Joe Raso, recognized as one of the leading coaches and international scouts in Canadian basketball history, was named Director, Basketball Operations by the Canadian Elite Basketball League on Tuesday. He will lead the league's player procurement program both domestically and internationally, oversee the CEBL Draft, direct team and player compliance issues, supervise officiating, and play a lead role in the CEBL's relationships with FIBA, Canada Basketball, other basketball bodies, and with player agents.
'To retain someone of Joe Raso's stature to lead basketball operations is a landmark addition for the Canadian Elite Basketball League, and reflects exceptionally well on what our league has done in only five months of existence and where we're heading,' said Mike Morreale, the league's Chief Executive Officer. 'For more than 35 years Joe has been recognized for his contributions and achievements at every level of basketball around the world. As we continue to create Canada's preeminent national league for basketball, and look forward to beginning play next May, we are thrilled to have Joe serving as director of basketball operations.'
A resident of Hamilton, Ontario, Raso is the all-time winningest coach in McMaster University history, and one of the most successful coaches in CIS/U SPORTS history, compiling 389 wins against only 155 losses (a .715 winning percentage) in 18 seasons, including 17 seasons with 20 or more wins with the Marauders. He currently serves as Head Scout with the Canadian Men's National team, and is an advance scout with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Denver Nuggets. Last season Raso served as head coach and general manager of the Niagara River Lions, leading the team to its first-ever playoff victory before the franchise moved up from the NBL to join the CEBL.
'I am very happy to be on board with the CEBL, and joining a winning and dedicated professional league that is building a legacy for a game that means so much to me,' Raso said. 'The CEBL is going to be an entertaining league that allows Canadian fans nationally the opportunity to enjoy professional basketball that will include Canadian and international talent playing together in great facilities. The development of this league, with its solid corporate administration and commitment to entertainment and the development or basketball, is very important to me.
'Basketball, in my opinion, is the most inclusive sport in Canada in both participation and fan base,' Raso added. 'It is important to me that I'm involved in a league that has both a national vision, and a shared view of development with our national and international governing bodies.'
Raso has been a national and international consultant, clinician, committee member, speaker, and basketball analyst during the past 25 years. A former National team assistant coach for four years, he has coached in World Championships and Olympic qualifiers, and has coached some of Canada's greatest players, including NBA two-time Most Valuable Player and Hall of Fame inductee Steve Nash. Raso's basketball resume includes four OUA titles, 12 CIS National Championship tournament appearances that resulted in four Silver medals, and being named OUA Coach of the Year six times. He produced five 'All Canadian' players and two National Player of the Year winners while leading McMaster.
An alum of both McMaster and Brock universities who started his university coaching career at the University of Guelph in 1983, Raso has been instrumental in developing basketball at the grassroots level. He is a former Technical Directory with the World International Children's Games, and his Hamilton, Ontario teams won international Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals at those Games. As a high school teacher for 32 years, he coached St. Mary's high school in Hamilton to an OFSAA championship in 1991, and represented Canada at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany, the top international junior tournament in the world. He has served as director of the Joe Raso High School Basketball Camp since 1999, and as director of Focus on Youth Basketball Camp in Hamilton since 2009.
Raso was founder and developer of 'Basketball vs Bullying', which became the largest anti-bullying seminar in the world and holds the Canadian record for the most attended university basketball game in Canada's history. He was awarded the YMCA National Peace Award in 2006 for that initiative. In 2008 he developed and co-directed 'Hoops Against Hate 'Faces of Racism'', an interactive experience for high school students using basketball to deliver a message of anti-racism.
The inaugural season of the CEBL tips off in May 2019 and runs through August with teams in Hamilton, Niagara, Guelph, Saskatoon, Abbotsford, and Edmonton. Teams will play 20 regular season games, including 10 at home. Deposits on priority season tickets are being accepted now by each team, with season seats going on sale later this fall.
Further information may be obtained at: www.cebl.ca
Canadian Elite Basketball League Reveals Picks For Its Inaugural Season Entry Draft - 27 days ago
HAMILTON, ONT - The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) revealed all the top talent that was drafted by the league's six teams in its first ever Entry Draft on Saturday, March 23, 2019. The draft reveal took place at the Art Gallery of Hamilton in front of media, sports and lifestyle influencers, prominent basketball personalities and executives. The Fraser Valley Bandits had the first overall pick in the regional rounds and selected 6-foot-5 guard Joel Friesen, a Fraser Valley nativ... [read more]
HAMILTON, ONT - The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) revealed all the top talent that was drafted by the league's six teams in its first ever Entry Draft on Saturday, March 23, 2019. The draft reveal took place at the Art Gallery of Hamilton in front of media, sports and lifestyle influencers, prominent basketball personalities and executives.
