Blog Layout

Ottawa BlackJacks Announce 2024 Basketball Operations Staff

April 24, 2024

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday the completion of its basketball operations staff for the 2024 CEBL season. Joining General Manager and Head Coach James Derouin and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jevohn Shepherd are: Assistant Coaches David DeAveiro, Damian Buckley, Michael L’Africain, and Jamil Abiad; Performance Director Sean Stoqua; Coordinator of Player Personnel and Strategy Hennessy Roppovalente; Equipment Manager Alexander Louis; Athletic Therapist Finley Miller; Medical Director Adrian Huynh; and Team Doctor Jessica Curran.


Returning with the BlackJacks for a second season, David DeAveiro has been the head coach of the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) men's basketball team since 2020 and has also enjoyed an extensive coaching history with Canada Basketball, including the men's senior, development and junior teams. He came to TMU after serving as head coach of the McGill University men's basketball team for 10 seasons. Prior to joining McGill, DeAveiro coached the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees men’s basketball team for nine seasons.   


Damian Buckley, who is also continuing his tenure with the BlackJacks for a second season, serves as an assistant coach for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees men’s basketball team under BlackJacks and Gee-Gees Head Coach James Derouin, where he won back-to-back National Bronze medals in 2022-23 and 2023-24 while securing the OUA Gold in 2022-23. Buckley has served as Head Coach for the Montreal Toundra in 2023 and 2024, carving out a path as a promising young coach at the pro level.    


Michael L'Africain's coaching journey saw him as assistant coach with the BlackJacks in 2021 and 2023, and with the Newfoundland Growlers in 2022. Transitioning from his illustrious playing career, L'Africain assumed the role of lead assistant coach of the University of Ottawa men’s basketball team in 2018, following a landmark five-year tenure as a player for the Gee-Gees from 2011 to 2016. L'Africain played two professional seasons in Europe before returning to Canada to focus on coaching.  


Returning with the Ottawa BlackJacks for a third season, Jamil Abiad spent the past two winters in Reykjavík, Iceland, where he coached the U18 and U21 Valur men’s basketball teams, reaching the league’s semifinals twice. Abiad also served as the lead assistant coach for Valur men’s professional team, winning the regular season title and the Super Cup. Following a two-year professional basketball career in Lebanon and five collegiate seasons with the Bishop University Gaitors, Abiad dedicated his time to growing the game of basketball in the nation’s capital.  


Sean Stoqua graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Acadia University, where he was an active member of the Axemen football and basketball teams from 2011 to 2015. Following this, he pursued his master’s degree in Physiotherapy at the University of Ottawa from 2017 to 2019, during which time he also represented the Gee-Gees basketball team. As a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and registered Physiotherapist, Stoqua has spent the past five years honing his craft, specializing in training, and rehabilitating a diverse spectrum of athletes. His clientele ranges from NBA, G League, and Euroleague players to professional footballers, soccer players, dancers, and BMX bikers.


Hennessy Roppovalente serves as an assistant and analytics coordinator for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees men’s basketball team under Head Coach James Derouin. Roppovalente joined the BlackJacks during the 2023 season, serving as the team’s Equipment Manager and Performance Analytics and Scouting Advisor. An Ottawa native, Roppovalente is currently completing his undergraduate degree in Finance and Business Analytics at the University of Ottawa. 


Alexander Louis will be taking on the role of Equipment Manager for the Ottawa BlackJacks in the upcoming 2024 season. Concurrently, he is pursuing studies in Marketing and Finance at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa. Louis' journey into basketball operations began in 2023 when he assumed the position of Basketball Operations Coordinator for the Gee-Gees men's basketball team, working alongside Head Coach James Derouin.


Finley Miller currently lends her expertise to the men's football team at Carleton University. During her academic years, she gained valuable experience working with a diverse range of sports teams, including the Ottawa REDBLACKS, University of Toronto's men's football team, and York University's women's volleyball team.  Equipped with an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences, coupled with a certification in Athletic Therapy, Miller brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to her practice.  


