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TSN Broadcast Team Announced for CEBL Games of the Week

May 23, 2023

Canadian Elite Basketball League tips off fifth season

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced its lineup of broadcasters Tuesday for the 2023 CEBL Game of the Week schedule on TSN. The season tips off Wednesday evening when the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers head to Ottawa to take on the Ottawa BlackJacks in a 7:30 p.m. contest.


The broadcast team features a distinctive NBA makeup that includes Chuck Swirsky (Chicago Bulls), Paul Jones (Toronto Raptors), Amy Audibert (Miami Heat), Rod Black (original Raptors television play-by-play broadcaster) and Nikki Reyes (former host of Raptors Game Day on TSN and now with CBC). They are joined by some of Canada’s top CEBL broadcasters, including veteran Canadian play-by-play personality Rob Fai (Vancouver Bandits), former Canadian National team member Dwight Walton (Montreal Alliance and TSN 690 Radio), CBC host Heather Morrison (Saskatchewan Rattlers), and Joe Raso and Dhanung Balsara of CEBL+.


TSN will broadcast 13 regular season games in the first season of a multi-year partnership with the CEBL. The schedule includes three doubleheaders, the first coming May 30 with Scarborough visiting Ottawa and Niagara heading to Calgary. The home stretch of the regular season when playoff positioning will be on the line includes doubleheaders July 19 (Scarborough at Montreal and Vancouver at Saskatchewan) and July 26 (Scarborough at Brampton and Edmonton at Calgary). 


The CEBL regular season schedule includes 10 tripleheaders and 24 doubleheaders with 38 games falling on weekends. The league’s 10 teams are divided into Eastern and Western Conferences for the first time in league history. The Western Conference includes the Calgary Surge, Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Vancouver Bandits, and Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Eastern Conference includes the Brampton Honey Badgers, Montréal Alliance, Niagara River Lions, Ottawa BlackJacks, and Scarborough Shooting Stars. 


The full game schedule can be found here. The full postseason schedule will be announced later.


About The CEBL

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 71 per cent of its 2022 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. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps last October. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.



Meet the full Broadcast Lineup


CHUCK SWIRSKY

Chuck Swirsky has served as the radio play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls for the past 15 seasons following 10 years in that capacity with the Toronto Raptors (1998-99 to 2007-08). He has broadcast more than 2,500 NBA games. Swirsky's association with Chicago sports started in 1979 with his WCFL AM 1000 talk show and has also included broadcasting Chicago White Sox games. He was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the WGN Radio Walk of Fame in 2018. Swirsky has called play-by-play for University of Michigan basketball and football. Swirsky grew up in Bellevue, Washington and gained his Canadian citizenship in January 2008.


ROD BLACK

As a Canadian sports broadcaster for more than 30 years, Rod Black has been a part of some of sports most iconic events, including multiple Olympic Games and PGA tournaments. He was on the mic for the Toronto Raptors inaugural season television broadcasts. Following a long career with TSN and CTV that included calling Toronto Blue Jays games and leading the pregame coverage of their 1992 and 1993 World Series championships, Black currently serves as host and brand ambassador for NorthStar Gaming, a Canadian-owned gaming brand. He currently handles play-by-play duties for the CEBL’s Scarborough Shooting Stars.


ROB FAI

Rob Fai returns for his third season calling play-by-play with the Vancouver Bandits. A Paul Carson Award recipient for play-by-play excellence in British Columbia, Fai also lends his voice to EA Sports NHL Hockey, and was inducted into the Vancouver Canadians Hall of Fame after 15 seasons of calling professional baseball. Fai has also worked within the TSN family hosting Rob Fai Nation Radio, and currently hosts talk shows on both CKNW 980 in Vancouver as well as 640 Toronto.


AMY AUDIBERT

Returning to the CEBL for her fourth year, Niagara Falls native Amy Audibert of the Miami Heat radio broadcast team has served as a broadcast analyst for the Toronto Raptors. She was studio host for the first-ever all-female broadcast of an NBA game, which was aired on TSN. Audibert’s on-air experience also encompasses the WNBA, NBA TV, ESPN, CBS Sports, TheACCNetwork Extra, Raycom Sports, and NBA TV Canada. She also spent three years as a sideline reporter for Time Warner Cable Sports Channel (no Spectrum Sports) for a variety of sports/leagues across Western New York.


