Jenna Chateau

As a member of the Etobicoke Community, Jenna Chateau started her basketball career with the Etobicoke Basketball Association, competing for the Etobicoke Thunder for eight years, winning team MVP in her final season with the program. Jenna graduated from Father John Redmond in 2023 as an academic scholar.

 

In her time at the school, she accumulated several awards including the Academics and Athletics award, Track and Field MVP, after winning a silver and bronze medal in the 800m and 1500m respectively, and the Redmond Prep girls basketball MVP award. During her three years at Father John Redmond, she was a proud member of the Redmond Prep OSBA program, and accumulated the most points, assists, and steals during the course of the season in her final year on the team.

 

In pursuit of a post-secondary basketball opportunity, she played her final year of high school at Orangeville Prep. During her time there, she connected with head coach Scott Munro of the Saint Mary’s Huskies women’s basketball program and has since committed to the back-to-back AUS champions as a scholarship athlete.

Jack Kuttner Zubac

Jack Kuttner Zubac is a dedicated student-athlete who has always showcased their leadership and talents across numerous sports teams.

 

He has been a member of Father Redmond’s Senior Boys Basketball, Volleyball and Co-ed Volleyball teams in grades 11 and 12 as well as the new Ultimate Frisbee team this year.

 

Outside of school, he has also played on his Etobicoke Thunder Rep basketball team for the past seven years.

Teresa DaSilva

Teresa moves into her second year with the CCAA National Champion Humber Hawks women’s basketball team. Coming to Humber as a highly touted recruit from the Etobicoke Thunder and Michael Power/St. Joseph High School programs, she has shown great promise. Unfortunately, a reoccurrence of an existing injury had her put her first year on hold. She continued to be with the team throughout the championship run and was a positive and motivating asset from the sidelines. Teresa, a true Etobian, has enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing program at Humber College, a collaborative program with the University of New Brunswick.

Ceejay Nofuente

Ceejay just completed the most successful season an athlete can experience in Canadian Collegiate basketball, winning every individual and team award available to a student-athlete. She led the Hawks to its first-ever CCAA national crown, and in fact, the first national title for any Ontario women’s sports team (basketball, soccer, volleyball) in the 39 years of CCAA play. Along the way, she was the OCAA and CCAA Player of the Year and lived up to this billing by winning the OCAA and CCAA Championship tournament MVP awards. For her efforts, she was named as the OCAA Female Athlete of the Year—Across All Sports.

In her OCAA career, she has led her Humber teams to a league record of 51–3 and a playoff mark of 8–1. The Hawks have medaled in every year she has played. She has found her niche in the classroom as well, excelling in her third year of the Sport Management Program at Humber’s North Campus. Ceejay, based on her incredible exploits, is so deserving to be recognized for a 2016 Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship.

Bennett Grumbach

Bennett Grumbach excelled at many sports, including hockey, soccer, track & field, and volleyball at school, but basketball is his passion, and the sport that he has embraced more so than any other over the last number of years. His move to be a member of the Etobicoke Basketball Association was a fruitful one in 2017, as he led the squad to the provincial championship. His volunteer service is vast, and as you would expect is centered around the sport of basketball.

Nicole Chateau

Basketball has always been Nicole Chateau’s first love, both by playing the game and instilling this love of the game to others by way of her commitment to supporting youth sport in the Etobicoke community. She has excelled at every level of play, including making significant contributions to the community-based Etobicoke Basketball Club and her school team at Father Redmond. Her accomplishments were recognized by a number of universities and colleges across Ontario, ultimately landing her a spot with the University of Toronto Blues. Moving forward, Nicole will continue to be a terrific role model and advocate for women in sport.

Warren Reynolds

Warren Reynolds’ journey from a young basketball player in Etobicoke to representing Canada in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo is a testament to his perseverance, dedication, and love for the game.

