Ottawa Business Basketball Network a slam dunk for basketball lovers

While most conventional networking events focus mainly on shooting the breeze, the Ottawa Business Basketball Network (OBBN) also involves shooting something else: hoops. It had the rare opportunity yesterday to play at TD Place on the home court of Ottawa’s professional basketball team and, later, to watch the Ottawa BlackJacks play against the Scarborough Shooting Stars during a private networking event held in support of Youth Services Bureau.

OBBN was started by Alex Dorward, CEO and managing director of Ascribe Marketing, to bring business leaders together. "It’s a less forced, less awkward way of networking for those who might be more introverted and want a mix of recreational activity and professional networking,” the former Forty Under 40 Award recipient told OBJ.social after their nearly one-hour game, which left players tired and sweaty. He had good reason to feel fatigued — he'd recently recovered from a case of COVID-19. The OBBN games are usually held at the Adult High School on Rochester Street. It was the Ottawa BlackJacks director of business development, Jesse Zimmer, who invited the business leaders – many of whom were former Forty Under 40 Award recipients — to come play at TD Place. While the participants played hard, it wasn't cutthroat competitive. Even the final score wasn't clear. What we do know is: Ascribe beat the Meerkat Marketing team. The game was “decently close”, according to Dorward.  The players’ previous experience spanned high school basketball and post-secondary level. Former Carleton Ravens players included 2024 Forty Under 40 Award recipient Kyle Smenziuk, CEO and founder of WebMarketers and Cam Smythe, account executive at WebMarketers. They each won four National Championships playing with the university team. Linebox Studio director of operations Lindsay Suprunchuk didn't play that day but the former basketball player with the Carleton Ravens' women's team turned out for the networking portion of the event. Retired NHL defenceman Grant Clitsome, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets, was part of the Meerkat Marketing team. He's now director of business development strategy at WMC Water Management. We all know the potential dangers associated with playing sports while wearing big clunky jewelry. Needless to say, Seoplus+ account  manager Bachar "Bobby" Neema wasn't playing with the Championship Ring he won at last month's inaugural Charity Darts Tournament networking fundraiser. From Meerkat Marketing was its CEO, Kyle Turk, who isn't expecting to get drafted anytime soon into the CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League). He hasn’t ruled out earning a spot on the BlackJacks’ dance squad, he later joked.

During the height of the pandemic, Dorward raised funds and awareness for YSB and other local, national and global charities during a 12-month fundraiser involving a series of demanding and physically exhausting challenges. He opted to sleep outside in a tent for two nights, during extreme cold weather conditions, to help YSB during its annual Stay Up Ottawa benefit.  YSB is a non-profit organization that’s been around since 1960. It helps young people “find their way in life,” said YSB Foundation executive director Patti Murphy during her brief remarks.

Among the areas YSB focuses on are shelter and housing, mental health services, employment and youth justice. Murphy asked her listeners to reflect back on their adolescence — one of the most difficult periods of life for many. “That’s what we are really here to help with. It’s to help young people navigate through the teenage years, together with their families. Sometimes, they’re on their own.” Murphy told OBJ.social how excited she was to attend a BlackJacks game. “The last time I saw a basketball game was the Harlem Globetrotters.” According to Zimmer, basketball remains a popular sport in Ottawa and beyond due to its accessibility. “All you need is a pair of  shoes and a basketball.” The fanbase at Ottawa BlackJacks has been growing “year after year” since the team first launched, but there remain some challenges, said Zimmer. “If you come to a game and you experience it, the odds are you’re going to come back. But, a lot of people just don’t know about basketball in Ottawa. That’s something we fight every day.” Great players include hometown sensation Lloyd Pani, formerly with the Carleton Ravens’ championship team, and Keevan Veinot, who’s originally from the tiny village of Port Williams, N.S. He played with the Dalhousie University men’s team.  Said Zimmer: “This is high-level basketball. These guys are good. These guys are professionals.”

caroline@obj.ca