Former SFU player to spearhead elite league's B.C. franchise

One-time Simon Fraser University hoop star Peter Guarasci is taking on a hefty and exciting role as the first-ever head coach and general manager of the Fraser Valley Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).

Guarasci, a prominent alumnus of Team Canada’s Men’s National Team, will be in charge of B.C.’s lone entry into the upstart six-team league, which launches its inaugural season on May 9 when the Guelph Nighthawks pay a visit to the Abbotsford Centre.

It won’t hurt that the Niagara Falls native’s decorated hoop lineage spans the globe, beginning as a player at the highest levels of American and Canadian collegiate basketball.

This paved the way for an impressive 12-year professional career in leagues in Germany, Spain, and Italy, highlighted by a key role on Canadian men’s national team under now Charlotte Hornets assistant coach and one-time SFU bench boss Jay Triano, and alongside fellow national team alumni and two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.

The CEBL kicks off the 2019 season in six cities across Canada. Fraser Valley’s first-ever game is scheduled for Thursday, May 9 when Guelph visits the Bandits.

Standing six-foot-nine, Guarasci built a reputation as an elite defender at every level. He finished top 10 in blocks in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1992/93 and 1993/94 while playing for the Fairfield Stags men’s basketball team in NCAA Division I. After two years in the NCAA, Guarasci returned to Canada where he played two seasons for Triano at Simon Fraser University in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, earning two team MVP awards and a nod as an NAIA All-American in 1996.

Guarasci has dedicated himself to coaching since retiring from professional play. Between 2012 and 2018, he served as the head coach of the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s men’s basketball team, where he placed an emphasis on student-athlete achievement, both on the court and in the classroom.

“I am very excited to be part of a league with a mandate to develop the game domestically and provide a podium for Canada’s most exciting generation of professional basketball players,” Guarasci said.

Towards the end of his professional playing career, Guarasci spent summers with the Canadian development and junior national men’s teams in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, where he used his skillset as one of Canada’s best centers in the late ’90s and early 2000s to help develop the next generation of Canadian post players.

This paved the way for valuable stints as an assistant coach at SFU and the University of Alberta before ultimately serving as a head coach at MacEwan University and then with the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s men’s basketball team for six years. While coaching the Heat, Guarasci utilized a holistic approach towards fostering student-athlete development at the university and in the community. Beyond coaching and recruiting, Guarasci was actively involved in academic monitoring, university fundraising efforts, and youth-driven development programs, evidenced by his development of one of the Okanagan’s top-tier youth basketball programs, the Junior Heat.

“Basketball is the sport of Canada’s current cultural moment, and I couldn’t be more excited to forge a bold new chapter in Canadian basketball history by welcoming a head coach and general manager of Guarasci’s calibre,” said Bandits president Lee Genier, who spent 19 years with the Calgary Stampeders, where he held the position of senior vice president of business operations prior to winning 2016 National Lacrosse League’s Executive of the Year award with the Saskatchewan Rush.

“Guarasci’s addition is a testament to the CEBL’s bright future. He is a community-first leader that believes in creating a lasting impact for players and fans that extends well beyond the game of basketball. His values and belief system reflect the progressive and innovative nature of the CEBL and will help create an unforgettable entertainment experience for fans, community and corporate partners.”

For more on the Bandits and the CEBL, visit www.thebandits.ca.

Burnaby Now | January 29, 2019