The first win landed on the board at a great time for Manchester Basketball, as they wrapped up October in style with a comfortable victory over the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks.
With November comes the beginning of Super League Basketball’s Championship campaign, and the north-west club are looking to build momentum with their final Trophy fixture this evening (Friday) against Newcastle, before the London Lions come to town on Sunday for a super showdown between two teams both trending upward.
We caught up with one of Manchester’s brightest sparks from the opening few weeks of the season, Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) champion Nathan Cayo, to discuss the club’s fortunes thus far.
“We got our first win on the board and that was a really important moment for all of us,” Cayo said.
“When you go through a bit of a slump, it can be hard to find momentum or positives to take from week to week, but we did a great job of staying focused, staying together, and we knew our time would come. Now we have to build on this.
“That first win had been coming for a few weeks. Every game we’ve played we’ve been in those contests for a long time and just couldn’t quite get it done for whatever reason, but we have a great, united group of players and coaches and it was just a matter of time for us.
“Our ceiling is very high. This is a great league with a lot of talent, but we have the pieces to do something special and compete for titles if we put in the work that brings everybody together. One day at a time, I feel we’re getting there, and I’m excited for what we can achieve.”
Oh, Canada!
There has been significant crossover between the topflight of British basketball and the CEBL in recent years. In fact, just last season on Cayo’s team – the championship-winning Niagara River Lions – were the likes of Aaryn Rai, Kimbal Mackenzie and TJ Lall, who have all had successful careers on this side of the Atlantic at the elite level.
The 27-year-old forward discussed how much he began to take notice of the British game once he learned the aforementioned trio were going to be his teammates, and also how much he’s looking forward to taking on one of them in particular this weekend when the Lions head to Manchester.
“I had heard a lot about the league over the last year and spent a lot of time watching Aaryn, Kimbal and TJ once I realised they were going to be my teammates at Niagara, so it was something I was very excited about. There’s a high level of talent here and I’ve enjoyed competing against everybody so far.
“Having Aaryn in the league this year as well has been very helpful because I know I can call him and ask for advice or support in any situation. He’s my brother, I want nothing but the best for him – except when they’re playing us, of course!
“If we’re really as close as I think we are then this weekend I hope he misses all his shots when I’m guarding him just to prove our friendship… but, seriously I’m sure we’ll have a great time battling each other, I’m excited to see him and compete with him and hopefully I can help my team get the win.”
Trusting the process
Playing the game for the first time as a five-year-old, Cayo was born and raised in Canada where he learned the fundamentals of the game before pursuing a collegiate career in the NCAA with Richmond and stepping into the pro game in the CEBL soon afterwards.
Also enjoying a stint in Poland on his journey, Cayo discussed his beginnings in the sport and his approach to pursuing elite level basketball and how his perspective has evolved since reaching the professional game.
“Basketball is one of the biggest sports in Canada and my dad was always trying to push us to play and follow the game, so I fell in love with it early and followed it through to college in the US before finding my chance to step up to the professional level and I’ve never looked back.
“I don’t think I allowed myself to believe I could make it professionally until my final year of college. Everybody has dreams and aspirations, but I’m very process-driven so every year I was just focused on doing whatever I needed to do to be the best I could be for that season, never really looking any further ahead.
“When my senior year at Richmond came and I had some opportunities presented to me to take that step into the pro game, I wanted to pursue my passion and I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve got this life where I can play the game I love for a living.
“I’m still following that process now. This year I am really focused on trying to become a better rebounder. I can be much better when shooting, there’s room to grow on defence, as a communicator and in my leadership. This is a young team that needs leadership, so it’s a great chance for me to grow in that sense and I’m excited to improve every day.”
Summertime magic
The CEBL has developed quite the reputation as one of the fastest-growing basketball leagues worldwide, benefitting especially from its games being played throughout the summer when the more traditional basketball season is over.
Much like the SLB with its focus on British talent, the CEBL has proven a fantastic platform for developing elite Canadian players such as Cayo. He detailed the impact the league has had on him, as well as his recollections of winning the CEBL title this past summer and the significance of that achievement for his career.
“The CEBL has been huge in promoting opportunities for Canadian players and it’s a league that means a lot to me. Some incredible players compete there, including NBA and EuroLeague guys, and being a summer league it’s created its own space to be successful and showcase players who then go on to play all over the world.
“To win the Championship with Niagara over the summer was an incredible experience. It was a completely new environment for me after leaving Montreal the season before, but to see how everybody came together so quickly and bonded to fight for a common goal was beautiful.
“We were a true team, with different guys stepping up every night to take charge of the game and keep us moving towards our goal, because we all just wanted what was best for each other. Sometimes that attitude and togetherness isn’t rewarded with a championship, but for us it was and it was a dream come true.”