North Bay’s Joey Puddister has been named the head coach and general manager of the defending Basketball Super League champion Sudbury Five. 

By Richard Coffin

 The former Five player and assistant coach for Nipissing University basketball took over on the weekend. 

“It’s special to be able to come back to a place that I have history as a player and take on the head coaching job,” says Puddister. “Coach Logan Stutz has built such an incredible foundation here, obviously coming off a championship season. That’s something I’m really excited to work with our returning players to build on, bring in some excitng new talent as well, and look to repeat this season”.

Puddister played for Canadore and Nipissing before turning pro and squeaking sneakers in the Netherlands, then Sudbury.

Officials also announced they’ll be wearing secondary uniforms every Saturday, becoming the Sudbury Rock Monsters.

The Five will raise their championship banner at their home opener on Dec. 29 against the Lake Erie Jackals.

The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative mini-championship banner.

Tickets can be purchased both in-person at the Sudbury Arena Box Office or online.

From the hardcourt to the grid iron, the North Bay Bulldogs men’s team has joined the Ontario Power 5 Football League.

They become the league’s seventh franchise, which also includes the Sudbury Spartans and Sault Steelers.  

Other teams are in Burlington, the Greater Toronto Area, Sarnia and the Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph area.  

Richard Coffinhttps://www.mynorthbaynow.com/

Richard Coffin has been a reporter and news anchor on the radio in North Bay for over 25 years.  From premiers to people in the neighbourhood, he enjoys connecting with newsmakers and writing stories that matter to area listeners on a variety of topics including healthcare, education, politics, sports and more.