The Fraser Valley Bandits had the first overall pick in the regional rounds and selected 6-foot-5 guard Joel Friesen, a Fraser Valley native who played for the University of the Fraser Valley and the University of Alberta before launching his professional career in 2015.
From players who have represented Canada Basketball to rising talents from current U SPORTS programs, below is a breakdown of all the players that were drafted into the CEBL.
Regional Rounds: The first four rounds of the draft had a regional focus as CEBL teams selected players from their respective territories, allowing each team to have a nucleus of players from its own region. Round 1 1. Fraser Valley Bandits: Joel Friesen, University of Alberta, (Hometown: Abbotsford, BC) 2. Edmonton Stingers: Mamadou Gueye, University of Alberta, (Hometown: Quebec City, QC) 3. Guelph Nighthawks: Connor Wood, Carleton University (Hometown: Guelph, ON) 4. Saskatchewan Rattlers: Denzel James, MacEwan University (Hometown: Edmonton, AB) 5. Hamilton Honey Badgers: MiKyle McIntosh, University of Oregon, Raptors 905 (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 6. Niagara River Lions: Kaza Kajami-Keane, Carleton University (Hometown: Ajax, ON) Round 2 1. Niagara River Lions: Kassius Robertson, Missouri State University, (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 2. Hamilton Honey Badgers: Erik Nissen, Acadia University, (Hometown: Quispamsis, NB) 3. Saskatchewan Rattlers: Jelane Pryce, University of Winnipeg (Hometown: Innisfil, ON) 4. Guelph Nighthawks: Jevohn Shepherd, Michigan State University (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 5. Edmonton Stingers: Mathieu Kamba, Central Arkansas University (Hometown: Calgary, AB) 6. Fraser Valley Bandits: Marek Klassen, Point Loma Nazarene University (Hometown: Abbotsford, BC) Round 3: 1. Fraser Valley Bandits: Diego Kapelan, McNeese State University (Hometown: Vancouver, BC) 2. Edmonton Stingers: Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson, University of Calgary, (Hometown: Winnipeg, MB) 3. Guelph Nighthawks: Marvin Binney, St. Mary's University, (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 4. Saskatchewan Rattlers: Justus Alleyn, University of Manitoba, (Hometown: Winnipeg, MB) 5. Hamilton Honey Badgers: Duane Notice, University of South Carolina, Raptors 905 (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 6. Niagara River Lions: Guillaume Boucard, Carleton University, (Hometown: Montreal, QC) Round 4: 1. Niagara River Lions: Tyrone Watson, New Mexico State University, (Hometown: Hamilton, ON) 2. Hamilton Honey Badgers: Junior Cadougan, Marquette University, (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 3. Saskatchewan Rattlers: Thomas Cooper, University of Calgary, (Hometown: Chattanooga, Tennessee) 4. Guelph Nighthawks: Emanual Shepherd, Southern University (Hometown: Toronto, ON) 5. Edmonton Stingers: Jordan Baker, University of Alberta, (Hometown: Edmonton, AB) 6. Fraser Valley Bandits: Dallin Bachynski, University of Utah, (Calgary, AB) Open Rounds: Commencing with Round Five, the draft opened up for all teams to select players from any region of the world.
