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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Vancouver emerged victorious over Montréal in a battle between the best of both conferences on Saturday (June 14) at Langley Events Centre. The Bandits stormed back from a 20-point deficit in the first half to earn their third straight victory. A timely 15-0 run in the fourth quarter propelled the Bandits to the comeback, featuring clutch shooting from Curtis Hollis, along with inside finishing from Mitch Creek and Shamar Givance. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said certain possessions in the third quarter set the tone for the comeback. “We just kept talking about chipping away and we talked a lot about the power of one possession and how it can change a game,” Julius said. Creek paced the Bandits’ attack with a game-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds. Hollis added 18 points, including the game-winner. “I knew we had to get one more bucket. I knew the guys were helping off me all game, which I really don't know why, but I saw he helped off me, and Shamar made a great pass and I just had to make a shot,” Hollis said. James Karnik and Corey Davis Jr. also made their season debuts for Vancouver, adding nine points each. Julius said incorporating new faces mid-season can be a challenge. “The chemistry of a locker room is fragile. You build your offence around a particular group, you build your defense around a particular group, and when certain pieces change, it can affect your scheme. And so, yeah, you have to tweak things all week,” Julius said. Meanwhile, Montréal guard Tavian Dunn-Martin proved difficult to stop despite second-half struggles as a team. He netted 20 points with four threes on eight-of-13 shooting overall. “We settled for too many threes [in the second half]. We didn't attack the basket … didn't get to the line. Then they got out in transition and made shots, and we didn't,” Dunn-Martin said. Montréal seized control early on, shooting 70 per cent from the field in the first quarter and forcing the Bandits into catch-up mode. Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said his squad was outrebounded in the second half but expects to get better from the loss. “You have to understand that you've got to play a 40-minute game. We got off to a really good start [and] obviously we tapered off a little bit. But it's just a good lesson … basketball is a long game, so I'm not worried about it,” Small said. Montréal began the game on a 14-4 run that culminated in back-to-back threes from Anthony Walker and Quincy Guerrier. Creek showed off his rebounding ability on the offensive glass, keeping the Bandits in the contest with three putbacks. However, the Alliance offence was on fire in the opening 10 minutes. Montréal closed the quarter on a 13-3 run, highlighted by a pair of Michael Diggins Jr. slams and a deep trifecta from Dunn-Martin, to take a 32-15 lead into the second. Guerrier connected on a free throw and a spin layup to extend Montréal’s lead to 20 early in the second before Vancouver went on a quick run fueled by transition finishes to narrow the gap. However, the Alliance stayed hot with another deep triple from Dunn-Martin and a corner three from former Bandit Malcolm Duvivier. The red-hot Montréal offence cooled off to end the half and Vancouver took advantage, closing the deficit to single digits by halftime at 48-41 with a 9-2 run. The third quarter turned into a defensive battle, with neither team scoring more than 15 points. The Bandits fought back to tie the game for the first time since the opening tip, powered by an 11-2 run in which the Alliance didn’t connect on a field goal. However, long-range shooting put Montréal back in front with back-to-back threes from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin. The Alliance carried a 62-56 advantage into the fourth quarter. Dunn-Martin continued to showcase his range with another deep three early in the fourth to bring the Alliance lead back to double-digits. But the Bandits demonstrated their resilience with a massive 15-0 run that put the home squad in front for the first time all game. Alain Louis made some clutch trifectas ahead of the final stretch, but a Creek and-one put Vancouver ahead 80-77 with an 89-point Target Score. After Guerrier kicked off scoring in Target Score Time with a transition slam, Davis Jr. buried a three, Creek got the hoop and the harm, and Givance scored in transition to put Vancouver one point away from victory. Hollis connected on a catch-and-shoot from the wing to complete the comeback and improve the Bandits’ record to 8-1. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600585
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Montreal Alliance on June 14th, 2025.
The Vancouver Bandits have announced today the following roster updates in advance of its Saturday, June 14 game at home against the Montréal Alliance at 7:00 p.m. PT: G Corey Davis Jr. has been added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F James Karnik has been removed the the Club's Suspended List and added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F Tyrese Samuel has been placed on the Club's Suspended List in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts and Summer League opportunities; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments. G Izaiah Brockington has been placed on the Club's Suspended List in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts and Summer League opportunities; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments. G Tristan Jass (lower body) is ruled out for today's game.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6’1” American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters.
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