Ottawa BlackJacks

Last updated
Ottawa BlackJacks
BlackJacks d'Ottawa
Ottawa Blackjacks logo.png
Leagues CEBL
Founded2019
HistoryOttawa Blackjacks
(2019–present)
Arena TD Place Arena
Capacity~9,500 (10,585)
Location Ottawa, Ontario
Team coloursBlack, Grey, Red
   
Vice-president(s)Marika Guérin
General managerJames Derouin
Head coachJames Derouin
Website theblackjacks.ca

The Ottawa BlackJacks (French : BlackJacks d'Ottawa) are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Ottawa, Ontario. [1] The BlackJacks compete in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). They play their home games at TD Place Arena, an arena shared with the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League.

Contents

Background

The BlackJacks are the second professional basketball team in Ottawa, the Ottawa Skyhawks played at Canadian Tire Centre in 2012 to 2014.

Team history

2020 Season

Dave Smart was named the inaugural General Manager of the Blackjacks on December 18, 2019. [2]

2021 Season

On July 17, the BlackJacks signed former CEBL champion and NBA G-Leaguer Negus Webster-Chan after he was released by the Saskatchewan Rattlers. [3] On July 19, guard Johnny Berhanemeskel was inactivated due to his contractual obligations with the French team Chorale Roanne Basket. On July 23, the BlackJacks signed three new players, Jadon Cohee, Mamadou Gueye, and Antonio Williams. Additionally, forward Eric Kibi was released after appearing in only one game. [4] On July 27, the BlackJacks secured a playoff spot for the second straight season with an 82-69 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers. [5] In August, the BlackJacks signed former Saskatchewan Rattler center Chad Posthumus. In the playoffs, the Blackjacks upset the 3rd seeded Hamilton Honey Badgers 96-94 in the quarter-finals. However, they went on to lose to the eventual champion Edmonton Stingers in the semi-finals for the second straight year. [6]

2022 Season

In August 2021, the BlackJacks announced Jevohn Shepherd had signed a contract extension to return as the general manager. [7] In November, they announced that Charles Dubé-Brais would also return as head coach. [8] On February 16, 2022, they re-signed Chad Posthumus, who had previously joined the Edmonton Stingers for the 2021–22 BCL Americas. [9] After a disappointing 0-3 start to the season, the team parted ways with Head Coach Charles Dubé-Brais. [10] Ottawa Gee-Gees Men's Basketball Head Coach and BlackJacks Director of Basketball Strategy and Analytics James Derouin was appointed Interim Head Coach and lead the team to five wins in its last six games.

2023 Season

Prior to the beginning of the season, the BlackJacks announced James Derouin would remain Head Coach of the team, removing the Interim title from his position. [11] During the 2023 CEBL–U Sports Draft, Ottawa selected UBC Thunderbird Sukhman Sandhu and University of Ottawa star Guillaume Pepin. [12] Former Washington State Cougars sharpshooter Michael Flowers and Toronto Raptors Summer League team member Abu Kigab were among the new signings joining the team. [13] [14] On July 15, in the midst of an 8-game win streak, the BlackJacks clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot with a victory on the road against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. [15] After finishing the regular season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the BlackJacks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Shooting Stars in the Conference Semi-Final. [16]

2024 Season

In January 2024, the BlackJacks announced James Derouin would serve as both Head Coach and General Manager of the team for the 2024 Season. [17] The BlackJacks selected a trio of U Sports players with ties to Ottawa during the 2024 CEBL Draft, adding guard Dragan Stajic and forward Justin Ndjock-Tadjoré from the Ottawa Gee-Gees and forward Michael Kelvin II of the Queen's Gaels. [18] Notable signings include former Iowa Hawkeyes wing Peter Jok, former Chicago Bulls and Newfoundland Growlers guard Brandon Sampson, and Atlanta Hawks Summer League participant and Dayton Flyers standout Ibi Watson. [19] The BlackJacks experienced significant roster turnover throughout the season, with season-ending injuries and players departing for other commitments, resulting in a CEBL-record 24 players suiting up for the club over the summer. Ottawa clinched a playoff berth following their win against Saskatchewan on July 25, [20] and upset the reigning champion Scarborough in the Eastern Conference Play-In [21] before falling to the Niagara River Lions in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final. [22]

