Bandits meet Calgary Surge in Western Conference clash

CEBL Staff • June 7, 2024

The Calgary Surge and Vancouver Bandits will each look to build off recent victories when they tip off at 7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET Friday night at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary.


Live coverage of the game is available on CEBL+, TSN+, and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. It will also be televised on Game+ in Canada and NLSE in the United States.


The contest marks the second of three matchups in 2024 with the Bandits cruising to a 100-74 win over the Surge last Saturday in Vancouver. It’s also another re-match of the 2023 CEBL semifinals, where the Surge emerged with a 77-75 win.


Calgary hasn’t been able to replicate last season’s success quite yet. The reigning Western Conference Champions started the 2024 CEBL campaign at 0-3, before defeating the Saskatchewan Rattlers 102-85, Wednesday night, for their first win of the season.


Just two players from last year’s team have suited up for the Surge so far this season – Sean Miller-Moore and Justin Jackson. Miller-Moore, a 2023 CEBL All-Canadian honouree, has once again led the Surge. 


The Thornhill, Ontario native ranks fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 20.8 points. He poured in a game-high 27 points (12-18 FG) Wednesday night, captaining Calgary to its first win of the season. 


The Surge will need another big performance from Miller-Moore if they hope to build off Wednesday’s win.


Vancouver, meanwhile, has started the year strong and sit atop the standings with a 4-1 record.


The Bandits are averaging 92.4 points per game (third in the CEBL) and have one of the most balanced offences thus far, with four players averaging at least 15.0 points.


This is largely thanks to offseason addition Taze Moore, a 6-foot-5 guard who spent the majority of the 2023-24 NBA season with Portland’s G League affiliate, Rip City Remix. Moore has been a main facilitator in Vancouver’s offence early on this season and is averaging 7.0 assists, which ranks second in the CEBL.


Vancouver has also seen major contributions from other new signees Zach Copeland (19.4 ppg) and Koby McEwen (17.8 ppg), as well as returning Bandit Nick Ward (19.4 ppg).


Key matchup


A deciding factor in this western conference clash may come on the glass.


The Bandits rank third in the CEBL in rebounds (43.0 per game), while the Surge haul in just 34.5 per contest (eighth in the league).


Vancouver is also the league-leader in total offensive rebounds, having collected 62 this season. Forwards Nick Ward and James Karnik both rank top-five in the CEBL in total offensive rebounds and together have combined for 30 of Vancouver’s 62 on the year.


Calgary will look to Canadians Matt Grace and Mathieu Kamba to mitigate the Bandits’ presence on the glass. Grace collected a team-high eight rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Saskatchewan, while Kamba leads the Surge in rebounding (6.5 per game), despite standing at just 6-foot-5.


Milestone watch

  • Calgary’s Duvivier needs three three-pointers to reach 100 for his career, regular season only.
  • Vancouver’s McEwen needs eight three-point field goals to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs.


LATEST NEWS

Vancouver Bandits Sign TWU Product Jack Vandenberg

By Bandits Staff • April 30, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed Trinity Western University (TWU) product Jack Vandenberg to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A six-foot tall guard from Vancouver, Vandenberg earned an invitation to the inaugural Bandits University Combine. 40 local student-athletes competed against each other, developing their game against B.C.’s top young talent and with the help of Bandits coaching staff. The club hosted the combine to identify players who can make an impact in training camp and potentially sign to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. “Jack Vandenberg is one of the premier shooters in Canada. He proved it again at our combine, where he stood out for his elite space and shot-making,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “Having coached him in the gym, I know he’s tough, a leader on his university team, and a player who is going to help push our culture forward.” Julius stressed the importance of Vandenberg’s ability to space the floor in training camp, which begins on Tuesday, May 5. “We are excited to add his toughness and sharpshooting as we gear up for camp,” he continued. In his junior year at TWU during the 2025-26 season, Vandenberg led his team with 15.8 points-per-game while also averaging 3.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 20 games with 19 starts. He led the Canada West conference in three-pointers made, finishing with 75 makes on 175 attempts. Vandenberg shot .429 per cent from beyond the arc, ranking 4th in the conference. Prior to his time with the Spartans, Vandenberg attended Montreal’s Concordia University in the 2022-23 season. An alumnus of St. George’s School in Vancouver, he earned Second Team All-Star honours at the 2022 BC 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship where he helped lead his school to a top 10 finish in his senior year. Fans will get their first chance to watch the Bandits’ new-look roster in a charitable preseason game on Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre when the club faces the Sikh Warriors from ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament. Preseason tickets are on sale at this link , with proceeds benefitting the Bandits Community Foundation. 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.

