Award-winning Canadian entrepreneur becomes co-owner of the league, with the goal of growing the business of basketball in Canada

Montréal Alliance guard Jordan Bowden has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA, becoming the second player in Alliance history and the 20 th player overall to earn an NBA contract after playing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). “I want to thank the Alliance organization, my teammates, the city, and especially the fans,” said Bowden. “I truly believe we should have delivered more wins for you all, but I learned a lot along the way and always believed in us. I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent Montréal, and I’ll always carry memories from my time here.” In 14 games with the Alliance, Bowden averaged 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 30.5 minutes of play. He also set the team’s single-game season highs in points (34), field goals made (14), and three-pointers made (6), while scoring 20 or more points on five occasions. “We are incredibly proud of Jordan and what he has accomplished,” said Alliance General Manager Joel Anthony. “His dedication and work ethic have made a huge impact on our team, and we wish him nothing but success.” A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Bowden played four collegiate seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers, leading his team to two March Madness appearances. He graduated ranked 24 th in program history for total points (1,365), seventh for three-pointers made (186), and fifth for games played (132). Bowden is one of only four players in program history to record at least 1,000 points, 450 rebounds, and 250 assists. Before joining the Alliance, Bowden played four professional seasons in the NBA G League with the Long Island Nets (2020-2023), Maine Celtics (2023-24), and College Park Skyhawks (2023-24). His best season came in 2022-23, where he averaged 17.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across 48 games. He also played 19 games with Nancy in France’s top division earlier in 2023, averaging 9.0 points per game. Bowden joins Tazé Moore (Portland Trail Blazers), Jackson Rowe (Golden State Warriors), Elijah Harkless (Los Angeles Clippers) and Javonte Cooke (Oklahoma City Thunder) as players who played in the CEBL in 2024 before signing with NBA teams. Last season, Canadian AJ Lawson became the first CEBL player to sign a standard NBA contract and went on to compete in the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks.

© Kyran Thicke / Alliance de Montréal

The Montréal Alliance announced Wednesday the appointment of Jo-Annie Charbonneau as its new President, effective immediately. Charbonneau brings a wealth of experience and a profound passion for sports, marking a new chapter for the Alliance as it continues to grow within the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Charbonneau has an impressive background in sports law and event management, having served as Chief of Public Revenue, Sport and Development at Podium Productions since 2015. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in organizing international sporting events such as the World Triathlon Championship Series, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, and the Volleyball World Elite 16 Beach Pro Tour. Her leadership in securing public funding and fostering partnerships with major sports federations has been instrumental in the success and sustainability of these events. “Jo-Annie has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication in the world of sports management,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and Co-Founder of the CEBL. “Her extensive experience and proven track record make her the ideal person to lead the Montréal Alliance into a bright and successful future.” Charbonneau’s commitment to promoting sport and unifying communities is evident through her numerous professional and volunteer engagements. She has been an influential mentor at HEC Montréal, served on the Board of Directors of Égale-Action, and chaired committees for both World Triathlon and Triathlon Québec. Her academic credentials, including a Master of Law (LL.M) in Sports Law from Marquette University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Ottawa, further solidify her as a distinguished leader in the field. “I am honoured and thrilled to join the Montréal Alliance as President,” said Charbonneau. “My journey in sports has always been driven by my passion for bringing people together and fostering a sense of community through athletic excellence. I look forward to building on the incredible foundation laid during the franchise’s first three seasons and working with our talented team to achieve new heights. Together, we will continue to make the Alliance a source of pride for Montréal and our devoted fans.” Charbonneau’s extensive career also includes strategic consulting at LBB Strategies, where she developed high-performance plans for sports organizations and prepared bid documents for major sporting events. Her publication in the Marquette Sports Law Review on antitrust and labor law in professional sports leagues showcases her deep understanding of the legal aspects of sports management. With her appointment as President, Charbonneau is poised to lead the Montréal Alliance with a focus on community engagement, exceptional game-day experiences, and a commitment to excellence both on and off the court. The Alliance is confident that under her leadership, the team will continue to thrive and make a significant impact in the world of professional basketball. Annie Larouche will remain in her position until the end of Championship Weekend, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity for the organization during this period.

