FRASER VALLEY BANDITS SOLIDIFY FINAL ROSTER FOR CEBL SUMMER SERIES
Fraser Valley Bandits Staff • July 23, 2020
Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius reveals a versatile and experienced final roster in advance of the Bandits’ first CEBL Summer Series matchup on Sunday, July 26 at 1 p.m. PT.
ST. CATHARINES, ONT., July 23, 2020 – The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Thursday the club’s final roster for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Summer Series. As one of seven teams in the first Canadian professional league to return to play, the Bandits will tip-off with their 11-player final roster against the Edmonton Stingers at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT) on Sunday, July 26 on cbcsports.ca and on the CBC Gem App.
The roster features a collection of championship pedigree guards and forwards who have played at the Olympics, Pan American Games and have represented Canada as members of the Junior and Senior Men’s National Teams.
“We are all having fun challenging and pushing each other. We’ve got a culture of toughness and togetherness and we can’t wait to compete,” Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said.
The roster consists of eight guards and three forwards. Four members of the Bandits’ guard corps, Marcus Capers, Kyle Johnson and Junior Cadougan have each played previously for Julius before as members of the 2016-17 London Lightning team that won the NBLC title. Eight of the Bandits’ 11 players are Canadians, including one U SPORTS Development Athlete (Daniel Adediran), while the three international players are Capers, Cameron Forte and Tavarion Nix.
The Bandits’ lone returning player is Abbotsford, B.C., native Marek Klassen. Klassen returns to Fraser Valley after a decorated 2019 CEBL campaign that saw the Yale Secondary alumnus average a CEBL-leading 7.2 assists per game in 2019. For his accomplishments, Klassen was named a CEBL Second Team All-Star. Klassen played for BC Kyiv Basket in the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague during the 2019-20 season where he posted an impressive line of 12.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and six assists per game on 48.9 and 50.9 per cent shooting from field goal and three-point range, respectively.
Fraser Valley’s forward group is defined by its strength and athleticism. Nix was playing for KB Feronikeli during the 2019-20 campaign prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Over the course of five games with the club, Nix posted averages of 14 points, 10 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.
Joining Nix at the forward position is Forte. The Georgia and Portland State University alumnus brings finesse and a deft touch around the rim. Forte began the 2019-20 season with the London Lightning where in four games he averaged 29 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists on 67.5 per cent from the field. After his stop with the Lighting, Forte joined Club Atlético Goes, a professional team in the Liga Uruguaya de Basketball. Forte averaged 24.2 points, eight rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 61.1 per cent from the field.
The third and final forward on the roster is Olu Ashaolu, a former standout at the University of Oregon and Louisiana Tech University. Ashaolu is coming off a strong 2019-20 campaign that saw him play in Korea with the Goyang Orions and the St. John’s Edge in Canada. Ashaolu averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on 56.2 per cent from field goal range, while also connecting on 79.3 per cent of his free throw attempts while with the Edge.
As part of his cast of guards, Julius has recruited several familiar faces for the Summer Series. Julius’ first signing as head coach of the Bandits was Kyle Johnson, who has emerged as a steady source of leadership for the Bandits at training camp. A member of Great Britain’s national team, Johnson is coming off a strong season in Iceland where he averaged 13.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game for Stjarnan.
A fellow familiar face that brings Canadian national team experience and veteran poise is Cadougan, who turned pro after four stellar years of NCAA Division I basketball where he starred for the Marquette University Golden Eagles from 2009 to 2013. Cadougan has played for the St. John’s Edge the past two seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20). Cadougan averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds on 46.7 per cent shooting from the field in 2018-19 on his way to being named an NBLC first team All-Canadian and second-team All-NBLC, as well as the league’s Most Improved Player.
Another player with a well documented history as a sharpshooter is Jahenns Manigat. An alumnus of Creighton University, Manigat recently played for DEAC Kosárlabda during the 2019-20 season where he averaged 11.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. The 2019-20 campaign was Manigat’s second year with the club and he started 15 of 21 games. During his tenure at Creighton, Manigat averaged 6.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 43.6 and 40.6 per cent shooting from field goal and three-point range. Manigat served as captain of the Bluejays for three years.
