Montreal's New Pro Basketball Team Is Packing NBA Talent — Here's When They Hit The Court
"Each of our games will be Quebec vs. the United States."
A Toundra player prepares to dunk. Right: Members of the team huddle.
The Montreal Toundra are ramping up momentum ahead of their first season in a U.S. pro basketball league. The team held tryouts in January to assemble their roster of Montreal and Quebec athletes, bringing some NBA talent into the fold.
Professional players, like Kiliann Rotardier who has participated in training camps for NBA teams, will soon be hitting the court for Montreal.
"Each of our games will be Quebec vs. the United States," said head coach Igor Rwigema. "We want to protect Montreal's honour by winning as much as possible at home, and then, of course, we want to make the playoffs."
Montrealers can cheer on the team for their inaugural game on March 4, when they take on the Virginia Valley Vipers at Centre Pierre-Charbonneau by the Olympic Stadium.
The "historic" game marks the official arrival of The Basketball League (TBL) in Canada and the highest level of professional basketball in Montreal.
TBL spans 50 teams across North America with games in the winter and spring. It's also the first men's league in basketball history to be woman-owned and operated, with Evelyn Magley at the helm.
"With a league like the TBL here, it is no longer impossible to think about reaching the NBA from Montreal. We are a real stepping stone to get there," said Toundra founder and CEO Juan Mendez, who was himself a professional basketball player.
"The Toundra is an exceptional opportunity for local players to develop on a highly skilled team and to be recognized by the biggest professional teams."
Tickets to catch the team in action start at $20 and are available to purchase online.
