Ottawa, ON - The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that Pascal Angillis has been named director of international scouting. He is the first person in the CEBL to serve in such a position as the league expands its global reach.
Angillis, who is based out of Gingelom, Belgium, is a 15-year pro coach, having served in some of the top divisions teams in Europe and is former Belgian national team assistant coach. He will work closely with General Manager Jevohn Shepherd and Assistant General Manager Andy Rautins to scout and recruit the best talent internationally. He will also provide the BlackJacks with updates on team and player developments from the top European leagues where many Canadians compete.
In 2012, Angillis joined Spirou Charleroi of the Euromillion Basketball League in Belgium as an assistant, before being promoted to the head coach position in 2016. During his last season with the team, Angillis coached current BlackJacks General Manager, Jevohn Shepherd. Together, they reached the Belgian League semifinals in 2017. In total, Angillis participated in 11 seasons of European competitions, such as the Eurocup and the Champions Leagues.
Angillis spent the 2018-2019 campaign as a head coach with Castors Braine, a women’s Euroleague team where he coached the second-round WNBA draft pick of the Dallas Wings in 2016 and Canadian National Team member, Ruth Hamblin.
Angillis served as an assistant on the Belgian national men's team for three years. He also spent one year with the Belgian national women's team and one year with the national men’s U20 team.
A teacher in the Belgian coach certification program, Angillis holds the highest degree of coaching certification for basketball in Belgium. He is also a certified skills development coach with IMPACT Basketball in Las Vegas.
Angillis started playing at the age of 11 and competed for the Belgian U16 and U18 national teams before moving to Long Beach, California, where he attended Lakewood High School and Long Beach City College. He later received a scholarship to Rockford University in Illinois, where he studied international business.
Angillis, 48, and his wife, Thiaba, live in Gingelom, Belgium, with their five children, Tessa (19), Aida (15), Chanda (11), Sira (17) and Sidy (10).
The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 following the success of this past year's CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ontario, which saw millions of viewers across Canada and around the world tune in to watch 26 games played over 15 days in a single-site league competition. The CEBL became the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in mid-March shut down sports across the country.
Quotes:
“We are excited to have Pascal as a part of our Club in this new and exciting role. One of our goals as a team is to increase our reach internationally and to have a finger on the pulse of the top leagues throughout the world. Pascal has had tremendous success across Europe identifying talent and having played for him, I know the quality of individual the CEBL and BlackJacks are gaining.”
- Jevohn Shepherd
General Manager, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to join the Ottawa BlackJacks and help the team identify talent. I’ve been following the CEBL from Europe and I am impressed with the quality of play and professionalism of the league. I am looking forward to working closely with the rest of the BlackJacks basketball operations team to continue building a winning franchise, while being their eyes and ears in Europe.”
- Pascal Angillis
Director of International Scouting, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
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About the Ottawa BlackJacks
The first expansion franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Ottawa BlackJacks will showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. In its inaugural campaign, the BlackJacks earned a semifinal appearance at the 2020 CEBL Summer Series . The Ottawa front office brings NBA, NBA G League, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. Led by General Manager Jevohn Shepherd, Assistant General Manager Andy Rautins and Head Coach Charles Dubé-Brais , Ottawa will play its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. For more information visit www.theblackjacks.ca .
About Canadian Elite Basketball League
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. Head to more information on CEBL.ca or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Linkedin, Facebook & YouTube (@cebleague).
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Contact
Marika Guérin
Manager, Communications and Community
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club