Syracuse To Host 1st Ever TBL x NBLC All-Star Weekend

Evelyn Magley CEO of The Basketball League announces that TBL will host the 1st ever, TBL All-Star Weekend, on April 15th & 16th in Syracuse, New York, home of the 2021 TBL Eastern Conference champions and national championship participants, the Syracuse Stallions.

The event is exciting because it is not only the 1st TBL All-Star weekend of it’s kind but it features an international exposure contest between the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) and the 2022 TBL All-Stars.

NBL Canada is celebrating its tenth anniversary season and has the distinction of being Canada’s longest running professional basketball league ever.

“Hosting this joint All Star Weekend with our TBL partners is a wonderful way for NBL Canada to celebrate its tenth season while at the same time showcasing our players and bringing something new to our fans. This All Star Weekend Event is a celebration of two leagues coming together and working in partnership while continuing to raise the profile of the game of basketball. We’re thrilled at the opportunity and can’t wait to be in Syracuse.” – Audley Stephenson, VP Basketball Operations of The National Basketball League of Canada

The 2022 All-Star Weekend is Presented by the Syracuse Stallions and their local partner, Nave Law Firm. The weekend events will include:

April 15th, 2022

• Skills competitions featuring Dunk Contest and 3-Point Contest
• Banquet for both team’s all-stars

April 16th, 2022

• Free JrTBL Youth Clinic coached by 2022 All-Star Players & Coaches
• Central New York Celebrity Game
• The 2022 TBL All-Star Game between TBL & NBLC

“We are extremely honored to be selected to host the 2022 TBL All-Star Weekend. This event is one that showcases our product and amazing community around the world. For years, we have worked tirelessly to build a fan base that is rapidly growing around those that have been with us since day one. “

“The City of Syracuse and our surrounding cities, towns, and villages along with both current and future partners welcome the 2022 All-Star Weekend and all participants, staff, families, and fans with open arms. We are extremely grateful to our Presenting Sponsor, Nave Law Firm, for helping us land this historic opportunity.” – Michael Sugamosto President & General Manager – Syracuse Stallions (TBL)

TBL is entering its 5th season and has grown to 44 teams nationwide.

“Having spent time in the NBLC in various capacities and knowing what this means to our league, I can barely contain my excitement for this chance to show the world how leagues from various countries can work together for a common good.” – Evelyn Magley CEO of The Basketball League

All events will be broadcasted on TBLTV & NBLCTV.

The post Syracuse To Host 1st Ever TBL x NBLC All-Star Weekend appeared first on In Play! magazine.

NBL Canada’s Protected List for the 2022 Season

The National Basketball League of Canada has announced its protected player list for its upcoming 10th season.

NBL Canada’s protected list allows teams to retain the rights of players who’ve participated in the 2019-20 NBL Canada season and retains the rights to those players throughout the 2021-22 season.

Competing teams may make an offer for a protected player if they remained unsigned. The team who holds that player’s rights has 48 hours to match the offer, in which instances a player would remain which his protected club; or the protected team may decline to match. In these cases, that player would join the new contracted team.

Please note that players who were on teams not participating this season will not have their rights protected and are eligible to sign with any team.

Player’s rights are held until the final day of the NBLC’s regular season on April 30, 2022.

London Lightning

Terry Thomas : With a late start in London, Thomas managed 26 points in only three games last season. Has 8.7 ppg, 30.8 FG%, 77.8 FT%. Former NBL Canada Canadian Player of the Year (2016-17).

Xavier Moon: Leading Scorer for the London Lightning averaging 21.5 ppg with a total of 430 points, and 44.8 3PT%. Averaging 91.7% from the free throw line and 37.5 minutes per game. 2019-20 NBL Canada All League (first team) and MVP runner up.

Jaylon Tate: 63.6 from the free throw line, proficient in limited minutes. Former NBL Canada Rookie of the Year (2017-18).

Cameron Forte: Finished season with 116 points, 29 ppg, 67.5 FG%, and 44.4 FT% with only four games played before season ended because of the pandemic.

