MONTREAL – Ryan Thorne, head coach of the McGill University men's basketball team, has been reappointed to the coaching staff of the Montreal Alliance of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, which operates in the summer.
 
He is one of two McGillians on staff with the Alliance, the team announced on Tuesday, along with Dr. Mickey Moroz of the McGill Sports Medicine Clinic, who serves as a physician with several varsity teams at the University.
 
Thorne, who is entering his fourth season with the Alliance, will take on the role as basketball consultant, under the guidance of new head coach Jermaine Small – a product of Vanier College who had coaching stints at the University of Lethbridge, Japan and Edmonton (CEBL) – and was named to the position on Jan. 27. Other members of the Alliance coaching staff include new lead assistant Damian Buckley (Concordia), Jahamal Jones (Ryerson), Biniam Ghebrekidan (Carleton), Quesly-Marie Noresias (U. of Providence at Montana) and apprentice coach Kazadi Nyanguila (U. of New Hampshire).
 
Thorne, a long-time resident of Ile-Bizard, Que., who played his college hoops for the Bishop's Gaiters, served as interim head coach of the Alliance for the first four games of the 2024 season. He is expected to return in the fall for his sixth season with the McGill men's team after 17 years at the helm of the women's program. Between the Redbirds and Martlets, Thorne has a combined coaching record of 311-286 in 597 games overall. He took over the Redbirds reins in 2021 after David DeAveiro stepped down to accept an offer at Ryerson (now known as TMU). DeAveiro, who played collegiately with the Ottawa Gee-Gees, still coaches at TMU but is also the head coach of the CEBL's Ottawa BlackJacks.
 
The 10-team CEBL will open its season on May 11 and Montreal's debut is scheduled for May 18 when Edmonton will be in town.  The first regular season meeting between Thorne and DeAveiro is slated for May 23 at IGA Stadium when Ottawa plays in Montreal for the first 5x5 outdoor pro basketball game in Canadian history.

The CEBL regular season wraps up on Aug. 10, followed by playoffs and the championship weekend in Winnipeg. All games are available on cable or online, though TSN, TSN+, and the CEBL+ streaming network.

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SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012 (cell.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca