Bandits BC Player of the Week Presented by A&W Canada: January 19, 2024
Bandits Staff • January 19, 2024
As British Columbia's professional basketball team, the Vancouver Bandits are excited to celebrate young student-athletes across our province who are achieving success on and off the court. These are the BC Players of the Week presented by A&W Canada and the Vancouver Bandits for the week preceding January 19, 2024.
Bridgette Hansen: Senior Girls, Killarney Secondary (Vancouver)
"I would like to nominate Bridgette because of her relentless hustle on both ends of the court. She brings her best every game and practice. What she brings to games runs off onto her teammates and is a coachable player as well. She is a big part of why we have started off with a great record this season and are first place in our division so far." -David Knight, coach
Aidna Sethen: Senior Boys, St. Ann's Academy (Kamloops)
"Aidan is an amazing athlete and student. So far this basketball season, he has dominated the court with points and was a big contributor to his team's third place finish at a recent tournament, where he was also named a bursary recipient. Not only does he excel in athletics but in academics as well as a yearly honour student. He deserves to be recognized for all that he does on and off the court." -Chandra Mallais, athletic director
They will each receive a prize pack courtesy of the Vancouver Bandits and A&W Canada. To learn how you can nominate a local middle or secondary school student-athlete, follow this link for full details.
LATEST NEWS
The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, hosted a youth basketball camp on Wednesday, September 9 in Williams Lake, in partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and FortisBC. The Bandits welcomed over 40 local athletes and their families to the camp, with the main goal of building confidence, inspiring young athletes, and bringing youth sports development and mentorship to athletes across the province. Held at Lake City Secondary, the camp marked the first community visit by BC’s professional basketball team to the Cariboo region, bringing more basketball to more people across our province. “Community is a core pillar of the Bandits organization, and we are proud to host camps and opportunities that help shape and inspire the next generation of players and leaders,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “Thank you to our partners at I∙SPARC and FortisBC for their support in bringing this camp to fruition, and to the Williams Lake basketball community for welcoming our team this week.” "We're proud to support opportunities that help young people build confidence, strengthen their skills and create lasting connections," said Janet Devaney, senior manager, community & Indigenous initiatives at FortisBC. "Through initiatives like this basketball camp, Indigenous youth can connect with peers and mentors, develop new skills and experience the positive impact that sport can have on confidence, leadership and a sense of belonging.” The free-of-charge camp was part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits. Established in 2023, ongoing and past projects through the Collective include camps and clinics for Indigenous youth and coaches, building new basketball courts in Indigenous communities, and hosting the 2026 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.
Vancouver Bandits guard Jarkel Joiner has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets. The news was announced by the Hornets on social media . During his time with the Bandits in the 2026 season, Joiner made 21 appearances, including 13 starts, and finished with 16.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steals per games. Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.
Former Vancouver Bandits guard Kyle Mangas has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets. The news was announced by the Hornets on social media. Mangas is expected to practice and compete with the Hornets during the 2026-27 Training Camp and preseason from October 3rd to 12th. During his time with the Bandits in the 2025 season, Mangas finished top five on the team in points (15.3), rebounds (4.6), assists (3.3) and steals (1.3). Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.
The Vancouver Bandits have partnered with the Vancouver Park Board, Bandits Community Foundation and Little Legends Foundation to unveil a newly renovated outdoor basketball court at Grays Park in South Vancouver. Part of the Bandits Community Foundation’s Court Projects initiative, the team officially unveiled the refurbished court on Saturday (August 30). The grand opening included a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a free youth basketball clinic led by local coaches. Attendees also enjoyed a complimentary BBQ lunch, free haircuts and massages, and free backpacks and school supplies distributed for local youth. “The Bandits Community Foundation’s Court Projects initiative was designed to build and enhance public outdoor courts,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “The love for the game grows in spaces like Grays Park. This project would not have been possible without the support of our community partners. We will continue to enhance outdoor public courts, make them more inviting, and create stronger communities through basketball.” “Over the past few years, we have been trying to build one of the nicest courts here in South Vancouver for the community,” said community leader Spensir Sangara. “We recognized that Grays Park was one of the few neighbourhood parks without a quality basketball court for the community. Thank you to our businesses and donors who came together to make our vision a reality. This court is filled with a rich basketball culture and this is a legendary day for our community.” “When the Vancouver Bandits approached the Vancouver Park Board with the idea to upgrade this park, it seemed like the right fit and partner to help renew an important asset in a community where basketball plays such an important role,” said Vancouver Park Board Director of Business Services John Brodie. “Thank you to the Bandits and our partners for their generous contributions, and for being examples of what having a strong, community-oriented mission looks like.” The court refurbishment at Grays Park, located at 4850 St. Catherines Street in Vancouver, includes upgrades to the basketball hoops, playing area resurfacing and seating areas. Grays Park was identified as one of Vancouver’s most active outdoor basketball spaces, and community feedback strongly supported the refurbishment. Established in October 2023, the goal of Court Projects is to enhance outdoor basketball courts across British Columbia, creating productive and safe spaces for individuals to play while enriching local basketball at the community level. To date, this partnered team effort has featured the construction and installation of six brand new outdoor basketball courts and upgrading hundreds of basketball rims in communities across BC.
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