Neck guard sales jump after Sask. hockey player slashed by skate
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More adult players are now investing in the protective equipment.
The Saskatchewan Rattlers were supposed to be on a long road trip back from Abbotsford, B.C. on Saturday.
Instead, the Rattlers celebrated the first anniversary of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) like every other team – by anxiously waiting to see how COVID-19 will affect the rest of the spring and summer, and in turn, the hopes of having a season.
Rattlers President and CEBL Chief Operating Officer Lee Genier was ready to begin the league’s second season after turning heads and gaining recognition last year.
“Year 2 was going to prove to be even more successful,” he said. “It has been disappointing but we’re very excited when the opportunity comes to get back on the court.”
On May 9, 2019, a few thousand fans gathered at SaskTel Centre to see the league take off. Many of those fans would stick around until late-August to see the team hoist the league’s first championship trophy.
The scene is vastly different a year later. There are no staff running around with headsets to ensure a smooth game day experience. There is no in-game DJ energizing the crowd. There are no sounds of shoes scuffing or balls dribbling down the court – just empty arenas.
“May 14th was the day we would have raised our championship banner and also displayed our championship rings, and really celebrate it with the province,” Genier said.
Genier and staff across the league are focused on preparing for a day they can return to the court as they monitor pro teams in the United States returning to training facilities.
Chad Posthumus was banking on a second season with the Rattlers. The six-foot-11 center sat played 18 games last season and had big plans for this summer until COVID-19 showed up.
Posthumus didn’t sign anywhere in the fall as he sat out the season to repair a nagging hip injury dating back to his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017.
“It turned out not to be the worst thing in the world,” Posthumus said about his off-season.
“Everyone’s seasons got cut short and are now behind in terms of cardio and playing, so I’m in a position now to come back and have a pretty good year.”
After a year away from the court, Posthumus is even more eager than his fellow competitors to see game action.
“I was honestly in the best shape of my life,” he said. “I was going to transition (summer basketball) into another regular season, whether that be another shot at the NBA or high-level overseas – I was ready for it.”
With the season falling behind schedule, Genier said staff across the league are getting creative to try and figure out what the 2020 season will look like.
“We haven’t cancelled games, we’ve delayed games,” he said. “We have different scenarios in our heads of what our season could look like. Can we fit in a 20-game season? Can we fit in a shortened season? Or can we just put on more of a tournament that is made for TV?”
Grenier acknowledges the sudden changes and ongoing postponements, but maintains that the league will showcase the talent of the league in whatever medium they’re forced to.
“Everything we do is for our fans,” Genier said. “From game production to the calibre of play, so I’m really excited to get that back on the court and showcase it. I’m disappointed but I’m excited for the day that can happen.”
No matter what happens this summer, Posthumus isn’t worried about the league’s future beyond 2020.
“They’re not looking towards this for one, two or three years,” Posthumus said of league management. “They’re all very smart individuals and very planned ahead financially – not just in terms of support, but what the league can come to expect once it expands.”