Despite facing obstacles from the Canadian Amateur Basketball Association, Reynolds and his teammates on the Toronto Dow Kings were determined to compete in the Olympics. Through their relentless efforts and fundraising, they secured their spot in the pre-Olympic tournament in Yokohama, eventually earning a place in the Tokyo Games.

The Tokyo Olympics marked a significant milestone for Reynolds and his teammates, showcasing their talent on a global stage. Although the team faced challenges and did not medal, their victory against Peru demonstrated their resilience and determination.

Reynolds’ passion for basketball began at Lambton-Kingsway Public School in Etobicoke, where he honed his skills in the absence of public leagues. With the support of influential figures like George Hull and Dr. Wilfred Lockhart, Reynolds developed into a standout player at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute (ECI), leading his team to city championships and earning recognition as an all-star athlete.

Reynolds’ basketball career extended beyond high school, playing for various teams across Canada and eventually representing the country in international competitions. His induction into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 is a testament to his contributions to the sport.

After retiring from basketball, Reynolds transitioned to squash, achieving success in another competitive arena. He continued to mentor young athletes through programs like the Dixie Squash Club and basketball clinics, emphasizing the importance of dedication and hard work.

Reynolds’ story serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes, highlighting the rewards of perseverance, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of one’s passion. His dedication to both sports and mentorship exemplifies the values of determination and commitment, leaving a lasting impact on the athletic community.

Nav Bhatia

Nav Bhatia, known as the Official Toronto Raptors Superfan, has been a fixture at Raptors home games since the team’s inception in 1995. He holds a courtside seat at Scotiabank Arena and is a familiar face at many road games as well. In 2015, Bhatia was appointed as the Raptors’ Community Ambassador, reporting to Global Ambassador Drake, to promote basketball and the Raptors’ brand.

Arriving in Canada in 1984, Bhatia worked his way up to become the top car salesman at Hyundai and eventually owned both the Mississauga and Rexdale Hyundai dealerships. His path to success was marked by challenges, including instances of racial intolerance as a visible minority.

Through his passion for basketball, Bhatia aims to change the perception of Sikhs and South Asians in the mainstream, advocating for a more united and tolerant community. He believes that integrating youth at a young age is key to changing these perceptions. Each year, he purchases tickets and brings thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds together to watch Raptors games.

The Nav Bhatia Foundation, started to support these efforts, has expanded its reach to include ambassadorship roles with World Vision and Canada Basketball. The foundation builds basketball courts around the world, using the sport to bring communities together.

In 2020, Bhatia was honored by the Basketball Hall of Fame, being included in the new Superfan Gallery alongside basketball stars like Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant.

Denise Dignard

As the GM/Executive VP, Women’s High-Performance at Canada Basketball, Denise Dignard has helped lead the senior women’s team to an all-time high ranking of fourth in the world.

A gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games and, a seventh-place finish at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, two gold medals at the championship of the Americas (2015, 2017) are just some of the highlights. The U16, U17, U18, and U19 women’s teams have also celebrated historic results under Dignard’s leadership.

As a previous player in high school, university, national and professional teams, Denise understands the commitment and dedication required by National program athletes. She has been a role model for many young woman athletes while working and training in Etobicoke since 1998 and growing Canadian women’s basketball taking it to the international stage.

As a tribute to Dignard’s impactful career, a new recreation centre in her hometown of Port Cartier, Quebec, has been named in her honour.

Brenda Carachure

Brenda Carachure is an integral part of the OCAA bronze medalist women’s basketball team.

Born in Acapulco, Mexico, she’s been playing basketball since 16-years-old. Carachure said basketball helped her adapt to living in a new country when she moved to Canada in 2005. “It makes me so happy just playing the sport,” said Carachure. “And I always want to be good at what I do.”

Carachure has received a diploma in the crime scene investigations program and will be graduating from the Police Foundations program this year. Carachure said her career at Humber would not be the same without the wonderful people she’s met along the way.

“The people in Athletics are amazing, the coaches are mentors and getting to meet Doug Fox was a privilege,” said Carachure. “I don’t have a family here so they’ve become my family”.