PAUL JONES

Paul Jones is Canadian sportscaster who has served as a play-by-play and colour analyst for Toronto Raptors radio broadcasts since the team’s inaugural season in 1995. He appears on the weekly basketball show Hoops on Raptors NBA TV and is a co-host on the show Double Dribble. Jones has also served as studio analyst and sideline reporter for the Raptors and the Canadian Senior Men’s National team  on TSN, CTV, and Rogers Sportsnet.



JOE RASO

Joe Raso, senior director of basketball for the CEBL, returns for his fifth year on the league’s broadcast staff. Raso has been involved in all levels of basketball for more than 35 years. He is the all time winningest head coach in McMaster University history, where he coached his teams to four OUA championships and four silver medals at the CIS National Championships. Raso has also worked on the international level as the Head Scout for the Canadian Men’s National team, and was an assistant coach with the program for four years. Raso has experience as a TV analyst for the CEBL, FIBA, CBC, and TSN.


DWIGHT WALTON

A member of Canada's Senior Men’s National team from 1986-1995, Walton serves as colour analyst for the CEBL’s Montreal Alliance. He is also the basketball analyst for TSN 690 Radio in Montreal and is a contributor to Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto. Walton is an assistant coach with the men’s basketball program at Montreal’s Concordia University.


HEATHER MORRISON

Heather Morrison, a member of the CEBL’s Saskatchewan Rattlers broadcast team, is a broadcaster and public speaking coach from Saskatoon. This is Morrison’s third season with the CEBL. She has also handled sideline coverage for Canada West Football and spent three years as an associate producer with CBC Saskatchewan, where she also hosted radio programs and was a television weather reporter. Morrison has had a long career in the arts as an actress, producer, writer, and director. She is the founder and CEO of Deliver Your Best public speaking coaching.


NIKKI REYES

Nikki Reyes, current host of Canada’s Ultimate Challenge on CBC, is a former TSN and Sportsnet reporter and host who has covered the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs and Blue Jays. With Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, Reyes has worked with  notable athletes including Olympians Waneek Horn-Miller (Water Polo), Clara Hughes (Cycling, Speedskating), Gilmore Junio (Speedskating), Jen Kish (Rugby Sevens) and former NFL tight end Luke Wilson.


DHANUNG BALSARA

Dhanung Bulsara, or commonly known as ‘D', enters his third season with the CEBL as a sideline reporter. For the past two seasons Balsara patrolled the sidelines covering home games for the Guelph Nighthawks, Hamilton Honey Badgers and Niagara River Lions. Last season also saw him draw his first national television assignment with CBC Sports with a CEBL game. This summer Balsara is also serving as an in-game host for the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. He spent the last two seasons with the Raptors 905 as an in-game host as well.

HONEY BADGERS GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IN COLLABORATION WITH REGENERATION OUTREACH COMMUNITY

December 18, 2024
The holiday season is about spending time and celebrating with friends and loved ones while also supporting important causes and initiatives in the community. The Honey Badgers front office staff visited the Regeneration Marketplace and the Regeneration Marketplace on Tuesday afternoon to sort food donations, portion meals, stock shelves and assist guests with food selection. “As leaders in our Brampton community, it is extremely important for us to collaborate with local organizations that continue to make a positive impact in the lives of others on a daily basis,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “Our organization is committed to continue to make strides in our community growth, not only during the holiday season but throughout the calendar year.” Regeneration Marketplace is a local food bank in the heart of downtown Brampton, operating to provide quality, helpful food and household items for those in need in the community. Open 365 days a year, they proudly serve 39,000+ meals annually with more than 1,100 households receiving the necessary food and goods on a weekly basis. “Right now we are just inundated with donations, and the work the Honey Badgers did to help us sort saved us so much time,” said Katie Cleland, director of development at Regeneration Outreach Community. “This will help us get the food on the shelves much quicker so that we can serve more people this week.” The Honey Badgers staff were also joined by Amisha Moorjani, owner of The Food Quotient, and Rod Power, City of Brampton Councillor of Wards 7 and 8. This is one of many initiatives that the Honey Badgers and Councillor Power have collaborated on this holiday season, including turkey drives and Christmas dinners for underprivileged youth. To learn more about how you can contribute to the Regeneration Office & Meal Program or Regeneration Marketplace, please contact [email protected] or visit www.regenbrampton.com .

