BANDITS SIGN FORMER NIGHTHAWK, JAMAL REYNOLDS
Bandits Staff • April 23, 2021
ABBOTSFORD, BC, April 23, 2021 – The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed versatile guard and Canisius College alumnus Jamal Reynolds for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season.
Reynolds is no stranger to the CEBL and previously played for the Guelph Nighthawks in 2019 and 2020. In 2019, Reynolds was a key cog for the Nighthawks and finished in the top five in several statistical categories (minimum seven games played), including second in points (16.7), fifth in rebounds (5.8) and fifth in assists per game (3.2) over the course of his nine games played for Guelph. Reynolds showcased his ability to be active on the offensive glass and to convert around the rim, finishing tied for second in offensive rebounds per game (2.2), while shooting 52.6 per cent and 37.5 per cent from field goal and three-point range, respectively.
Reynolds scored a CEBL career-high in points at the Bandits’ inaugural home opener on May 9, 2019, pouring in 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 106-103 victory. Reynolds returned to the Nighthawks in 2020 and averaged 9.8 points and four rebounds per game on 52.2 and 40 per cent shooting from field and three-point range.
“I’m excited to join the Fraser Valley Bandits family. I say ‘family’ because you can see the culture that has been built here from last season and I’m looking forward to being a part of that,” Reynolds said.
A six-foot-four guard, Reynolds hails from Pickering, Ont., where he attended Pine Ridge Secondary School. Reynolds then played at Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. from 2012-14. During the 13-14 season, Reynolds ranked first on Mott in field goal percentage (69.9 per cent), offensive rebounds (94), total rebounds (223) and blocks (34). His stellar field goal percentage placed him first in Division II of the National Junior College Athletic Association and first in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association. His stellar campaign paved the way for Reynolds to transfer to Canisius College, an NCAA Division I program in Buffalo. N.Y.
Reynolds played two seasons for the Golden Griffins from 2014-2016 and was a stalwart on the defensive end while also providing timely offensive contributions thanks to his slashing ability. Reynolds averaged 6.2 points 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 steals per game over 65 games played for Canisius (60 as a starter).
Reynolds’ hard-nosed play helped him become a fan and coach favourite as his performance stuffed the box score beyond what is tracked by traditional statistics. During the 2014-15 season, Reynolds’ defensive and total rebound percentages ranked him fifth in the entire Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and his win shares per 40 minutes and 95.2 defensive rating ranked him second and fourth, respectively, in the MAAC.
"We are really excited to have Jamal join our grind. I have known Jamal personally for a long time and he is exactly what we are looking for in a person and a player to enhance our culture of toughness and resilience. Jamal has a special motor and has the ability to play and defend multiple positions. He will be a fan favorite in the valley,” Bandits general manager Kyle Julius said.
Since graduating from Canisius, Reynolds has frequently finished among team leaders in rebounds and field goal percentage. Reynolds played his first two seasons of professional basketball with the Cape Breton Highlanders in the NBLC. In 2018-19, he doubled his previous season’s scoring average and won sixth man of the year after posting 17.6, 8.9 rebounds, two assists and 1.1 steals per game for the Highlanders. Reynolds’ impressive line ranked him first in the NBLC in total rebounds (400) and his 51.4 shooting from the field ranked him ninth among eligible players.
Prior to the Summer Series in 2020, Reynolds took his talents overseas and was a star for Círculo Gijón Baloncesto in Spain’s LEB Plata, averaging 14.4 points per game and ranking ninth in the league in points (361) and finishing first on Círculo Gijón in total minutes played and points.
The Bandits open the 2021 season on the road at Edmonton on Thursday, June 24. The Bandits welcome Saskatchewan for Fraser Valley’s home opener on Saturday, June 26. All regular season games will be live streamed on the free CBC Gem streaming service, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices and on a new OTT streaming platform that the CEBL will unveil this spring.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its 2020 rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian national team program, and top NCAA and U SPORTS programs.
More information about the Bandits is available at thebandits.ca, as well as on Instagram (@fvbandits.cebl), Twitter (@FV_Bandits), Facebook (@fvbandits.cebl), TikTok, and YouTube.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory, Director of Operations, (604) 217-6213, asavory@thebandits.ca
About the Fraser Valley Bandits:
The Fraser Valley Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the club is proud to call Abbotsford Centre home. The Bandits offer a riveting entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue. PerfectLens, a Vancouver-based contact lens supplier, is the official presenting partner of the Bandits’ 2021 season. Head to thebandits.ca for more information.
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Today, the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the winners of the 2026 CEBL Awards and the All-CEBL Teams via the league's digital and social media channels. Bandits forward Tyrese Samuel captured Canadian Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. He was also named to the All-CEBL First Team and earned his second straight CEBL All-Canadian Team selection. Additionally, longtime international basketball official and Lower Mainland resident Mike Thomson was named a recipient of the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award in recognition of continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. The full list of award winners is as follows: 2026 CEBL Award Winners Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Canadian Player of the Year: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Coach of the Year: Tyrell Vernon (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) CDIC Defensive Player of the Year: Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba) Clutch Player of the Year: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award: Mike Thomson All-CEBL First Team: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears), Javonte Smart (Ottawa BlackJacks), Sean East II (Brampton Honey Badgers), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) All-CEBL Second Team: Tavian Dunn-Martin (Saskatoon Mamba), Khalil Ahmad (Niagara River Lions), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Nick Hornsby (Edmonton Stingers), Matthew Cleveland (Ottawa BlackJacks) CEBL All-Canadian Team: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Quincy Guerrier (Montréal Alliance), Sean Miller-Moore (Calgary Surge), Jaden Bediako (Saskatoon Mamba) Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, repeating as this year's winner after finishing third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game. The Montreal, Que., native led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5 per cent), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Samuel’s standout performances and accolades across his two seasons with the Bandits helped accelerate his career progression. Following the 2025 CEBL season, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns joining the team on its training camp roster. He is now preparing for his first overseas opportunity, signing with French club Cosea JL Bourg for the 2026-27 season who compete in the prestigious EuroCup league and the Ligue Nationale de Basket. A resident of New Westminster, Mike Thomson was honoured with the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award for his continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. A FIBA-licensed Referee Instructor with nearly 50 years of basketball officiating involvement, Thomson’s resume includes officiating the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and serving as a Referee Instructor at the 2024 Summer Olympics and both the 2019 and 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cups. A longtime contributor to the CEBL, he served as both a Referee Coach and member of the Referee Advisory Committee this past season, drawing on his extensive experience in Canadian and international basketball to provide steady guidance and leadership throughout the season. Award winners and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams are determined by votes cast by the CEBL's team head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel, based on regular season performance. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team. All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the Official Supplier of Award Rings of the CEBL, as well as a special gift from Foot Locker, the official sportswear retailer of the CEBL and its 10 teams. Details on tickets for the 2027 season can be found via CEBL.ca/tickets .
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