The Montreal Tundra ready for first season
Posted March 2, 2023 1:39 pm.
Last Updated March 3, 2023 1:12 pm.
The Montreal Tundra, the city’s newest professional basketball team, will soon be hitting the court for their upcoming season. Newly established, they’ve got a lot to prove, both on the court and of course to Montrealers.
“We’re trying to represent the city, and we haven’t had a winning team in a long time in Montreal, so we’re trying to just show people that Montreal is a good basketball city and also that it’s a winning city,” explained Olivier Cadieux, a shooting guard for the Tundra, from Laval he’s been playing the sport for now 16 years. “We’re trying to win. We’re trying to make sure that the city is on the map.”
The Montreal Tundra is the first Canadian team to join the basketball league with players exclusively from Quebec. The team’s general manager, Juan Mendez, sees it as an opportunity to bring the city and the province together.
“It represents our city, who we are. I believe that bringing the community together with this sport, is one of the best ways for me to give back,” said Mendez.
Montreal Tundra players practice ahead of their first game. (Photo Credit: Felisha Adam)
As for the players, they see the team as an opportunity for more hometown representation.
“It’s a blessing. You know, a hometown kid, a hometown team. Opportunities are getting open for everybody else. So playing in front of friends and families is always a blessing,” said Narcisse Kalamba, guard and a forward for the team.
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When describing the new team, Misi-Boye Jeanneau-Mobiala, point guard for the team who has been playing the sport for fifteen years, said “aggressive,” before Mendez added, “hard-working, blue-collar and just fierce.”
Olivier Cadieux and Misi-boye Jeanneau-Mobiala practicing. (Photo credit: Felisha Adam)
Cadieux described the team as “tough… We’re going to compete, and we’re going to do anything to put Montreal on the map.”
Their upcoming season begins March 4, when they face off against the Virginia Valley Vipers on their home court, at Centre Pierre Charbonneau. And the team is ready to hit the court.
Narcissus Kalamba during the Montreal Tundra Practice (Photo credit: Felisha Adam)
When speaking to Kalamba, he was delightfully surprised that the team’s first season game was completely sold out. “I didn’t know it was sold out! I’m sure it’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait,” said Kalamba.
He adds the team can be best described by a quote from NBA player Kevin Durant, “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”
“You can’t rely on the talent always, you have to rely on hard work,” Kalamba added. “So without hard work, you won’t get the benefit from the resolve, and hard work is really what we do out here.”