AJ Gaines: NBL Canada All League (second team). Leading rebounder for the London Lightning, third in the league with 188 total rebounds with 155 being defensive rebounds. 48.8 FG%, 70.1 FT%, averaging 17.8 ppg.

Marcus Capers: Named 2019-20 NBL Canada Defensive Player of the Year. Led the London Lightning and was top of the league in steals with 37. 62.8 FT%, 112 assists, and 26 blocks.

Kitchener-Waterloo Titans

Myles Charvis : Managed 27 points with only two games played last season before being sidelined with an injury. He also went 6-6 from the free throw line.

Julian Harris: 17.4 3pt%, 62.5 FT%, played in a total of 23 games last season with 234 minutes.

Damon Lynn: Led the Titans, and top of the league in steals with 37. 89.6 FT%, 99 assists, with a 16.7 PTS/G average.

Ed Horton: 64 assists, third highest for the KW Titans. Going 91.9% from the free throw line (34-37), and making 191 total points.

Justin Strings: Fifth Overall All-time Titans Blocks with 31 blocked shots, eighth overall All-time Titans rebounds with 215 total. 2018-19 NBL Canada All Rookie Team.

Flenard Whitfield: First on the All-time Lists for Points Scored, Field Goals, and Blocks during the postseason with 230 points, 90 FG, and 9 blocks.

Sudbury 5

Braylon Rayson: 2019-20 NBL Canada All League (first team). Former League MVP (2018-19). Averages 40.3 minutes per game, 7.1 Ast/G, 88.2 FT%.

Jaylen Bland: Leading Scorer for Sudbury Five, 24.2 ppg with 509 points. 84.8% free throw shooting. Former NBL Canada New Comer of the Year (2018-19). 2019-20 NBL Canada All League (second team).

Marlon Johnson: Leading Sudbury Five in defensive rebounds, 135. Managing 30 blocks and 21.1 ppg.

JR Holder: Named 2019-20 NBL Canada New Comer and Sixth Man of the Year. 2019-20 NBL Canada All League (second team). 44.5 3PT%, highest for the team. Averages 19.7 points per game.

Brady Skeens: Led the league in both, Blocks (44) and Field Goal percentage with 71.7%. Leading rebounder for the Sudbury Five with 206 total rebounds.

Dexter Williams Jr: Field Goal percent of 51.9%. Averaging 75% from the free throw line, 51-68.

Windsor Express

Sam Muldrow: 2019-20 NBL Canada All League (third team). Leads the league with All-Time NBL Canada Blocked Shots (2011-20) with 241. Leading the Windsor Express in blocks, second overall with 41.

Chris Jones: 2019-20 NBL Canada All League (third team) Led the Windsor Express in scoring with a total of 334, averaging 22.3 ppg.

Isaiah Sykes: 14 points made, 70 FG%, 4 total rebounds with only one game played before the league shutdown.

Kemy Osse : 2019-20 NBL Canada All Canadian (first team). 71.7 FT%, 43.8 FG%, averaging 32.8 minute per game.

Marvell Waithe : Averaging 94.7 FT%, 33.3 3PT%, and 42.6 FG% during his time with the Halifax Hurricanes in the start of the season before the switch to Windsor Express where he managed 13 points in the two games played before the lockdown.

Mike Allison : 62 FG%, going 63.3% from the free throw line.

The post NBL Canada Releases 2022 Protected List appeared first on In Play! magazine.

NBL Canada Returns to Celebrate 10th Season With Inter-League Play

The National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) has announced its return to the court for its 10th season on Feb 5, 2022 for the first time since the sports world shut down in March of 2020.

As part of the 10th season celebration, NBL Canada will partner with The Basketball League (TBL) to feature inter-league contests between the two leagues.

TBL president and former NBL Canada commissioner, David Magley said, ” It is an honor and privilege to work with our old friends from NBL Canada as they celebrate their 10th anniversary. As a league we are celebrating our fifth season and as such have a healthy respect for what the NBLC has accomplished. For our clubs, they are thrilled to compete against these great teams and are excited for the exposure these events will bring for both leagues.”

