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Les BlackJacks d'Ottawa signent l'ailier canadien Abu Kigab

May 5, 2023

Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa de la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB) ont annoncé vendredi que l’ailier canadien Abu Kigab a signé avec l’équipe pour la saison 2023.


Un ailier de six pieds et sept pouces originaire de St. Catharines, en Ontario, Kigab a entamé sa carrière professionnelle dans la LECB l'été dernier et a affiché une moyenne de 5,0 points, 2,5 rebonds, 1,5 passe décisive, 1,5 vol et 17,0 minutes en deux matchs avec l'équipe de sa ville natale, les River Lions de Niagara.


Avant de rejoindre Niagara, Abu a joué avec les Raptors de Toronto lors de la NBA 2K23 Summer League de 2022. Lors de son deuxième et dernier match du tournoi, il a enregistré un doublé avec 15 points et 10 rebonds lors d'une victoire contre les Milwaukee Bucks.


Kigab a revêtu les couleurs de l'équipe nationale canadienne à plusieurs reprises. Il a joué sept matchs avec l'équipe nationale masculine senior et 19 matchs avec l'équipe nationale junior. Il a inscrit en moyenne 6,3 points et 2,0 rebonds en six matchs disputés lors du Championnat des Amériques de la FIBA en septembre 2022 et a marqué trois points lors des qualifications pour la Coupe du monde 2023 de basketball des Amériques de la FIBA en février 2023. 


En tant que membre de l'équipe nationale junior canadienne, Kigab a participé à la Coupe du monde U19 de la FIBA 2017 au Caire, en Égypte, aidant le Canada à remporter sa première médaille d'or de la Coupe du monde U19 de la FIBA. Il a été nommé sur l'équipe d'étoiles de la Coupe du monde après avoir obtenu des moyennes de 14,7 points, 10,6 rebonds et 2,3 passes décisives en sept matchs. Il a également représenté le Canada au Championnat des Amériques U18 de la FIBA 2016, menant son équipe en finale où il a enregistré un doublé avec 17 points et 10 rebonds.


Kigab a commencé sa carrière universitaire avec les Ducks de l'Oregon où il a joué pendant une saison et demie avant d'être transféré à Boise State en 2019. En tant que joueur de cinquième année avec les Broncos, Kigab a commencé les 35 matchs et a enregistré des moyennes de 14,8 points, 5,7 rebonds, 2,4 passes, 1,3 vol et 31,5 minutes par match en 2021-22. Il a mené les Broncos en termes de points à 12 reprises, tout en enregistrant un match de 30 points et sept matchs de 20 points. Cette saison-là, il s'est vu décerner le titre de meilleur joueur du championnat de la Mountain West et a été nommé membre de la deuxième équipe de la Mountain West.


Né à Khartoum, au Soudan du Sud, Kigab a déménagé à St. Catharines à l'âge de neuf ans et a fréquenté l'école publique Queen Mary et l'école secondaire catholique St. Francis à St. Catharines avant d'être transféré à la Prolific Prep Academy à Napa, en Californie.


Les partisans des BlackJacks d'Ottawa peuvent acheter des billets pour la saison régulière 2023 des BlackJacks en cliquant ici. Les BlackJacks offrent également divers forfaits de billets qui permettent aux partisans de réaliser des économies tout en s'assurant d'assister à certains des meilleurs matchs de l'année, y compris des abonnements de saison, des forfaits flex et des billets de groupe. Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez communiquer directement avec l'équipe des services aux membres des BlackJacks d'Ottawa au 613-690-0519 ou par courriel à [email protected].


Citations:


« Je suis très excité à l'idée de jouer pour les BlackJacks d'Ottawa cet été. J'ai hâte d'entrer dans l'histoire et de faire partie de quelque chose de spécial ici à Ottawa. »

- Abu Kigab, ailier, BlackJacks d’Ottawa


« Abu Kigab fait partie de ces joueurs contre lesquels on déteste jouer et contre lesquels on déteste s'entraîner, mais qu’on adore avoir à nos côtés en tant que coéquipiers. Il joue avec intensité et dureté et c'est quelque chose qui ne s'apprend pas. »

- Jevohn Shepherd, directeur général et vice-président de opérations de basketball, BlackJacks d’Ottawa


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