Ottawa BlackJacks Sign National Team Guard Junior Cadougan
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that Junior Cadougan has signed with the club for the upcoming 2021 CEBL season.
A six-foot-one guard from Toronto, Cadougan has averaged 10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 25.9 minutes in 187 games, playing professionally in Italy, Georgia, Greece, and Canada over a nine-year career.
During the 2020 CEBL Summer Series, Cadougan averaged 11.1 points (third on the team), 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists (tops with the team), 1.3 steals and 26.3 minutes, starting in all eight games for the Fraser Valley Bandits. He led the team in scoring twice and assists four times. Cadougan netted a team-best 13 points and a game-high five assists during the Bandits’ championship game loss to Edmonton. He scored a season-high with a team-best 16 points to go along with five assists on August 2 versus Niagara. A day earlier, he set the franchise season high for assists with seven against the Hamilton Honey Badgers.
Cadougan has proudly represented Team Canada on multiple occasions, including at the recent 2022 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he totaled two points, three rebounds and six assists in 10 minutes of play, helping Canada sweep the two-game series against the U.S. Virgin Islands. Cadougan also helped Canada earn a silver medal at the 2015 PanAmerican Games in Toronto, where he averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 18.0 minutes in five games.
He played four seasons in the NBL, including two years with St. John’s and a pair of seasons with London, which included a league championship in 2017. He was named the league’s Most Improved Player during the 2018-19 campaign and a Second-Team All-Star the following year. His best professional season to-date was when he suited up for Batumi-RSU in Georgia and led the team in scoring (20.7), assists (6.2), steals (2.1) and minutes (35.0), to go along with four double-doubles and a season-high 43 points against Armia on May 21, 2014.
Collegiately, Cadougan advanced to the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Tournament three times and the Elite 8 once with Marquette. He averaged 5.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 23.2 minutes in 117 games for the Golden Eagles. He was named to the 2012-13 BIG EAST All-Academic Team and left Marquette sixth on the all-time list in wins (97) and eighth all-time in assists (435).
Last month, the Ottawa BlackJacks, in collaboration with the CEBL, announced its 2021 regular season 14-game schedule, opening up with a game on the road versus Hamilton on Saturday June 5 at 7pm. After starting the campaign on a three-game road trip, Ottawa will play its first home game in franchise history on Thursday, June 24 at 7 p.m. versus the Niagara River Lions.
CBC is the premier media partner of the CEBL and will broadcast nationally televised games on seven consecutive Saturdays beginning June 5. The BlackJacks will appear three times on national television and all regular season games will also be live streamed on the free CBC Gem streaming service, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app and on a new OTT streaming platform the CEBL will unveil this spring.
The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 following the success of this past year's CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ontario, which saw millions of viewers across Canada and around the world tune in to watch 26 games played over 15 days in a single-site league competition. The CEBL became the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in mid-March shut down sports across the country.
Quotes:
“I know Junior very well. He is as tough as they come. He is an incredible competitor and has thrived being the underdog during his career, always delivering when the team needed it.”
- Jevohn Shepherd, General Manager, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
“I am thankful to join the BlackJacks organization in Ottawa. It is a great opportunity to pursue my goal, which is to win a championship. I’m excited to get to work with the coaching staff and meet everyone in the organization.”
- Junior Cadougan, Guard, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
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About the Ottawa BlackJacks
The first expansion franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Ottawa BlackJacks will showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. In its inaugural campaign, the BlackJacks earned a semifinal appearance at the 2020 CEBL Summer Series. The Ottawa front office brings NBA, NBA G League, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. Led by general manager Jevohn Shepherd, assistant general manager Andy Rautins and head coach Charles Dubé-Brais, Ottawa will play its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. For more information visit www.theblackjacks.ca.
About Canadian Elite Basketball League
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. Head to more information on CEBL.ca or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Linkedin, Facebook & YouTube. (@cebleague)
Social Media:
Facebook: /OttawaBlackJacks
Twitter: @Ott_Blackjacks
Instagram: ottawablackjacks
Contact:
Marika Guérin
Manager, Communications and Community
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club