Bandits aim to bounce back against BlackJacks in lone 2024 matchup

Zulfi Sheikh • June 22, 2024

In the only game between the cross-conference opponents this season, the Ottawa BlackJacks (2-6) visit the Vancouver Bandits (7-2) at Langley Events Centre on Saturday night.


Live coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET, available on CEBL+, TSN+, and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. 


Despite Ottawa and Vancouver entering the matchup on opposite ends of their respective conferences – BlackJacks at the bottom, Bandits at the top – both need a bounce back.


For Ottawa, they haven’t been able to string together much success to this point. If there’s anything they can see as a positive, however, is that things are trending in the right direction at least. Since their 0-3 start, the BlackJacks have gone 2-3 and their previous two games have been decided by a combined margin of just five points.


Most recently, Ottawa dropped a 92-91 contest to the Edmonton Stingers who sit in a tie with Vancouver atop the West. The BlackJacks nearly overcame a 16-point lead in that ball game, using a balanced offensive attack (48 per cent from the field, 40 per cent from three) while uncharacteristically winning the rebound battle (47-43). 


Leading them in scoring against Edmonton was Tyrell Tate with 21 points on an efficient 60 per cent field goal shooting. The guard may not lead the team in scoring -- that’s Isaih Moore (17.8 points per game) -- but as of late he’s been on a tear. Tate has put up over 20 points in three of his last four appearances and is averaging 23.5 points during that span.


Meanwhile, despite a one-point loss, Ottawa won the rebound battle for just the second time all season. Much of that was thanks to recent returnee Zena Edosomwan. The forward not only brings familiarity, having played with the BlackJacks last season, he adds a much-needed paint presence. In just his second game back Edosomwan stuffed the stat sheet for a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and three blocks.


The Los Angeles native helped Ottawa grab well above their usual 35.5 boards per game that ranks second-last in the CEBL. The BlackJacks will need that once again as the Bandits presents a much tougher challenge on the glass as the league’s second-best squad in that regard (42 rebounds per game).


Speaking of Vancouver, despite losing just two games all season, they have plenty of motivation entering the contest. Coming off an 88-84 loss to the Winnipeg Sea Bears, the Bandits look to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season.


It was a rare case of both teams blowing notable leads within the same ball game. Winnipeg led by as many as 14 points, even being up 13 mid-way through the third. Meanwhile, Vancouver overcame that deficit and was up 14 points with as little as six minutes left in the game yet crumbled in Target Score Time.


An offence that usually scores 91.8 points per game (second-most) and put up 112 on the same Sea Bears a week prior, was held to its third lowest scoring output of the season. It’s hard to know if that was simply an off-night or if there’s greater cause for concern.


It didn’t help that the starting lineup combined to shoot 32.8 per cent from the field. Koby McEwen and Zach Copeland went an identical 5-of-15 (33 per cent) from the field while Tazé More did slightly better at 5-for-12 (41 per cent). Meanwhile, Nick Ward, who’s one of the top scorers in the league (16.9 points per game), was held to just one point which came from the free throw line.


Bandits’ fans can at least take comfort in the fact that the BlackJacks might be the right team to face in hopes of a bounce back performance. Ottawa gives up 94.6 points per game, the second most in the CEBL.


Key matchup

Edosomwan is realistically the only bit of size the BlackJacks have to battle against Ward in the paint, especially in the starting lineup. The 30-year-old will have the unenviable task of trying to slow down the Bandits’ big man who’ll be extra motivated as he tries to avoid another lackluster performance.


How much Ward produces (or Edosomwan limits him) will likely play a swing factor in Saturday’s outcome.


2023 season series

If last year is any indication of 2024’s lone matchup, fans should expect a tightly contested ball game. Ottawa and Vancouver split the season series in 2023, the first being decided by four points and the second by just one.


Ward will likely hope for a repeat of last year, at least from an individual performance standpoint. The big man averaged 20 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks through those two contests.

