Eli Pasquale

Ilario Enrico "Eli" Pasquale (August 24, 1960 – November 4, 2019) was a Canadian basketball player and two-time Olympian. Considered one of the best basketball players in Canada's history, Pasquale was the starting point guard and co-captain of the Canada men's national basketball team. During this time, Pasquale competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, two World Student Games, four FIBA World Championships and two Pan American Games.

In 1984, Pasquale was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics as the 106th overall pick. Pasquale later played professionally in Argentina, West Germany and Switzerland. Pasquale was also a three-time First-Team All-Canadian (1981–1984), was named the CIAU national tournament MVP two times (1981, 1983), and was named as CIAU tournament all-star three times (1981, 1983, 1984) and five-time first team Canada West all-star. In the semifinals of this tournament, Canada defeated a talented US team led by future NBA legends Charles Barkley and Karl Malone. Besides Pasquale, only five other athletes in basketball were four-time Canada West first team all-stars: Karl Tilleman, J.D. Jackson, Spencer McKay, Danny Balderson and Andrew Spagrud.

In retirement, Eli focused his time on his young family and his immensely popular basketball camps. Beginning in 1985 and right up to his death in 2019, he ran youth development camps all over BC, particularly in Victoria. Thousands of BC kids received their start in basketball through Eli's camps.

Personal life Pasquale was born on August 24, 1960, in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Gatchell, Ontario, a predominantly Italian neighbourhood of Sudbury. He played his first organized basketball in Grade 8 on his school team, St. Francis School. By grade 10, Pasquale's height was a mere 5 feet, 3 inches.

On November 4, 2019, Pasquale died from esophageal cancer.