Brampton’s No. 1 basketball pick in the CEBL U Sports Draft

David Muenkat, right, in action with NCAA Division 1 St. Francis Brooklyn. He now plays at St. Francis Xavier in Nova Scotia. (Instagram)

David Muenkat, who averaged nearly a double-double in his first season following his repatriation to Canadian college basketball, scored a coveted development opportunity in the 2022 Canadian Elite Basketball League.

The six-foot-seven Brampton forward was the first overall pick tonight by the expansion Scarborough Shooting Stars in the CEBL U Sports Draft. Under Canadian league rules, each team brings in top college players for the summer season for the chance to experience professional basketball by training and playing alongside veteran pros from the NBA, La NBA G League, Canadian National Team and Top International Leagues. Players’ rights expire after one season and they can be chosen by another team the following season.

Muenkat joined the St. Francis Xavier X-Men from the Atlantic University Sport Conference this season, after playing the same name St. Francis Brooklyn in the NCAA Division 1. At St. Francis Xavier, he averaged 13.8 points and 9.6 rebounds last time out. season, showing an ability to attack the rim while finishing second in the conference in rebounding.

The now 10-team CEBL, which also includes founding members Hamilton Honey Badgers and Niagara River Lions, is planning a 20-game regular season for its fourth year of competition. The season starts on May 25.

✅ 2nd in total rebounds in the @AUS_SUA
✅ 2021-22 @StFXAthletics Basketball X-Men Coach Award Winner
✅ 1st draft pick @sss_cebl franchise history
✅1st in the general CEBL ranking @usportsca draft

David Muenkat. (@davidmuenkat) 💯🔥#Ourgame #CEBLUSPORTSDraft#CEBLFutures pic.twitter.com/plmKZk6XiQ

— CEBL (@CEBLigue) April 20, 2022

🤩🔥 pic.twitter.com/us5l9bVREk

— CEBL (@CEBLigue) April 19, 2022

The CEBL uses the “snake” draft format popular in fantasy leagues, where the draft order switches for the second round. As a result, Hamilton had the No. 8 and 13 picks, while Niagara selected the ninth and 12th.

Both franchises used their first pick to rephrase a player who acquired professional seasoning with them in 2021.

• The Honey Badgers passed the No. 8 selection to forward Keeven Veinot of Dalhousie University in Halifax. The Port Williams, Nova Scotia native played nine games for Hamilton last summer, averaging 7.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 14.8 minutes in nine appearances.

  At No. 13, Hamilton added Lakehead Thunderwolves guard Michael Okafor. Okafor, a Toronto native, averaged 19.2 points last season for Lakehead to finish ninth in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) scoring.

• The River Lions are bringing back two-time U Sports Player of the Year Lloyd Pandi, a six-foot-four guard from the Carleton Ravens. Pandi averaged 7.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 22.0 minutes in 14 games for Niagara in 2021, then returned to his hometown Ravens in Ottawa and helped them win their third consecutive national title.

  Pandi has entered his name in the upcoming NBA draft, so he won’t be returning to Carleton.

  With their No. 12 pick, the River Lions stayed home by adding Hamilton-native Brock Badgers guard Isaiah Bujdoso. Bujdoso helped the Badgers win the OUA Wilson Cup for the first time in 29 seasons. For the season, he averaged 7.1 points and 3.7 assists in 18.9 minutes per game.

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