First year Saskatchewan Rattlers Head Coach Dean Demopoulos will have 16 players to put through their paces when the Canadian Elite Basketball League squad begins its 2022 training camp Tuesday at Merlis Belsher Place.
The 16 players include three returnees from last year in Devonte Bandoo, D’Andre Bernard and Lawrence Moore. Demopoulos will be aided by lead assistant coach Tanner Massey, along with Eric Magdanz and the head coach’s son, James Demopoulos. The Snakes’ C-E-B-L regular-season starts May 25th at SaskTel Centre. Following is the full news release from the Rattlers…..
May 16, 2022
SASKATCHEWAN RATTLERS ANNOUNCE 2022 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Saskatoon, Sask. – The Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced
Monday that their 2022 CEBL Training Camp Roster gets to work starting on Tuesday May 17th 2022 at Merlis
Belsher Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus.
As the Saskatchewan Rattlers look ahead to training camp, the province of Saskatchewan will see the return of
familiar faces – as three members of the 2021 roster return. The returning Rattlers include Devonté Bandoo,
D’Andre Bernard, and Lawrence Moore. Bandoo, a Missaussaga-ON native is coming off of his 2021 CEBL
debut where he averaged 2.0 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and led the Rattlers with 17.4 points per game. The fan
favourite spent the CEBL post-season playing 16 games in the NBA G League with the Lakeland Magic and
Grand Rapids Gold averaging 8.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Bernard returns after
representing the CEBL in the Basketball Champions League of Americas in Nicaragua. During the 2021 season,
Bernard averaged 6.4 points, and 3.7 rebounds per game for the Rattlers. For the first Bandoo and Bernard will
share the floor with Lawrence Moore. Moore was a part of the Rattlers 2019 Inaugural Championship run, and
while rehabbing injury has contributed to the Rattlers community presence. Moore will look to return to the
action this season.
During the CEBL offseason, we saw talent make their way onto NBA and NBA G League rosters. The Rattlers
add three Americans and one Canadian who most recently played in the NBA G League. Jordy Tshimanga, a
Montreal, QC-native played most recently with the Iowa Wolves. The 6 foot 11 forward averaged 6.7 points,
and 6.8 rebounds while playing 38 games. Malik Benlevi, a Savannah, GA-native played alongside Tshimanga
on the Iowa Wolves. The forward averaged 6.4 points, and 3.9 rebounds playing 27 games. Tshimanga and
Benlevi will be instant contributors to the Rattlers frontcourt. Scottie Lindsey, a Hillside-IL native played with
the Windy City Bulls for 42 games. The guard was an asset to the teams scoring and currently sits eighth alltime for three-point shots made (89). Lindsey grew up in the Chicago-area playing alongside Lawrence Moore,
the two guards look to reconnect their on-court chemistry. Tony Carr is a former New Orleans Pelicans 2018
NBA Draft pick. The Philadelphia, PA guard holds a legacy with Penn State where he had a memorable
shooting battle to beat Scottie Lindsey’s Northwestern in the NCAA Big Ten Tournament.
The CEBL added an import rule during the offseason, where every team must hold a roster spot for an
international player. Sebastian Åris is a Danish guard who is currently playing in the finals with the Svendborg
Rabbits in Basketligaen Denmark. The guard won MVP, Danish Player of the Year, Danish Cup MVP, and the
Danish Cup. Åris’ will join the Rattlers when he completes his season with Svendborg Rabbits this week, he has
been put on the suspension list until he becomes available. Marquavian Stephens will join the Rattlers for
training camp. The guard made an impact for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies this year. Stephens
helped led the Huskies to the Canada West Final Four and the U SPORTS National Championship game.
The Rattlers selected Anthony Tsegakele with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 CEBL USPORTS Draft.
Tsegakele returns to the CEBL after his sophomore year with Brandon University. For the last two seasons has
led in rebounds per game for Brandon University, top 2 in all of Canada West, and top 3 in all of U SPORTS.
Tsegakele has averaged 17.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.7 assist, and 32.9 minutes in 36 collegiate games.
Tsegakele played with the Fraser Valley Bandits in the 2021 season, he will join the Rattlers frontcourt looking
to provide experience in the paint. Ali Sow of the Wilfrid Laurier Goldenhawks will replace Benjamin Hillis.
The guard was drafted fifth in the second round of the 2020 CEBL U SPORTS Draft by the Guelph Nighthawks
and fourth overall in 2021 by the Ottawa Blackjacks.
Canadian forwards Kemel Archer, Dani Elgadi, and Rudy Joly will also join the Rattlers for training camp.
Archer played with the Edmonton Stingers in 2021 winning the CEBL championship. He most recently played
with Solent Kestrels of NBL D1 in the United Kingdom where he became a league champion, playoff champion
and held the national cup trophy in his second year with the team. Archer will reconnect with Wilfrid Laurier
Goldenhawks teammate Ali Sow. Former Brock Badger player Elgadi will join the training camp replacing
SASKATCHEWAN RATTLERS OF THE CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
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Shane Osayande. Elgadi played for Esgueria in the Portuguese LPB averaging 13.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8
assists playing 21 games. Joly has a wealth of international basketball experience and will be replacing Irshaad
Hunte during training camp.
The coaching staff has been finalized and headlined by former-NBA coach Dean Demopoulos. Demopoulos has
an extensive coaching resume with 17 years with Temple University, 13 years in the NBA, and recently served
two years in Austrailia in the NBL. Tanner Massey will also join the team as lead assistant coach. Massey
served as an assistant coach of the Fraser Valley Bandits in 2021 with a 500 record. Rounding out the coaching
staff are James Demopoulos and Eric Magdanz who will serve as assistant coaches. James Demopoulos recently
coach Chipola College, who are 2021 Panhandle Conference Champs and 2021 Region 8 Champs. James will
join his father in this new opportunity in the CEBL. Magdanz is local to Saskatchewan and served as Assistant
Coach of the Edmonton Stingers in 2019.
“We are headed into training camp full of optimism and really looking forward to a fresh start in 2022. I am
really happy with the staff we have put together, and through the coaches meetings I have sat in on – I can
definitely feel a different vibe”, said Rattlers General Manager Barry Rawlyk. “The roster has been stocked
with some very talented athletes and we feel like we have a chance to compete for a title this year. Now comes
the hard part, and that is what training camp is all about, defining roles for players, finding out how all of the
pieces fit together, and getting everyone to buy into the system of play that the coaching staff will define. I
know I am personally excited to see some of these tremendously talented players together on the court, and to
see them develop individually and as a group.”
The 2022 CEBL season starts on May 25th at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. All tickets can be
purchased at the Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website, or via Ticketmaster.
