NBLC veteran Shawn Vanzant to return to Island Storm

Photo Credit: Court-Side.com

All I care about is winning. Let’s get it done this year.

The Island Storm are bringing back a piece of their past.

The Charlottetown-based franchise signed guard Shawn Vanzant yesterday, according to a team-issued statement. Vanzant, who is entering his fourth National Basketball League of Canada season this December, had been a member of the Island Storm when they made the 2014 finals. They eventually lost in Game 7 to the Windsor Express.

The 28-year-old Butler Bulldogs product has played the past two seasons for the Moncton Miracles.

“Shawn has been a rock-solid player in the NBL for some time now,” said Storm head coach Joe Salerno in a written statement. “He is as consistent a player as anyone in this league and we look forward to seeing him back in a Storm uniform this season.”

Salerno explained that he had wanted to bring Vanzant back to the team during the 2015 offseason, but the Miracles had protected his signing rights. That year, the six-foot-one, 175-pound guard had recorded 14.1 points per game, 4.5 assists per game and 1.2 steals per game in 34 appearances.

After those stats decreased during the 2015-16 NBLC season – he had 6.6 points per game, two assists per game and 0.3 steals per game in 16 appearances – as well as playing in Europe for parts of the year, Moncton had left him off their protected players list.

Vanzant, the team’s ninth overall pick in 2013, soon became an immediate offseason target for Salerno and the Island Storm.

“I love the organization and falling short in 2014 was hard,” said Vanzant in the release. “I’m here to right that wrong, so it was a no-brainer to sign here again.”

Vanzant said he plans to put more priority in playing smart defensively. He also wants to make his teammates better in hopes of making a postseason run.

“All I care about is winning,” said Vanzant. “Let’s get it done this year.”

The Island Storm will start their regular season Dec. 26 at home against the newly-branded Saint John Riptide.