Introducing….
The process started more than two years ago with the dream of bringing high-level professional basketball to big and small markets in the Maritimes. It continued with talent-identification combines in Los Angeles for American players and in Truro, Nova Scotia with the objective of attracting Canadians.
With six solid and community-minded teams set to go, officials with the new Eastern Canadian Basketball League began evaluating potential players. Rosters for the Bathurst Bears, Charlottetown Power, Moncton Motion, Saint John Union, Truro Tide and Valley Vipers will begin being announced by the league on Sunday.
It’s been an exhausting undertaking to identify players, sign them, making sure they all have passports and work permits, secure their releases from other international leagues while attracting more Canadians and attempting to create equitable rosters.
League Executive Officer Ravi Verma says the prolonged process has been frustrating at times, but notes all the hard work has been worthwhile.
“We wanted to make sure the rosters are balanced,” Verma says. “We know that we are happy with the rosters,” he adds. “We feel like the talent is balanced and all of our teams have great players with outstanding character. “It’s our first year and we wanted to make sure we bring in great people to our communities.”
The regular season begins March 30, when the Valley Vipers visit the Tide in Truro. The Valley hosts the Charlottetown Power on April 6. Bathurst opens its regular season on March 31 in Saint John. The Bears and Union clash again on April 2 in Bathurst. Moncton hosts Bathurst on April 6. Charlottetown hosts Moncton on April 8.
Papa Johns
In 1984, Papa Johns Pizza started in the small town of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and its popularity has spread all the way to Atlantic Canada. Today, Papa Johns boasts over 3,600 restaurants and can be found in more than 35 international markets outside of the USA. In Atlantic Canada, we opened our first Papa Johns franchise in Moncton, operating under the name of PJ Atlantic Restaurants Ltd. in 2009.
This was the first of many Papa Johns restaurants to be opening over the next few years to serve the Maritime provinces. We now have a dozen restaurants in the following areas:
639 Mountain Rd., Moncton
555 Dieppe Blvd., Dieppe
20 Plaza Ave., Saint John
528 Smythe St., Fredericton
133 McAllister Dr. Saint John
19 Babineau Ave., Charlottetown
1909 Mountain Rd., Moncton
269 Main St., Fredericton
94 Hampton Rd., Rothesay
540 Pinewood Rd., Riverview
961 Bedford Highway, Bedford
644 Portland St., Dartmouth
We believe in our brand’s heritage and commitment to quality. We believe that better ingredients really do make a better pizza.