The following were the players drafted by each team in the open rounds:
Fraser Valley Bandits: • Conor Morgan, University of British Columbia • Elijah Foster, University of Nevada • Levon Kendall, University of Pittsburgh • Maurice Jones, Northwest Nazarene University • Ransford Brempong, Western Carolina University • Rashaun Broadus, Brigham Young University • Troy Gottselig, University of Saskatchewan Edmonton Stingers: • Adika Peter-McNeilly, Ryerson University • Akeem Ellis, Coppin State University • Ashton Smith, Indiana University of Pennsylvania • Christian Musoko, Southern Utah University • Corey Allmond, Sam Houston State University • Grandy Glaze, Grand Canyon University • Greg Morrow, University of Western Ontario Guelph Nighthawks: • Chris Johnson, St. Bonaventure University • Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Florida State University • Meshack Lufile, Cape Breton University • Marvell Waithe, University of Arkansas • Myck Kabongo, University of Texas • Jamal Reynolds, Canisius College • Chadrack Lufile, Wichita State University Saskatchewan Rattlers: • Alex Campbell, University of Windsor • Chad Posthumus, Morehead State University • Gentrey Thomas, University of California, Riverside • Kevin Bercy, St. Francis Xavier University • Michael Linklater, University of Saskatchewan • Shane Osayande, University of Saskatchewan • Terry Thomas, University of Ottawa Hamilton Honey Badgers: • Murphy Burnatowski, Colgate University • Derek Cooke Jr., University of Wyoming • Justin Edwards, Kansas State University • Ryan Ejim, Carleton University • Shaquille Keith, Cape Breton University • Joe Rocca, Carleton University • Tramar Sutherland, University of Arkansas at Little Rock Niagara River Lions: • Julian Boyd, Long Island University Brooklyn • Nem Mitrovic, University of Portland • Alex Johnson, North Carolina State University • Joel Kindred, Saint Augustine's University • Ryan Wright, Oklahoma State University • Rayvon Higdon, Redeemer University College • Jaylon Tate, University of Illinois
U SPORTS ROUNDS The rising stars of tomorrow - these rounds saw teams select emerging Canadian basketball talent currently playing in U SPORTS programs across Canada Round 1 1. Niagara River Lions: Fil Vujadinovic, Ryerson University 2. Hamilton Honey Badgers: Connor Gilmore, McMaster University 3. Saskatchewan Rattlers: Chan De Ciman, University of Saskatchewan 4. Guelph Nighthawks: Malcolm Glanville, University of Guelph 5. Edmonton Stingers: Narcisse Ambanza, University of Winnipeg 6. Fraser Valley Bandits: Mason Bourcier, University of British Columbia Round 2 1. Fraser Valley Bandits: Grant Shephard, University of British Columbia 2. Edmonton Stingers: Brody Clarke, University of Alberta 3. Guelph Nighthawks: Myles Charvis, Ryerson University 4. Saskatchewan Rattlers: Jean-Victor Mukama, Ryerson University 5. Hamilton Honey Badgers: Thomas Kennedy, University of Windsor 6. Niagara River Lions: Tyler Brown, Brock University
'It gives me immense pleasure to see such amazing talent represent the league and its six teams,' said Mike Morreale, Chief Executive Officer of the CEBL. 'Congratulations to all the players who got drafted - it's a historic time for a Canadian basketball fan.'
The CEBL, the official professional league partner of Canada Basketball, opens its inaugural season in May with franchises in Fraser Valley (Abbotsford), Edmonton, Guelph, Hamilton, Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and Niagara (St. Catharines). CEBL teams will play a 20-game regular season from May 9 to August 15, culminating with a league championship playoff at a site to be announced.
More information about the CEBL may be obtained at https://www.cebl.ca/
Barnaby Craddock, the only coach in U SPORTS basketball history to lead three separate programs to the National Championship Tournament, will be taking the helm - 2 months ago
Edmonton, February 19, 2019 - The Edmonton Stingers, member club of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), are elated to introduce Barnaby Craddock as the first-ever head coach and general manager in franchise history. Coach Craddock has been coaching with Canada Basketball National team program since 2011. His most recent role was as Head coach of the Canadian Men's Development team that finished 7th out of 22 teams in the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, Korea. 2012-13 was... [read more]
Edmonton, February 19, 2019 - The Edmonton Stingers, member club of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), are elated to introduce Barnaby Craddock as the first-ever head coach and general manager in franchise history.
Coach Craddock has been coaching with Canada Basketball National team program since 2011. His most recent role was as Head coach of the Canadian Men's Development team that finished 7th out of 22 teams in the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, Korea. 2012-13 was Barnaby Craddock's first year as Head Coach of the Golden Bears Basketball program. Over the past five years he has led the Bears to a conference record of 91-33 (.734), qualified for the playoffs all five seasons, won the Canada West Conference championship twice (2014 & 2017), and won a U SPORTS National Bronze medal in 2014. Barnaby Craddock has also been an assistant coach with various other Canada Basketball national teams, including the 2011 FISU Games team that earned silver in Shenzhen, China, and Canada Basketball Men's (U-17) Cadet team (World Championships in Lithuania, 2012), (FIBA Americas Championship in Uruguay, 2013), (World Championships in Dubai, UAE, 2014).
'We couldn't be more thrilled to have Barnaby as the first-ever head coach in Stingers franchise history,' said Stingers President and COO Lee Genier. 'He has a proven track record as a winning coach on the national stage and has strong ties to the community. I know that the people of Edmonton are in for some very exciting basketball starting in May and Barnaby is the right person to lead the team in its historic inaugural season.'
