Alliance Announce Coaching and Support Staff for 2025 Season

April 22, 2025

Championship Experience and Local Expertise Come Together in Elite Technical Staff

The Montréal Alliance Basketball Club today announced its complete coaching and support staff for the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season under the leadership of Head Coach Jermaine Small, who was named to the position on January 27.


“Our vision for the Alliance has always been to build a premier basketball organization with deep roots in the Montréal community,” said Joel Anthony, General Manager and co-owner of the Alliance. “With this coaching staff, we’ve assembled a group that combines valuable championship and playing experience to help our players and allow them to compete at a high level.”


The Alliance’s coaching staff for the 2025 season features a blend of returning personnel and high-profile additions.


Ryan Thorne returns for his fourth season with the Alliance, taking on the role of Basketball Consultant. Thorne, who served as interim head coach for the first four games of the 2024 season, brings championship pedigree from his tenure at McGill University, where he led the men’s program to a provincial championship and previously guided the women’s team to their first national title in program history.


Damian Buckley joins as Lead Assistant Coach after an accomplished coaching career that includes roles with the Ottawa BlackJacks (CEBL), Montréal Tundra, and Concordia University. A Montréal native, Buckley was a standout player at Concordia where he earned First Team All-Canadian honours and RSEQ MVP recognition before playing professionally with the Montrél Jazz. 


Jahmal Jones brings his extensive playing experience to the coaching ranks, joining the Alliance after an international career that spanned multiple European leagues and included a championship with the Edmonton Stingers under Coach Small in the CEBL. Jones, who starred at Ryerson University where he earned multiple OUA All-Star selections, most recently served as head coach at H5 Academy Prep. 


Biniam Ghebrekidan returns for his second season as an assistant coach after transitioning from player to coach with the Alliance. A three-time U SPORTS National Champion with Carleton University, Ghebrekidan provides valuable insight from his decorated collegiate career and experience in Portugal’s professional league. 


Quesly-Marie Noresias, a Québec City native and former collegiate athlete at the University of Providence (Montana), returns for his third consecutive season with the Alliance coaching staff. His deep understanding of player development and strong connection to local basketball make him an invaluable asset to the organization. 


Kazadi Nyanguila joins the staff as Apprentice Coach after serving as an assistant coach with Vanier College’s men’s basketball program. The Montréal native brings NCAA Division I experience from his time at the University of New Hampshire and maintains strong ties to the local basketball community. 


“I’m thrilled to work alongside this exceptional group of coaches,” said Head Coach Jermaine Small. “Each brings unique strengths and perspectives that will benefit our players and our program. We’ve assembled a staff with championship experience at every level, from U SPORTS to professional leagues, that understands what it takes to build a winning culture. Most importantly, our group of coaches are relatable and personally know what it takes to develop on and off the court as professional athletes.”


The Alliance’s coaching staff notably features a strong Vanier College connection, with Head Coach Jermaine Small and Lead Assistant Coach Damian Buckley both having attended and played for the Montréal CEGEP. Apprentice Coach Kazadi Nyanguila currently serves as an assistant coach with Vanier’s men’s basketball program. This connection extends to the player roster as well, with recent draft picks Sultan Haider Bhatti (1st overall) and Jaheem Joseph (21st overall) both having developed their skills at Vanier College. 


The Alliance will continue to be led in the front office by General Manager Joel Anthony and Assistant General Manager Ibrahim Appiah. The basketball operations department will be coordinated by Henry Weinberg (Scouting and Analysis), while the medical staff includes Dr. Mickey Moroz (Team Physician), Manley Massenat (Kinesiologist and Physical Trainer), Nicolas Rostworoswski and Ester Falardeau (Athletic Therapists), and Jean-Philippe Hudon (Physiotherapist). 


The Montréal Alliance will begin its fourth CEBL season in May 2025,  with a home opener on May 18 against the Brampton Honey Badgers at the Verdun Auditorium, followed by a historic outdoor game at IGA Stadium on May 23. 



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About the Montréal Alliance

The Montréal Alliance is a professional basketball team competing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) since 2022. Under the presidency of Jo-Annie Charbonneau and the general management of Joel Anthony, two-time NBA champion, the Alliance will begin its fourth season in May 2025. In January 2025, the team came under control of Alli-Oop Investments, a 100% Montréal-based ownership group led by Joel Anthony, alongside Léo Bouisson and Ian-Philip Paul-Hus. The Alliance, which has seen two of its former players sign NBA contracts, is distinguished by its community engagement and development of local talent. For the 2025 season, the team has signed four players: Alain Louis, returning for his fourth consecutive season, Americans Michael Diggins Jr. and Anthony Walker, and Canadian veteran Malcolm Duvivier. The Alliance will make history on May 23 by hosting Éclipse : Match sous les étoiles, the first-ever outdoor 5x5 professional basketball game in Canadian history at IGA Stadium. The team plays its regular season games at Verdun Auditorium. For more information, visit www.alliancemontreal.ca or follow the team on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok. 

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The Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club has notified Head Coach Eric Magdanz that his contract will not be renewed following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Associate Head Coach Steve Burrows will also not be returning due to family reasons. Burrows spent two years with the franchise and Magdanz four – three as Lead Assistant Coach and in 2025 he was promoted to Head Coach. The team finished with a 7-17 record and did not qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season. The organization is grateful for the contributions of both Eric and Steve and their families. Their passion for player development and growing the game of basketball throughout Saskatchewan has our deepest admiration. The Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club has already begun recruitment for a new Head Coach. A new era of basketball in Saskatoon will be unveiled on February 4th, 2026.  ### About the Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club The Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club (previously Saskatchewan Rattlers) tipped off their inaugural season at SaskTel Centre in May 2019 and went on to win the inaugural Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) championship. The team are active members of the community, participating in countless events that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. The team has restored over 100 basketball nets across the city to make basketball more accessible to youth. For more information, visit www.therattlers.ca .