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...
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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
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday the signing of American Guard Ibrahim Watson for the upcoming 2024 CEBL season. A six-foot-four guard from Pickerington, Ohio, Watson averaged 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 23.7 minutes across 72 games played in Sweden and in the NBA G League. Currently concluding his 2023-24 campaign with Boras Basket in Sweden, Watson is averaging 21.2 points, 4.9 rebounds in 32 games played this season, with a noteworthy .423 average from three-point range. He scored 25 or more points 10 times, including three performances of over 30 points. Watson has two years of NBA G League experience, having competed with the College Park Skyhawks, the G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, from 2021 to 2023. In his debut professional season, he averaged 7.0 points and 2.7 rebounds, with a season-high performance of 22 points, seven rebounds, and one assist against Capital City Go-Go on February 23, where he made four triples. Additionally, Watson participated in the 2021 NBA Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks, maintaining averages of 4.4 points and 2.0 rebounds across five games. Collegiately, Watson split his career between the University of Dayton (2019-21) and the University of Michigan (2016-18). As a senior with Dayton, Watson was named Third Team All-Atlantic 10 (A-10) after finishing 11th in A-10 in scoring (15.8), fourth in minutes (37.1) and fourth in both three-pointers percentage (.416) and three-pointers per game (2.6). He was the only A-10 player listed in the top five in both three-point categories. 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: “I'm very grateful and excited for the opportunity to play for the BlackJacks this year and can't wait to get started.” - Ibrahim (Ibi) Watson, Guard, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club “Ibi Watson comes from two great college programs in Michigan and Dayton. He is a young player who is climbing the professional ranks overseas, completing at MVP level this season in Sweden. He is on the rise, and we are thrilled to have him.” - James Derouin, General Manager and Head Coach, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday their three picks from the 2024 CEBL Draft. Selections included Dragan Stajic of the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (seventh overall), Justin Ndjock-Tadjore of the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (14th overall), and Michael Kelvin II of the Queen’s University Gaels (27th overall). Dragan Stajic, a six-foot-two guard from Waterloo, Ontario, averaged 6.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over four seasons with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. This won't mark Stajic's first encounter with the Ottawa BlackJacks, as he was previously signed to a Developmental Player Contract with the team on June 24, 2023, and made appearances in two games. Recently concluding his fourth year with the Gee-Gees, Stajic posted career-best averages of 9.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 24 games. He was named an OUA Third Team All-Star and helped his team win bronze at the U SPORTS Championship. Notably, he recorded four triples and 15 points in the U SPORTS semifinals on March 9 against Queen’s University. In the previous year, he earned spots on both the U SPORTS Tournament All-Star Team and the OUA Third Team All-Star roster. Justin Ndjock-Tadjore, a six-foot-seven forward from Gatineau, Quebec, played his first season with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees in 2023-24, after transferring from the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies in the NCAA Division I, where he played one season. With the Gee-Gees, Ndjock-Tadjore averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 28.3 minutes in 23 games played. He grabbed five or more rebounds 12 times and nabbed two steals five times. Prior to university, he attended Cégep de l'Outaouais in Gatineau where he was an RSEQ All-Star in 2019-20, averaging 15.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game with the Griffons. Michael Kelvin II, a six-foot-six forward from Ottawa, Ontario, recently completed his third season with Queen’s University. Across three years, he averaged 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 22.5 minutes in 43 regular season games. In the most recent campaign, he posted averages of 9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 25.6 minutes in 25 games with the Gaels. His contributions helped the team achieve a league record of 19-3 and an overall record of 30-6, capturing the OUA Championship and reaching the U SPORTS finals. Kelvin II recorded notable performances such as making a career-high six triples on January 20 against Toronto, dishing out a career-high six assists on December 1 against Laval, and tying his career-high of 24 points on November 11 against Nipissing. In the preceding season (2022-23), he averaged 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 27 games with Queen’s. In March, the CEBL announced a newly rebranded and expanded draft format beginning in 2024 that includes all eligible Canadian U SPORTS and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) student-athletes. The CEBL Draft presents a coveted opportunity for top players in U SPORTS and the CCAA to get a chance to experience professional basketball by practicing and playing alongside veteran pros from the NBA, NBA G League, Canadian National team, and top international leagues. The Ottawa BlackJacks 2024 home opener will take place at the Arena at TD Place on May 29. Fans can now purchase BlackJacks season seat memberships, Flex Packs and Voucher Packs at theblackjacks.ca/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: “The CEBL Draft offers a significant pathway for local talent to gain professional experience. Our three picks all have ties to our capital and are proud to represent it. They are hardworking individuals who displayed impressive performances for their respective U SPORTS teams this past season. I've had the honor of coaching Dragan and Justin and have faced off against Michael for the past three seasons. This firsthand experience gives me confidence in their abilities, and I'm excited to see the energy they'll bring to our training camp next month.” - James Derouin, General Manager and Head Coach, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
