NEW SEASON
Cape Breton Highlanders begin franchise’s third season today
Cape Breton Highlanders begin franchise’s third season today.
After a 20-day training camp, the Cape Breton Highlanders will officially open their 2018-19 National Basketball League of Canada season tonight.
The Highlanders, who enter their third season in the league, will take to the court against the Island Storm at 7 p.m. at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
The Cape Breton team will have many new faces on its roster this season, including league sixth man of the year Ta’Quan Zimmerman, who last season played for the Halifax Hurricanes.
The Sydney-based club will also have two familiar faces in its lineup, including franchise points leader Bruce Massey Jr. and Jamal Reynolds.
“We have a great group of guys and we look good right now and I think we’re adjusting well, so we’ll see how that goes Friday,” said Highlanders head coach Bernardo Fitz-Gonzalez, who was hired by the club in September as the team’s fourth head coach in three years.
“The guys are giving me 100 per cent right now and in the game against the Moncton Magic in the preseason, we played well and showed how competitive we can be.”
The Highlanders organization was formed in 2015 under the leadership of team president Tyrone Levingston as well as local business owners, however the club didn’t begin playing in the league until the 2016-17 season.
Cape Breton has not had a winning season to date and has never made the playoffs.
In their inaugural year, the Highlanders posted a 15-25 record, and last season finished with a 13-27 record, finishing last in the Atlantic Division.
Fitz-Gonzalez said Highlanders fans can expect a hard-working team this season, noting the goal is to make the playoffs.
“These guys are willing to raise the bar and right now our guys are comfortable in their positions, but they’re always trying to get better and that’s what we want,” he said.
“I’ve been challenging them to be the best they can be, and I’ve raised the bar and I’m going to raise it higher.”
During the offseason, the Highlanders made a number of moves including signing Zimmerman, power-forward Kenny Jones and Chris Johnson of North Preston, to name three.
Fitz-Gonzalez believes he has
a well-balanced team.
“I’m really happy with the group of guys that we have, and everybody is in shape and are ready to compete.
“You’re going to find that offense will be catching up with defense at the beginning of the season. Our defense is going to be great and we’ve been working hard on it, but now we’re making sure we do the little things right.”
Absent from the Highlanders lineup this year is Charles
Boozer. The former Iowa State player was selected third overall by Cape Breton at the 2018 NBL Canada Entry Draft in August.
Boozer attended the team’s training camp, but “pulled his muscle pretty badly,” during the first week of camp and was eventually cut by the team, said Fitz-Gonzalez.
“We couldn’t see much of him, but he’s a great player,” he said.
Following tonight’s game in Prince Edward Island, the team will play on Sunday at 2 p.m. against the Moncton Magic in Moncton, N.B.
Cape Breton will host the KW Titans of Waterloo, Ont., in the
club’s home-opener on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. at Centre 200. The Highlanders will also play the London Lightning on Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Sydney venue.
Note: Tyrone Levingston will continue to be the Highlanders’ general manager for the time being. The Highlanders were searching for a new general manager, however as of Wednesday, the position had not been filled by anyone else. Levingston said if the Highlanders don’t fill the position, they will look for a new general manager in the off-season.