The Montréal Alliance is hitting its stride at the right time. The hosts of CEBL Championship Weekend from August 9-11 eked out an 80-78 victory over the Vancouver Bandits in a potential championship preview on Sunday. Montréal held off a late comeback from the first-place Vancouver squad in a defensive battle at Verdun Auditorium. Alliance head coach Derrick Alston Sr. said competitiveness was the goal entering the matchup. “I think we dominated the game at certain points. [In the] third quarter we kind of had some slippage, but we did enough to win and usually we're on the wrong side of games like that. So I was very happy to be on the right side of it this time,” Alston Sr. said. While both teams struggled from the field in the regular season finale, it was an out-of-character performance for the high-scoring Bandits’ offence. Vancouver shot 35 per cent from the floor, 16 per cent from three, 54 per cent from the free-throw line and missed 17 free throws in the loss. Ahmed Hill knocked down a game-high 19 points for Montréal in the squad’s second consecutive victory. It’s the first time the Alliance won back-to-back games this season. Christian Rohlehr contributed 14 points off the bench on 6-8 shooting, in addition to six rebounds and two blocks. Devonté Bandoo added 12 points, including the game-winning and-one. “I was just doing my job finishing - trying to finish everything,” Rohlehr said. On the other side, all five Bandits’ starters reached double figures in the loss. Mitch Creek and Kur Jongkuch led the way with double-doubles. Creek notched a team-high 18 points to go along with 11 boards, while Jongkuch tallied 13 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks. Tazé Moore and Duane Notice each scored 13 points as well, including a massive poster dunk from Moore during Target Score Time. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Vancouver after clinching a berth in the Western Conference Final against Scarborough on Friday night. After the game, Bandits’ head coach Kyle Julius said he was proud of the way the team performed in a game without playoff implications at the end of a road trip. “It didn't mean anything to us and we came back and fought like that – we were short-handed. I'm really proud of the guys and I think we showed a lot of grit and toughness,” Julius said. Vancouver got off to a blazing start with a 10-0 run that included a pair of triples from Zach Copeland. Shortly after a timeout, Montréal fought back with a 14-2 run to take the lead. Back-to-back inside finishes from Creek and Nick Ward regained the lead for the Bandits. However, Ward was ejected after picking up an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical. The Montréal defence locked down at the beginning of the second quarter and held Vancouver without a field goal for the opening six minutes. The Alliance went on a 19-5 run during that stretch, powered by the inside presence of Rohlehr. The high-powered Vancouver offence was limited to just 11 points in the frame with seven of those points coming at the charity stripe. The defensive battle continued into the third quarter, with both teams going roughly three and a half minutes without a field goal. However, an adjustment to zone and strong post play from Jongkuch helped the Bandits inch their way back into the game. A stepback jumper in the mid-range from Marcus Carr gave the Bandits the lead but that seemed to provide Montréal with a spark. The Alliance ended the third on a 9-2 run to take a 60-54 lead into the final frame. Montréal maintained the lead in a free-throw-heavy fourth quarter. Moore pulled Vancouver closer with back-to-back buckets near the midway point of the frame, but a massive three from Hill provided the Alliance with a cushion heading into Target Score Time. The two squads traded buckets early in Target Score Time, putting Montréal four points away from victory. After an absurd poster dunk from Moore, Bandoo hit a free throw to push the Alliance closer. However, the Alliance went cold from long range and the Bandits went on a 9-1 run to regain the lead and put them two points away from a win. Bandoo allowed the Montréal fans a sigh of relief with an old-fashioned three-point play to end it. What’s next? Both teams will have an 11-day break to await their opponents in the CEBL Championship Weekend Conference Final on August 9.

