The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has re-signed 6-foot-9 forward Kur Jongkuch ahead of its upcoming season at Langley Events Centre (LEC), which tips off on May 23rd when BC’s pro basketball team takes on the Montréal Alliance. Jongkuch made his professional debut with the Bandits last summer after completing a five-year career of NCAA Division I basketball split between Northern Colorado University (2018-22) and Temple University (2022-23). Throughout nine regular season Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) games, Jongkuch made an impression through his energy and motor, frequently dazzling the crowd by blocking shots, hustling for loose balls or skying above the rim for a dunk. Jongkuch recorded season-highs in minutes played (18), points (nine), rebounds (six) and blocks (two) against Montréal on July 16, 2023. Jongkuch’s strong second half of the season continued as he capped off the campaign with a perfect 3-for-3 shooting performance in a crucial win over the Scarborough Shooting Stars on July 30th, followed by a big game on the glass in the CEBL Western Conference Finals when he hauled in seven rebounds (four offensive). “This summer will be filled with hard work, passion and amazing basketball. We owe it to the best fans in the league. Go Bandits,” said Jongkuch. Currently, Jongkuch is playing for Horsens IC in Denmark’s Basketligaen. His club is tied for first place in the league, while Jongkuch ranks first on his team in blocks (1.2), second in rebounds (6.8) and fifth in points (11) per game as of March 13th, 2024. Born in Juba, South Sudan, Jongkuch grew up in London, Ont., where he starred at London Basketball Academy before making the jump to NCAA Division I. Over the course of his collegiate career, Jongkuch played 151 games (126 starts) and alternated between the centre and power forward positions. He averaged a combined 5.7 points, 5.4 rebounds (1.8 offensive) and 18.9 minutes per game on 62.9 per cent shooting from field goal range between North Colorado and Temple. “We are fortunate to have Kur back with us for a second summer. Kur's energy and positive attitude are infectious. He makes us a better team and a closer group. He has improved so much from his first day with us last summer. It's a testament to his work ethic and attitude. I can't wait to get back to work with Kur,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Jongkuch represented the Canadian national team in the summer of 2022 when he suited up for the U-23 men’s program at the inaugural GLOBL Jam tournament. The 220-pound forward appeared in three games for the men’s national team at the event. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Exclusive single game tickets for the Bandits’ highly anticipated ‘Home Opener Weekend’ featuring games on Thursday, May 23 and Sunday, May 26 are on sale now at this link . Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing tickets@thebandits.ca . A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here . More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok , as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter .

LANGLEY, B.C. , May 14, 2023 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Sunday its 2023 training camp roster ahead of the club’s upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League ( CEBL ) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). Vancouver’s roster features a total of 14 athletes; including six Canadian veterans, four Americans, one non-American overseas import and three U SPORTS development athletes. Media availability to attend Bandits training camp has been scheduled for Friday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m. at LEC. Journalists interested in attending are kindly asked to RSVP to Andrew Savory ( asavory@thebandits.ca ) to request credentials. Accreditation will be required. The group will be led by head coach and general manager Kyle Julius, who is returning to the CEBL sidelines for the first time since he led BC’s professional basketball team to the brink of championship glory in 2020 when the Bandits fell to the Edmonton Stingers in the Summer Series finals. “We are all really excited about this year's training camp roster. The goal is to build a team the province of British Columbia can be proud of. We are committed to competitive greatness, toughness and playing together,” Julius said.