BANDITS EMERGE VICTORIOUS IN AN EARLY BATTLE OF UNDEFEATED TEAMS
By Justine Jones • June 30, 2021
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., June 29, 2021 – Marek Klassen led the way with 21 points for the Fraser Valley Bandits who remain undefeated (2-0) in the 2021 CEBL season after a 104-81 win over the Niagara River Lions (1-1) on Tuesday night at the Abbotsford Centre.
The BC native headed the charge for Fraser Valley. Klassen pushed the pace and finished both at the rim and from the three-point line, shooting 71 per cent from beyond the arc. As one of the lone returning players from Fraser Valley’s team that made the CEBL finals last year, Klassen has played a large role early on this season.
“He’s treated them like brothers and welcomed them in, showed them around a bit, and he just understands the game, what the league is like and how to play out here,” said head coach Dave Singleton. “He’s been a really good leader for us overall.”
Fraser Valley carried the momentum from their opening night victory into tonight’s contest, dictating the pace early. The Bandits set the tone with their defensive play applying heavy on-ball pressure and forcing the River Lions into turnovers. Fraser Valley was able to get out in transition and make layups and three-pointers, opening up a 13-point lead after the first quarter, and a 20-point lead at the half. The Bandits shot an impressive 60 per cent from three-point range through two quarters and totaled a CEBL season high 60 first half points.
Another strength on display for Fraser Valley was their rotation depth. Alex Campbell and Ryan Ejim provided a boost for the Bandits off the bench and kept the team’s momentum strong in the first half. After the break it was Kenny Manigault who stepped up, hitting a corner three and finishing an alley-oop pass to maintain the Bandits’ control of the game.
Fraser Valley had seven players who finished in double digits and with double the games this year, coach Dave Singleton believes their depth will be a strong point this season. Despite only two returning players from last year in Klassen and fellow guard Malcolm Duvivier, the Bandits have been able to build chemistry quickly and have translated this full-team effort into two wins to open the season.
“One of the most important parts of being a professional basketball player is you have to move into a new team and gel right away,” said Klassen. “What this team does exceptionally well is we make each other better. We’re physical, we have an incredible shot-blocker and rim protection, we have a lot of really good pieces here it’s just a matter of working together to understand the referees, the system, and the way this league is going to work.”
Xavier Sneed led the charge for Niagara scoring 35 points and going 11 for 18 from the field. The former Greensboro Swarm guard drained seven of his nine attempted three-pointers in an attempt to keep the River Lions in the game early on. Niagara had difficulty finishing at the rim, and had they made some of these transition layups, the narrative of this game would have been much different.
“We have to execute better. We had a game plan that fit exactly what these guys did and we just didn’t execute,” said head coach and general manager Victor Raso. “This league is all about energy, teams who play harder win games and that team beat us until mid-way through the third quarter when our energy matched theirs and then it was a bit of a game from there on in.”
The matchup was a fast-paced, high-flying affair, something the River Lions found success with in their season opener in Ottawa. Niagara has an athletic roster, so while they may not have made some of the good looks in transition tonight, this style of play is something we may see from Niagara moving forward.
Next up for the River Lions is the reigning CEBL Champions, the Edmonton Stingers (1-0) on July 2 at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. local time at the Expo Centre.
The Fraser Valley Bandits will take on the Saskatchewan Rattlers (0-2) at the Abbotsford Centre in a rematch of their opening night showdown on July 1 at 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. local time (PT).
All CEBL games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service, CEBL+, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. More information about the Bandits is available at thebandits.ca.
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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.
LATEST NEWS
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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.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed NBA-experienced guard Mychal Mulder for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-3 guard from Windsor, Ont., Mulder appeared in 84 NBA games between 2019 to 2022 for the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. His breakout season in 2020-21 saw him appear in 60 games for the Warriors, where he averaged 5.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 12.8 minutes, including six starts alongside the likes of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. “I am excited to be in Vancouver to play with the Bandits and work with coach Kyle Julius this summer. Playing in a Canadian league is a first for me, and it is an opportunity that I take pride in,” said Mulder. “We are going to have a really good group and a very competitive season; Bandits fans, get ready.” Mulder most recently played for the Washington Wizards’ NBA G League affiliate, Capital City Go-Go, during the 2023-24 season where he appeared in 27 games and averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 17.3 minutes per game. A product of the University of Kentucky, Mulder played two seasons of NCAA DI basketball from 2015 to 2017. He averaged 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 10.6 minutes through 32 contests for a Wildcats squad that advanced to the Elite Eight at the 2017 NCAA March Madness tournament. “Mychal is an elite Canadian player who has built a career as accomplished as any player to play in our league. He will provide big time experience and leadership to our group,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “He has played with the best players in the world and it is going to be awesome to have him enhance our culture and push our group towards a championship.” Internationally, Mulder has represented Canada at the senior level on two occasions at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers and the 2021 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Mulder joins reigning CEBL Canadian Player of the Year Tyrese Samuel as players who have signed with the Bandits for the upcoming 2026 season. 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 (CEBL) is proud to announce CEBL Signing Day , coming April 8. Replacing the CEBL Draft , Signing Day will roll out across league-wide social platforms, spotlighting the next wave of elite Canadian talent as student-athletes from U SPORTS and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) officially sign for the 2026 season. Two athletes per team will be announced, with the possibility of more signings as the season approaches. Since 2019, the CEBL’s partnership with U SPORTS and more recently also the CCAA has built a pro-level stage where the best intercollegiate talent from coast to coast can shine. CEBL teams are incentivized to carry development players on their active rosters, with up to three developmental players eligible per game outside the Club’s salary cap. The results speak for themselves: 116 student-athletes from 44 schools across Canada have been selected by CEBL clubs through the draft process, a testament to the exceptional depth and calibre of Canadian collegiate basketball. The world will be watching. Through the CEBL's landmark five-year broadcast partnership with CBC Sports, these talented student-athletes will get national, and global, spotlight. Marquee games will air on CBC TV, including the first-ever best-of-three CEBL Finals in league history, with every CEBL game live streamed on CBC Gem and CBC Sports YouTube and CEBL+ . Canadian basketball has never been more visible and it's only getting bigger. For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, visit cebl.ca/schedule . Details on the league’s new playoff format are available at cebl.ca/playoffs , and ticket information for all CEBL games can be found at cebl.ca/tickets .
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