Ottawa SkyHawks

The Ottawa SkyHawks were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Ottawa, Ontario. The SkyHawks played in the Central Division of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) during a single season. Financial difficulty resulted in the team receiving a loan from the league in order to finish the 2013-14 season. NBL Canada announced that the SkyHawks would not participate in the 2014-15 season when the team failed to comply with the terms of the loan.[1]

Ottawa SkyHawks
Founded2012
Folded2014
LeagueNational Basketball League of Canada
DivisionCentral
Team historyOttawa SkyHawks
2013–14
Based inOttawa, Ontario
ArenaCanadian Tire Centre
ColoursBlack, white, orange, silver
       
OwnerBytown Sports and Entertainment (Gus Takkale, Sunny Gill)
Head coachJaren Jackson
Championships0
Division titles0
WebsiteOttawaSkyHawks.com

History
Originally unveiled Ottawa TomaHawks logo

On November 13, 2012, National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) announced that an Ottawa expansion team would join the league for the 2013-14 season.[2] At a news conference on November 21, 2012, Gus Takkale, President of Bytown Sports & Entertainment and the person heading up the ownership group, confirmed the franchise would put a team on the court in the fall of 2013.

Following a name-the-team contest, the team unveiled their nickname, the "TomaHawks", a logo, and colours on February 26, 2013.[3] However, just hours after the announcement, social media erupted with people upset over what they felt to be a culturally insensitive nickname.[4] After an outcry, the Ottawa NBL team will no longer be called the TomaHawks.[5] It was announced at an event on April 4, 2013 that the team would be named the Ottawa SkyHawks.[6]

The SkyHawks finished in fourth (of five) place in the Central Division in the 2013-14 season, and failed to make the playoffs after losing a wildcard game against the Mississauga Power. The team struggled to sell tickets and required a loan from the league in order to finish the season. The team had failed to repay any of the loan by July 31, 2014, and NBL Canada's Board of Governors voted 8-0 to remove Bytown Sports & Entertainment from the league for failing to "adhere to league standards as set out in the operating agreement, and deadlines set forth to prepare for the season."[1] The SkyHawks will not play in the 2014-15 season, but NBL Canada affirmed their commitment to have a team in Ottawa again as early as the 2015-16 season but it never happened.[1]

Home arenas

Canadian Tire Centre (2013-14)
Main article: Canadian Tire Centre

Originally opened in 1996, the Canadian Tire Centre is a multi-purpose arena, located in the western suburb of Kanata, in Ottawa, Ontario. The arena has seating for 19,153 and a capacity of 20,500 including standing room. The arena hosts ice hockey, basketball, music concerts, skating, and other entertainment events. It is home to the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame, several restaurants, a fitness complex, and several businesses. The SkyHawks shared the arena with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.

  • Occasional games
    • Cégep de l'Outaouais - The SkyHawks played 2 games on the campus of Cégep de l'Outaouais during the 2013-14 NBL season.[7]
    • La Cité collégiale - The SkyHawks played their wildcard game on the campus of La Cité collégiale on March 2, 2014.[8]

2013-14 roster
Ottawa SkyHawks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G 3 United States Crouch, Jerice 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 180 lb (82 kg)
F 4 United States Sturdivant, Fred 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 190 lb (86 kg)
F 7 United States Baines, Tirrell 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 220 lb (100 kg)
C 12 Canada Vanderbeken, Jamie 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) 250 lb (110 kg)
G 14 United States Crook, Jamal Injured 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 175 lb (79 kg)
G 15 United States Tubbs, Justin 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 203 lb (92 kg)
G 20 United States Rose, Mike 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 200 lb (91 kg)
F 22 Canada Kong, Bol 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 220 lb (100 kg)
F 32 Canada Kibi, Eric 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 229 lb (104 kg)
G 44 United States Anderson, Ryan 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 194 lb (88 kg)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Canada Jafeth Maseruka
  • Canada Etienne Jacquet
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Season-by-season record
SeasonCoachRegular SeasonPost Season
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
2013-14Kevin Keathley43.571 
2013-14Jaren Jackson1716.515 01.000 
2013-14Combined2119.5256th01.000Wild-card round
Totals2119.52501.000

See also

References
  1. "Ottawa SkyHawks kicked out of National Basketball League of Canada". CBC.ca. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  2. "The National Basketball League of Canada Approves Ottawa". NBL Canada. November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  3. Devji, Farhan (February 26, 2013). "Ottawa's first professional basketball team will be called the Tomahawks". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
  4. "Ottawa's new basketball team drops Tomahawks name". ottawa.ctvnews.ca.
  5. "Ottawa TomaHawks to change name after outcry". CBC. February 27, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  6. "New Ottawa basketball franchise banking on SkyHawks to fit the bill as franchise name". Ottawa Citizen. April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  7. "SkyHawks playing two games at Cegep this season". OttawaSkyHawks.com. January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  8. "Schedule". OttawaSkyHawks.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  9. "Ottawa Blackjacks to leap into action next spring | CBC News".
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