.JPG;w=960)
The Sudbury Five are off to a flying start in their inaugural season, posting a pair of road wins and jumping out to a 2-0 start.
The team will tip off at home at the Sudbury Arena on Nov. 22 in the first professional basketball game played in Sudbury.
Heading down to the arena to check out the Five? Get to know the guys who will be in uniform when the team takes the court Thursday evening.
Jaylen Bland, No. 1
Position: Guard
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 223
Born: Saginaw, Michigan
School: University of California Riverside
Bio: Bland was a member of the Murray State Racers in 2011-2012 and then went on to become a record setter for the University of California Riverside. In his senior year, he averaged 16.1 points per game, and had a better three point percentage than field goal percentage. Bland holds the UCR program record with 118 threes in a season and 213 in his career. He was drafted with the 15th pick in the 2016 NBA D-League(now G-League) draft.
Braylon Rayson, No. 2
Position: Guard
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 186
Born: Dallas, Texas
School: Central Michigan University
Bio: Rayson played 37 games for the Windsor Express last season. In his senior year 2016-2017 with Central Michigan he averaged over 21 points per game. He holds Central Michigan school records for three point shots made with 271 and attempted with 768. He also is third all time in scoring with 1,888 points. Last season for Windsor, he averaged almost 14 points per game.
Adam Blazek, No. 3
Position: Guard
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 175
Born: Erie, Pennsylvania
School: Gannon University
Bio: Blazek spent all four years at Gannon University in his home town where he logged heavy minutes and averaged over 14 points per game for his career. Blazek played two seasons in the NBL of Canada before heading to Georgia, the country, where he was named the MVP of the Georgian Super League in 2017-2018.
Dexter Williams Jr., No. 4
Position: Guard/Forward
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 212
Born: Jacksonville, Florida
School: University of Montana Western
Bio: Williams played two seasons for the Bulldogs at the University of Montana Western, his junior and senior years. He averaged nearly 16 points per game in both years with a career high 33 points in 2014-2015 against Rocky Mountain College. In his two seasons he was named two-time conference All American, two-time first team All-Frontier Conference selection and Frontier Conference newcomer of the year and MVP.
George Serresse, No. 9
Position: Guard/Forward
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 201
Born: Sudbury, Ontario
School: Laurentian University
Bio: Serresse went to College Notre Dame in Greater Sudbury and then played at Laurentian University. Serresse averaged almost 16 points per game and 6.5 rebounds in his final season at Laurentian.
Antoine Chandler, No. 12
Position: Guard
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 170
Born: Farmington Hills, Michigan
School: Eastern Michigan University
Bio: Chandler played two seasons at Eastern Michigan between 2011 and 2013 before turning pro. He spent last season with the Windsor Express playing with Braylon Rayson and coach Logan Stutz.
Cory Dixon, No. 14
Position: Forward
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 205
Born: Argyle, Texas
School: University of New Orleans
Bio: Cory Dixon bounced around a little starting out at Northwestern State in Louisiana, to Collin College, Hutchison Community College before going to the University of New Orleans. In his senior year he averaged 13.5 points per game. He then spent three seasons in the British Basketball League and in Belgium for Limburg United.
Grandy Glaze, No. 22
Position: Forward
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 268
Born: North York, Ontario
School: Saint Louis University and Grand Canyon University
Bio: Glaze went to school in Brampton before moving on to three different high level schools in the United States. Signed to the University of Las Vegas-Nevada(UNLV) but decided to go to Saint Louis University. In all three seasons at Saint Louis the team went to the NCAA tournament losing in the third round each year to Michigan State, Oregon and Louisville. Glaze transferred to Grand Canyon University for this senior year and went on to play in Mexico before signing with the St. John’s Edge of the National Basketball League of Canada in 2017.
Alexander Henry, No. 23
Position: Forward
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 219
Born: Sann Andres Island, Columbia – Sudbury, Ontario.
School: Universidad del Valle De Mexico and Laurentian University
Bio: Henry went to Laurentian University taking mechanical engineering. He played in 17 games that season for the Voyageurs.
Travis Releford, No. 24
Position: Guard/Forward
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 220
Born: Kansas City, Missouri
School: University of Kansas
Bio: Releford was a two-time All-American in high school which landed him at the University of Kansas. He ended his career at Kansas 10th all time in games played with
138 and tied for 27th in school history in steals with 114. Releford started in his junior and senior year for the Jayhawks and went to four Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights and one National Championship appearance in 2012 where Kansas lost to Kentucky 67-59. Releford started that game against a Kentucky team that featured Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Doron Lamb, Marquis Teague and Terrance Jones, all of which have played or currently play in the NBA. Travis went undrafted after his senior season, played in the NBA Summer League with Denver and then played in 16 games for the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League. He then played in Belgium, Finland, Poland, Britain, Cyprus and here in Canada.
Antwon Clayton, No. 25 (no photo available)
Position: Forward
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 205
Born: Leesburg, Florida
School: Jacksonville University
Bio: Clayton played 100 games for the Jacksonville University which is about a two hour drive from his hometown. He wrapped up his NCAA career last season averaging a 5.3 points per game while starting all 16 games he played.
Devin Gilligan, No. 32
Position: Guard/Forward
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 220
Born: Amherst, New Hampshire
School: Southern New Hampshire University
Bio: Gilligan started his post secondary career at Augustana College before transferring to Southern New Hampshire where he played 96 games. He averaged over 20 points per game in his senior season. He was drafted to the NBA Development League in 2017 to the Delaware 87ers, the affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, but did not make the roster. Last season he played for KFUM Nassjo Basket a team in Sweden’s top tier basketball league.
Walter Pitchford, No. 35
Position: Forward
Height: 6’11”
Weight: 238
Born: Blue Island, Illinois
School: University of Florida and University of Nebraska
Bio: Raptors fans might be familiar with the name. Pitchford went to high school in Michigan before heading off to Florida to play for the Gators. After one season he transferred to the University of Nebraska where he played two seasons before searching for a contract overseas. Pitchford was part of the Cornhuskers squad that made the NCAA tournament in 2014 losing to Baylor in the second round. He signed a contract with the Raptors 905 but retired from professional basketball just five games in. Pitchford came back and played in Georgia in the Georgian Super Liga in 2016-2017. Pitchford was acquired from the Moncton Magic before the season started.
Tyrrel Tate, No. 42
Position: Guard
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 208
Born: Raleigh, North Carolina
School: Fayetteville State University
Bio: Tate was a star at Fayetteville State averaging over 16 points per game in his junior and senior season. He was not drafted to the NBA but had two stints in the NBA G-League, in 2014-2015 when it was still the Development League with the Idaho Stampede. Then last season he split time between the Canton Charge and Texas Legends. He played 47 games, starting 10 over that time. In between those two stints he played 75 games for the Moncton Magic in the National Basketball League of Canada.
