Eli Pasquale facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada |
||
| Universiade | ||
| Gold | 1983 Edmonton | National team |
| Bronze | 1985 Kobe | National team |
Eli Pasquale (born August 24, 1960 – died November 4, 2019) was a famous Canadian basketball player. He was a talented point guard, which is a player who helps lead the team's offense. Eli was 6 feet, 1 inch tall.
He played for the Canadian national men's basketball team for many years. He even led them in two Olympic Games. He also played in three FIBA World Championships and two Pan American Games.
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Eli's Early Life
Eli Pasquale was born in Sudbury, Ontario. He grew up in a neighbourhood called Gatchell. Eli started playing organized basketball in Grade 8. He played on his school team at St. Francis School.
When he was in Grade 10, Eli was only 5 feet, 3 inches tall. This shows that even shorter players can become great!
University Basketball Star
Eli Pasquale became a huge star at the University of Victoria. He played for their team, the Vikings. He helped the Vikings win five championships in a row! These were called CIAU championships.
Eli is still the top scorer in the school's history. He was also chosen as a top player three times. The university even retired his jersey number, 13. This means no other player at the school can wear that number.
Playing Professionally
After university, Eli was chosen by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1984 NBA Draft. He played in a few practice games for them. He also tried out for the Chicago Bulls in 1985.
The Bulls were looking for a point guard to play with Michael Jordan. Eli was one of the last two players they considered. But because he had broken his ankle when he was younger, the Bulls chose another player, John Paxson.
Eli then played basketball professionally in other countries. He played in Argentina in 1986. He also played in West Germany in 1989 and Switzerland in 1990.
Playing for Team Canada
Eli Pasquale was a key player for the Canadian national team for 15 years. He helped Canada finish fourth at the 1984 Summer Olympics. This was a great achievement for the team.
He also helped Canada finish sixth at the 1982 FIBA World Championship. In 1983, Eli was part of the team that won a gold medal at the World University Games. They beat the United States team, which had future stars like Charles Barkley and Karl Malone. In the finals, they beat Yugoslavia, led by Dražen Petrović.
When he was 37 years old, Eli returned to play for Canada again. This was for the 1997 Tournament of the Americas. He helped the team qualify for the 1998 FIBA World Championship.
Awards and Legacy
Eli Pasquale was recognized for his amazing basketball career. He was inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. He also joined the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
For over 20 years, Eli ran his own business called Eli Pasquale Sports Group. Through this business, he organized basketball camps for young people. He helped many kids learn and love the game.
Eli Pasquale passed away on November 4, 2019, from cancer. He died in Victoria, British Columbia.