Adrian Huynh is an athletic therapist at Carleton University with extensive experience across various sports organizations. He previously served as Athletic Therapist with the BlackJacks from 2021 to 2023 and worked with Canada Soccer, Atlético Ottawa, Montréal Impact, and Ottawa Fury FC. Huynh completed his undergraduate degree in Integrated Science at Carleton University in 2013 and his Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences in Athletic Therapy at Sheridan College, winning the Dr. Tim Fried Leadership Award in 2017. That same year, he obtained a Diploma in Pedorthics from Western University.


A Chief Doctor for Team Canada for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, Dr. Jessica Curran has been a team physician with the Canadian women’s national basketball program since 2011 and the Canadian men’s national volleyball team since 2022. She is currently the team physician for the Carleton Ravens men’s football team and has worked with various other varsity teams, including men’s and women’s soccer and basketball teams. Serving major multi-sport Games, Dr. Curran was a member of the medical team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, 2015 and 2019 Pan American Games, 2015 Winter Universiade, and 2013 Summer Universiade.   


The Ottawa BlackJacks 2024 single game tickets are on sale now at https://www.theblackjacks.ca/single-game-tickets. The team's fifth season will kick off at The Arena at TD Place on May 29, promising professional basketball and exciting entertainment in a family-friendly environment. For more information, please visit www.theblackjacks.ca or contact the Ottawa BlackJacks Membership Services team directly at 613-690-0519 or by email at [email protected].


 Quotes: 


“At the core of our mission is building a robust basketball operations team dedicated to our players' well-being and performance. We aim for them to excel on the court, stay healthy and depart our team better than they came, with a reliable support system in place. I'm proud of the crew we've assembled, not only for their expertise but also for their deep-rooted connection to Ottawa, and I'm certain it will pave the way for success, both on and off the court.” 

- James Derouin, General Manager and Head Coach, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club 



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. 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 Head Coach James Derouin, Ottawa plays its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. The anticipation is building for the upcoming 2024 season, slated to tip off at home on May 29 against the Edmonton Stingers. For more information, visit www.theblackjacks.ca. 


About Canadian Elite Basketball League  

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 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Fourteen 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. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube. 

DEFENDING CHAMPION RIVER LIONS RE-SIGN ALL-CANADIAN BLAIR

February 20, 2025
Blair enters the 2025 campaign 3rd all-time in CEBL history with 133 three-pointers made in the regular season.

SEA BEARS RE-SIGN HOMETOWN FORWARD AKOT

February 19, 2025
Winnipeg-born Akot returns to club as first signing for the Sea Bears

STINGERS INK MILLER FOR THIRD CAMPAIGN

February 18, 2025
Miller holds the CEBL record for most three-pointers made in a single game (10)

CANADIAN BIG RETURNS FOR SECOND SEASON WITH RATTLERS

February 18, 2025
Seton Hall University product made professional debut with the Rattlers in 2024, averaging a team-best 2.0 blocks in six contests.

HORNSBY RETURNS TO STINGERS FOR THIRD SEASON

February 12, 2025
American forward is 2nd in franchise history and 8th in league history in regular season assists