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CEBL MVP Mitch Creek Re-Signs With Vancouver Bandits

By Bandits Staff • June 14, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits announced Sunday that the reigning Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Most Valuable Player Mitch Creek has re-signed with the club and will suit up on Monday, June 15 against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The 6-foot-5 forward and fan favourite returns to the Bandits after a stellar 2025 campaign in which he was named Most Valuable Player and an All-CEBL First Team Selection. Creek had one of the most statistically productive stretches of his career during the 2025 CEBL season. Starting in all 20 regular season games, he averaged a team-high 24.4 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes.Creek made his CEBL debut during the 2024 season and currently ranks second on the Bandits’ all-time leading scorers list (643 points). Creek appeared in five NBA regular season games during the 2018-19 season, splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 50 per cent shooting from the field across both clubs. A veteran of 15 professional seasons, Creek was a mainstay and all-star in his home country’s National Basketball League (NBL), logging 338 games and served as captain for both the Adelaide 36ers and South East Melbourne Phoenix. Most recently, Creek competed for Romanian club U-BT Cluj-Napoca during the 2025-26 season where he captained the team to a Romanian League championship and received All-EuroCup Second Team honours. A native of Horsham, Australia, Creek is a major basketball figure in his home country and has been instrumental to the success of the national team, known as the Boomers, and was recently named to Australia’s roster for the upcoming 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers taking place in July. Creek will step away from the Bandits’ roster later this month to join the Australian national team in advance of its FIBA World Cup Qualifier games on July 3 and 6 against Guam and the Philippines, respectively. He will rejoin the Bandits at the conclusion of his international duties. 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.

Bandits Victorious Over BlackJacks on Record Scoring Night

By Gary Ahuja • June 14, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits led nearly from start to finish, avenging an earlier loss with a 104-95 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. The teams met on Saturday night on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre, with the Bandits improving to 7-2 atop the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Western Conference. The BlackJacks fell to 4-5, dropping into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference. “The way they beat us was pretty evident and obvious,” said Vancouver Bandits coach Kyle Julius of the earlier meeting on June 2. “So, I thought we did a great job – for the most part – correcting what hurt us, so that was nice to see.” “I think there was probably a little more urgency defensively,” he explained. The Bandits led for all but 29 seconds of the game, thanks in large part to a 30-point opening quarter. From there, however, the offence struggled to maintain the same rhythm. “Fatigue. We just didn’t have our rotation,” Julius said. “We were shorthanded, and I wasn’t really surprised with the ebb and flow and the dips we had. “Even D’Andre Davis – who is going to be a very good player for us – but if you look at his ankle, it’s still swollen, so he’s out there hobbling around.” The offence was powered by Jarkel Joiner, who had 37 points – a franchise record – seven assists and four rebounds. “The coaches had a great game plan, and we executed it,” Joiner said. “We locked in, we didn’t take the game for granted.” Joiner had a larger role in the game, especially with point guard and leading scorer Jaelen House sidelined. “Honestly, it’s hard without him. He makes the game so much easier with his quickness, how fast he is, how explosive he is, how he sees the game,” Joiner admitted. “But coach needed me to step up tonight, and (Duane Notice) helped with the point guard role, and everybody stepped up.” Miller Kopp added 15 points and eight rebounds, Mychal Mulder finished with 13 and Tyrese Samuel chipped in 10 points and eight boards. Dominic Parolin came off the bench to finish with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, giving Vancouver five scorers in double figures. Ottawa was led by Javonte Smart’s 29 points with Matthew Cleveland and Justin Harmon both adding 19. "They play hard. They have respect for the game and force you into a lot of contested shots, so for us, we have to continue to fight for great shots," said BlackJacks coach Justin Mazzulla. “We have to continue to play together and have our energy not be impacted by whether the ball goes in or not.”  Up next, the Bandits return to Envision Financial Court on June 15 to host the Eastern Conference-leading Scarborough Shooting Stars (7-1). Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Internationally Acclaimed Singer-songwriter Sukshinder Shinda to Perform at Vancouver Bandits South Asian Heritage Game

