Boucard, Campbell of the Island Storm make NBL's all-Canadian first team

Island Storm forward Guillaume Boucard, centre, tries to get a shot off over Cape Breton Highlanders teammates Landon Atterberry, left, and Jabari Craig Friday during National Basketball League of Canada action at the Eastlink Centre. - Jason Malloy

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A pair of Island Storm players have been recognized with yearend awards.

Guillaume Boucard and Alex Campbell were both named to the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada’s all-Canadian first team on Monday.

“Once we made the trade to get G, I think we had a few Canadians that would rival anyone’s in the league,” Storm head coach Tim Kendrick said Tuesday.

“We were very happy to see them both get named as Canadian stars. We couldn’t be happier.”

Island Storm guard Alex Campbell takes a shot over Saint John Riptide guard Jeremiah Mordi Thursday during National Basketball League of Canada action at the Eastlink Centre.

Boucard, who was named the circuit’s top Canadian earlier this spring, joined the Storm following a January trade after starting the season with the St. John’s Edge. The six-foot-six forward from Montreal averaged 19.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Kendrick said he knew of Boucard from his university days at Carleton and from Boucard’s 2017-18 season with the NBL’s Niagara River Lions.

“I knew he was a tenacious player. I knew he was a tough, hard-nosed player. I knew he was coachable . . . and I knew he could play,” Kendrick said.

Campbell was with the Storm all season. The guard averaged 13.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

They were joined on the first team by St. John’s Junior Cadougan, London’s Garrett Williamson and Cape Breton’s Jamal Reynolds.

Former Storm player Terry Thomas made the second team after averaging 20.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists for Halifax.

Campbell was also named to the all-defensive team with St. John’s Dez Lee, Moncton’s Denzell Taylor, London’s Mo Bolden and Halifax’s Rhamel Brown.

Sudbury’s Braylon Rayson was the league MVP after posting 24.6 points per game while Moncton’s Joe Salerno, the Storm’s bench boss for its first six seasons, earned coach of the year honours.

The league is having meetings today and Thursday and then teams’ protected lists of six players will be released.

“I’ll give you a tip, those two are certainly on it,” Kendrick said of Boucard and Campbell. “Both Alex and G are big pieces. We’d love to have them back.”

• Canadian Alex Campbell off to strong start running the point for Island Storm