MONTREAL – Jamal Mayali, a McGill University student from Toronto, scored 39 points in two games as the Montreal Tundra, a professional team in The Basketball League (TBL), made their season debut this week, at the Centre Pierre Charbonneau. The new franchise opened their season with a 121-117 victory over the Virginia Valley Vipers (Mar. 4), followed by a 101-94 win over the Lehigh Valley Legends (Mar. 5).
 
Mayali's pro debut was highlighted by a team-leading 25 points, along with five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one blocked shot in the season opener against Virginia. The 24-year-old is expected to graduate from McGill this year with a bachelor of Arts, majoring in political science.

In 99 career contests over his four seasons at McGill, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound shooting guard tallied 1,117 points and 334 rebounds overall. A two-time conference all-star who was voted RSEQ player of the year in 2021-22, Mayali became the 11th McGill player to merit All-Canadian honours, earning a spot on the second team last season. He went out on a high note at the U SPORTS Final Eight national championship, where he was named as player of the game twice in three contests and matched a personal best with 31 points in his last outing for McGill in a 77-68 loss to No.2 seeded Victoria on April 2, 2022.
 
The Tundra's next game is March 10 against the visiting Albany Patroons at the Centre Charbonneau.
 
The TBL is in its third year of operation and currently features 48 teams, including 18 in the Eastern Conference, 14 in the Midwest Conference, eight in the Central Conference and eight in the West Conference. The season runs from March to June and Montreal is one of three Canadian squads in the league, along with Academie Alma and the Newfoundland Rogues.

SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
@EarlZukerman (twitter)