Kyle Julius leans on a familiar cast to hold down the fort defensively at the CEBL Summer Series
By Contributing CEBL Writer: Cassidy Kannemeyer • July 26, 2020
Julius entrusts Fraser Valley's guard corps with offensive and defensive responsibilities for the Summer Series.
Projecting the way a group of individuals will function together as a team is tasked to the general manager of a professional sports club. When the GM and coach are aligned, this process can be less complicated. When the GM is the coach, the vision is crystal clear. The Fraser Valley Bandits’ new head coach and GM Kyle Julius has a clear vision for his team heading into a unique, but exciting year of Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) action.
Reading between the lines sheds light on Julius’ offseason focus: Upgrading the guard position, adding a group of experienced playmakers and making all the guards battle for roles and playing time. Well travelled, experienced, familiar and hard-nosed, these six newcomers will help establish the culture of the Fraser Valley Bandits.
Junior Cadougan, because of his success with Marquette University and Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, is the biggest name of the newcomers. Built like an NFL running back, Cadougan’s ability to get into the paint could land him as a starter on opening night of the CEBL Summer Series tournament. Cadougan is not your classic point guard, but he is a great late clock shot creator that has both a right and left killer crossover – reminiscent of former NBA all-star Tim Hardaway. His shooting will most likely determine his role. His last two seasons in the NBLC, Cadougan has hovered around 30 per cent from three-point range. Playing off the ball, his shooting will have to improve to unlock his full potential.
Kyle Johnson could also start at the two for the Bandits. Of all the new guards, Johnson at six-foot-five appears to be the best one-on-one scorer and one of the better shooters on the team. A volume scorer at Long Island University, Johnson averaged double figures every season he played at the NCAA Division I level. Overseas, he is a hired gun, asked to end late possessions from the mid-range like many great forward scorers from the 1980s. When watching his highlights in Iceland, one marvels at how he was able to score from isolation areas near the high post. Johnson appears to be a throwback, but he does have the touch necessary to extend out to the three-point line. Based on the tape, Johnson could be one of the primary scoring options the team lacked last season.
Julius will be able to rely on one thing: Marcus Capers will be able to guard any guard in the CEBL. An import from Winter Haven, Fla., and the reigning NBLC defensive player of the year, Capers played for Julius’ rendition of the London Lightning that won the 2017 NBLC championship with Johnson and Cadougan at the core as well. At six-foot-four with arms for days, Capers could potentially be the team’s best all-around athlete. A defensive beast, Capers stuffs the stat sheet and is a capable shot creator off the pick and roll. Capers is more than just a one-dimensional defender and will be relied on heavily to lock up the league’s premier offensive threats, which will allow other Bandits guards to focus on the offensive end.
Malcolm Duvivier, Jahenns Manigat and Jabs Newby round out the list of guards acquired through free agency. All three are gritty two-way guards. Newby projects as a back-up point guard, with some potential at the two position when called upon in a pinch. A defensive guard by trade, Newby is a master of the chase down block, a feature usually held by a guard much larger than six-foot-two. Manigat, a four-year man from Creighton University who also served as the Bluejays’ captain for three years, is a quick trigger shooter that is ready to let it fly from all over the floor. In his pro seasons overseas, Manigat has shot over 40 per cent from three-point distance several times. Lastly, Duvivier is the wild card of the entire group. Standing six-foot-two and built like a defensive end, Duvivier can squeeze through tight spaces and explode above the rim for highlight reel dunks. The youngest of the six guards at 25, Duvivier still has room to grow as a pro and could be a “three-and-D” guy for the Bandits this summer.
