The Ottawa BlackJacks (French: BlackJacks d'Ottawa) are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Ottawa, Ontario.[1] The BlackJacks compete in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). They play their home games at TD Place Arena, an arena shared with the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League.
| Ottawa BlackJacks BlackJacks d'Ottawa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leagues | CEBL |
| Founded | 2019 |
| History | Ottawa Blackjacks (2019–present) |
| Arena | TD Place Arena |
| Capacity | ~9,500 (10,585) |
| Location | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Team colours | Black, Grey, Red |
| Vice-president(s) | Marika Guérin |
| General manager | James Derouin |
| Head coach | James Derouin |
| Website | theblackjacks.ca |
Background
editThe BlackJacks are the second professional basketball team in Ottawa; the Ottawa Skyhawks played at Canadian Tire Centre in 2012 to 2014.
Team history
edit2020 Season
Dave Smart was named the inaugural General Manager of the Blackjacks on December 18, 2019.[2]
2021 Season
On July 17, the BlackJacks signed former CEBL champion and NBA G-Leaguer Negus Webster-Chan after he was released by the Saskatchewan Rattlers.[3] On July 19, guard Johnny Berhanemeskel was inactivated due to his contractual obligations with the French team Chorale Roanne Basket. On July 23, the BlackJacks signed three new players, Jadon Cohee, Mamadou Gueye, and Antonio Williams. Additionally, forward Eric Kibi was released after appearing in only one game.[4] On July 27, the BlackJacks secured a playoff spot for the second straight season with an 82-69 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers.[5] In August, the BlackJacks signed former Saskatchewan Rattler center Chad Posthumus. In the playoffs, the Blackjacks upset the 3rd seeded Hamilton Honey Badgers 96-94 in the quarter-finals. However, they went on to lose to the eventual champion Edmonton Stingers in the semi-finals for the second straight year.[6]
2022 Season
In August 2021, the BlackJacks announced Jevohn Shepherd had signed a contract extension to return as the general manager.[7] In November, they announced that Charles Dubé-Brais would also return as head coach.[8] On February 16, 2022, they re-signed Chad Posthumus, who had previously joined the Edmonton Stingers for the 2021–22 BCL Americas.[9] After a disappointing 0-3 start to the season, the team parted ways with Head Coach Charles Dubé-Brais.[10] Ottawa Gee-Gees Men's Basketball Head Coach and BlackJacks Director of Basketball Strategy and Analytics James Derouin was appointed Interim Head Coach and lead the team to five wins in its last six games.
2023 Season
editPrior to the beginning of the season, the BlackJacks announced James Derouin would remain Head Coach of the team, removing the Interim title from his position.[11] During the 2023 CEBL–U Sports Draft, Ottawa selected UBC Thunderbird Sukhman Sandhu and University of Ottawa star Guillaume Pepin.[12] Former Washington State Cougars sharpshooter Michael Flowers and Toronto Raptors Summer League team member Abu Kigab were among the new signings joining the team.[13][14] On July 15, in the midst of an 8-game win streak, the BlackJacks clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot with a victory on the road against the Scarborough Shooting Stars.[15] After finishing the regular season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the BlackJacks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Shooting Stars in the Conference Semi-Final.[16]
2024 Season
editIn January 2024, the BlackJacks announced James Derouin would serve as both Head Coach and General Manager of the team for the 2024 Season.[17] The BlackJacks selected a trio of U Sports players with ties to Ottawa during the 2024 CEBL Draft, adding guard Dragan Stajic and forward Justin Ndjock-Tadjoré from the Ottawa Gee-Gees and forward Michael Kelvin II of the Queen's Gaels.[18] Notable signings include former Iowa Hawkeyes wing Peter Jok, former Chicago Bulls and Newfoundland Growlers guard Brandon Sampson, and Atlanta Hawks Summer League participant and Dayton Flyers standout Ibi Watson.[19] The BlackJacks experienced significant roster turnover throughout the season, with season-ending injuries and players departing for other commitments, resulting in a CEBL-record 24 players suiting up for the club over the summer. Ottawa clinched a playoff berth following their win against Saskatchewan on July 25,[20] and upset the reigning champion Scarborough in the Eastern Conference Play-In[21] before falling to the Niagara River Lions in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final.[22]
Players
editCurrent roster
editNote: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
| Ottawa BlackJacks roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Updated: September 26, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Season-by-season record
edit| League | Season | Coach | Regular season | Post season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |||
| CEBL | ||||||||||
| 2020 | Osvaldo Jeanty | 3 | 3 | .500 | 4th | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost semi-finals | |
| 2021 | Charles Dubé-Brais | 4 | 10 | .286 | 6th | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost semi-finals | |
| 2022 | James Derouin | 8 | 12 | .400 | 8th | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost semi-finals | |
| 2023 | James Derouin | 12 | 8 | .600 | 2nd East | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost Quarter-finals | |
| 2024 | James Derouin | 9 | 11 | .450 | 3rd East | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost Quarter-finals | |
| Totals | 36 | 44 | .450 | — | 3 | 5 | .375 | |||
References
edit- ^ Ottawa Blackjacks to leap into action next spring CBC News, November 20, 2019
- ^ "Ottawa Blackjacks Name Dave Smart General Manager". Ottawa Blackjacks. December 18, 2019.
- ^ "Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Former CEBL Champion Negus Webster-Chan". Ottawa Blackjacks. July 20, 2021.
- ^ "Ottawa BlackJacks Add Three New Players to its Roster". Ottawa Blackjacks. July 23, 2021.
- ^ "BlackJacks Secure Playoff Berth With Win over Rattlers". Ottawa Blackjacks. July 27, 2021.
- ^ "Stingers Steal The Win Over Ottawa, Return to CEBL Title Game". Ottawa Blackjacks. August 21, 2021.
- ^ "Jevohn Shepherd to Return as Ottawa BlackJacks General Manager for the 2022 Season". Ottawa Blackjacks. August 20, 2021.
- ^ "Charles Dubé-Brais Returns as Ottawa BlackJacks Head Coach". Ottawa Blackjacks. November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Ottawa BlackJacks Re-Sign Canadian Forward Chad Posthumus". Ottawa Blackjacks. February 16, 2022.
- ^ "CityNews". ottawa.citynews.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
- ^ "James Derouin to Remain as Ottawa BlackJacks Head Coach". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
- ^ "Ottawa BlackJacks Announce 2023 CEBL U SPORTS Draft Picks". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
- ^ "Ottawa BlackJacks Sign American Guard Michael Flowers". www.cebl.ca. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
- ^ "Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Canadian Forward Abu Kigab". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
- ^ "BlackJacks clinch playoff berth withwin over Shooting Stars". www.cebl.ca. 2023-07-15. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ "Shooting Stars head back to Championship Weekend after 77-72 comeback over BlackJacks". www.cebl.ca. 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
- ^ "James Derouin - Ottawa BlackJacks General Manager". www.theblackjacks.ca. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ "OTTAWA BLACKJACKS ANNOUNCE 2024 CEBL DRAFT PICKS". www.theblackjacks.ca. 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ "Roster". www.theblackjacks.ca. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ Release, Media (2024-07-25). "Ottawa BlackJacks rally for crucial win over Saskatchewan Rattlers that leads to playoff berth". TSN. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
- ^ Release, Media (2024-08-03). "Ottawa BlackJacks stymie Scarborough Shooting Stars to reach Eastern Conference Semifinal". TSN. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
- ^ "River Lions beat BlackJacks in playoff thriller as Khalil Ahmad erupts in Target Score Time". www.cebl.ca. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
External links
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