Bandits looking for second consecutive win in their regular season finale against Shooting Stars

Zulfi Sheikh • July 30, 2023

The Vancouver Bandits (+118) finish up their 2023 campaign on the road as they visit the Scarborough Shooting Stars (-160) on Sunday night from the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre with tip-off set for 7:00 pm ET. 


It will be available for streaming live on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.


This will be the first and only regular season matchup between the cross-conference opponents, and their first since the two squads went head-to-head in July of last year. It was Scarborough, in their inaugural season, that ended up with the edge in the season series against Vancouver in 2022, winning two out of three games.


The Bandits are heading into this contest on the heels of one of their most impressive wins of the season, as the squad picked up a narrow 90-89 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. Not only bumping the top team in the East into second place, but also handing them their third loss in a row.


It was Duane Notice’s heroic game-winning triple that gave the Bandits their second win in their last five outings, but it took a team effort to bring them to that point. Seven of the eight players that checked-in for the team put up eight or more points, unsurprisingly led by the forward duo of Giorgi Benzhanishvili and Nick Ward. 


Benzhanishvili tallied an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Ward added a game-high 25 points and grabbed seven boards of his own.


The pairing continues to be top contributors for Vancouver, both as scorers and for their work on the glass. Leading the CEBL’s best rebounding squad (43.2 RPG), their work securing the ball has been the team’s strength all season, and that didn’t change Thursday as the Bandits grabbed four more boards than the BlackJacks. 


Their efforts also earned them a +5 edge on offensive rebounds and +7 advantage on second chance points. Vancouver’s rebounding prowess also allowed them to dominate the interior as they shot an efficient 55 per cent from two-point range and ended the night +30 on points inside the paint. 


Fans should keep an eye out for a glass battle as the Shooting Stars are also a top-five rebounding team (40 RPG) and will give the Bandits a good test before both teams head into the post-season.


Most notably, Scarborough will hope for a big game from Kalif Young. Like Ward (7.8 RPG) and Benzhanishvili (9.0 RPG), the big man is a top-ten rebounder in the league (7.7 RPG) and will likely be fighting in the paint against Vancouver’s duo all night. In Scarborough’s latest outing the forward did a bit of everything on route to a double-double as Young notched 13 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks.


Despite the big man’s valiant effort, the Shooting Stars still took a 103-86 loss to the defending champion Brampton Honey Badgers and snapped a three-game win streak as a result. Tonight’s contest was also meant to be Scarborough’s regular season finale, but after their game on Friday was rescheduled to July 31, it will now be the first of a back-to-back set instead. 


In said defeat, the team held their own in most statistical categories against Brampton, but they struggled mightily from beyond the arch. Scarborough made just two triples on a 10 per cent clip, ending up a -18 on points from distance as a result. Their poor shooting, mixed with a major 22-8 run surrendered in the third quarter is what ultimately led to their first loss in four games.


There were some positives for the Shooting Stars to take from the game, as they actually led in scoring through the first, second, and fourth quarters, and if it weren’t for the lopsided third, they would’ve had a shot at making it four wins in a row. The squad will look to put together a full 40-minute performance as they try to get back in the win column.


Fans of Scarborough should also keep their eyes on Cat Barber, as the team’s top-scorer is only seven points away from reaching the 1000-point mark for his career in the CEBL. If he reaches the milestone tonight, he’ll be the second player ever in league history to get there, doing it only two days after his former teammate Ahmed Hill did it.


In terms of playoff implications, as host city, Vancouver is locked into a spot at Championship Weekend, so a win or loss won’t change much for positioning but can help them gain some momentum heading in. 


The Shooting Stars have already clinched a playoff spot as well, but the team has a chance to make their path to a second-straight finals appearance easier if they win out to end the season. If Scarborough can win both of their final two games, they would leap over the BlackJacks for second in the East, avoiding the play-in as a result.


Full conference standings can be found here.


All games will also be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Full list of betting props available on BetVictor. Preview written by Zulfi Sheikh (@zulfi_sheikh).


A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 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 runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

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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.

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