The St. John’s Edge keep adding size and above-the-rim talent to their National Basketball League of Canada expansion roster.
The latest player announced for the Edge’s training camp is Abednego “Bennie” Lufile, a 6-7, 240-pound forward from Burlington, Ont.,
The 23-year-old Lufile finished his collegiate career at NCAA Division 2 Arkansas Tech earlier this year. He previously played two years of junior college basketball with Sheridan College in Wyoming and spent his sophomore year at Division 1 East Tennessee University.
Last season, Lufile led the Great American Conference in rebounding with 8.6 per game and set a school and conference record for rebounds in a single contest, grabbing 22 against Missouri S&T. He also averaged nearly 12 points a game.
Lufile is one of four basketball-playing brothers, including two currently suiting up in European professional leagues.
Lufile makes four Canadians on the St. John’s Edge’s training-camp roster, along with University of Alberta product Kenneth Otieno, St. John’s native and former Memorial Sea-Hawks star Noel Moffat and Rudolphe Joly out of the University of Quebec (Montreal). However, Joly isn’t expected until late in the training-camp schedule as he is finishing up his second season with a professional team in Vietnam.
NBL Canada teams must have five Canadians on their season-starting 12-player rosters. That’s an increase from four last season.
The Edge expect around 18 players in training camp. So far, they have announced nine, including the four Canadians. They also took two players in Sunday's NBL Canada draft.
The other announced signings are all Americans — guards Rashaun Broadus, Charles Hinkle and Colton Roy-St. Cyr, and forwards Gavin Thurman and Vernon Goodridge. Like Lufile, they played for NCAA Division 1 schools at some point in their careers. The same goes for draft selections Aaron Williams and Zach Gordon.
