The Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday that the club has signed Queen’s University forward Ashton Bain and University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) forward Dario Lopez for the 2026 season as part of CEBL Signing Day. “We are proud to announce these two local student-athlete signings, as building BC talent is a core mandate for our team,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “While these are key pieces, we are far from done. We will continue to actively scout collegiate athletes to further strengthen our roster this summer.” Bain, a 6-foot-9 forward from Vancouver, B.C., finished his second season at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. where he averaged 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists through 24.2 minutes in 26 games (16 starts). In his freshman season in 2024-25, his Gaels team made appearances at the 2025 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference finals and U SPORTS Final 8. Prior to his time at Queen’s, Bain played high school basketball at North Vancouver’s Handsworth Secondary. Lopez, a 6-foot-7 forward originally from Madrid, Spain, recently completed his fifth and final season with the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Cascades where he earned Canada West First Team All-Star honours. In 2025-26, he played and started in 15 games while posting averages of 27.1 minutes, 15.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Before competing for UFV, Lopez was a member of Movistar Estudiantes U18 in Spain. Replacing the CEBL Draft, Signing Day marks the next evolution of the CEBL’s partnership with U SPORTS, established in 2019, and more recently the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The new approach creates a more direct and flexible pathway for Canadian student-athletes to transition from campus to the professional stage. “As Canada’s professional basketball league, our focus is on elevating the game and the athletes who power it,” said CEBL President and CEO Ty Mazereeuw. “Signing Day gives student-athletes a direct path to the pro level, where they can test themselves against elite competition and contribute to an exciting, fast-paced product. With expanded visibility across CEBL+, YouTube, and CBC platforms, along with strong fan support in every market, it’s an opportunity to grow their careers within a league built from the community up.” “U SPORTS is proud of its partnership with the CEBL that allows our student-athletes to sign with clubs to continue meaningful development during the U SPORTS off-season,” said Matthew Davies, U SPORTS Chief Sport Officer. “The CEBL teams' commitment to carry developmental players is a valuable opportunity for our student-athletes to fuel their growth as players and as people.” The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.

The Canadian Elite Basketball League has confirmed that the start time for the Vancouver Bandits’ away game on Thursday, May 14 against Saskatoon Mamba at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Sask, has been changed from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. PT. This game will be Vancouver’s first game of the 2026 CEBL regular season. The game, along with all Bandits games during the 2026 season, will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and the CEBL Mobile app. Fans can also tune in on the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel.

The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-9 forward Dominic Parolin to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Hailing from Coquitlam, B.C., this marks Parolin’s first professional basketball contract after recently completing a six-year NCAA DI career with stints at Boise State University and Lehigh University. “I can’t wait to start off my professional career with the Bandits. This organization has a history of success and I am excited to be a part of it,” said Parolin. “Having grown up around Vancouver, this is also a great opportunity to reconnect with the local basketball community.” After redshirting during the 2024-25 season, Parolin appeared in 32 games for the Boise State Broncos in 2025-26 where he suited up in 32 games with averages of 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.5 blocks in 17.0 minutes per game. Prior to Boise State, Parolin played four seasons with the Lehigh Mountain Hawks where he was named Third Team All-Patriot League in 2024. “We are all excited about working with Dominic. He has had a tremendous college career and has a very high ceiling as a professional player,” said Bandits head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius. “Dominic plays with big time toughness, has great size and a versatile game as a power forward. Being a B.C. kid, we are thrilled that he is back home playing for us in front of friends and family.” An alumnus of Centennial Secondary in Coquitlam, B.C., Parolin captained the Centaurs’ senior boys team to a fifth-place finish at the 2020 BC 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship, while also earning First Team All-Star honours at the tournament. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. A full game schedule can be viewed here . Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.