FRASER VALLEY BANDITS TO HONOUR CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK BRITISH COLUMBIANS AND COACHES THROUGHOUT BHM
Bandits Staff • February 2, 2021
ABBOTSFORD, BC, February 1, 2021
– The Fraser Valley Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday that the club will be honouring the contributions of Black British Columbians and coaches throughout the month of February through a series of interviews and commemorative posts that will be made across the Bandits’ social media channels.
The editorial series will live on the Bandits’ website and will highlight coaching leaders in British Columbia and Canada’s Black communities that are making an impact on and off the basketball court.
In celebration of Black History Month and as a precedent for the editorial series, the Bandits shared a tribute graphic that honoured the below British Columbians, who made historic contributions in their respective fields and disciplines (listed in alphabetical order according to last name):
- Emery Barnes
- A force in the world of sport and politics, Barnes emigrated to Canada in 1957 where he studied at the University of British Columbia. Prior to moving to Canada, Barnes studied at the University of Oregon and excelled as a multi-sport athlete – serving as an alternate high jump member for the U.S. Olympic track team in 1952 and was later drafted by the Green Bay Packers before joining the BC Lions in 1957. Following sport, Barnes entered the world of politics and social justice. Barnes became the first Black speaker of any Canadian legislature when he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in B.C. in 1994 and in 1995 was appointed a member of the Order of B.C.
- Rosemary Brown
- Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Brown became the first Black woman elected to provincial legislature in 1972 as the New Democratic Party candidate for Vancouver-Burrard. She was re-elected three times. Brown became the first woman to run for leadership of a federal political party in 1975. Brown advocated for minority groups and helped break barriers faced by women and people of colour. In 1956 she helped establish the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and throughout her career as an MLA helped reduce barriers faced by women and minority groups.
- Seraphim Joseph ‘Joe’ Fortes
- Born in the British West Indies, Fortes arrived in Vancouver in 1885 and worked as a bartender at a variety of institutions but exhibited a passion for helping others, particularly when it came to swimming and teaching. He became a lifeguard in the early 20th century and in 1910 the City of Vancouver recognized him as the first English Bay lifeguard. Fortes taught several Vancouverites to swim and is credited with saving various individuals from drowning, becoming a local celebrity for his valour. For his efforts and dedication, the Vancouver Historical Society recognized Fortes as “Citizen of the Century” in 1986.
- Doug Hudlin
- A native of Victoria, B.C., Hudlin was nicknamed the “Gentleman Umpire” and was inducted into the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, the Umpires Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Canadian Baseball Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Hudlin was a founding member of the B.C. Black History Awareness Society and was the first non-American to be invited to umpire the 1967 and 1974 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
- Harry Jerome
- Jerome represented Canada at the Rome (1960), Tokyo (1964) and Mexico City (1968) Olympic Games. Jerome captured a bronze medal in Rome and is remembered for many achievements beyond his Olympic medal and the seven world records that he set during his career. Jerome worked in the federal ministry of sport and worked to open doors for young Canadians. Today, a statue of Jerome can be found in Stanley Park, B.C.
- Ruby Sneed
- Sneed was an esteemed classical pianist and music educator. Sneed completed her Associate Diploma (ARCT) at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and broke colour barriers throughout her career by performing at public concerts, in addition to recording, performing and writing musical arrangements for CBC. Sneed later dedicated herself as an educator by teaching young musicians at her private studio in Vancouver for nearly three decades.
- Emma Stark
- Stark lived in Nanaimo, B.C. and became the first Black teacher on Vancouver Island in 1874 when at the age of 18 she was appointed the first teacher at the new North Cedar School.
The Fraser Valley Bandits obtain no rights to the intellectual property of BCBHAS other than the right to display the content as noted. Historical and textual records and accounts have kindly been provided by the © BC Black History Awareness Society (all rights reserved).
Photos kindly provided courtesy of:
- Emery Barnes
- Photo provided by the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
- Rosemary Brown
- Photo provided by The Province (Postmedia)
- Seraphim Joseph ‘Joe’ Fortes
- Photo provided by Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House
- Doug Hudlin
- Photo provided by Barbara Hudlin
- Harry Jerome
- Photo provided by University of Oregon Athletics
- Ruby Sneed
- Photo provided by Theresa (née Sneed) Lewis
- Emma Stark
- Photo provided by Barbara Hudlin
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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
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.
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.
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.
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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