The Vancouver Bandits will wrap up a three-game road trip against the Montréal Alliance on Sunday in a potential championship preview. The game is set for 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT on Game+, streaming live on CEBL+, TSN+, Courtside 1891, RDS.ca, and the RDS App. The two sides will meet in the regular season finale at Verdun Auditorium – the destination for CEBL Championship Weekend from August 9-11. Each team has a spot clinched in the Conference Final on August 9, though they took different routes to get there. The Alliance had a spot in the Eastern Conference Final secured at the beginning of the season due to hosting and the team struggled in stretches of the season. Montréal enters the final contest of the campaign at 5-14 – sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. However, the hosts come into Sunday’s matchup with positive momentum. A sharp fourth quarter on both ends pushed the Alliance to an 89-72 victory over the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Friday night. A two-way clinic from Guillaume Payen-Boucard aided Montréal in snapping a four-game losing streak. The Alliance will look to replicate the performance in the final game of the regular season as a nearly two-week break awaits. It’s a situation the Vancouver Bandits are all too familiar with. CEBL Championship Weekend was hosted by Vancouver at Langley Events Centre last year and the Bandits also near the bottom of the Conference ahead of a long break. While the team will still need to stay in form over 11 days without games, this iteration of the Bandits has proven itself to be a dominant force in the league. Vancouver clinched first place in the Western Conference and a bye to Championship Weekend with a 104-90 win in Scarborough on Friday. Twenty-two points from guard Marcus Carr drove the Bandits to their fourth straight win. If Vancouver emerges victorious again, the team would tie its longest win streak of the season ahead of Championship Weekend. Vancouver’s last meeting with Montréal came in the season opener at Langley Events Centre. The Bandits downed the Alliance 95-75 in that outing, though injuries and acquisitions have slightly changed the look of both teams in the interim. Montréal head coach Derrick Alston Sr. and Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius will each have interesting lineup choices ahead of them in regards to resting players or favouring sharpness with Conference Final berths clinched. Player spotlight  Marcus Carr’s 22 points in 25 minutes off the bench was a team-high for the Bandits on Friday. It was his largest output in a Bandits uniform since recently joining the squad. He suited up for the first time against the Sea Bears at the Langley Events Centre on June 18 in a limited role and played four minutes in the Bandits’ trip to Brampton earlier in the week. The former Texas Longhorns playmaker seems ripe for another opportunity to get acquainted with his new teammates on Sunday. Meanwhile, Vancouver will have to deal with Payen-Boucard for the first time this season. The Montréal guard finished with 21 points, five rebounds, four steals and two blocks in an outstanding performance on both ends against Saskatchewan. After the win, Alston Sr. said he’s one of the Alliance’s best defensive players, if not one of the best in the league. Milestone Watch ● Montréal’s Ahmed Hill is 25 points away from 1,300 for his career, regular season only ● Montréal’s Elijah Ifejeh is 10 rebounds away the all-time franchise record for rebounds, including playoffs ● Montréal’s Chrs Smith is two steals away from 30 for the season ● Vancouver’s Nick Ward leads the CEBL in free throws made and is one away from 100 for the season ● Vancouver’s Ward is six rebounds away from the all-time franchise record held by Alex Campbell, including playoffs ● Vancouver’s Tazé Moore has 121 assists on the season, battling Calgary’s Corey Davis Jr. (119) for most in the league and the CEBL regular season record

Guillaume Boucard’s 21 points helped the Montréal Alliance (5-14) snap their four-game losing skid with an 89-72 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers (6-14) on Friday night. In addition to his game-high point total, Boucard stuffed the stat sheet with five rebounds, two assists, four steals, and two blocked shots in the win. His play at both ends of the court was the engine that drove the Alliance all game, especially on defence. “I embrace that challenge of guarding the best player on the other team,” Boucard said about his defensive effort. “The good thing about guarding someone like Teddy Allen is you know if you're not on you’re ‘A’ game you’re going to get embarrassed. That’s just the challenge that I love to play for. I think being aggressive defensively helps my mind be aggressive on the offensive end.” Curtis Hollis also made significant contributions for Montréal, dropping 17 points, three assists, and three steals. The game was closely contested and seemed like it would come down to the wire after the first three-quarters of play. However, Montréal had different plans. The Alliance began the fourth locked in on both sides of the floor, outscoring Saskatchewan 22-10 in the frame to secure the win. After the game, Montreal Alliance head coach Derrick Alston Sr. spoke about Boucard’s impact on both ends of the floor. “Long story short, he just needed time for his body to heal,” Alston said. “He’s one of our best defensive players, if not one of the best in the league. For him to take that challenge, just to compete, and then come around and score 21. To take away their best player and then turn around and carry the offensive load when we lost Chris [Smith], we commended him in the locker room.” The Rattlers had a slow offensive start to the first quarter, but immediately battled back in the second to cut the Alliance lead to four heading into the second half. Both teams were neck and neck in the third quarter, with Montréal managing to edge out a small lead before flipping the switch in the fourth quarter. Alston knows this team has what it takes to compete with Championship Weekend approaching. “I tell them all the time, we have enough,” he said. “If we can get everybody on the same page, we have enough. At the end of the day, our defence is going to keep us in games. We just need everyone to make shots, we have Bowden coming back, that helps a lot.” What’s next? The Montréal Alliance will face off against the Vancouver Bandits in a potential CEBL Final preview this Sunday before heading to Championship Weekend, while the Rattlers 2024 season comes to a close.