Modelled after top international professional leagues, the CEBL is comprised of six original teams in Hamilton, Edmonton, Guelph, St. Catharines, Abbotsford, and Saskatoon. Each team plays 10 home and 10 road games using FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules, and player and referee standards set by Canada Basketball. Rosters will be comprised of at least 70 percent Canadian players, many playing professionally in North America and overseas during the traditional basketball season. Playing out of the Edmonton EXPO Centre, the Stingers will play ten home games starting with their season opener on May 10, 2019, at 7 p.m. against the Niagara River Lions. Season tickets range from $199 in the lower bowl to $750 for courtside and are available on the Edmonton Stingers website. Individual game tickets are expected to go on sale in spring 2019.
Fans are able to reserve their place in history by visiting the Stingers website. A detailed seat map, with a link to purchase tickets can be found Here.
For more information about the Stingers, visit https://www.thestingers.ca/ or www.cebl.ca.
NIAGARA, ONT - The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that it will be holding its 2019 Entry Draft Reveal on March 23, 2019 in Hamilton, home of the Hamilton Honey Badgers. Invitees will be present to witness top Canadian and international basketball players get announced into the CEBL through a reveal event that will unveil the picks made March 16 by the league's teams during the closed door CEBL Entry Draft. The invite-only event, which will be held at the Art G... [read more]
NIAGARA, ONT - The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that it will be holding its 2019 Entry Draft Reveal on March 23, 2019 in Hamilton, home of the Hamilton Honey Badgers.
Invitees will be present to witness top Canadian and international basketball players get announced into the CEBL through a reveal event that will unveil the picks made March 16 by the league's teams during the closed door CEBL Entry Draft. The invite-only event, which will be held at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, will also be live streamed internationally on CEBL.tv .
'Its an exciting time for our league as fans will get a first-hand look at the top players that will play in our inaugural season' said Mike Morreale, Chief Executive Officer of the CEBL. 'Team General Managers and other officials will be joined by celebrities and influencers, Canadian basketball officials, community leaders, media, and sponsors for a monumental night in the history of basketball in our country. This will be a unique event for a unique league, and one that can be experienced by people around the world through a live stream.'
The six CEBL clubs will hold the official 2019 Entry Draft on Saturday, March 16 with each club phoning in their picks to the league office from their respective draft headquarters. All selections will be held in confidence until the March 23 reveal event to enable the league to put together a robust program for live streaming that will include in- depth analysis of picks by media experts, video highlights, statistics, and other elements that will educate and entertain fans of the CEBL. Further information about the live stream will be available at a later date.
The order of the draft will be determined by a blind draw and announced publicly on Wednesday, March 6 at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Once the draft order has been determined the 13-round draft will follow a snake format, with teams selecting one through six in Round One followed by sixth through first in Round Two and so forth.
The CEBL, the official professional league partner of Canada Basketball, opens its inaugural season in May with franchises in Edmonton, Guelph, Hamilton, Fraser Valley (Abbotsford), Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and Niagara (St. Catharines). CEBL teams will play a 20-game regular season from May 9 to August 15, culminating with a league championship playoff at a site to be announced.
CEBL rosters will be predominantly comprised Canadians playing professionally during the traditional basketball season, as well as a number of international and U SPORTS players. The 2019 Entry Draft will consist of 11 rounds, followed immediately by a two round U SPORTS draft. The breakdown of rounds will be as follows:
Round 1-4: Canadian Regional Rounds The first four rounds of the draft will be have a regional focus as all CEBL teams will select only top players from their respective regions, allowing each team to have a nucleus of players from their own region. The three eastern clubs must select players based in Ontario and east, while the three western clubs must select players from Manitoba to the west.
Round 5-11: General Draft Rounds Commencing with Round Five, the draft will open up for all teams to select players from any region of the world.
Round 12 - 13: The U SPORTS Draft The rising stars of tomorrow - these rounds will see teams select emerging Canadian basketball talent actively playing at U SPORTS programs across Canada
'There is no dearth of talent when it comes to basketball in this country' said Joe Raso, Director of Basketball Operations, CEBL. 'Thanks to the league making key partnerships with Canada Basketball and U SPORTS, I am extremely excited to see how our rosters take shape as the CEBL becomes an elite platform for the development of the sport in this country'.
More information about the CEBL may be obtained at www.cebl.ca
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