Rattlers Announce Start Date For 2023 C-E-B-L Training Camp

The 2023 training camp for the Saskatchewan Rattlers begins next Tuesday, May 23, at Merlis Belsher Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

The Snakes open their Canadian Elite Basketball League season on May 31 at SaskTel Centre against the Vancouver Bandits. Following is the news release from the Rattlers…..

The Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday that their 2023 Training Camp Roster will get to work starting on Tuesday May 23^rd 2023 at Merlis Belsher Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus. The final day of Training Camp will be open to the public with free admission at SaskTel Centre from 11am until Noon on Tuesday May 30^th 2023.

As the Saskatchewan Rattlers look ahead to training camp, the province of Saskatchewan will see the return of familiar faces – as four members of the 2022 roster return, along with a Saskatchewan-local U SPORTS rookie. The returning Rattlers include Anthony Tsegakele, Malik Benlevi, Mike Nuga, and third year forward D’Andre Bernard. 2022 Rattlers Sixth Man of the Year, Tsegakele returns as the fifth pick in the first round of the 2023 CEBL U SPORTS Draft. Tsegakele is coming off his final season with the Brandon Bobcats earning Canada West All-Star 1^st Team, Canada West Defensive Player of the Year, and Brandon University’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year. Isaac Simon from Regina, Saskatchewan joins the team after being selected sixth in the second round of the 2023 CEBL U SPORTS Draft. Isaac Simon finished his first year while being named to Canada West All-Rookie Team, and University of Alberta’s Male Rookie of the Year.

Benlevi, a Savannah-Georgia native is coming off his 2022 CEBL debut where he averaged 11.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 31.5 minutes per game while leading the Rattlers in game-winning shots (3), total steals (18), and games played (all 20 games + playoff games). Benlevi was recognized by the team for his work on and off the court by earning the 2022 Mr. Saskatoon Award and 2022 Clutch Player of the Year Award. Benlevi returns after competing in Finland with BC Nokia alongside Associate Head Coach Tanner Massey. Nuga returns to the team after his pro debut in 2022, averaging 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 18.6 minutes per game. Nuga earned 2022 Breakthrough Performance of the Year Award when he stepped into an open roster spot (July 12) then played all remaining games with multiple starts including a season-high 19 points while shooting 70% from two-point range on July 27^th. With D’Andre Bernard returning to the roster, he is celebrated as the longest held roster spot in franchise history. The athletic forward was a reliable asset during the 2022 season providing length and three-point shooting while coming off the bench for all 22 games. Closing out the 2022 regular-season Bernard threw down a game-winning alley-oop dunk to secure a home playoff game.

During the CEBL offseason, we saw talent make their way onto NBA and NBA G League rosters. The Rattlers add American shooting guard Drake Jeffries to their 2023 roster. Jeffries signed an exhibit-10 contract with the Orlando Magic in 2022 which led to playing for the Osceola Magic during the 2022-23 NBA G League season. The Mattoon-Illinois native played 25 games of the 32-game season with the Magic including a professional career-high 24 points on November 11^th. Jeffries spent two seasons in the NCAA with the University of Wyoming Cowboys, where he ranks top-three all-time for three-pointers made (94) and shooting percentage (41%) in a single-season. In his senior season, he led the Cowboys to a 25-8 record including an appearance in NCAA March Madness.

Adrien Thimon was added to the roster in accordance with the CEBL import rule; ensuring every team to hold a roster spot for an international player. Thimon has played 11 seasons in France averaging 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 21.9 minutes in 277 professional games. The veteran French guard will make his overseas debut in the CEBL. Two-time Canada West Champion Elias Ralph will join the Rattlers for training camp. The guard from Okotoks, Alberta has accomplished a lot in two years with the University of Victoria Vikes – 2022 Canada West Rookie of the Year, 2022 Canada West All-Rookie Team, and U2022 SPORTS All-Rookie Team to go along with back-to-back Canada West trophies.

Two more players with CEBL experience will join the roster – 2022 Guelph Nighthawks big man Julian Roche, and Jermel Kennedy joins for his fourth CEBL season. Saint John-New Brunswick native Julian Roche made his professional debut with Guelph with 4 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 steals in his very first professional game. The Simon Fraser-alumni most recently played with Swiss Central in Switzerland; Roche averaged 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 22.2 minutes while playing 45 games. Jermel Kennedy played for the 2022 Newfoundland Growlers, 2020 Hamilton Honey Badgers, and 2019 Guelph Nighthawks. During the 2021-22 season, Kennedy joined Ferroviario de Beira for the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) season, supported by the NBA and FIBA. He guided Ferroviario to the quarter finals while averaging 13.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 31.0 minutes in 12 games. Kennedy is returning to the CEBL after playing with 2022-23 Newcastle Eagles (British Basketball League) leading them to a quarter-final finish. Kennedy reunites with 2020-21 Toulouse teammate Adrien Thimon when training camp starts next week.

NCAA Canadians make their CEBL debut –Adong Makuoi from Edmonton, Alberta and Jalen Warren from Milton, Ontario join the roster. Makuoi returns to the prairies after playing three seasons in the NCAA. Makuoi played two seasons with Northern Illinois University and his final year with Tennessee State University averaging 6.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 19.3 minutes over his 79 NCAA appearances. As a high school player, Makuoi visited Saskatoon’s longest reigning invitational tournament, BRIT, where Makuoi was named 2015 Dunk Champion and the following year winning the tournament with his team. Warren also played three seasons in the NCAA; two seasons with Florida Gulf Coast and his final year with the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2021-22. Warren most recently played in Lithuania with BC Silute averaging 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 30.9 minutes per game in his professional debut. The guard reunites with Eastern Florida Junior College teammate and roommate, Mike Nuga, when the team gets together to start working. The two second-year pro guards won their conference in junior college and together celebrated with a national third place finish.

The coaching staff has been finalized and headlined by the return of 2022 Rattlers Head Coach and former-NBA coach Dean Demopoulos. Demopoulos has an extensive coaching resume with 17 years with Temple University, 13 years in the NBA, and two years in Australia in the NBL. Tanner Massey will also rejoin the team as Associate Head Coach. Massey served as an assistant coach of the Fraser Valley Bandits in 2021 with a 500 record. Rounding out the coaching staff are the returning Eric Magdanz and Rob Lovelace who will serve as Assistant Coaches and both are local to Saskatchewan. Magdanz has served as Assistant Coach of the Rattlers in 2022, Assistant Coach of the Edmonton Stingers in 2019, Assistant Coach of University of Alberta, Head Coach of MacEwan University for seven seasons, and played with McMaster University. Lovelace has worked alongside the Rattlers and the CEBL as part of the Broadcast Team. He served as Assistant Coach of University of Saskatchewan for two seasons after playing for the team for five. Lovelace is the current President of Basketball Saskatchewan. With continuity of the coaching staff, the Rattlers look to match or improve the league’s all-time best home record of nine wins and two losses that the Rattlers accomplished during the 2022 season.

“We are going to have to have a very focused approach to training camp this year as with the later start date we have a short time span to integrate our new signees into our roster. headed into training camp full of optimism and really looking forward to a fresh start in 2022”, said Rattlers General Manager Barry Rawlyk. “We are confident that with the veteran leadership we have returning to the roster, along with some of the new experienced professionals that we have added, the process should be seamless. Based on last year’s results expectations are high from everyone – players, coaches, front office, and fans. We are excited to see what we can accomplish with this new group.”

The Rattlers season opener is scheduled for May 31^st 2023 at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, SK.