By Bandits Staff • June 11, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits professional basketball team have announced that internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and music producer Sukshinder Shinda will perform at the club’s third annual South Asian Heritage Game, presented by Westland Insurance, Envision Financial and SDC by Tut on Saturday, June 20 when the Bandits host the visiting Brampton Honey Badgers at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Exclusive to Bandits ticket holders, fans attending the game can look forward to two performances on June 20; including a pre-game concert in the arena bowl and a half-time show during the intermission between the second and third quarters of gameplay. Tickets for Shinda’s performances, which are included with the purchase of a game ticket, start as low as $30 each; all ticket prices are inclusive of taxes and fees are on sale now at this link . Fans in attendance are strongly encouraged to arrive prior to 6:00 p.m. PT to ensure that they have time to find parking (free on-site) and locate their seats before Shinda’s performance, which will be shortly after the top of the hour before the Bandits and Honey Badgers tip-off at 6:00 p.m. The festivities celebrating basketball, community and culture begin with the free Bandits Backyard BBQ presented by Otter Co-op starting at 4:00 p.m. Taking place outside Gate 4 adjacent to Willoughby Community Park, the Backyard BBQ will feature an array of outdoor food vendors, live music, and family-friendly activities for fans of all ages to enjoy. Widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the Punjabi music industry, Shinda has built an extraordinary legacy both as a powerful vocalist and as a pioneering music producer. His distinctive voice, innovative productions, and ability to blend traditional sounds with contemporary influences have helped shape the modern Punjabi music landscape and inspired artists around the world. Over the years, Shinda has delivered numerous hit songs and produced music for some of the biggest names in Punjabi entertainment. His groundbreaking work behind the scenes, combined with his success as a recording artist and live performer, has earned him international acclaim and a devoted fan following spanning generations. Join us for a night of unforgettable music and exciting pro basketball action as Sukshinder Shinda brings his legendary sound, celebrated catalogue, and unparalleled stage presence to the 2026 Vancouver Bandits South Asian Celebration Game Halftime Show on Saturday, June 20. Ticket to the game required; the halftime show is included as part of your Vancouver Bandits game experience.

BANDITS VICTORIOUS IN FIRST PRO BASKETBALL GAME PLAYED IN KELOWNA

By Rois Chand • June 7, 2026
A change of scenery didn’t stop the Vancouver Bandits’ wrecking crew in Kelowna on Saturday night. The Bandits cruised to a dominant 105-85 win over the Saskatoon Mamba as part of the first ever Kelowna HOOPFEST. Jarkel Joiner (23 points) and Tyrese Samuel (22 points) led the team while Miller Kopp followed with 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. With this win, the Bandits boast a 6-2 record and are winners of five of their last six games. Kelowna native Grant Sheppard also chipped in with a CEBL career-high 10 points and three rebounds on perfect five-for-five efficiency from the floor. Shephard credited his hometown fans for a jolt of support. “I just had that extra energy and passion tonight. I want to play my best but tonight it was just for Kelowna,” said Shephard. “This whole stadium reminds me of Langley Events Centre. The atmosphere and the fans were great.” Bandits head coach Kyle Julius also applauded the atmosphere at Prospera Place as “tremendous” and said his team felt the support from the fans for all four quarters. “I knew it was going to be good, but this was better than I could’ve expected,” he said. Julius praised Shephard’s play and his ability to enter action without seeing heavy minutes. “He doesn’t complain. He comes in everyday with a smile and he’s locked and loaded and ready to go,” said Julius. The Bandits controlled the game from the opening tip, jumping out to a 23-3 lead in the first quarter. The lead would only build, extending to as many as 21 points in the opening half and eventually 29 points as the game went on. Samuel scored 13 of his 22 points by halftime. Eight Bandits were on the scoresheet, including seven points and nine rebounds from standout rookie Dominic Parolin. Everything went right for Bandits tonight as they shot 12-27 from three point land and forced the Mamba into a hole that was too deep to climb out of. “To play the way we did feels great,” said Julius. The Bandits are back in action at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre on June 13 to battle the Ottawa BlackJacks in the second game of a three game home stand.

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