Players

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Ottawa BlackJacks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G 26 Flag of the United States.svg Brown, Tevin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)175 lb (79 kg)25 – (1998-09-23)23 September 1998
F 32 Flag of the United States.svg Edosomwan, Zena 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)245 lb (111 kg)30 – (1993-12-06)6 December 1993
F 20 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jean-Marie, James 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)235 lb (107 kg)26 – (1997-11-12)12 November 1997
C 35 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lufile, Meshack 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)240 lb (110 kg)31 – (1992-10-21)21 October 1992
C 11 Flag of the United States.svg Moore, Isaih 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)197 lb (89 kg)24 – (2000-08-30)30 August 2000
F 24 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ndjock-Tadjoré, Justin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)195 lb (88 kg)23 – (2001-04-02)2 April 2001
G 25 Flag of the United States.svg Sampson, Brandon 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)184 lb (83 kg)27 – (1997-05-01)1 May 1997
G 3 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Stajic, Dragan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)194 lb (88 kg)23 – (2000-12-12)12 December 2000
G 14 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Veinot, Keevan 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)190 lb (86 kg)25 – (1998-11-06)6 November 1998
Head coach
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg James Derouin
Assistant coach(es)
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jamil Abiad
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Damian Buckley
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dave DeAveiro
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike L'Africain
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Inactive
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Updated: August 25, 2024

Season-by-season record

LeagueSeasonCoachRegular seasonPost season
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
CEBL
2020 Osvaldo Jeanty 33.5004th11.500Lost semi-finals
2021 Charles Dubé-Brais410.2866th11.500Lost semi-finals
2022 James Derouin812.4008th01.000Lost semi-finals
2023 James Derouin128.6002nd East01.000Lost Quarter-finals
2024 James Derouin911.4503rd East11.500Lost Quarter-finals
Totals3644.450—35.375

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottawa Gee-Gees</span> Athletic teams that represent the University of Ottawa

The Ottawa Gee-Gees are the athletic teams that represent the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia Stingers</span> Athletic teams representing Concordia University

The Concordia Stingers are the athletic teams that represent Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They compete with other schools in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and more specifically in Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec. The Stingers were established in 1974 when Sir George Williams University and Loyola College merged to form Concordia University and replaced the preceding Sir George Williams Georgians and Loyola Warriors.

Dave Smart is a Canadian college basketball coach who is the head coach of the Pacific Tigers men's basketball team, in Stockton, California. Regarded as the most successful Canadian university coach of all time, Smart was the head coach of the Carleton Ravens from 1999 to 2019, leading them to 13 Canadian Interuniversity Sport/U Sports national championships. During his 18 seasons at Carleton, he also led the Ravens to 11 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships — the most by any coach in conference history. Smart has also served as an assistant coach with the Canadian men's national team on multiple occasions, working with head coaches Leo Rautins and Jay Triano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Posthumus</span> Canadian basketball player (born 1991)

Chad Ryan William Posthumus is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He played college basketball with UBC, Howard College, and Morehead State.

Johnny Berhanemeskel is a Canadian professional basketball player for BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque of the LNB Pro A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Elite Basketball League</span> Professional mens basketball league

The Canadian Elite Basketball League is the premier men's professional basketball league in Canada, as recognized by Canada Basketball. The CEBL was founded in 2017 and began play in 2019 with six teams all owned and operated by ownership group Canadian Basketball Ventures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brampton Honey Badgers</span> Basketball team in Brampton, Ontario

The Brampton Honey Badgers are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Brampton, Ontario, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. They play their games at the CAA Centre. The team was founded in 2018 as the Hamilton Honey Badgers and played at the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario from their inaugural season in 2019 until 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saskatchewan Rattlers</span> Canadian professional basketball team

The Saskatchewan Rattlers are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). They play their home games at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Bandits</span> Basketball team in Langley, British Columbia

The Vancouver Bandits are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Langley, British Columbia, that compete in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Bandits play home games at Langley Events Centre, located in the Fraser Valley. They were formerly known as the Fraser Valley Bandits but after a sale of the team, the name was changed to the Vancouver Bandits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 CEBL season</span> Canadian professional basketball season

The 2019 CEBL season was the inaugural season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. It included six teams: Saskatchewan, Fraser Valley, Edmonton, Hamilton, Niagara, and Guelph. The regular season ran from May 9, 2019 to August 15, 2019, and the Championship Weekend took place on August 24 and 25, 2019, hosted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. On August 25, the Saskatchewan Rattlers won the CEBL's first ever Championship after beating the Hamilton Honey Badgers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 CEBL season</span> Canadian professional basketball season

The 2020 CEBL season was the second season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). It was played from July 25 to August 9 at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Eric Mania Kibi is a Congolese-Canadian basketball player for Colegio Los Leones de Quilpué. Standing at 198 cm, he plays as small forward or power forward. He has been a member of the DR Congo men's national basketball team and is currently not under contract.

The 2021 CEBL season was the third season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). It began on June 24, 2021. The CEBL planned to have fans at the home arenas, depending on the situation of the pandemic but would have had regional bubbles if needed. On June 10, 2021, the league announced that teams would be playing at their home arenas, but fans are still dependant on the provincial governments. On June 21, 2021, the league announced the playoffs would start on August 14, where four teams will play for two spots in the Championship Weekend. The final two spots will be filled in by the top team in the league and by the host team, Edmonton Stingers. The Championship Weekend will be held from August 18 to 22. Starting July 21, all seven teams were allowed to bring some amount of fans to the home games. The Edmonton Stingers defeated the Niagara River Lions 101–65 for their 2nd consecutive CEBL title, becoming the league's first back-to-back champions.