CANADIAN FORWARD ODURO RETURNS TO HONEY BADGERS FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT SEASON

February 12, 2025
Honey Badgers re-sign franchise's all-time leader in blocks

LES BLACKJACKS D'OTTAWA SIGNE ISAIH MOORE

February 5, 2025
Les BlackJacks d'Ottawa de la Ligue Élite Canadienne de Basketball (LECB), la plus grande ligue professionnelle de basketball au Canada et membre de la Fédération internationale de basketball (FIBA), a annoncé aujourd'hui que l'équipe a signé un contrat avec l'ailier Isaih Moore pour la saison 2025. Moore, un joueur de 6 pieds 10 pouces originaire de Columbia, S.C., revient chez les BlackJacks après avoir mené le club au chapitre des points par match (15,7) au cours de la saison régulière et s'être classé au deuxième rang dans l'ensemble de la LECB pour ce qui est des rebonds par match (8,3). Son pourcentage de 58,1 sur le terrain est le troisième plus élevé de l'histoire de l'équipe, tandis que ses trois buts gagnants n'ont été marqués que par Tevin Brown et l'ont placé à égalité au troisième rang de tous les joueurs de la LECB. « Isaih a joué un rôle important dans notre succès en fin de saison dernière et nous avons pensé qu'il était important de le faire signer tôt en hors saison pour continuer à construire sur les progrès qu'Isaih et l'équipe dans son ensemble ont fait en 2024 », a déclaré le directeur général des BlackJacks, James Derouin. « Son moteur et son énergie alimentent notre offensive et sa capacité à marquer de l'intérieur et de l'extérieur du périmètre font de lui un talent indéniable dans la LECB. Comme il est l'un des joueurs les plus efficaces de la ligue, nous sommes ravis qu'Isaih soit de retour en 2025. » Moore a commencé la saison 2024-25 avec les Manchester Giants de la SLB britannique, où il a participé à deux matchs, totalisant 28 points et 14 rebonds, avant d'être acquis auprès des Sioux Falls Skyforce de la NBA G-League par les Greensboro Swarm le 15 janvier. Le joueur de 24 ans a fait ses débuts dans la ligue 2024-25 lors de la défaite 124-116 de l'équipe contre le Grand Rapids Gold le 18 janvier et a une moyenne de 4,9 points par match et de 2,9 rebonds par match en deux saisons de G-League. Commençant sa carrière universitaire avec le College of Charleston de la Coastal Athletic Conference, il a rejoint les Cougars et a enregistré une moyenne de 2,8 points par match et 2,1 rebonds par match en 11 concours après avoir conclu sa carrière au lycée en tant que septième prospect classé dans l'État de Caroline du Sud. Après avoir été transféré au Pearl River Community College et avoir mené les Wildcats à une fiche parfaite de 28-0 en tant que troisième équipe NJCAA All-American en 2019-20, le joueur de la semaine D1 de la NJCAA pour le 3/1/20 a concouru avec le St. John's Red Storm (Big East) pour sa saison junior. Il a terminé sa carrière universitaire en jouant pour les Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (Sun Belt) en 2021-22 et les Fresno State Bulldogs (Mountain West) en 2022-23, où ses 11,3 points par match se sont classés au troisième rang du club. Le favori des fans, connu pour ses dunks qui font trembler les murs, sa présence contagieuse sur le terrain et son style de jeu très énergique, Moore devient le premier joueur à signer officiellement un contrat avec les BlackJacks pour la saison 2025. Il est actuellement possible d'acheter des forfaits de billets flexibles en visitant le site theblackjacks.ca/fr-ca/tickets . Les abonnements de saison des BlackJacks 2025 sont disponibles dès maintenant. Pour plus de détails, les amateurs sont invités à envoyer un courriel à [email protected] ou à composer le 613-690-0519. À propos des BlackJacks d'Ottawa Première franchise d'expansion de la Ligue de basket-ball de l'élite canadienne (LBEC), les BlackJacks d'Ottawa présentent le meilleur du basket-ball et du divertissement dans la capitale nationale. Le bureau de direction d'Ottawa apporte à la franchise son expérience de la NBA, de la NBA G League, de l'équipe nationale, de la NCAA et des grandes ligues professionnelles internationales. Dirigée par le directeur général James Derouin et l'entraîneur-chef Dave DeAveiro, l'équipe d'Ottawa joue ses matchs à domicile dans l'aréna de classe mondiale de la Place TD, dans le parc Lansdowne. Pour plus d'informations, visitez le site theblackjacks.ca . À propos du LECB La LECB est une équipe créée par des Canadiens pour des Canadiens, avec pour objectif de développer des joueurs, des entraîneurs, des responsables sportifs et des arbitres canadiens. Elle compte le plus grand nombre de joueurs canadiens de toute autre équipe professionnelle dans le pays, avec 75% de ses équipes étant canadiennes et un record de 12 joueurs NBA en 2024. Les joueurs apportent également leur expérience de la NBA G League, des meilleures ligues internationales de professionnels, du programme national canadien, des programmes NCAA, ainsi que de U SPORTS et de CCAA. 22 joueurs ont signé des contrats NBA après une saison LECB, et de nombreux joueurs CEBL participent à des camps de formation NBA G League chaque année. La saison LECB se déroule de mai à août, avec des matchs diffusés en direct sur CEBL+ avec BetVictor, TSN , TSN+ , RDS , Game+ , Next Level Sports & Entertainment et Courtside1891 . On peut trouver davantage d'informations sur le CEBL sur CEBL.ca et @cebleague sur Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook et YouTube . Contactez-nous sur les réseaux sociaux: Facebook: OttawaBlackJacks X: @Ott_BlackJacks Instagram: ottawablackjacks