The London Lightning, Windsor Express, Sudbury Five and Kitchener-Waterloo Titans will compete in a 24 game regular season schedule which will feature a total of 24 games played against TBL teams.

The tentative list of participating TBL teams are as follows:

• Flint United
• Lansing Pharaohs
• Jamestown Jackals
• Kokomo Bobkats
• Syracuse Stallions
• Albany Patroons

All wins and losses will be counted in individual records and teams will compete for their respective league championships at the end of the regular season.

Full schedule and playoff format will be released on November 8, 2021.

This will be a historic season for NBL Canada; it will be the first season in which regular-season contests will be played against another professional league, although the NBLC has played exhibition contests against Raptors 905 in the NBA Gatorade League. This will also be the first season in which NBL Canada teams will play against American-based professional basketball squads, in a partnership between the top two independent professional basketball leagues outside of the NBA in North America.

NBL Canada Looks to Rebuild the Atlantic Division

When the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) launches its 10th season on February 5, 2022, it will do so without any of the four teams from the Maritimes and only be represented by clubs from Ontario.

• On August 12, 2021, the Moncton Magic announced that they would no longer continue playing in the league and elected to withdraw from play;

• Following that on October 7, 2021 the Halifax Hurricanes announced that it would also withdraw from NBL Canada and no longer play as well;

• The St. John’s Edge will not be participating in the 10th season due to the fact that the club was unable to secure an appropriate venue to play their home games from and will take a leave of absence.

St. John’s inability to play coupled with the departure of the Moncton Magic and Halifax Hurricanes leaves the Island Storm, who were intending on playing this season as the only remaining team in the Atlantic Division.

Playing as the only team in the Maritimes with no other regional opponents makes it cost-prohibitive and therefore the Storm organization has made the difficult decision of also taking a one-year leave of absence. The league intends on using that time to re-build the Atlantic Division.

Island Storm owner Duncan Shaw said, “Coming from the perspective of one of the league’s NBL founding teams, the situation in the Maritimes is regrettable, however the Storm organization is in full support of the league proceeding and is excited that NBL Canada will celebrate its 10th season in an innovative partnership with the TBL and I look forward to participating as a partner and director in the league this season and be back the following year with new owners and teams in the Maritimes.”

Vice president of basketball operations, Audley Stephenson added, “Its time to shift our attention on moving forward so that we can rebuild the Atlantic Division to make it even better than what it was.”

The post NBL Canada Returns to Play appeared first on In Play! magazine.

After announcing that play would resume on March 12th, 2021, the NBL Canada board of directors have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020-21 season as a result of ongoing safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stephenson added, “The hope is that we would have seen a significant difference that would allow us to play however the continuing increase in COVID-19 case counts, the rise of the new variants and the inability to have fans in our venues makes it difficult to do so.”

“On behalf of the board of directors, I want to thank you for your patience and understanding. These are extremely difficult days for everyone. Please stay healthy and safe and we look forward to being to bring good news regarding next season.”

Further details regarding the start date and season structure of the 2021-22 regular season schedule will be made at a later date.

The post NBLC Announces Cancellation of 2020-21 Season appeared first on In Play! magazine.

The National Basketball League of Canada has announced the delay of its tenth season until March 2021 tentatively.

After announcing that it would be resuming play in late December, NBL Canada board of directors unanimously voted to further postpone its return to a tentative start date of March 12th, 2021 as a result of ongoing safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The league expects to limit the number of games under a reduced schedule with limited fans inclusive of safety protocols such as physical distancing and other measures focused on minimizing the risk of transmitting the virus as much as possible.

“There’s no question that we are eager to return to the court and play again but we won’t take any risks and will only do so in a safe environment to ensure that our players, fans and teams remain protected,” said Deputy Commissioner Audley Stephenson. He added, “We also want to make sure that all provincial and federal guidelines regarding health and safety are met. We’re look forward to getting back on the court and having an amazing year!”

Further details regarding season structure, the number of games to be played and playoff format will be made available upon release of the 2020-21 NBL Canada regular season schedule.

The post NBLC 2020-21 Season Update appeared first on In Play! magazine.