Vancouver Bandits Sign UBC Okanagan All-Time Leading Scorer Jalen Shirley

By Bandits Staff • April 29, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has signed the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s (UBCO) all-time leading scorer and assist leader Jalen Shirley to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A six-foot guard from Brampton, Ont., Shirley was invited to participate in the inaugural Bandits University Combine, hosted by the club to identify players to invite to training camp and add to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. Shirley was one of 40 student-athletes from local universities, earning a spot on the Bandits 2026 training camp roster, beginning on May 5. “At our combine, Jalen stood out for not getting sped up and playing with control,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “We are thrilled to bring him in and give him the platform to develop into a top-tier professional as he transitions from university to the next level.” He averaged 20.8 points per game in his final season (2025-26), which ranked second in the Canada West conference, as well as 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 34.4 minutes played per game across 23 games and starts. His play earned him Canada West Third Team All-Star honours. Shirley finished his six-year university career as the UBCO Heat’s all-time leader in points and assists, while ranking second all-time in steals, and received the school’s men’s Graduating Athlete of the Year award. “Jalen is an elite U SPORTS point guard who plays the game with solid poise and pace. In pick-and-roll situations, he plays with flow and gets to his spots,” added Julius. Fans will get their first chance to watch the Bandits’ new-look roster in a charitable preseason game on Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre when the club faces the Sikh Warriors from ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament. Preseason tickets are on sale at this link , with proceeds benefitting the Bandits Community Foundation. 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.

Vancouver Bandits Sign UVic Vikes Standout Shadynn Smid

By Bandits Staff • April 28, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that the club has signed University of Victoria Vikes standout and former U SPORTS national champion Shadynn Smid for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-7 forward from Duncan, B.C., Smid has spent the last four years playing post-secondary basketball with the University of Victoria. He helped lead the Vikes to a U SPORTS Final 8 appearance in each of his four years with the program, a run that included three Canada West conference championships and a U SPORTS national championship in 2024-25. Smid was one of 40 men’s basketball student-athletes invited to the Bandits University Combine , hosted by the club to identify players to invite to training camp and add to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. The signing marks Smid’s first-ever professional contract and he will join the club for 2026 Training Camp, commencing on Tuesday, May 5. “Shadynn is a rare combination of elite athleticism and growing skill. He was one of the best players in Canada and we think he can impact winning for us right away,” said head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius. “Shadynn is an explosive athlete who brings a relentless motor every time he steps on the floor. He embodies our team’s culture and we are excited to get to work with him.” He started 25 of 26 games in the 2025-26 season, averaging 13.4 points and pulling down a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game en route to earning Canada West Second Team All-Star honours. Prior to his post-secondary career, Smid attended Cowichan (now Quw’utsun) Secondary. Internationally, Smid represented Canada at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games where he competed in 3x3 basketball. As part of the CEBL’s long-standing partnership with U SPORTS, Canadian men’s basketball student-athletes can be signed to CEBL Developmental Player Contracts therefore retaining a student-athlete’s post-secondary eligibility.

Vancouver Bandits & PerfectLens Renew Season Presenting Partnership for 2026 Season

By Bandits Staff • April 23, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that Vancouver-based contact lens supplier, PerfectLens , has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its season presenting partnership of the Bandits for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. PerfectLens has partnered with Bandits Basketball since 2020 when its inaugural year of partnership was announced prior to the CEBL Summer Series. The focus of PerfectLens’ partnership with British Columbia’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at Vancouver’s home venue of Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (LEC) and to support basketball communities throughout the Lower Mainland. PerfectLens supported Bandits Community Foundation’s School Tour, a free program for high schools where Vancouver Bandits head coach Kyle Julius visited over 160 teams in three years. The upcoming CEBL seasons represent the seventh year of partnership between the Bandits and PerfectLens. “Since day one, our partnership with the Vancouver Bandits has been about more than visibility, it’s been about impact. Over the past six years, we’ve had the opportunity to support basketball at every level, from the energy inside Langley Events Centre on game day to meaningful community initiatives like the Bandits School Tour. We’re proud to continue building alongside an organization that shares our values of accessibility, community and growing the game across British Columbia,” said PerfectLens President Mitsuhiro Shigeno. As the club’s Official Contact Lens Supplier since 2020, PerfectLens will be promoted on Bandits game days at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre with a co-branded logo lock at centre court and on the team’s shorts for both home and away games against CEBL competition in each of the league’s nine other markets in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Brampton, Niagara (St. Catharines), Scarborough (Toronto), Ottawa and Montréal. Bandits fans also receive an exclusive 20% discount on their first order through PerfectLens now through the end of the 2026 season on August 31st, 2026. PerfectLens has built a vast customer base across Canada since its inception in 2014. Through prioritizing customer service, its offering of brand name contact lenses at affordable prices, PerfectLens has earned a strong reputation from its loyal clients. “PerfectLens has been an integral part of the Bandits story since 2020, and their continued commitment speaks to the strength of this partnership. They understand that what we are building goes beyond basketball, it is about creating unforgettable game day experiences and making a lasting impact in communities across the province,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “We are proud to have PerfectLens back as our Season Presenting Partner and look forward to continuing to grow together in 2026 and beyond.”

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