship.”
Serving as an assistant coach for the BlackJacks since the 2020-21 season, DeAveiro currently serves as the head coach for the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold men’s program where he has compiled a 63-38 record in league play over the last four seasons.
Prior to arriving at TMU, DeAveiro was the head coach of the men’s program at McGill University for 10 years and the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees men’s team for nine campaigns, leading his teams to eight national championship tournaments. With 457 victories, DeAverio currently sits ninth on USPORTS all-time men’s basketball coaches wins list.
DeAveiro has won nine coach of the year awards during his university coaching career, including three in the OUA East and six in the RSEQ conference. He also served as an assistant coach with numerous Canadian national teams including at the men’s senior, development and junior levels which featured winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in the summer of 2018.
A graduate of both the University of Ottawa and Brock University, DeAveiro played five seasons for the Gee-Gees from 1984-85 to 1988-89 and also founded the Ottawa Next Level basketball club in Kanata, Ont. which has served as an organization for over 30 years that is focused on providing quality skill development, fostering good sportsmanship and respect for others while allowing Ottawa youth to play the game of basketball to their full potential.
Flexible ticket packages are currently available to purchase by visiting theblackjacks.ca/tickets.
BlackJacks 2025 season-seat memberships are available now. For additional details, fans are encouraged to email [email protected] or call 613-690-0519.
About the Ottawa BlackJacks
The first expansion franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Ottawa BlackJacks showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. The Ottawa front office brings NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. Led by General Manager James Derouin and Head Coach Dave DeAveiro, Ottawa plays its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. For more information, visit theblackjacks.ca.
About the 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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. 22 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 with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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