In addition to accuracy and a shooting prowess that runs throughout the roster, Julius has enlisted the help of additional guards with both size, length and agility. Despite only having three forwards, Capers is set to be a multi-positional force defensively as he enters the 2020 CEBL Summer Series campaign with a stacked resume. The former Washington State Cougar showed why he is known as a defensive stalwart this past season as he proved more than capable of guarding multiple positions with his long wingspan and 6-foot-4 frame. Capers averaged 38 minutes, 13.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.8 steals per game with the London Lightning in 2019-20 and for his efforts won NBLC Defensive Player of the Year.
Malcolm Duvivier is the youngest current professional player on the roster. Duvivier began his pro career after averaging 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in his final collegiate season at the University of Akron in 2017- 18. This past 2019-20 season, Duvivier played for the Sudbury Five where he continued to develop as a professional and recorded averages of 9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Added versatility arrives in the form of Newby, who previously played for Julius in 2014-15 as a member of the Mississauga Power (now the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League). Newby suited up for UDEA Baloncesto in Spain in 2019-20 and averaged 6.2 points, 2.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game over 25 games.
As the Bandits’ U SPORTS selection, Adediran will have a valuable opportunity to learn from current professionals as the final member of the Bandits’ Summer Series roster. Adediran was drafted by the Bandits in the second round of the 2020 CEBL-U SPORTS Draft. Adediran is entering his fifth year of U SPORTS eligibility and will suit up for Trinity Western University after playing his previous four years at the University of the Fraser Valley. He started 17 of the 18 games he played in 2019-20. He averaged 7.3 points and six rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game.
“I’m thrilled to announce our final roster for the CEBL Summer Series. The group that coach Julius and his coaching staff have assembled is defined by individuals of high character who have played at some of the highest collegiate and professional levels across the globe. I’m excited for our fans watching at home on CBC Sports’ platforms to witness the level of talent present on the Bandits and at the CEBL Summer Series,” Bandits vice president Dylan Kular said.
For more information on the Bandits, follow the team’s journey on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
2020 Fraser Valley Bandits Summer Series roster
| NO. | NAME | POS. | HT. | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL | YR. | LAST TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Marek Klassen (CAN) | G | 6-1 | Abbotsford, BC | Point Loma ‘15 | 5 | BC Kyiv (Ukraine) |
| 4 | Jahenns Manigat (CAN) | G | 6-1 | Ottawa, ON | Creighton ‘14 | 6 | DEAC (Hungary) |
| 6 | Jabs Newby (CAN) | G | 6-2 | Brampton, ON | Gannon ‘14 | 6 | UDEA Baloncesto (Spain) |
| 8 | Marcus Capers (I) | G | 6-4 | Winter Haven, FL | Washington State ‘12 | 8 | London Lightning (NBLC) |
| 11 | Malcolm Duvivier (CAN) | G | 6-2 | Toronto, ON | Akron ‘17 | 2 | Sudbury Five (NBLC) |
| 13 | Cameron Forte (I) | F | 6-7 | Tempe, AZ | Portland State ’16 | 4 | Goes Montevideo (Uruguay) |
| 15 | Olu Ashaolu (CAN) | F | 6-6 | Toronto, ON | Oregon ’12 | 8 | St. John’s Edge (NBLC) |
| 17 | Tavarion Nix (I) | F | 6-7 | St. Petersburg, FL | Midwestern State ’15 | 5 | KB Feronikeli (Kosovo) |
| 21 | Daniel Adediran (U) | G | 6-5 | Surrey, BC | Trinity Western (5th Yr) | U | UFV (Canada West-U SPORTS) |
| 24 | Kyle Johnson (CAN) | G | 6-5 | Scarborough, ON | Long Island Uni. ‘11 | 9 | Stjarnan (Iceland) |
| 30 | Junior Cadougan (CAN) | G | 6-1 | Toronto, ON | Marquette ‘13 | 7 | St. John’s Edge (NBLC) |
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory, Director of Operations, (604) 217-6213, asavory@thebandits.ca
About the Fraser Valley Bandits
The Fraser Valley Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the club is proud to call Abbotsford Centre home. The Bandits offer a riveting entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue. PerfectLens, a Vancouver-based contact lens supplier, is the official presenting partner of the Bandits’ 2021 season. Head to thebandits.ca for more information.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League
Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is a new basketball experience that features world-class professional basketball in a fan-friendly entertainment environment across seven cities in Canada. The 2019 inaugural season saw more than 100 Canadian and international players take to the court, culminating with the Saskatchewan Rattlers earning the first CEBL championship trophy. CEBL players come from NBA G League clubs, top NCAA programs, the Canadian national program, U SPORTS and other Division 1 FIBA leagues. As the First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, all games are live-streamed by CBC Sports. This season, the CEBL’s seven teams will convene at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., starting July 25 to play the CEBL Summer Series, a round robin competition that will culminate in crowning the second-year league’s 2020 champion. The timing of the Summer Series, subject to the status of the province of Ontario’s phased in reopening, will make the CEBL the first professional league in Canada to return to play following the COVID-19 outbreak in March. Head to cebl.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to learn more.
LATEST NEWS
Today, the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the winners of the 2026 CEBL Awards and the All-CEBL Teams via the league's digital and social media channels. Bandits forward Tyrese Samuel captured Canadian Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. He was also named to the All-CEBL First Team and earned his second straight CEBL All-Canadian Team selection. Additionally, longtime international basketball official and Lower Mainland resident Mike Thomson was named a recipient of the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award in recognition of continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. The full list of award winners is as follows: 2026 CEBL Award Winners Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Canadian Player of the Year: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Coach of the Year: Tyrell Vernon (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) CDIC Defensive Player of the Year: Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba) Clutch Player of the Year: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award: Mike Thomson All-CEBL First Team: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears), Javonte Smart (Ottawa BlackJacks), Sean East II (Brampton Honey Badgers), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) All-CEBL Second Team: Tavian Dunn-Martin (Saskatoon Mamba), Khalil Ahmad (Niagara River Lions), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Nick Hornsby (Edmonton Stingers), Matthew Cleveland (Ottawa BlackJacks) CEBL All-Canadian Team: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Quincy Guerrier (Montréal Alliance), Sean Miller-Moore (Calgary Surge), Jaden Bediako (Saskatoon Mamba) Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, repeating as this year's winner after finishing third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game. The Montreal, Que., native led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5 per cent), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Samuel’s standout performances and accolades across his two seasons with the Bandits helped accelerate his career progression. Following the 2025 CEBL season, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns joining the team on its training camp roster. He is now preparing for his first overseas opportunity, signing with French club Cosea JL Bourg for the 2026-27 season who compete in the prestigious EuroCup league and the Ligue Nationale de Basket. A resident of New Westminster, Mike Thomson was honoured with the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award for his continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. A FIBA-licensed Referee Instructor with nearly 50 years of basketball officiating involvement, Thomson’s resume includes officiating the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and serving as a Referee Instructor at the 2024 Summer Olympics and both the 2019 and 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cups. A longtime contributor to the CEBL, he served as both a Referee Coach and member of the Referee Advisory Committee this past season, drawing on his extensive experience in Canadian and international basketball to provide steady guidance and leadership throughout the season. Award winners and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams are determined by votes cast by the CEBL's team head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel, based on regular season performance. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team. All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the Official Supplier of Award Rings of the CEBL, as well as a special gift from Foot Locker, the official sportswear retailer of the CEBL and its 10 teams. Details on tickets for the 2027 season can be found via CEBL.ca/tickets .
