Cape Breton Highlanders (basketball)

Cape Breton Highlanders
2018–19 NBL Canada season
Division Atlantic Division
League NBL Canada
Founded 2015
History Cape Breton Highlanders
2016–present
Arena Centre 200
Location Sydney, Nova Scotia
Team colours Blue, red, white
              
President Tyrone Levingston
Head coach Bernardo Fitz-Gonzalez
Website HighlandersBasketball.ca

The Cape Breton Highlanders are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Sydney, Nova Scotia. They compete in the National Basketball League of Canada

History

In early June 2015, it was announced that Tyrone Levingston, the son of Halifax Rainmen owner Andre Levingston, was making an attempt to establish a basketball team in Sydney, Nova Scotia in Cape Breton Island. He drew attention from businessman Parker Rudderham and many other locals that were willing to become a part of the team's ownership.[1] Instead of him being the sole owner, Levingston preferred to have a group of multiple investors.[2] By August, the team had expectations of playing their home games at Centre 200 and hoped to compete in the 2015–16 NBL Canada season.[3]

On September 22, 2015, the team was officially admitted into the league for the upcoming season. Centre 200 was confirmed as their future home arena. Commissioner Dave Magley expected the league's expansion into Sydney to have positive financial ramifications.[4] The team was also announced to be called "Cape Breton", with their nickname to be decided through a public contest. The nickname would be announced on October 15.[5]

However, at the time Cape Breton's nickname was expected to be released to the public, the team was put on hold for the 2015–16 season, because they were unable to "get all the financing and other details put in place."[6] Levingston said that he aimed to strike more sponsorship deals to ensure that the team would compete in the following season. Nevertheless, he planned to promote their nickname and logo as soon as possible.[6] On November 24, 2015, the team's nickname was officially announced as the "Cape Breton Highlanders". It was inspired by the Cape Breton Highlanders military unit and the geography of the Cape Breton area itself.[7] Centre 200 was the site of a 2015–16 NBL Canada preseason game between the Halifax Hurricanes and the Island Storm in order to promote the league to the new market. The Hurricanes won the game 106-103 in front of approximately 1,100 fans.[8] On August 29, 2016, the Highlanders announced its ownership group and confirmed that the paperwork was being finalized with the league in order to join for the 2016–17 season.[9] On October 7, the Highlanders announced its first head coach would be Dean Murray.[10]

Coach Murray would end up being released midway through the first season on January 22 and replaced by assistant coach Ben Resner. When the season ended, the Highlanders were last in the Atlantic Division with a 15–25 record and failed to make the playoffs. In July 2017, the Highlanders hired longtime NBLC coach Rob Spon as the head coach for the 2017–18 season.[11] Spon left after one season and was replaced by Bernardo Fitz-Gonzalez, a former Colombia national basketball team player.[12]

Season-by-season record

SeasonCoachRegular seasonPost season
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
2016–17Dean Murray
Ben Resner		1525.3755th00.000Did not qualify
2017–18Rob Spon1327.3255th00.000Did not qualify
Totals2852.350—00.000

Current roster

Cape Breton Highlanders roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G 1 United States Head, Luther (I) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F 8 United States Beaty, Tydran 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 28 – (1989-11-13)13 November 1989
G 9 Canada Reynolds, Jamal 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
G 11 United States Mondy, Duke 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
PG 12 Canada Sylliboy, John 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
F 22 Canada Osayande, Shane 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
C 32 Egypt Ahmed, Aly 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
SG Canada Desmarais, Kyle 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 30 – (1987-12-27)27 December 1987
G United States Massey Jr., Bruce 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 28 – (1990-09-02)2 September 1990
G United States Miller, Joey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 25 – (1992-12-28)28 December 1992
SG United States Bodiford, Rick 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg)
F United States White, Devin (I) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg)
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Inactive
  • Injured
Updated: January 10, 2018

References

  1. ↑ Colello, T. J. "Levingston looks to bring NBL Canada to Sydney". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Cochrane, Chris. "NBL, Sydney talk about franchise". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. ↑ Jala, David. "Talks ongoing to bring pro basketball back to Cape Breton". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  4. ↑ Pottie, Erin. "Sydney wins National Basketball League of Canada franchise". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "NBL expanding to Cape Breton". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 Higgins, Hal. "National Basketball of League Canada team on hold in Cape Breton". CBC. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Cape Breton's NBL team will be known as the Highlanders". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  8. ↑ "Criswell makes case for roster spot..." The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "Highlanders a go this season". Cape Breton Post. August 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Head Coach, First Signed Players, and Season Tickets Sales" (PDF). Cape Breton Highlanders. October 7, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Cape Breton Highlanders announce Rob Spon as head coach". Localxpress.ca. 18 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "Fitz-Gonzalez named Highlanders coach". The Chronicle Herald. September 24, 2018.
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