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Ottawa BlackJacks

Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Veteran Earl Calloway

May 19, 2021 - Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
Ottawa BlackJacks News Release


The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday the signing of Earl Calloway.

A six-foot-three guard from Atlanta, Georgia, Calloway has played 496 games as a pro in Spain, Turkey, Croatia - where he won the league championship, and in the NBA G-League, averaging 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 26.6 minutes.

With 13 years of professional basketball experience, the Indiana University alumnus spent the most recent campaign with Obradoiro CAB, competing in the top-tier professional basketball league in Spain, where he averaged 6.1 points and 3.3 assists. He posted a season-high 17 points, including three triples, to go along with four rebounds and six assists December 8 against Real Betis.

During the 2018-2019 campaign, Calloway averaged 10.1 points, 4.7 assists and 28.5 minutes in 24 games for Afyon in Turkey. He scored a season-high 21 points, hitting five triples March 30 against Banvit BK and dished a season-high 12 assists, to go along with three steals January 27 against Bahcesehir.

Holding both American and Bulgarian citizenships, Calloway represented the senior men's Bulgarian national team at the qualification for Eurobasket 2011.

The Atlanta native played his first professional season in 2007-2008 with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G-League, where he averaged 19.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 50 games. He led his team in assists per game and steals per game and finished the season with one triple-double and six double-doubles. He recorded 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists April 12 against the Dakota Wizards, just five days after his triple-double performance with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists on April 7 versus the Iowa Wolves.

Collegiately, Calloway averaged 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 86 games for Indiana University and New Mexico State University. As a senior with the Hoosiers, Calloway finished fourth in the Big Ten conference for free throw percentage (.806), eighth for assists (125) and 10th for two-point field goal percentage (.528).

Ottawa will open the 2021 campaign with a three-game homestand that begins on June 24 against the Niagara River Lions, followed by a date with the Guelph Nighthawks on June 28 and concludes with a special Canada Day matinee against the Hamilton Honey Badgers.

The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 following the success of this past year's CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ontario, which saw millions of viewers across Canada and around the world tune in to watch 26 games played over 15 days in a single-site league competition. The CEBL became the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in mid-March shut down sports across the country.

Quotes:

"With 13 years of professional experience in some of the top leagues in Europe, Earl will be a great leader for our younger players. His consistency and work ethic make him an important piece of our roster."

- Jevohn Shepherd, General Manager, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club

"I've played in various countries around the world, but it will be the first time I play professionally in Canada and I'm looking forward to it. The BlackJacks are a great organization and I can't wait to meet the guys and the rest of the organization and get to work."

- Earl Calloway, Guard, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club

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