BlackJacks win their home-opener against Calgary

In a 93-88 win over the Calgary Surge, the BlackJacks took their first official win under new head coach Justin Mazzulla.

Tonight also marks the first time that Ottawa has beat Calgary since they relocated from Guelph in 2022.

The team is coming together with G-League talent and young stars leading the pack in scoring tonight. Javonte Smart had 30 points, Matthew Cleveland had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Justin Harmon had 15 points off the bench.

Smart, the team’s leading scorer and franchise record holder for points, was shooting 52 per cent from the field. His efficiency was a huge part of the win.

“He’s a flat out hooper, he’s a great person, and on his first day he said he has my back and I really believe that,” said Mazzulla about Smart’s contribution.

Smart leads the BlackJack’s franchise in scoring and is second in the league. On July 31, 2025, he scored a CEBL-career high 44 points against the Niagara River Lions.

“I feel good, I’m happy we got the win, coach got his first win. I’m happy to be back,” said Smart.

Cleveland’s first CEBL contract is with BlackJacks, after playing one year in the G-League with the Salt Lake City Stars. He scored 27 points in their pre-season game against Montreal, and came out tonight with a stellar double-double performance.

“I’m just playing hard. I’m coming into a new environment, so the one thing you can do is control your effort and energy,” said Cleveland. “[I’m just] learning the league, learning how different teams play; their style of play, their physicality.”

Ottawa native Wilson Dubinsky thanked the city for embracing him so well in his first game. With his mom and family in the crowd, his name could be heard from fans from tip-off to the target score win.

“I haven’t played in Ottawa in five or six years, so it felt great to be home,” said Dubinsky. “My mom and my dad travelled all the way to America [...] just to watch me play, and the fact that they get to drive 20 minutes up the road just to watch me play now is a blessing.”

The BlackJacks will now hope on the road to play the Brampton Honey Badgers on Friday. They will be back at home on May 18 to play the reigning CEBL champions, the Niagara River Lions.