CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY FOR CHILL

Sunday December 23 2007

Chill signs two big recruits in J.R. Patrick and Rashaun Broadus

JASON HILLS
Sun Media

The pieces to the Edmonton Chill roster are coming together nicely. First it was local products Jermaine Bucknor and Steve Sir who agreed to play for the Chill. Now the Chill have opened their wallets just before Christmas and have signed two more key players to their roster.

At a press conference held at the upscale Lux Steakhouse & Bar on Friday local boy and shooting guard J.R. Patrick and former Brigham Young point guard Rashaun Broadus signed one-year deals on Friday to give the Chill four players under contract as they prepare for their inaugural 2008 season that begins in April.

"It's a great feeling," said Patrick, who played at the same college as Canada's biggest NBA star Steve Nash at Santa Clara University. I played in this league two years ago and I know how this league looks and how it goes and I think we'll have the support of Edmonton. This basketball league is fast paced and up tempo, all the team's play like the Phoenix Suns.

Two more teams have also been added for the 2008 season. The IBL has two new franchises, one in China and one in Los Angeles. The Chinese team have a home base in the United States. The team in L.A. will be called the Lightning.

Broadus didn't take long to impress the Chill. They got their first look up close to the former NCAA division one point guard last weekend at their tryout camp and less than a week later both sides came to an agreement. "It's exciting. You don't always know what people might think of you," said Broadus who spend the last two years at BYU as their starting point guard.

"They told me they like my style and I am ready to start my pro career."