William Gatchalian is staying home for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season.
The current lead assistant coach for the Brock men's basketball team was named to the Niagara River Lions coaching staff on April 11.
Gatchalian is entering his fourth year in the CEBL having previously spent the last two seasons as the assistant coach and director of analytics for the Winnipeg Sea Bears and his first season with the Hamilton Honey Badgers where he was the video and analytics coordinator on their championship run.
For Gatchalian, this move allows him to continue building ties with the larger Niagara basketball community.
"After three years in the CEBL and the last eight years in the Niagara Region at Brock University, I am excited to finally join the River Lions and give back to the community that I have considered my home," he said. "With the CEBL season being so long this year, I also want to prioritize being close to my Brock student-athletes to make sure I can support them all 12 months of the year."
Brock has played an important role in Gatchalian's coaching career as he got his start as a student manager with the men's basketball team during the 2016-17 season.
He was named the lead assistant coach prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign and is responsible for assisting in the day-to-day operations of the program and supporting the wholistic development of student-athletes which includes items such as film, practice, player development and academic support.
"William joins our staff as a young but experienced coach in the CEBL," said Niagara Lions head coach Victor Rasso. "He has grown tremendously under Coach Manigat's tutelage at Brock, and we are excited to further grow our relationship with members of the Brock basketball program."
Gatchalian's coaching career has also led him to spending three years with Canada Basketball in various roles including as the team services lead and team services assistant in the men's high-performance department.
"We emphasize to our student-athletes every day to be constant learners," he said. "As a young coach, it is important to put myself in environments that challenge my perspective and view of the game."
Additionally, Gatchalian created his own analytics infrastructure using SportsCode script writing and previously consulted for the London Lions in the UK and the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan.
Gatchalian and Brock men's head coach Willy Manigat are looking to continue their momentum as they come off an eighth consecutive playoff appearance and a national championship berth during the 2023-24 season.
"I am excited to start a new journey learning under a championship coach in Victor Raso," Gatchalian said. "As is always the goal, I want to take what I learn in the CEBL and apply it with the Brock Badgers in our pursuit of a U SPORTS championship."
