Les BlackJacks d'Ottawa Annocent un Match de la Journee Scolaire

Depuis son lancement en mai 2018, la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball a donné l'exemple sur la manière de forger une ligue sportive professionnelle durable au Canada. Une planification réfléchie, une volonté de prendre des risques stratégiques, l’acceptation que le succès d’hier ne garantit pas celui de demain, et une mentalité sans peur de l’échec et orientée vers la solution afin de relever les défis de manière innovante ont permis à la LECB de maintenir une trajectoire ascendante constante, alors qu’elle entame sa septième saison en tant que la plus grande ligue sportive professionnelle, et sans doute la plus saine, au Canada. Garder les intérêts des joueurs et des fans au cœur de chaque décision majeure fait partie intégrante de la mission d'offrir une expérience sportive et de divertissement unique et appréciée. C’est ainsi que plus de 20 joueurs ont signé des contrats avec la NBA après avoir joué dans la LECB, que le plafond salarial des équipes de la ligue a augmenté de 68 % depuis la saison inaugurale de 2019, que la ligue est passée de six à dix équipes et qu’à partir de cette saison, le calendrier de la saison régulière des équipes est passé de 20 à 24 matchs. Autre nouveauté cette saison : chaque équipe dispose d'une place pour un joueur désigné dans son effectif. L’objectif est d'aider les équipes à attirer encore plus de talents dans une ligue déjà considérée comme l'une des meilleures parmi les quelque 200 ligues de basketball FIBA à travers le monde. Le joueur désigné ne sera pas comptabilisé dans le plafond salarial de son équipe, une nouvelle disposition qui permet d'attirer des talents d'élite et de libérer des fonds pour d'autres joueurs de l'équipe. « L'introduction d'un joueur désigné se situe en dehors du plafond salarial et présente un seuil financier par match beaucoup plus élevé dans le but d'attirer autant de talent que possible dans ce pays », a déclaré le commissaire et cofondateur de la LECB, Mike Morreale. « Un joueur désigné peut être un Canadien, un Américain ou un joueur international, ce qui accroît la flexibilité de l'équipe pour nos directeurs généraux. » D'un point de vue stratégique, les équipes peuvent utiliser le joueur désigné pour remplir différents rôles. La solution la plus évidente consiste à recruter le meilleur joueur disponible et à se préoccuper du reste plus tard. Mais certaines équipes peuvent choisir d'engager le meilleur Canadien pendant le marché des agents libres, d'autant plus que deux Canadiens doivent toujours être sur le terrain, une règle en vigueur depuis la création de la ligue. « Les joueurs que nous attirons ne viennent pas ici uniquement pour l'argent. Je pense qu'ils sont très à l'aise avec le salaire qu'ils reçoivent », a déclaré Morreale. « Ce qu'ils veulent vraiment, c'est venir ici, jouer dans une ligue très reconnue, se faire remarquer et être pris en charge. » La LECB a un partenariat de longue date avec U SPORTS et, à partir de 2024, avec l'Association canadienne du sport collégial. Chaque équipe peut inscrire un maximum de trois étudiants-athlètes canadiens qui n'ont pas encore terminé leurs études et qui sont définis comme des joueurs de développement dans les règles d'inscription de la LECB. Les joueurs de développement ne sont pas comptabilisés dans le plafond salarial de l'équipe, et leur salaire est versé directement sous forme de bourse à leur établissement d'enseignement pour couvrir les frais d'études. Simon Hildebrandt, double Joueur de développement de l'année de la LECB en tant que membre des Sea Bears de Winnipeg, a joué cette saison universitaire avec High Point, dans la conférence Big South de la division I de la NCAA. Il a joué les deux saisons précédentes à l'Université du Manitoba. « Ces deux dernières années ont été un tremplin pour ma carrière professionnelle. C'est incroyable à quel point cela va m'aider », a déclaré Hildebrandt pendant le week-end du Championnat 2024, lorsqu'il a reçu son dernier prix. Même à ses débuts, la LECB a été un tremplin pour des joueurs comme Hildebrandt, ainsi que pour des joueurs actuels de la NBA comme AJ Lawson et Jackson Rowe, qui ont joué avec les Raptors de Toronto et les Warriors de Golden State, respectivement, cette saison. Rowe, 27 ans, a passé trois saisons dans la LECB avec les BlackJacks d'Ottawa et les Shooting Stars de Scarborough. En janvier, il a signé un contrat à deux volets avec les Warriors et a participé à cinq matchs à la mi-mars. Lawson a marqué 32 points, son meilleur score en carrière dans la NBA, lors de la victoire des Raptors contre Washington le 10 mars. Le natif de Brampton a souvent reconnu que son passage dans la LECB au cours de la saison 2022 avait été le tremplin de son ascension dans la NBA avec Dallas, Minnesota et maintenant Toronto. « Si vous regardez les raisons pour lesquelles nous avons créé la ligue à l'origine, elle a été fondée pour ramener nos meilleurs joueurs canadiens à la maison, pour développer nos nouveaux joueurs professionnels canadiens, et pour les entourer des meilleurs joueurs de basketball que nous pouvons attirer de l'extérieur du Canada », a déclaré Morreale, citant les nombreux chemins que la LECB a créés vers la NBA G League, les ligues européennes et asiatiques, et les équipes nationales, y compris l'équipe nationale canadienne. « Nous avons eu la chance d’avoir des joueurs, certes principalement des États-Unis, mais aussi du monde entier, qui ont pu jouer sur les terrains de tout le pays. » « Pourtant, ce sont les joueurs locaux qui font tourner la LECB, » ajoute Morreale. « Tous ces gars, à un moment ou à un autre, se connaissent, ont joué les uns contre les autres, ont grandi ensemble. Le niveau de compétition est donc élevé lorsque nous entrons sur le terrain. Et cela nourrit tous nos autres joueurs. » Les partisans et les joueurs peuvent s'attendre à ce que la LECB continue d'innover et de mettre en place de nouvelles façons d'apporter du basketball professionnel de classe mondiale sur les marchés à travers le Canada dans les années à venir. La saison 2025 débutera le 11 mai avec la rencontre entre Calgary et Edmonton, suivie d'une série complète de matchs la semaine suivante. Les 127 matchs de la ligue seront diffusés en direct gratuitement sur CEBL+ et seront également disponibles sur TSN+, avec 17 matchs diffusés à l'échelle nationale sur TSN. - Avec la collaboration de Myles Dichter