BLACKJACKS RE-SIGN FORWARD MOORE

February 5, 2025
South Carolina native was second in CEBL rebounds per game and tied for third in Target Score Winners in 2024

SHERWOOD BROWN, ANCIEN JOUEUR DE L’ALLIANCE DE MONTRÉAL, INTRONISÉ AU TEMPLE DE LA RENOMMÉE DE LA FGCU

February 4, 2025
Sherwood Brown, qui a joué pour l’Alliance de Montréal lors de sa saison inaugurale de 2022, a été intronisé au Temple de la renommée des athlètes de la Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) lors d’une cérémonie célébrant son parcours remarquable dans le basketball. L’ancien joueur non recruté devenu légende universitaire a fait l’histoire en tant que joueur clé de l’équipe surnommée « Dunk City » de la FGCU, devenant le premier joueur du programme à atteindre à la fois 1 000 points et 500 rebonds en carrière. Lors du tournoi NCAA de 2013, Brown a maintenu une moyenne impressionnante de 20,5 points par match, menant la FGCU, classée 15e, à un parcours sans précédent jusqu’aux Sweet Sixteen. Sa performance exceptionnelle lui a valu le titre de joueur de l’année de la conférence Atlantic Sun et une mention honorable All-American de l’Associated Press. Pour l’Alliance de Montréal, Brown a apporté un leadership de vétéran à une très jeune formation lors de la première saison de l’équipe. Son mentorat a été particulièrement significatif pour les talents émergents comme Alain Louis, alors à sa première saison professionnelle et qui est depuis devenu un joueur clé de la franchise. Voyageant depuis l’Irak, où il poursuit sa carrière professionnelle, Brown est revenu sur un campus transformé par l’équipe qu’il a contribué à placer sur la carte du basketball universitaire américain. Son ancien entraîneur, Andy Enfield, l’a décrit comme étant « l'âme et le cœur de notre équipe Dunk City ». L’intronisation de Brown au Temple de la renommée représente plus qu’une réalisation individuelle - c’est un témoignage de son parcours, passant de joueur non recruté à légende du basketball.

FORMER ALLIANCE GUARD BROWN ENTERS FGCU HALL OF FAME

February 4, 2025
Sherwood Brown, who played for the Montréal Alliance during the team’s inaugural 2022 season, was inducted into the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Athletic Hall of Fame in a ceremony that celebrated his remarkable basketball journey. The former walk-on turned collegiate legend made history as a key player in FGCU’s famous “Dunk City” team, becoming the first player in the program’s history to reach 1,000 career points and 500 rebounds. During the 2013 NCAA Tournament, Brown averaged an impressive 20.5 points per game, leading No. 15 seed FGCU to an unprecedented Sweet 16 appearance. His outstanding performance earned him Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American selection. For the Montréal Alliance, Brown brought veteran leadership to a young roster during the team’s first season. His mentorship was particularly impactful for emerging talents like Alain Louis, who was a rookie at the time and has since become a key franchise player. Travelling from Iraq, where he continues his professional basketball career, Brown returned to a campus transformed by the very team he helped put on the national basketball map. His former coach, Andy Enfield, praised Brown as “the heart and soul of our Dunk City team.” Brown’s Hall of Fame induction represents more than individual achievement – it’s a testament to his journey from walk-on to basketball legend, embodying the transformative power of determination and skill.
More Posts
Share by: