River Lions Sign First International Player Tidjan Keita
St. Catharines, ON – The Niagara River Lions announced today the signing of 6’10 power forward Tidjan Keita presented by Deep Relief. Born in Paris, France, Keita becomes the first international player singed in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) since the recently announced rule that each team must allocate one spot on it’s 10-man active roster to an international player.
The 26-year-old France native is currently playing for the Iserlohn Kangaroos, a ProB team in the German Bundesliga where he is leading the team in rebounds (7.79) and blocks (1.14) per game, while averaging 13.5 points per game.
“Tidjan is a phenomenal talent with huge upside,” said Co-General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations, Antwi Atuahene. “He’s a high character guy with a great work ethic, and he has the tools to excel to the NBA as long as he trusts the process. He fits everything about the River Lions culture, and more than anything, Tidjan is a great person and even better teammate. “
Keita only began playing the game of basketball in 2014, and despite starting at the age of 18, he has managed to make a name for himself, starting out his professional career playing for the Northern Arizona Suns, the G-League affiliate of the Pheonix Suns, and moving on to play in France for one season and now his third in Germany.
Keita also was invited to play for the Toronto Raptors summer league team in 2018 where he suited up for two games.
“I’m excited for the season and to join my teammates and coaching staff,” said Keita. “It’s going to be an incredible time and I look forward to meeting and seeing all the River Lions fans.”
Keita not only marks the first international signing for the River Lions, but also the first for the upcoming season since free agency began on February 1st. The team recently announced the 2022 schedule, where they open the season on May 25th in Saskatchewan and return to the Meridian Centre on June 3rd for the Home Opener versus expansion franchise, the Montreal Alliance.
The Niagara River Lions are one of the original six teams of the CEBL. Playing out of Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines, the River Lions represent the twelve municipalities of the Niagara Region while living up to the River Lions moniker of pride and strength of community. Visit www.riverlions.ca for additional details.
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Media Contact:
Michelle Biskup, Vice President, Operations