Ottawa BlackJacks Announce 2024 Basketball Operations Staff

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.