BANDITS TAKE ON GUELPH IN FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF GAME AT LEC THIS THURSDAY

Bandits Staff • August 2, 2022

LANGLEY, B.C., August 2, 2022 – The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Tuesday that the club will host the Guelph Nighthawks this Thursday, Aug. 4 for its first-ever Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) playoff game at Langley Events Centre (LEC).


Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT and tickets for the rematch of last year’s quarterfinal are on sale now at this link. A berth in the CEBL quarterfinals hangs in the balance for the winner of Thursday’s win-or-go-home tilt.


New for the 2022 CEBL season is the introduction of a “play-in” round, which precedes the quarterfinals on Sunday, Aug. 7, where a date with the Scarborough Shooting Stars awaits the victor of Thursday’s contest. 


Thursday’s play-in has no shortage of storylines to watch; first of which is the fact that the Bandits and Nighthawks split the season series at one game a piece. Fraser Valley won the first matchup 90-85 on the road versus Guelph on June 21 and Guelph won 87-79 on the road at LEC on July 15.


Separated by a head-to-head point differential of just three points, the narrative does not stop there. The two rivals met last year in the CEBL quarterfinals on Aug. 15. Fraser Valley won 104-84 to earn a trip to Championship Weekend in Edmonton last summer.


Rewind to 2020 and the Bandits defeated the Nighthawks 84-70 in the final regular season game of the CEBL Summer Series on Aug. 5, 2020, to earn a bye to the semifinals. 

Both teams rounded out the recent CEBL regular season in winning fashion. Fraser Valley won three of its last four games to finish 12-8 (fourth overall) and Guelph won its last two games of the campaign to finish 10-10 (seventh overall). 


“This year has been an awesome debut at one of the best venues in all of Canadian sports and entertainment at Langley Events Centre. Our fans have supported us all season long and have given us a home court advantage unlike any other in the CEBL,” Bandits president Dylan Kular said.


“Our players feed off the energy of our passionate fanbase and I am excited to welcome our supporters for a great evening of professional basketball and for one more chance to defend home court.”



In addition to the thrilling playoff atmosphere where fast-paced basketball and riveting audiovisual effects will take centre stage, the Bandits have special promotional offers and giveaways planned for fans to help create a raucous atmosphere on Thursday night.


In particular, Fraser Valley will be giving away team branded t-shirts courtesy of the club’s 2022 season presenting partner, PerfectLens, to the first 300 fans that arrive in the building. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. PT. A $20 pre-game buffet is available for fans that arrive within the first 30 minutes of doors opening. The buffet costs $25 afterward and closes at tip-off.


Fans that come to the game will have access to enjoy 15 per cent off all apparel available for sale on the concourse and at ATO Basketball Merchants. Season ticket members will be able to access a 20 per cent discount with proof of their “season ticket member rewards pass.” 


If fans and season ticket members wear any orange item of clothing, they will be able to capitalize on a larger discount of 25 and 30 per cent off all apparel, respectively. Headwear and jerseys are excluded from discount eligibility. 


Fans are kindly asked to call (604) 866-0529 or email tickets@thebandits.ca for any questions or ticket related inquiries.

CEBL games are available on CEBL+ live internationally and in Canada at cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices and the free CBC Gem streaming service. Games are also available on the CEBL’s official app, CEBL Mobile (available on iOS and Android devices), as well as TELUS Optik TV Channel 1901 Lower Mainland and via live streams on 604 Now’s Facebook and Twitter pages.


Head to thebandits.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

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By Bandits Staff • April 30, 2025
The Vancouver Bandits announced today a two-year partnership extension with Sentinel Storage that expands on the companies’ long-standing relationship and reinforces a shared commitment to youth, sport, and community in British Columbia. This renewed partnership builds on a foundation that dates back to 2020 with the Bandits Athletic Centre in Abbotsford, where Sentinel Storage played a key role in supporting multiple sport organizations at the grassroots level during the pandemic. Sentinel Storage and the Bandits are deepening their impact through two major initiatives: co-presenting the Bandits' annual School Day Game, and serving as the founding and presenting partner of the First Buckets program by the Bandits Community Foundation. The School Day Game, set to be held at Langley Events Centre during the Bandits’ 2025 season on May 8th, is a high-energy morning basketball game that invites thousands of elementary and middle school students for an unforgettable field trip experience. The event is designed to inspire youth through sport, while providing educators and students with a unique opportunity to engage with professional basketball in a fun and educational setting. "At Sentinel Storage, we believe in the power of community and the importance of supporting youth development through sport,” said Jenn Johnson, Director of Operations, Western Canada, Sentinel Storage. “We’re excited to be expanding our partnership with the Bandits to help make basketball more accessible to youth across British Columbia, while also fostering important life skills like teamwork, resilience, and leadership. We’re proud to be a part of this journey and look forward to seeing how we can continue to make a difference in the lives of young athletes in B.C.” Sentinel Storage has also committed to leading the launch of First Buckets, a flagship initiative of the Bandits Community Foundation. This program delivers basketball starter kits to schools across British Columbia, helping introduce the game to new communities. Each kit includes basketballs, jerseys, and coaching materials, along with life skills curriculum and the potential for a visit from Berry the Bandit, the team’s beloved mascot. The program makes the sport accessible while championing important lessons in teamwork, resilience, and leadership. “We’re grateful to be partnered with a community-minded organization like Sentinel Storage who also took a chance on us in 2020 when we launched the Bandits Athletic Centre. Since day one with Sentinel Storage it has been evident that they passionately care about the power sport has on supporting youth in British Columbia,” said Dylan Kular, President of the Vancouver Bandits. “Together, through the Bandits Community Foundation, we are going to provide more basketball for more people across British Columbia with the First Buckets program and impact youth across all four corners of the province.”  The partnership between Sentinel Storage and the Vancouver Bandits is a testament to the impact that strong community-focused collaborations can have. With shared values at the core, this partnership is poised to make a lasting difference—on the court and beyond.

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By Bandits Staff • April 30, 2025
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By Bandits Staff • April 24, 2025
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