CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Island Storm has added some more Canadian content.
The Storm picked up two players from the Sudbury Five in a deal announced Friday by the National Basketball League of Canada.
The Storm gets centre Jabari Craig and wing Mamadou Gueye from Sudbury, who acquired Craig from Cape Breton on Friday. Gueye and Craig were protected by Sudbury and Cape Breton, respectively, and that protection is retained by the Storm, giving the Island squad essentially nine protected players.
Craig and Gueye are the future consideration part of the Feb. 15 deadline deal that saw the Storm send Maurice Jones Sr. to Sudbury after acquiring him from St. John’s for Russell Byrd.
Craig is a six-foot-10 centre while Gueye is a six-foot-five wing.
Storm head coach Tim Kendrick envisions Craig being a key contributor, particularly on defence, for the squad. He described him as very athletic, a good rebounder and shot blocker.
“I think in our system, he really has the chance to flourish,” Kendrick said. “With the way we play, he’s going to get some opportunities offensive rebounding wise and in transition.”
Craig averaged 12 minutes per game for the Highlanders last season. The six-foot-10, 235-pound Scarborough, Ont., native averaged 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 37 games. He played at East Carolina University.
Gueye averaged 11 points and five rebounds in 19 games last season. He hit 38 per cent of his three-point attempts and is known as a competitive player.
“He can shoot it,” Kendrick said of the Quebec City native who played at the University of Alberta. “He’s about six-five and he’s tough.”
The Storm also protected Canadians Guillaume Boucard and Alex Campbell amongst its seven players. Each squad must have five Canadians on their 12-man roster.
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• Storm’s protected list includes top Canadians Guillaume Boucard and Alex Campbell