LA PLUS LONGUE SAISON DE L'HISTOIRE DE LA LECB DÉBUTERA LE 11 MAI À EDMONTON

December 4, 2024
Chaque équipe visitera chaque ville en 2025 alors que la ligue dévoile le calendrier de sa septième saison

LONGEST SEASON IN CEBL HISTORY SET TO TIP OFF MAY 11 IN EDMONTON

December 4, 2024
Every team visits every city in 2025 as league unveils CEBL 2025 schedule for seventh season

VANCOUVER BANDITS LAUNCH THE BANDITS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

November 28, 2024
LANGLEY, BC - The Vancouver Bandits professional basketball team is proud to announce the launch of the Bandits Community Foundation - the team’s dedicated charitable and philanthropic arm. This foundation is committed to empowering youth and driving positive change across British Columbia through innovative basketball and education programs. The Bandits Community Foundation will prioritize creating pathways for youth and adults to excel both on and off the court. Its initiatives include supporting local nonprofits, increasing access to basketball in underserved communities, and creating meaningful opportunities for individuals to engage in the sport—all while fostering community connections and personal growth. “We believe in the power of community and the ability of sports to inspire, unite, and create lasting change,” said Dylan Kular, Executive Director of the Bandits Community Foundation. “The launch of the Bandits Community Foundation is a commitment to giving back and empowering the next generation. Together, we are building a brighter future, one bucket at a time.” To guide this effort, the Bandits Community Foundation will be guided by an esteemed Board of Directors: Shawn Dheensaw, Basketball BC Executive Director Teresa Gabriele, Canada Basketball national team alumni Charles Hethey, O’Neil Law LLP Lawyer and Partner Dylan Kular, Vancouver Bandits Basketball Team President Peter Natrall, ISPARC Regional Coordinator Kim Smith-Gaucher, 3x3 Canada Basketball Women’s Head Coach Lucky Toor, TGL Group CPA’s LLP Co-Founder and Partner Full biographies of the Foundation’s board members can be found here . In addition to basketball-centred programs, the Foundation will support local charities, schools, and community organizations through scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and event collaborations. Its overarching vision is to ensure sport and education are accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic circumstances. The Vancouver Bandits have long championed community engagement through initiatives such as: Court Projects: Building and refurbishing outdoor basketball courts across BC Bandits School Tour: Delivering cost-free basketball workshops and practice instruction to high school teams Community Champion Initiative: Providing youth and families in need with the special experience of a Vancouver Bandits game Indigenous Basketball Collective: A partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council to foster opportunities for Indigenous players and coaches The Bandits Community Foundation invites individuals and businesses to join its mission, amplifying its impact through donations and partnerships. Every contribution helps provide vital tools, experiences, and support for youth to thrive. For more information about the Bandits Community Foundation, its programs, or ways to get involved, visit www.banditsfoundation.ca . Follow the Foundation’s journey on social media: Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter @BanditsFoundation.

CEBL STATEMENT REGARDING PASSING OF CHAD POSTHUMUS

November 21, 2024
The Canadian Elite Basketball League mourns the loss of one of our most beloved players, Chad Posthumus. Chad was a founding player in our league, helping lead Saskatchewan to the inaugural CEBL championship in 2019. He was a fan favourite in ensuing years playing with Ottawa and Winnipeg and representing Edmonton and Brampton in international tournaments. Chad had a love for people and for the game of basketball that lit up even the largest arenas. His spirit and passion touched the hearts of fans and inspired teammates and all of us blessed to have shared Chad’s all-too-brief life with him. Chad represented the best in aspiring Canadian basketball players during his professional career in Japan, Argentina, and here at home. Off the court he was an Academic All-American in college and was a dedicated advocate for those living with Diabetes. The impact Chad made on our world is as undeniable as the force that he was on the court. Our deepest sympathies go out to Chad’s family, his legion of friends, fans, and teammates, and to the Winnipeg Sea Bears organization. - CEBL -

The Mindfulness of a Bandit

By Josh Kozelj • November 18, 2024
How Jon Giesbrecht brought mindfulness to Vancouver — paving the way for the best season in franchise history

INDOCHINO CEO Drew Green Named Chair of the CEBL Board of Governors

November 14, 2024
Award-winning Canadian entrepreneur becomes co-owner of the league, with the goal of growing the business of basketball in Canada

Drew Green, chef de la direction d’INDOCHINO nommé président du conseil d’administration de la LECB

November 14, 2024
L’entrepreneur canadien primé devient copropriétaire de la ligue, avec pour objectif de développer la commercialisation du basketball au Canada