Since it launched in May of 2018 the Canadian Elite Basketball League has been a case study of how to forge a sustainable professional sports league in Canada. Thoughtful planning, a willingness to take strategic risks, an acceptance to never be satisfied that yesterday’s success guarantees tomorrows, and a “no fear of failure” and “find a way” mentality to innovatively tackle challenges has enabled the CEBL to maintain a consistent upward growth trajectory as it begins its seventh season as the largest, and arguably healthiest, pro sports league in Canada. Keeping the interests of the players and the fans at the centre of every major decision has been integral to the mission of delivering a unique and valued sports and entertainment experience. That has led to more than 20 players signing NBA contracts after playing in the CEBL, the league’s team salary cap rising by 68 percent since the inaugural season of 2019, the league expanding from an original six teams to 10, and beginning this season a 24 rather than 20-game regular season schedule for the teams. Also new this season is a designated player roster spot available to each team. Its purpose is to help teams attract even more and better talent to a league that already is considered among the better of the approximately 200 leagues around the world that play FIBA basketball. A designated player won’t count against his team’s salary cap, a new provision that attracts elite talent and also frees up cap money to be available to other players on the roster. “The introduction of a designated player sits outside the salary cap and has a far bigger per-game financial threshold in an effort to attract as much talent as we can to this country,” said CEBL Commissioner and Co-Founder Mike Morreale. “A designated player could be Canadian, American, or an international player, which also adds roster flexibility for our team general managers.” Strategically, teams may use the designated player to fill different roles. The obvious route is to get the best player available and worry about the rest later. But some teams may choose to pony up for the best Canadian in free agency—especially given that two Canadians must always be on the floor, a rule that has been in place for the league’s entire existence. “We've been very blessed with the fact that the players that we attract don't come here solely for the money. I think they're very comfortable with the pay they receive,” Morreale said. “What they really want to do is come here, play in a highly respected league, get noticed, get taken care of.” The CEBL has had a longstanding partnership with U SPORTS and as of 2024 also with the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. Each team can roster a maximum of three Canadian student-athletes who have remaining scholastic eligibility—defined as developmental players within the CEBL roster rules. Developmental players do not count against the team salary cap, and their salaries are deposited directly into a bursary at their institution to be applied to academic costs. Simon Hildebrandt, the two-time reigning CEBL Developmental Player of the Year as a member of the Winnipeg Sea Bears, played this current college season with High Point, of the Big South Conference in NCAA Division I. He played the two prior seasons at the University of Manitoba. “These last two years are the stepping stone that will lead to my professional career. It’s unbelievable how much this is gonna help me,” Hildebrandt said during 2024 championship weekend when he received his latest award. Even in its infancy, the CEBL has been the springboard it was always intended to be for players like Hildebrandt, as well as for current NBA players such as AJ Lawson and Jackson Rowe, who have each seen court time with the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors, respectively, this season. Rowe, 27, spent three CEBL seasons with the Ottawa BlackJacks and Scarborough Shooting Stars. In January he signed a two-way contract with the Warriors and has appeared in five games as of mid-March. Lawson scored his NBA career high of 32 points in the Raptors’ March 10 victory over Washington. The Brampton native has often credited his time in the CEBL during the 2022 season as being the stepping-stone for his ascension into the NBA with Dallas, Minnesota, and now Toronto. “If you take a look at why we built the league originally, it was built to bring back our top Canadians home to play, to develop our new Canadians, and to complement them with the best basketball players we can attract from outside of Canada,” Morreale said, citing the many pathways the CEBL has created to the NBA G League, to European and Asian leagues, and to national teams, including the Canadian National team. “We’ve been very fortunate to have players, certainly pre-dominately from the U.S., but from all over the world that have been able to come onto courts across the country.” Yet it’s the homegrown players that make the CEBL tick, Morreale added. “All of these guys at one point or another know each other, played against each other, grew up with each other. So that compete level is on 11 when we get on the court. And that just feeds all of our other players.” Fans and players can expect the CEBL to continue to innovate and implement new ways to bring world class pro basketball to markets across Canada in the years to come. The 2025 season tips off May 11 when Calgary visits Edmonton, followed by a full slate of games the following week. All 127 league games will be livestreamed for free on CEBL+ and also available on TSN+, with 17 games being broadcast nationally on TSN. - With files from Myles Dicht er