Julius is tasked with overhauling a roster that features only one returning player from last season, local Abbotsford product and Yale Secondary School alumnus Marek Klassen. A roster’s success is dependent on the ability to control the ball offensively and stop the ball defensively. Knowing Julius’ track record and reputation as a “player’s coach,” this group will compete and fight on every possession, which bodes well for the Bandits’ ability to handle most of the league’s top offensive threats, while also offering more options for shot creation in late shot clock scenarios. Time will tell if this is truly the year of the Bandit.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory
Director of Operations
asavory@thebandits.ca
Fraser Valley Bandits
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This weekend, youth across Haida Gwaii will have the opportunity to learn and sharpen their basketball skills from British Columbia’s professional basketball team. Through the generous support of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and Langara Island Lodge, the Vancouver Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation will be hosting free-of-charge youth basketball camps across Haida Gwaii, marking the organization’s first community visit to the North Coast region. “Haida Gwaii means a great deal to us, and we know how much basketball means to these communities. The game gives young people a place to grow, brings families together, and creates opportunities for teams to proudly represent where they come from,” said Yos Gladstone, Sales Coordinator, Langara Island Lodge. “The young players, coaches, families, and teams here deserve every opportunity we can help bring their way. We are grateful to the Vancouver Bandits, I∙SPARC and the Bandits Community Foundation for their commitment to make this program happen, and especially to those in Haida Gwaii who give so much of their time, energy, and efforts to basketball year-round.” “For us, supporting this program is personal. We care about the communities and the people who make them so special. If this visit from the Vancouver Bandits gives local players more time on the court, encouragement to keep going, and a chance to connect through the game, that is something we are proud to be part of.” The camps are hosted in collaboration with I∙SPARC, Bandits Community Foundation, Haida Gwaii Recreation and School District 50 Haida Gwaii. Across three days, over 200 youth athletes aged 10 to 17 and their families will gather in gymnasiums across Haida Gwaii for camps and workshops led by Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation staff members. Youth participants will also receive complimentary Vancouver Bandits merchandise. "Haida Gwaii holds a legendary place in this province and Indigenous basketball culture and being on the ground in Masset and Skidegate truly showcases how powerful this sport is," said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. "The competitive drive and skill level of these youth are incredible, but what is even more inspiring is how basketball acts as a heartbeat for the entire region. Seeing the immediate connection between the youth, the coaching staff, and the local fans highlights exactly why we wanted to bring the Bandits to Haida Gwaii.” “We want to extend our deepest thanks to the Haida Nation and our partners at I∙SPARC and Langara Island Lodge for hosting us and sharing their incredible hospitality. This visit marks an exciting milestone for our organization, and we look forward to building on this relationship for years to come." The camp schedule for this weekend is as follows: Friday, October 2 Kwiiyaans Community Hall, Old Massett 12:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School, Masset 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 3 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, October 4 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The forthcoming camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits, and build upon recent previous community visits to Williams Lake and Bella Coola earlier this year. 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.
The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, and the Bandits Community Foundation partnered with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and Nuxalk First Nation to host a series of youth basketball clinics throughout the Bella Coola Valley earlier this month, marking the club’s first visit to the region. Led by Bandits Team President Dylan Kular and Community Manager Pavan Kalair, nearly 200 local youth athletes participated in free-of-charge workshops and basketball camps, furthering the Bandits Community Foundation’s goal of bringing more basketball to more people across the province. Beginning with a welcome ceremony from Nuxalk Nation community leaders and drummers, Bandits staff led PHE classes at Acwsalcta School, hosted skill development clinics at Sir Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School (SAMSS), and assisted community coaches with tryouts for Nuxalk Nation’s U13 and U17 teams participating at the 2027 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament, taking place in March. "Bella Coola has one of the richest basketball traditions anywhere in this province, and you feel it the moment you walk into their gyms. The passion that Nuxalk Nation has for this game runs deep, and it gets passed down from generation to generation," said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. "What stood out to us all week was how basketball brings this community together. Elders, parents, coaches and kids were all in the same room, and that is what the game is supposed to look like. We are grateful to Nuxalk Nation for welcoming us, and to I∙SPARC for helping us get here. This is the first time we have made the trip to the Valley, but it certainly will not be the last." “It was a pleasure to host the Bandits in Bella Coola; we are super grateful for the Bandits and I∙SPARC for their partnership and making the trip to experience the passion and love that Nuxalk Nation has for basketball,” said Nuxalk Nation youth coordinator Cole Sankey. “As a coach, it was a great opportunity to bring high-level basketball minds to our community and show our youth a little bit of what professional players go through. Dylan and Pavan brought great energy to our workshops at Acwsalcta, SAMSS and Nuxalk Hall, and they emphasized in each session that the best players master the basic details every day. Stutwiniititsxw Vancouver Bandits and I∙SPARC!” The camps were 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.
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