Indochino CEO Drew Green’s new role with CEBL promises to provide a snug fit

By Myles Dichter • November 14, 2024
Drew Green’s basketball roots run deep. Green, the CEO of Indochino, played high-school hoops against the likes of Rowan Barrett, starred on the York University squad and went on to ply his trade professionally in Australia and Singapore. Now, his two sons are forging their own careers in the sport — and Green is right there with them. On Thursday, the CEBL announced that the accomplished executive was coming aboard as its first-ever Chair of the Board of Governors and co-owner. “We are a basketball family, right? We've been in the gym, my sons and I, thousands and thousands of hours. We have an NBA half court literally in our front yard that we built during COVID. And so this is going to be a lot of fun,” he said. It’s a partnership that fits as snugly as a well-tailored suit. The Scarborough, Ont., native said that watching his sons find their love for basketball in recent years reignited his own affinity for the sport. “The two areas of passion in my life are basketball and business. And they interplay really well with this role,” Green said. Throughout the many business ventures, Green said his first job was as a father to Liam and Aidan and as a husband to his wife, Andrea Dayco. While his sons are triple-citizens of Canada, the U.S. and the Philippines, Green has made it a point to raise them with Canadian values — and to push them toward the national basketball culture. “I've seen the evolution of basketball in this country firsthand. When I played in high school, I think we had one, maybe two people that ever played in the NBA. The ability to play in the U.S. and go to and play (NCAA) Division One basketball didn't really exist. “Rowan was one of that first cohorts that played, and that was amazing, but it was so rare.” Now, there are nearly 200 Canadians playing in college basketball’s top division. Among those players is Liam, who recently accepted a five-year scholarship at Florida Atlantic University. Aidan plays for the renowned prep school Montverde Academy, which produced the likes of current Raptors RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes. Liam heads to FAU with some CEBL background, having practised with Vancouver Bandits head coach Kyle Julius. Green said the CEBL has quickly become a foundational piece of the Canadian basketball landscape through its partnership with U Sports, its reach to all corners of the country and its affordability. “I think there's just an amazing group of people involved in the league that are really passionate about growing the sport, growing the business (and) providing a really, really incredible experience to customers. “You've got some of the best athletes in Canada and the world playing in the games. … The product continues to get better and better every year,” he said. Besides his impressive basketball resumé, Green has enjoyed a long, successful career in business. He took over as CEO of Indochino, the men’s formal-wear company, 10 years ago and proceeded to launch its retail business, raise over $100 million in strategic capital commitments and guide the brand through the pandemic. Prior to Indochino, Green founded Canada’s first multi-merchant marketplace (now owned by Emerge Commerce) and was an executive at DoubleClick (acquired by Google) and Shop.com. At the CEBL, Green will help introduce the league to potential partners and investors while assisting the league and team owners on business matters. CEBL commissioner Mike Morreale called the partnership with Green “an incredible win.” “Drew’s business success speaks for itself and his passion for the game mimics all involved in making the CEBL a homegrown and global success. His personal financial investment into the league demonstrates his strong belief of our bright future and recognizes the foundation that has been built during our formative years,” Morreale said. “Personally, I look forward to getting right to work with Drew on the next stage of the CEBL and the growth of our game.” Green said the CEBL is on a “great trajectory,” but projected plenty of growth potential too. “Whether that's sponsors or investors or other types of strategic partners that really align with growing the game of basketball and growing the business of basketball in Canada, I think there's lots and lots of opportunities,” he said. “When you try to do something on your own in life, it often takes you a lot longer than it should at the core of it. And so that's why partnerships have always been a core ethos of mine to build businesses.” Green also remained connected to sports through business as Indochino established partnerships throughout the four major North American sports leagues. There was one NBA draft, Green said, in which half of the first round wore Indochino — though the company cannot take credit for Gradey Dick’s infamously bedazzled red suit. “We had a deal to provide him with suits and actually suited him up,” Green recalled, “and then I saw the suit and I was like, what the, how did that happen? That was not an Indochino. So he went off the reservation and did his own thing, but good on him. It got a lot of hits.” Like Dick, CEBL players have quickly become known for their personal branding and tunnel fits. Now, with a former hooper in Green on board, the CEBL brand itself is ready to truly take off. “I just think the CEBL will play a really critical, critical role in the evolution of the game over these next couple decades,” Green said, “and inspire a whole new generation of young athletes to go after their dreams.”

NBA G League Features CEBL Talent Once Again in 2024

November 5, 2024
Twenty-four players with CEBL experience currently attending G League training camps
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