The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that local guard Corey Johnson has signed with the club for the 2022 CEBL season.

A six-foot-five guard from Ottawa, Johnson has averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 91 games as a pro, having previously competed in the CEBL, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

This past winter, Johnson played 19 games with the Newcastle Eagles in the British Basketball League (BBL), where he averaged 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He recorded three or more triples nine times. He recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds November 7 against Plymouth and scored a season-high 27 points the previous game, hitting five triples, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and two steals November 5 against Surrey.

Johnson will be entering his third CEBL season, having competed with Guelph in both 2021 and during the 2020 CEBL Summer Series. With the Nighthawks last summer, he averaged 5.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 16.0 minutes. He scored a season-high 15 points, going five-for-seven from behind the arc July 17 against the Rattlers.

After gaining his first professional experience in Spain with Zornotza of the LEB Plata, the Harvard alumnus signed with the Leicester Riders in the BBL, where he averaged 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He scored a career-high 32 points, hitting 10 three-pointers, to go along with five rebounds and four assists February 8 against Surrey.

The Ottawa native played four years with the Harvard Crimson and finished his university career ranked third all time in three-pointers with 206. As a senior in 2018-19, he helped the Crimson reach its second straight Ivy League Championship. The previous year, he led Harvard with a season-high 17 points and five made triples in a 93-74 win over Columbia on March 3 to give Crimson the No. 1 seed in the Ivy League tournament. As a freshman, Johnson averaged 9.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29 games and set a Harvard freshman record with 74 three-pointers, the third-most in program history.

In 2015, Johnson represented Canada at the FIBA U19 World Championships, helping the team reach a fifth-place finish with 12.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Johnson is the sixth player announced to have signed with Ottawa for the 2022 season. The BlackJacks 20-game regular season will open up with a game at home versus Fraser Valley on May 25 at 7:30pm. In addition to 10 regular season home games, the BlackJacks will be hosting the 2022 CEBL Championship Weekend from August 12-14, 2022.

BlackJacks single game tickets are now available at theblackjacks.ca/tickets and start at only $30. Season and half season seat memberships, flex packs and group tickets are also available. Season seat members have exclusive access to 2022 CEBL Championship tickets. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the Ottawa BlackJacks Membership Services team directly at 613-690-0519 or by email at [email protected] .

Quotes:

“We are always thrilled to add local players to the BlackJacks organization. Corey will add depth to the roster with his elite shooting and professional experience in the CEBL and abroad.”

- Charles Dubé-Brais, Head Coach, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club

“I am extremely grateful to be a part of the BlackJacks organization. It means the world to me to be back in the 613 playing in front of my friends and family. Ottawa is my home and always will be!”

- Corey Johnson, Guard, 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 showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. Having recently completed its second season, the BlackJacks earned a semifinal appearance at the 2021 CEBL Championship Weekend in Edmonton. 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 and Vice-President, Basketball Operations Jevohn Shepherd, and Head Coach Charles Dubé-Brais, Ottawa plays its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. The BlackJacks and the City of Ottawa have been awarded the rights to host the 2022 CEBL Championship Weekend from August 12-14, 2022 with games taking place in the Arena at TD Place. The CEBL Championship Weekend will be a celebration of basketball, music, and local culture that will feature concerts, street festivals, the CEBL Awards , and several legacy projects to be announced at a later date. 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 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, 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 CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.