Saskatoon, Sask. - The Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the full list of 2023 Player Awards. The awards are presented by the Rattlers to players who excelled on the court and in the community during the 2023 season.
The 2022 Breakthrough Performance of the Year recipient returned to the roster and made his name known in the home opener win against Vancouver. Mike Nuga was recognized by the team for his work off the bench and his ability to play on both ends of the court. Nuga was named Sixth Man of the Year and Canadian Player of the Year. He was responsible for game-winning plays and filled in where he was needed. He averaged 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 27.3 minutes playing 19 games with 7 starts.
The 2022 Sixth Man of the Year returned coming off of a highly decorated U SPORTS season. Anthony Tsegakele named Defensive Player of the Year, for the impact he made on the defensive-end. He matched up with the best players on every team and shut them down - Cat Barber, Christian Vital, and 2023 CEBL MVP Teddy Allen to name a few. He ranked top five on the team in total steals and total blocks. He managed to average 5.2 rebounds per game while on playing 15.5 minutes.
The longest tenured Rattlers player made his presence known in his third consecutive season. D’Andre Bernard was named Man of the People. His work in the community was unmatched; attending events, visiting schools, leading youth programs, hosting clinics, refreshing mesh on community courts, hosting youth basketball clinics, and even gifting his shoes to young fans. Bernard’s character and leadership made an impact this season.
‘JWF’, ‘Justin Wright-Foreman’, and ‘MVP’ was heard all season long. The 2019 NBA Draft Pick was unstoppable this season. The CEBL MVP nominee was named 2023 Rattlers Clutch Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and fan vote for Dunk of the Year. Wright-Foreman led the CEBL in points per game (29.2), fouls drawn per game (7.3), and three-pointers made per game (3.9). He was responsible for four target-time game winning shots, and three-new franchise records for points in a game (36 points (June 4th), 37 points (June 29th), and 39 points (July 17th). Justin Wright-Foreman holds the single-season total points record of 525 points, which was previously held by 2022 MVP nominee Tony Carr (377). Justin Wright-Foreman is on his way back to the NBA attending workouts with the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors.
Saskatchewan’s fan favourite, the reigning Mr. SSK repeated what he did in 2022. Malik Benlevi was a leader on and off the court this season – taking part in community iniatives while playing at a high-performance. Benlevi averaged 8.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 25.7 minutes while playing 15 games. The team captain was responsible for two game-winning shots this season. He was presented a handmade Beaded Medallion by Tribal Chief Mark Arcand and Residential School Survivor, Eugene Arcand. During the season Malik led his team to take part in community events. Malik reconnected with Anthony Lanier II of the Saskatchewan Roughriders to swap jerseys on centre court; both are from Savannah, Georgia and call Sask a second home.
“All of the players we bring to the Rattlers annually are of high quality, this year is no exception.” said Rattler Vice President Brad Kraft “The character these award winners have, matched with their on-court performances make this team exciting and approachable by all of our fans. It’s fun to give the guys a little nod and show that we care about them.”
The Rattlers have released their 2024 Season Ticket Memberships with seats starting at $17.50 per game. Contact the Rattlers Front Office to learn more about payment plans, memberships perks, and events during the off-season
Rattlers Front Office (306) 244-2181, Saskatchewan Rattlers website, or via Ticketmaster. For more seating options, luxury suites, and group rates; fans can contact an account executive
About the Saskatchewan Rattlers
The Saskatchewan Rattlers are Saskatchewan’s professional basketball team, one of the six original teams in the CEBL – the Rattlers won the 2019 inaugural season championship. Playing out of SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – the Rattlers offer an entertainment-focused environment surrounded by some of the world’s top professional athletes. The Rattlers are a community-first organization and take pride in their ability to bring communities together while making sport more accessible to the province.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 71 percent of its 2022 roster being Canadian Players bringing experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players have attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, & YouTube.
DUNK OF THE YEAR
JUSTIN WRIGHT-FOREMAN (vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears on June 9th)
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
TREY NIEMI
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
MIKE NUGA
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY TSEGAKELE
CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JUSTIN WRIGHT-FOREMAN
MAN OF THE PEOPLE
D’ANDRE BERNARD
MR. SSK
MALIK BENLEVI
CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MIKE NUGA
MVP
JUSTIN WRIGHT-FOREMAN
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