SUMMERSIDE — The Summerside Storm announced a key signing on Wednesday.
Ralphy Holmes is the newest member of the National Basketball League of Canada team.
Holmes was a first-team all-star, second-team all-defensive player with the Quebec Kebs last season and the sixth-highest scorer in the league with an average of 17.286 points a game.
“Ralphy was one of the best players in the NBL last season,” said Storm co-owner Duncan Shaw. “He’s a great defender, a great shooter and a fierce competitor.
“With the young talent we have on the Storm this year he’s the perfect addition to play a leadership role on this year’s team.”
The Storm certainly had a front-row seat to what Holmes is capable of doing last season.
In five games against the Storm, Holmes had 13-, 24-, 25-, 28- and 32-point efforts for an average of 24.4 points a game. He also averaged 9.4 rebounds and five assists a game versus Summerside.
Started season in Columbia
Holmes, who is from Philadelphia and started this season in Columbia, averaged over 17 points per game for the Kebs last season, and over 19 points in the playoffs. He shot almost 50 per cent from the field, and over 47 per cent from the three-point line — the best in the league.
He averaged 8.8 rebounds per game, and shot almost 80 per cent from the free-throw line.
The six-foot-five shooting guard played his college ball at Cal-State Fullerton, where he averaged over 17 points per game in his junior and senior years. He was also selected to the All-Big West first and second teams during his college years.
If all goes well with travel and personal details, Holmes will arrive this week in time for the Storm’s home game against the Windsor Express Friday at 7 p.m. The Storm hosts the Moncton Miracles at Eastlink Arena Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Storm will honour former UPEI basketball great Peter Gordon during the game against Windsor.
