Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Scrubb Brothers

Jun 11, 2020

Phil and Tommy return completes 2020 training camp roster 

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday the signing of free agents Thomas, and his brother, Philip, Scrubb. Their signings mark the completion of the Ottawa BlackJacks 2020 inaugural training camp roster. The two brothers will be reunited once again in Ottawa to bring their wealth of international and professional experience to the expansion franchise. 

Thomas (Tommy) Scrubb, a six-foot-six forward, has averaged 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 27.2 minutes in 212 games, playing in professionally in France, Italy, Germany and Finland. This past season, Tommy played 38 games with Strasbourg in two different leagues, including France-Jeep Elite ProA and Champions League, where he averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 27.4 minutes. During the 2018-19 campaign playing for Openjobmentis in Italy, the Vancouver native averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 30.8 minutes in 48 games. His team reached the FIBA Europe Cup semifinal and Tommy received an Eurobasket.com All-FIBA Europe Cup Honorable Mention. In 2015-2016, during his first season as a pro, Thomas recorded his best statistical professional season with averages of 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 31.7 minutes in 52 games playing for Joensuun Kataja in Findland. His team won the Finnish League regular season and Thomas was named Eurobasket.com All-Finnish Korisliiga Forward of the Year, First Team All-Star and All-Imports Team All-Star.

Philip (Phil) Scrubb, a six-foot-three guard, has averaged 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 25.3 minutes in 150 games, playing professionally in Spain, Russia, Germany and Greece. This past season, Phil averaged 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 25.0 minutes in 23 games for Estudiantes of the Spain-Liga Endesa. During the 2017-18 campaign, he recorded his best statistical season with averages of 18.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 33.1 minutes in 32 games for the Fraport Skyliners of the Basketball Budesliga (BBL) in Germany. He was named BBL Best Offensive Player, Top Scorer and Second Team All-Star. The guard was also named Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga Guard of the Year 2018, First Team All-Star and All-Imports Team All-Star. In the winter of 2016, Phil won the FIBA Europe Cup title with the Skyliners Frankfurt in Germany. His performance earned him a Eurobasket.com All-FIBA Europe Cup Honorable Mention and Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga Honorable mention.

Household names in Canada, the Scrubb Brothers are highly regarded and have a long history of representing Canada internationally. Both Phil and Tommy played for the Canadian Senior National team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifier and World Cup in China and at the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila. In 2015, after graduating from university, the youngest brother, Phil, won the NBA Summer League in Orlando with the Memphis Grizzlies. That same summer, he also helped the Senior Men’s Canadian National team win the Marchand Cup and capture a bronze medal at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. They also represented Canada at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia. 

The Carleton Ravens alumni represent some of the most accomplished players in U SPORTS history. Along with the Ottawa BlackJacks head coach, Osvaldo Jeanty, the Scrubb Brothers are one of three Carleton student-athletes to have captured five national championships in a team sport.

Tommy averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 22.9 minutes in 104 university games. He was named CIS (U SPORTS) Defensive Player of the Year twice and CIS tournament All-Star on three occasions. The Neuroscience major also earned various awards on the provincial level, such as OUA Defensive Player of the Year in his senior year. 

Phil, a Business major, averaged 19.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 30.6 minutes in 105 university games. The four-time First Team All-Canadian and CIS Rookie of the Year also won a multitude of awards on the provincial and national level. During the 2013-14 campaign, while averaging 18.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 27.5 minutes in 22 games, Philip earned Athlete of the Year honours and earned his third consecutive Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as CIS MVP. 

Earlier today, the Ottawa BlackJacks announced the signing of free-agent guards Kaza Kajami-Keane and Johnny Berhanemeskel.

There are currently 13 players signed to the BlackJacks roster, including 10 standard player contracts and three development player contracts as a result of the 2020 CEBL / U SPORTS Draft. 

2020 OTTAWA BLACKJACKS BASKETBALL CLUB TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

Name Ht. Pos. Hometown School Last Team
Johnny Berhanemeskel 6-1 Guard Ottawa, ON Ottawa Boulazac (France)
Yasiin Joseph 6-1 Guard Ottawa, ON Carleton Carleton
Kaza Kajami-Keane 6-1 Guard Ajax, ON Carleton MBC (Germany)
Shaquille Keith 6-6 Forward Toronto, ON Cape Breton San Carlos (DR)
Eric Kibi 6-6 Forward Quebec City, QC Abilene Christian Libertad (Argentina)
*Tajinder Lall 6-6 Forward Cambridge, ON Carleton Carleton
*Alain Louis 6-1 Guard Montreal, QC Carleton Carleton
*Lloyd Pandi 6-4 Guard Ottawa, ON Carleton Carleton
Jean Emmanuel Pierre-Charles 6-8 Forward Ottawa, ON Ottawa CB Santos San Luis (Mexico)
Philip Scrubb 6-3 Guard Richmond, BC Carleton Estudiantes (Spain)
Thomas Scrubb 6-6 Forward Vancouver, BC Carleton Strasbourg (France)
Munis Tutu 6-0 Guard Windsor, ON Carleton Carleton
Christopher Ware 6-8 Forward Buchanan, VA Indiana Tech Clube Pinheiros (Argentina)
(*) Signed to a Development Contract as per U SPORTS agreement with the CEBL.

Quotes:

“We are excited to add Kaza, Johnny, Phil and Tommy to our team. These guys played in some of the best professional leagues around the world and have established themselves as successful leaders on and off the court. They will bring a wealth of professional basketball experience to the team.”

- Dave Smart, General Manager
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club

“I’m really excited to be a part of the BlackJacks organization. Ottawa is a true basketball city and is a great addition to the CEBL. It will be great teaming up with my brother again and hopefully we can have similar success to what we had at Carleton.”

- Thomas Scrubb, Forward
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club

“I am excited to join the BlackJacks and be part of the team’s inaugural season. I loved playing in Ottawa and I’m ready to come back and help compete for a championship.”

- Philip Scrubb, Guard
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional 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. Basketball Operations will be led by General Manager, Dave Smart, the most successful university coach in Canadian history with a total of 13 national titles at Carleton University. The BlackJacks will be a team deeply rooted in the Ottawa / Gatineau community. Head Coach Osvaldo Jeanty, a former student-athlete who captured five national championships as a player for Dave Smart, will bring together a group of professionals poised for success in its inaugural season. The BlackJacks will play its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place. For more information and for tickets, visit www.theblackjacks.ca.

About Canadian Elite Basketball League 
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) features world-class professional basketball in a fan-friendly entertainment environment across seven cities in Canada. The 2019 inaugural season saw more than 100 Canadian and international players take to the court, culminating with the Saskatchewan Rattlers earning the first CEBL championship trophy. CEBL players come from NBA G-League clubs, top NCAA programs, the Canadian national program, U SPORTS and other Division 1 FIBA leagues. The CEBL is the First Division Professional League partner of Canada Basketball. 

Social Media
Ottawa BlackJacks
Facebook: /OttawaBlackJacks
Twitter: @Ott_Blackjacks
Instagram: ottawablackjacks

Contact:
Marika Guérin
Manager, Communications and Events
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club

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