The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced today that the team has signed Miryne Thomas for the remainder of the 2026 Season. The 6’8 forward originally from Cleveland, OH will rejoin the BlackJacks after playing two previous seasons with them. In the 2024 season and his first professional season, Thomas averaged 6.7 points and 2.3 rebounds. Then in his return during the 2025 season, he averaged 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds. Now he will return to Ottawa to make his mark on his third year with the team. Thomas is no stranger to international play. He has played three seasons of basketball with different teams around Europe. He began his professional career during the 2023-24 season with the Leicester Riders in the British Basketball League (BBL). There, he averaged 12.8 points and 2.3 rebounds. Then after spending the summer of 2024 with the BlackJacks, he headed back to Europe to play with the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim, of the German-Pro-A. He played 19 games with that team, averaging 12 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He then headed to Slovakia to play with the Nitra Blue Wings, of the Slovak Basketball League. With the Blue Wings, he averaged 12 points and 3.9 rebounds. After spending the summer of 2025 with the BlackJacks once again, Thomas jetted back overseas to play with the Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, of the Georgian Super Liga. There, he averaged 21.5 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He played 32 games with the Dolphins, was the Georgian Super Liga MVP, and the Georgian Super Liga Finals MVP. He then went and played three games for Hoops Club in the Lebanese Basketball League. Across those three games with that team he averaged 16 points, 9.7 rebounds and two assists. Before turning pro, Thomas played at three universities across NCAA Division I. He began his university career in the 2017-18 season at The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where he averaged 11 points and 7.8 rebounds in his rookie year. During his time at Maryland Eastern Shore, he was MEAC All-Rookie Team and MEAC Rookie of the Week. He then transferred to Ball State University in the 2019-2020 season for his next three years of eligibility. In his final year at Ball State, he averaged 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists. For his final year of eligibility in the NCAA, he transferred to Kent State University. There, he averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. During his time at Kent State he was an MAC Player of the Week. Born on Sept. 4, 1999, the 26-year-old played his high school years at Cleveland Central Catholic High School.

The Ottawa BlackJacks won their second back-to-back game against the Niagara River Lions yesterday afternoon. The win was well credited to two returning veterans, Javonte Smart and Isaih Moore. Moore returns to the BlackJacks halfway through the season, after spending five games with the Edmonton Stingers. Moore has spent two previous seasons with the BlackJacks since his rookie year in 2024. “There's no place like home,” said Moore, who, despite being from Sumter, SC, now considers Ottawa to be a second home for him. “It's what I know in the summertime.” Moore came back to the BlackJacks with a big performance, shooting 100 per cent from the field and ending the game with a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, nine of those being defensive rebounds. Being a powerhouse on both ends of the court, Moore could be the answer the BlackJacks have been looking for. “It’s just great to have him in that locker room,” said Head Coach Justin Mazzulla. “He will have tons of effort on the floor, his competitive spirit, his willingness to do whatever.” Moore and Smart know each other well. From playing together on the BlackJacks last year to playing against each other in the G League, they are familiar with each other's game. “It's the funniest conundrum, because we go from battling each other, seeing each other two, three times in the G League, and now, we got to put all that behind us and be teammates for a couple months,” said Moore. Moore has also played against Justin Harmon and Matthew Cleveland, who also play in the G League. Being familiar with the way the G League players play was actually helpful for Moore, a big reason why he was able to get acquainted so quickly. “I know the familiar guys' games, and I know the new guys from playing them,” said Moore. “[So], it wasn't that hard to get me in tune with the plays.” Smart, who currently holds the franchise record for points in a single game, surpassed Tyrell Tate in the leaderboard for second total franchise points ever. He is now second with 684, behind Deng Adel, who has 964. In only two seasons with the BlackJacks, Smart has cemented himself in history numerous times. As the franchise leader for points in a single game, and now second in all-time scoring, he will go down in history as one of the team’s best. “I'm truly proud and truly honoured to get past Tate,” said Smart. “I'll show him love, [...] but I'm happy to pass him.” Smart said that he FaceTimes Tate quite often, and that those will be his exact words when he breaks the news to him. Yesterday’s game was a big one for Justin Mazzulla, as he had his brother and Head Coach of the Boston Celtics, Joe Mazzulla, in the crowd. Alongside Joe was his wife, Camai Mazzulla and Utah Jazz Head Coach Scott Morrison. “I'm just super grateful to have mentors and super grateful to have an extra set of eyes to see what I don't see and offer a perspective,” said Justin Mazzulla about coaching with them in the crowd. The BlackJacks will now head to Western Ontario to play the Brampton Honey Badgers and rematch the Niagara River Lions on their turf. The BlackJacks have only won one road game this season, in May, against the Montreal Alliance. Mazzulla says the key to winning these road games is continuing to be a tight-knit locker room. These road games will also be the BlackJacks' first look at the team without Harmon and Cleveland, who will be heading to the NBA Summer League. “Just being able to know that the roles that the new guys are stepping into, they’re big shoes to fill, but also that doesn't mean they can't fill them,” said Justin Mazzulla.

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced today that the team has re-signed Isaih Moore for the 2026 Season. The 6’10 power forward from Sumter, SC has spent two previous seasons with the BlackJacks, averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per game in the 2024 season, and 19 points and 11 rebounds per game in the 2025 season. Most recently, in the 2025-26 season, Moore spent time in the NBA G League with the San Diego Clippers, Mexico City Capitanes and the College Park Skyhawks. Across the three G League teams, he averaged 12 points and six rebounds. During Moore’s time at both JUCO’s and NCAA Division I schools, he averaged 11.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. He played at Charleston University, Pearl River Community College, St. John's University, Southern Mississippi University and Fresno State University, across 5 years. He graduated from Fresno State after the 2023-23 season. During the 2020-21 season, with St. John’s, he was a Third-Team All-American. After graduating, Moore practiced with the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League before he was acquired by the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and then the Greensboro Swarm. Across his first year in the G League, he averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. Moore played briefly with the Edmonton Stingers of the CEBL during the 2026 season, averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds across five games. Moore is coming in to be a defensive powerhouse. Standing at 6’10, he could be who the BlackJacks have been looking for in the absence of Drew Cisse, who is currently at national team camp with Guinea. He is 13th in all-time defensive rebounds per game in the CEBL with 6.1 and 19th in all-time defensive rebounds with 126