The 2021 CEBL–U Sports Draft is the Third CEBL Draft, being revealed on April 14. Seven Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) teams will select 21 athletes in total.

The 2022 CEBL season was the fourth season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). It began on May 25, 2022, and ended on August 1, 2022. There will be play-in games on August 4 where the 5th to 8th seed will compete to play in the playoffs. The playoffs will start on August 6. The Championship weekend will be from August 12 to the 14; the Ottawa Blackjacks will be hosting the event. It is also the inaugural season for the Montreal Alliance, Newfoundland Growlers, and the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The Hamilton Honey Badgers defeated the Scarborough Shooting Stars 90–88, for their first CEBL championship in franchise history. They will represent Canada in the 2022-23 BCL Americas season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calgary Surge</span> Basketball team in Alberta, Canada

The Calgary Surge is a Canadian professional basketball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League since 2023. They relocated from Guelph, where they were known as the Guelph Nighthawks. They were renamed and rebranded as the Calgary Surge. The team plays at home at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winnipeg Sea Bears</span> Basketball team in Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Winnipeg Sea Bears are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). They play their home games at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 CEBL season</span> Sports season

The 2023 CEBL season was the fifth season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). It began on May 24, 2023, and the regular season ended on July 30, 2023. It was the inaugural season for the Calgary Surge and the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Calgary Surge relocated from Guelph while Winnipeg was added as an expansion franchise.

The 2024 CEBL season is the sixth season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). It begins on May 21, 2024, and the regular season ends on July 29, 2024.

The 2024 CEBL Draft, the 6th edition of the Canadian Elite Basketball League's annual draft, was announced on April 11th, 2024. The 10 teams of the CEBL took turns selecting U Sports and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association athletes to add to their rosters. The first overall selection was made by the Montreal Alliance, who selected 2024 U Sports Men's Basketball Championship MVP Ismaël Diouf of the Laval Rouge et Or. The 2024 Draft marked the first time teams could select student-athletes from the CCAA, with Jerry Jr. Mercury of Mohawk College becoming the first such selection.

References

  1. ↑ Ottawa Blackjacks to leap into action next spring CBC News, November 20, 2019
  2. ↑ "Ottawa Blackjacks Name Dave Smart General Manager". Ottawa Blackjacks. December 18, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Former CEBL Champion Negus Webster-Chan". Ottawa Blackjacks. July 20, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Ottawa BlackJacks Add Three New Players to its Roster". Ottawa Blackjacks. July 23, 2021.
  5. ↑ "BlackJacks Secure Playoff Berth With Win over Rattlers". Ottawa Blackjacks. July 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Stingers Steal The Win Over Ottawa, Return to CEBL Title Game". Ottawa Blackjacks. August 21, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Jevohn Shepherd to Return as Ottawa BlackJacks General Manager for the 2022 Season". Ottawa Blackjacks. August 20, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Charles Dubé-Brais Returns as Ottawa BlackJacks Head Coach". Ottawa Blackjacks. November 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Ottawa BlackJacks Re-Sign Canadian Forward Chad Posthumus". Ottawa Blackjacks. February 16, 2022.
  10. ↑ "CityNews". ottawa.citynews.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  11. ↑ "James Derouin to Remain as Ottawa BlackJacks Head Coach". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  12. ↑ "Ottawa BlackJacks Announce 2023 CEBL U SPORTS Draft Picks". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  13. ↑ "Ottawa BlackJacks Sign American Guard Michael Flowers". www.cebl.ca. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  14. ↑ "Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Canadian Forward Abu Kigab". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  15. ↑ "BlackJacks clinch playoff berth withwin over Shooting Stars". www.cebl.ca. 2023-07-15. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  16. ↑ "Shooting Stars head back to Championship Weekend after 77-72 comeback over BlackJacks". www.cebl.ca. 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  17. ↑ "James Derouin - Ottawa BlackJacks General Manager". www.theblackjacks.ca. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  18. ↑ "OTTAWA BLACKJACKS ANNOUNCE 2024 CEBL DRAFT PICKS". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  19. ↑ "Roster". www.theblackjacks.ca. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  20. ↑ Release, Media (2024-07-25). "Ottawa BlackJacks rally for crucial win over Saskatchewan Rattlers that leads to playoff berth". TSN. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  21. ↑ Release, Media (2024-08-03). "Ottawa BlackJacks stymie Scarborough Shooting Stars to reach Eastern Conference Semifinal". TSN. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  22. ↑ "River Lions beat BlackJacks in playoff thriller as Khalil Ahmad erupts in Target Score Time". www.cebl.ca. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2024-08-05.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.