Sea Bears pick familiar faces in U Sports draft

It wasn’t that long ago when the idea of Shawn Maranan playing pro basketball felt like a pipe dream.

After graduating from Sisler High School with zero U Sports offers on the table, he took a job at a car rental agency and worked evenings.

It looked like his days on the hardwood were over until University of Winnipeg Wesmen head coach Mike Raimbault cracked the door open for Maranan by inviting him to any informal workout five years ago this month.

The 5-7 point guard ended up kicking it down and went on to become the face of the program and a two-time Wesmen male athlete of the year.

His journey has officially taken another step as the Winnipeg Sea Bears announced Thursday they selected him in the third round (28th overall) of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s U Sports Draft.

Maranan spent last summer with the Sea Bears as a practice player and is coming off a year where he led the U of W to the national championship tournament.

He has one year of university eligibility remaining.

“I remember when the (CEBL) season ended last year and we lost to the (Edmonton) Stingers in the playoffs, I set my goals right after that game that I think this is a place where I want to be, I want to be playing… and that’s what I worked all year for with the Wesmen,” said Maranan, a second-team Canada West all-star who who put up 34 points and 11 assists in the conference title game.

“It’s amazing. It still doesn’t feel real.”

With their first two picks, Winnipeg selected Manitoba Bisons forward Simon Hildebrandt (first round, eighth overall) and Lakehead Thunderwolves shooting guard Tyler Sagl (second round, 13th overall). The Sea Bears held the rights to Hildebrandt and Sagl after choosing them in the 2023 draft.

All players selected are eligible to return to U Sports this fall.

Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor revealed several months ago they’d be keeping Hildebrandt, last summer’s CEBL U Sports player of the year.

The CEBL added a third round to the 2024 draft.

“I’ve know Shawn for a little while and he’s a great player. He’s given us lots of troubles over the years so I’m glad he’s gonna be on my side for once,” said Hildebrandt, a Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute graduate who just completed his second year at the U of M.

“Shawn’s a guy who developed a winning culture, like look at what he’s done at the University of Winnipeg with two straight trips to nationals.”

The Montréal Alliance held the first overall selection and chose forward Ismaël Diouf out of Laval.

“I think it’s so awesome to help develop the local Canadian talent we have,” said Hildebrandt.

“(Giving) these young guys a chance to practise and play with these professional teams sets them up for a bright future.”

The Sea Bears open the 2024 campaign on the road against the Saskatchewan Rattlers May 22. Their home opener takes place May 24 against the defending CEBL champion Scarborough Shooting Stars.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

X: @TaylorAllen31