Calgary Surge Sign Elijah Lufilé

CALGARY, AB – The Calgary Surge have signed six-foot-eight forward Elijah Lufilé for their 2023 inaugural season, the team announced Tuesday.

Elijah Lufilé most recently played for the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada. He also recently represented the reigning CEBL champions, the Brampton Honey Badgers, at the Basketball Champions League of Americas (BCLA) tournament, averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds in two games. Lufilé was then drafted 25th in the second round of the NBA G-League Draft by the Salt Lake City Stars where he averaged 16.0 minutes, 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in ten games played. 

“We are excited to sign Elijah! Elijah will create a lot of presence for us in the paint. He is a tenacious rebounder, especially on the offensive end. We are expecting him to come in and play with an edge while competing with a high level of energy on both ends of the floor,” said Surge General Manager, Shane James.

The Milton, Ontario local spent the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons with the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 54 career games with the Golden Eagles, Lufilé averaged 15.5 minutes, 6.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. 

“Surge Nation let’s get it! I am so excited to be a part of this new franchise and to meet the fans. God has blessed me tremendously and I’m going to maximize every opportunity given to me here in Calgary. I’ve heard only good things about the city, and I am looking forward to enjoying my summer there along with bringing a championship to the city,” said Elijah. 

About the Calgary Surge 

The Calgary franchise originated as the Guelph Nighthawks in 2018, one of the six founding members of the CEBL. The organization was relocated from the league’s smallest market to Calgary in August 2022 as part of the growing league's business strategy to have teams in Canada’s largest metropolitan areas. Chairman Usman Tahir Jutt and Vice-Chairman and President Jason Ribeiro saw an opportunity to bridge Calgary’s diverse communities together through sport and entertainment and to create a sense of belonging. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.

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 71 percent of its roster being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, top NCAA programs, and USPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May to August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.