The Ottawa BlackJacks 2026 season: A record-breaking new chapter

As the Ottawa BlackJacks' season came to an end on August 6 in Brampton, ON, it was a season of reflection, new beginnings and most importantly, great hoops. 

The Ottawa BlackJacks lost in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to the Brampton Honey Badgers, a team they had yet to beat all season. In a game that came down to the last possession, the BlackJacks just couldn’t rebound before Matthew Moncrieffe did, and just like that, the BlackJacks' season was over. 

But the season came with a lot of positives, both on the court and in the stands. This year’s BlackJacks squad broke multiple franchise records, including points for Javonte Smart, blocks for Alex Fudge and the first time in franchise history that two players have scored 35 points or over.

For Smart, breaking records just seems to be a part of his role in Ottawa. In his second season with the team, he averaged 23.8 points per game, 3.6 three-point shots per game and 6.9 assists per game. 

Last season, he became the franchise-record holder for points in a single game, and this season he overtook Tyrell Tate for second in total points. By the end of the regular season, he finished 15 points shy of first place with a total of 951 points, just behind current franchise leader Deng Adel, who has 966. 

A new face for Ottawa and a new record for blocks came with Alex Fudge. The Sioux Falls Skyforce forward came to Ottawa with what seemed like springs in his shoes. 

He averaged 5.8 rebounds per game along with 1.7 blocks per game. He will now go back to South Dakota knowing he led the league in blocks with a total of 40 on the season. He also officially passed Zane Waterman as the record holder for blocks, and held the franchise record for a portion of the season. He was eventually surpassed by fellow big man Christian Rohlehr. 

This was Rohlehr’s second season with the BlackJacks and fourth in the CEBL. He previously played for the Montreal Alliance for two seasons before heading closer to his hometown of Toronto. In his first season with the BlackJacks, he finished with a total of 13 blocks. In the 2026 season, he doubled that stat, finishing with a total of 31, and now holds the franchise record for blocks with 44. 

He became an important part of Ottawa’s game down low, averaging 2.3 rebounds per game and 1.5 blocks. He did this while averaging just 8.6 minutes per game. 

Another dominance in the paint came midway through the season with the return of third-year veteran Isaih Moore. In just 12 games played with the team this season, he was able to rack up 197 points, 110 rebounds and six double-doubles. He calls Ottawa his second home, and he sure plays like it. 

In his third season with Ottawa, he became the team’s record holder for rebounds with 419, surpassing Deng Adel, who previously held the record with 356. 

Moore also added to his previous franchise record of total double-double games, and is now sitting at 22 career double-doubles with the Ottawa BlackJacks. He can sit comfortably knowing he’ll hold onto this accolade for a while, as runner-up Javonte Smart sits at seven. 

What could be called the BlackJacks' biggest win of the season was their game against the Vancouver Bandits on June 2. Justin Harmon and Matthew Cleveland both cemented themselves in BlackJacks history that night, being the first duo to both score 35 points or over. 

The G League players from the Salt Lake City Stars officially dubbed themselves the Salt Lake City BlackJacks after that historic night. 

Harmon became an important piece of the BlackJacks puzzle and finished the season averaging 12.6 points, 2.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game. He also became quite a character on the bench and was known by fans for his animated celebrations. 

Cleveland could be called the final piece of the BlackJacks puzzle. The 23-year-old Salt Lake City Star player lit up the Ottawa frontcourt, averaging 21.2 points, 3.1 assists and seven rebounds per game. He also cemented himself in BlackJacks history and is now second in points per game, just behind Javonte Smart. 

“He’s a menace in a good way,” said Head Coach Justin Mazzulla in his final interview in Brampton. “He’s just a specimen in transition.” 

Cleveland also got engaged while in Ottawa, so this city will always mean something special to him besides basketball. 

In his fifth season with the BlackJacks and seventh in the CEBL, Tyrell Tate was able to help out his teammates and prove himself as a veteran leader. A fan-favourite, he averaged 6.3 points per game in his 12 games played due to a rib injury in mid-season. 

Tate continues to lead the franchise in games played with a total of 85 and 3-point shots made with 146 after this season. 

Three Ontario-grown stars were able to make their mark on the Ottawa BlackJacks this season as well. Wilson Dubinsky from Ottawa, ON,  Kobe Elvis from Brampton, ON,  and Marko Maletic from London, ON all consistently contributed to the BlackJacks when it came to points on the board. 

Dubinsky averaged 4.2 points per game in his professional debut. He also signed his first professional contract in his hometown coming out of Marshall University, which was really meaningful to him. 

Elvis and Maletic averaged 6.4 and 5.4 points per game, and started 11 and seven games each. The 25-year-olds spent last season playing overseas, but got to come back to play in Canada for their summer. 

Another Canadian local from across the bridge in Gatineau that made an impact, especially in their Eastern Conference semi-finals, was Justin Ndjock-Tadjore. The University of Ottawa alum averaged four points and 2.7 rebounds per game. 

His best game came when it was needed in their conference semi-finals match against Brampton, when he had 17 points and eight rebounds. He was personally mentioned in the CEBL’s profile on coach Mazzulla as someone coach saw potential in and wanted to help grow his game. 

Coach Mazzulla was also a record-breaking coach. The 27-year-old was the youngest head coach in CEBL history. But when it comes to his accolades and the successes he had this season, he credits the staff he had to support him. 

“There's countless learning lessons, but I think most importantly, relationships and the people that you surround yourself with are super important, and here at Ottawa, we're surrounded by such great people,” said Mazzulla.