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Canada’s largest professional sports league, are pleased to announce the organization’s first-ever school game for Capital Region elementary and high school students on Wednesday, May 14 at The Arena at TD Place with presenting sponsor, Prezdential Basketball , founded by community leader, Manock Lual. Taking place at 10:30 a.m., the BlackJacks will tip-off against the Capital Region All-Stars, led by Taffe Charles, head coach of Carleton University men’s basketball team. The BlackJacks and Prezdential are working with all major school boards across the Ottawa and Outaouis regions with the aim to provide students with the opportunity to experience live professional basketball, hear from an inspiring speaker and enjoy an exciting field trip with their peers from all areas of the Capital Region at a cost of $15 per student. The BlackJacks have dedicated themselves to working with local community leaders to develop a presentation that will take place during halftime of the game highlighted by Manock and Prezdential whose mission is to empower youth by harnessing the power of sports, arts and mentorship with the ultimate goal of helping young individuals reach their full potential, foster personal growth, improve their leadership skills and become valued members of the community. Based in Ottawa, Prezdenital operates in priority neighborhoods, recreational deserts and areas identified as “red” in the city’s Neighborhood Equity Index. As a Black-led organization, they centre the lived experiences of Black, racialized and marginalized youth while recognizing diversity and unique intersectionalities in every aspect of their programming. “Our inaugural School Day Game is another important initiative designed to connect with and contribute to the Capital Region community,” said BlackJacks president Mark Wacyk. “The BlackJacks strongly believe that basketball is a unifying medium and bringing youth from all areas of Ottawa and the Outaouais provides tangible social benefits. In partnering with Prezdential and Manock, our audience will have the opportunity to listen to a powerful motivational speaker who is an important, innovative resource in our community." Buses will begin arriving at 9:30 a.m. and throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to visit vendors located throughout the arena and to purchase BlackJacks merchandise. The Arena at TD Place is a cashless venue and additional information regarding the purchasing of food vouchers will be provided once tickets are purchased. Students will also be able to bring in bagged lunches for the event. To assist with logistics, the BlackJacks have partnered with First Student Bus Company to offer discounted transportation who have secured buses specifically for the event and schools are highly encouraged to book transportation through the organization. Any schools interested in participating can email [email protected] , call 613-618-3000 with an estimated number of tickets or fill out the online form by Friday, April 11. One complimentary ticket will be provided for each 10 paid student tickets. Spots are limited, so interested participants are encouraged to confirm their attendance as soon as possible. Although the game will be geared towards school groups, BlackJacks season-seat members will be welcome to attend the game at no additional cost and are encouraged to contact their sales representative for more information. 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 - CEBL - 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 .

