Rattlers ready to shake things up as pro basketball returns to Saskatoon

Jelane Pryce will only have a couple of practices under his belt with his new Saskatchewan Rattlers' teammates before their first game on Thursday.

Pryce arrived in Saskatoon at the end of April but could only stay for the first practice, as he and teammate Michael Linklater were called by Team Canada to play of the national 3X3 team this past weekend.

The pair jetted off to Puerto Rico the next day and didn't get back until Monday.

"It is pretty crazy how this went down," said the 25-year-old Pryce.

The 6-foot-7, 196-pound forward was picked by the Rattlers in the second round of the inaugural Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) draft earlier this year.

The CEBL consists of six teams — Saskatchewan, Edmonton, Fraser Valley, B.C., Guelph, Ont., Hamilton and Niagara, Ont. — who will play from May until August.

Pryce grew up in Inisfil, Ont., before playing college ball at Ryerson and then the University of Winnipeg.

Injuries kept him out of the game for a year after finishing university, but for the last two years Pryce has been playing FIBA 3x3 basketball.

Local fans may recognize him from the past few of FIBA 3X3 tourneys in Saskatoon.

Pryce had been training in Winnipeg waiting for an opportunity when he was drafted by the Rattlers.

"I'm really grateful for that," Pryce said.

He likes what he has seen and heard so far from the CEBL.

"They are trying to get the community involved a lot and trying it in the summer time when a lot of Canadians are back [from other leagues abroad]," he said.

"They are  really trying to promote Canadian players and develop guys to have good careers."

He said playing 3X3 basketball the last couple of years has been beneficial in many ways, but he still needs to quickly get back into the mindset of playing five-on-five.

"I know there is a lot of stuff I gotta learn in pro five-on-five that I don't know," he said.

Playing 3X3 has made him concentrate on every aspect of the game to become very versatile.

"I can dribble, and shoot and guard different types of players," he said, adding with 3X3 you have to be able to guard everybody.

"You have to have high offensive and defensive IQs because things are happening so fast."

He said fans should expect to see a high level of fast-paced basketball from the Rattlers and the CEBL in general.

"I've played against a lot of players in this league and I know how good they are, so it's going to be really amazing."

Even though he has only been to a couple of practices, he is optimistic about the Rattlers.

"We have a lot of different pieces that can go together well," he said. "A lot of athletic guys and a lot of good talent."

He said fans should expect a lot of scoring.

"We are trying to really push the ball and just make exciting plays," he said.

The Rattlers open the season at home on Thursday when they take on the Niagara River Lions at SaskTel Centre. Game time is 7 p.m. CST.

The CEBL will stream all 60 of its games for free at cebl.tv.