Published Apr 10, 2025 • 4 minute readLiai Tong of the Cape Breton Capers, right, goes up for a shot during Atlantic University Sport men’s championship quarterfinal action at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax in February. Tong was the lone Atlantic Canadian player picked in the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League draft on Thursday night, going No. 13 overall to the Edmonton Stingers. CONTRIBUTED/VAUGHAN MERCHANT, CBU ATHLETICS VAUGHAN MERCHANTLiai Tong is one step closer to reaching his dream of playing professional basketball.The Cape Breton Capers forward was selected in the second round, No. 13 overall, by the Edmonton Stingers at the Canadian Elite Basketball League Draft on Thursday night.Tong was one of 30 players chosen during the three-round, online draft that featured 10 teams including the Stingers, Montreal Alliance, Brampton Honey Badgers, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Ottawa Blackjacks, Winnipeg Sea Bears, Calgary Surge, Scarborough Shooting Stars, Niagara River Lions and Vancouver Bandits.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“It’s definitely a dream come true,” said Tong when reached by the Cape Breton Post at the airport on his way to visit his family in Newfoundland and Labrador.“It’s not the NBA draft, but it’s still a draft and it still means that my name is recognized, and my talents were shown on a high stage.”Tong, whose family moved to St. John’s, N.L., from South Sudan in 2006, was one of five players from the Atlantic University Sport selected in the draft and the lone player who calls Atlantic Canada home.He becomes only the third player in Capers history to be picked at the CEBL draft, only behind Meshack Lufile and Shaquille Keith, who were both chosen in the league’s inaugural draft in 2019.The 21-year-old Tong believes what separates him from other players in the AUS is his athleticism, which is one of the reasons Edmonton liked his play.“I don’t think anyone else in the East Coast of Canada has that athleticism like I do and that sets me apart,” said Tong, noting his first call after learning he had been drafted was to his mother Adut Agoth, who raised five children and moved them to Canada from a refugee camp.Article content“I’m proud that I can make Cape Breton proud.”Tong will have a familiar face with him in Edmonton as the Stingers try to return to the playoffs in 2025 after losing to provincial counterpart Calgary in the quarterfinals last August.Capers head coach Matt Skinn is an assistant coach with the Stingers organization and was the person who informed Tong that he had been drafted by the club.“I learned that Matt always has the best interest in mind,” said Tong. “I learned he cares a lot about his players and he’s a really smart coach. I look forward to playing for him in Edmonton.”Tong began his career in the sport with the St. John’s Minor Basketball Association as well as Rock Elite, a local program in Newfoundland and Labrador that creates travel teams and gives players an opportunity to compete off-island. He later played in school with Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School in St. John’s.After high school, Tong made the jump to the Atlantic University Sport in 2021-22 with the Memorial Sea-Hawks, appearing in two games and averaging five points, but that would be his only season with the program.Article contentAcademic issues and injuries forced Tong out of the conference. Two seasons later, Tong was back in the AUS and getting a second chance with the Capers program.The six-foot-six forward appeared in 20 games with Cape Breton during the 2024-25 regular season, posting 10.3 points per game along with 5.5 rebounds per game. He averaged 19 minutes per game.‘HE PLAYS WITH PASSION’In an interview with the Cape Breton Post in November, Skinn spoke highly of Tong and his comeback to the highest level of university basketball in the country.“We love having him,” said Skinn. “He’s a great teammate, he plays with passion and joy, and we’re excited for the impact that he will continue to make this year and for years to come.“He can play multiple positions and is one of the best athletes in the country. Defensively, he can guard all five positions and be a rim deterrent as well as pressuring guards in the full court.“Offensively, he’s a highlight-reel. He tries to dunk everything, runs the floor hard and continues to expand his range. Competitively, he gets after it and wants to win and be successful every time he steps on the court.”Article contentTong will look to make an impression on the Stingers coaching staff next month when he begins his first training camp with the Alberta-based team, starting on May 1.The Stingers will open the 2025 regular season on May 11 at 7 p.m., Atlantic time, against Calgary at Edmonton Expo Centre.AROUND THE DRAFTMeanwhile, in other draft news, Montreal selected guard/forward Sultan Haider Bhatti out of Brandon with the first overall pick, while Brampton took hometown forward Yohann Sam out of Windsor with the second overall selection.Declan Peterson (centre/Saskatchewan), Justin Ndjock-Tadjoré (forward/Ottawa) and Geoffrey James (guard/Winnipeg) rounded out the top five selections in the 2025 draft.St. Francis Xavier X-Men teammates D.J. Jackson and Gatluak James were selected in the first round of the draft with Jackson going No. 6 overall to Calgary and James picked ninth overall by Niagara.The X-Men’s Koat Thomas was taken in the second round, No. 14 overall, by Scarborough while the New Brunswick Reds’ Conner Landell was selected shortly after with the No. 19 overall pick by Brampton.As for Tong, he confirmed with the Post his intentions to return to Cape Breton University for his second season with the Capers in the fall.Article content
Cape Breton Capers’ Liai Tong selected by Edmonton Stingers at Canadian Elite Basketball League Draft