The St. Francis Xavier University product averaged 6.5 points and 5.1 rebounds across three CEBL seasons with Winnipeg and Scarborough

The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, have finalized its basketball staff in advance of the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League season. Led by reigning CEBL Coach of the Year, Kyle Julius, a combination of familiar and new faces will comprise the group that will lead the club into its seventh season tipping off on May 15. Julius enters his sixth season with the Bandits, having been with the club since 2020. "When we hired Kyle Julius in 2020, we knew we were bringing in a leader with a relentless work ethic, a championship pedigree and a deep commitment to player development. His vision for high-performance basketball, combined with his ability to build a winning culture, aligned perfectly with the direction we wanted to take as an organization,” said Vancouver team president Dylan Kular. “Since his arrival, the Bandits have grown tremendously both on and off the court. We have established a culture of excellence, expanded our community reach, and built a foundation that continues to attract top-tier talent. Kyle has been instrumental in shaping our identity, and his leadership has positioned us as the premier franchise in the CEBL.” “I am incredibly excited to work with this outstanding group of coaches, we have our entire championship staff returning, and we’ve added some talented new coaches as well. Our organization has always been fully committed to providing our players with the highest level of coaching and development, both on and off the court,” said Vancouver head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Under his leadership, Vancouver has advanced to the CEBL postseason in each of his five seasons at the helm, including two CEBL Finals appearances in 2020 and 2024. Julius led the Bandits to a 14-6 record in 2024, the club’s best regular season result in franchise history, which culminated with a CEBL Finals berth and being named recipient of the CEBL’s Coach of the Year award. The Thunder Bay, Ont. native became the first head coach in CEBL history to be signed on in a year-round capacity and recently signed a contract extension to 2026, greatly expanding the Bandits’ off-court endeavours including community outreach and grassroots basketball development efforts across British Columbia. “We have set the standard in the league when it comes to player development, training resources, strength and conditioning, recovery, on-court skill development, mental wellness, and emotional growth. This staff brings deep basketball experience at every level, ensuring that our players will improve on a daily basis and not only help our players grow as athletes but also as people. They are both dedicated to the Bandits and also committed to the game and ensuring our players have a great experience this summer. I am proud and honoured to work with this group of coaches,” Julius said. New additions to the Bandits bench in 2025 will include Steven Bennett as Player Development Coach, Tyrell Mara as Leadership & Performance Coach, and Louie Al-Hafidh as Assistant Coach & Head Video Coordinator. Ransford Brempong, Lead Assistant Coach & Director of Player Development - Brempong will serve as Lead Assistant Coach for a second season. Originally from Thornhill, Ont., he played a decorated college career at Western Carolina University between 2000-05 and his eight-year pro career included stints with the Canada senior men’s national team and the Bandits during their inaugural season in 2019. After retiring from the game, he worked as a colour commentator for Bandits broadcasts from 2021-23 and founded WCT Hoops, a basketball development program serving youth on Vancouver’s North Shore. Tony Scott, Assistant Coach & Senior Advisor - Scott will re-join the Bandits bench as an Assistant Coach for his fifth consecutive season. For nearly 25 years, he has coached high school basketball at Gleneagle Secondary in Coquitlam and most recently with Terry Fox Secondary in Port Coquitlam. A native of Winnipeg, Man., Scott previously spent 10 years as an assistant coach with the University of Manitoba and played post-secondary basketball from 1979 and 1984 at both the University of Winnipeg and Lakehead University. Matthew Barg, Assistant Coach & Video Coordinator - Barg is another returnee for Julius’ staff, assuming the role of assistant coach for a second season while also taking on responsibilities as the club’s Video Coordinator. Hailing from Montréal, Que., Barg played collegiately at McGill University from 2021 to 2022 and has served as a basketball coach