The Vancouver Bandits, in conjunction with the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), announced Tuesday that forward Tyrese Samuel is among the nominees for Canadian Player of the Year at the 2026 CEBL Awards. Most Valuable Player finalists Myles Powell of the Scarborough Shooting Stars and Teddy Allen of the Winnipeg Sea Bears headline the list of nominees revealed across five player award categories. 2026 CEBL Award Finalists Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears) Canadian Player of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Stanley Davis Jr. (Edmonton Stingers) Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Fudge (Ottawa BlackJacks), Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba), Mohamed Mahadhi (Saskatchewan Mamba) Additional 2026 CEBL Awards, including Coach of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year, the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award, and the All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian teams, will also be announced next week following the conclusion of the CEBL Finals. Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, up for the award for a second consecutive season. The Montreal, Quebec native ranked third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game and led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5%), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Award nominees and winners are determined by votes cast by the league's head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team.
The Vancouver Bandits’ championship aspirations ended in the Western Final. The visiting Winnipeg Sea Bears never trailed after the first quarter, defeating the Bandits 107-96 on Saturday afternoon on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference Final. Winnipeg advances to face the Brampton Honey Badgers in the best-of-three CEBL Finals. “We had a couple of defensive assignment game plan pieces that I thought we just did not ever execute,” said Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius. “They jumped on us right from the start and had more energy.” Vancouver had won the season series 3-1, including a crucial 114-90 victory less than a week ago that clinched home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. “This group (today) is way better than the Winnipeg we played the other day because of him,” Julius said of Sea Bears guard Trey McGowens, who finished with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists. “I thought he was the X factor — the way he plays, the toughness he has, the athleticism,” Julius added. “He gave them a lot of life. The way he played, created a lot of opportunities.” Winnipeg’s Simon Hildebrandt also proved too much for the Bandits, finishing with 24 points to tie Xavier Moon for the team lead. “You have to give him a lot of credit … he absolutely killed us. He dominated his matchup all night,” Julius said. Shamar Givance led the Bandits with 21 points and 11 assists, while Mitch Creek and Tevin Brown finished with 19 points apiece.
At this stage of the season, style points don’t matter. “Just win the day. I said after the game, it wasn’t pretty, but this time of year, it’s survive and advance,” said Vancouver Bandits General Manager Kyle Julius, who returned to coaching duties on Thursday night. Julius had stepped away from coaching duties earlier in the season after accepting a coaching position in China but retained his role as the Bandits’ general manager. With Vancouver entering the Canadian Elite Basketball League playoffs, Julius returned to the sidelines Thursday night after consulting with interim head coach Rans Brempong, who had previously served as his lead assistant. The result was a 92-83 victory over the visiting Edmonton Stingers in the Western Conference semi-final on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Edmonton raced out to a 9-0 lead before Vancouver settled into its game and took a 52-42 lead into halftime. The Stingers responded with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Bandits 25-13, and led by five points in the fourth quarter before Vancouver battled back with an 11-1 run heading into Target Score Time. The game ended on a Mychal Mulder three-pointer from the corner. “I was spaced properly … and Shamar (Givance) made the right read and kicked it out to me, and I was able to knock it down,” Mulder said. “Our entire fourth quarter is a testament to how we fight and how you pull a win out.” Mulder scored 15 points off the bench and was one of five Vancouver players in double figures, with Givance leading the way with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Mitch Creek (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Tyrese Samuel (13 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles, while Tevin Brown added 19 points and connected on five three-pointers. Nick Hornsby led the Stingers with 22 points, but he was the only Edmonton player to score more than 11. A big factor in the late-game turnaround was the sold-out crowd cheering on the home side. “The crowd really got into it in the fourth quarter and they really boosted us,” Julius said. “I cannot say enough about our fans, they have been tremendous.” It was a sentiment echoed by Mulder. “They are incredible. They pack it out every game. (Coach) was saying in the locker room, it’s like all of a sudden, it turns into six-on-five,” Mulder said. “They are great for our energy and that’s what we fought for, to have home-court advantage.” Vancouver will look to capitalize on that home-court advantage once again when the Bandits host the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Saturday (August 8) at 12:30 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre in the Western Conference Final, with a spot in the CEBL Championship Finals on the line.
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