at Selwyn House School. Louie Al-Hafidh, Assistant Coach & Head Video Coordinator - One of three newcomers to the Bandits bench, Al-Hafidh joins the Bandits from Dallas, Texas as head video coordinator for the 2025 season. He is currently working with the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, where he is in his first season as the club’s Director of Basketball Operations. Prior to joining the Mavericks organization, Al-Hafidh spent four seasons with the University of North Texas as the Director of Scouting, Video and Analytics for its men’s basketball program. Steven Bennett, Assistant Coach & Player Development Coach - Bennett will make his debut on the Bandits’ coaching staff in 2025. Originally from Los Angeles, Calif., He played collegiately at Chaminade University and enjoyed a pro basketball career from 2012 to 2018 featuring stops in Germany, Italy, Australia, and the Czech Republic. Following his playing career, Bennett founded the HARD2GUARD basketball training academy, based in Surrey, B.C. Jon Giesbrecht, Director of Mental Skills & Performance - Joining the Bandits in 2024, Giesbrecht’s role addressing mental performance and player mindfulness is the first of its kind in the CEBL. The Winnipeg, Man. native previously served as an assistant coach with the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg and the University of Regina as well as with Canada Basketball and overseas with professional clubs in Italy. In addition to his work with the Bandits, Giesbrecht manages his own basketball academy, Play Free Ball, mentoring young athletes on mindfulness and mental performance. Jaxson Creasey, Director of Basketball Strategy - Creasey enters his second season with the Bandits. His previous experience includes work with the Victoria Royals and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in various media and communications roles. Outside of the Bandits, Creasey has gained sport management experience with athlete management group Apollo Athletics as a Junior Agent and is an alumnus of the University of Victoria. Tanner Care, Director of Athletic Performance - Care takes on the role of Director of Athletic Performance for a third consecutive season. He initially joined the club in 2023 where he introduced a specialized department focused on player strength and conditioning. In addition to his work with the Bandits, he is also the head strength and conditioning coach with Simon Fraser University Athletics overseeing the development of student-athletes across several sports. Jackson Banman, Strength & Conditioning Performance Coach - Banman originally joined the Bandits for the 2023 season, working alongside Tanner Care in building the team’s Athletic Performance department. He also serves as a coach with Simon Fraser University Athletics with their strength and conditioning team and works as a personal trainer with local athletes. Kosta Ikonomou, Head Athletic Therapist - Ikonomou begins his sixth season as an athletic therapist with the Bandits, having been involved with the club since its inaugural season in 2019. His previous experience in high performance sports and health includes work with Chelsea FC, Team GB, Trinity Western University athletics and top health organizations in both Canada and England. He obtained his BSc (hons) in Physiotherapy from Brunel University London after completing his BSc of Human Kinetics from the University of Fraser Valley. Furthermore, he holds a master’s degree in Sports Medicine Exercise & Health from the University College of London. Tyrell Mara, Leadership & Performance Coach - Mara joins the Bandits for his first season, serving as a leadership coach. After a decorated high school basketball career with his hometown White Rock Christian Academy, his post-secondary journey included stops at Portland State University and Trinity Western University. After basketball, Mara transitioned into leadership coaching and public speaking where he currently operates his own mentorship and wellness program, The Human Performance Project. Rounding out the staff are volunteer coaches Kyle Brown, Matthew Carrion, Tom Connolly and Othneil Spence, and team doctors Dr. Presley Moodley and Dr. David Wickham.

Bourcier has played in 66 career CEBL games across four seasons, and averaged 5.2 points and 2.8 assists in 21 contests with the Sea Bears in 2024

American guard Scottie Lindsey brings extensive experience in the NBA G League and CEBL to Edmonton

Les billets pour les trois matchs du WC25 sont en vente dès maintenant au prix le plus bas via le forfait Tournoi

Tickets to all three CW25 games at the lowest price available are on sale now via the Tournament Packs